Digital BW, The Print

> on 2/12/02 8:05 PM, Carl Schofield wrote:
> 
>> If the file is destined for B&W printing then the next step would be
>> conversion to 16 bit greyscale (either using the channel mixer or the
>> Lightness channel in LAB mode).  Any required levels or curves adjustments
>> and sharpening are made in 16 bit mode before converting to 8 bit for
>> printing.  
> 
> 
> FWIW, depending on your output, converting to 8-bit for printing may not be
> necessary. The Piezo driver ver6 (I'm told) will actually utilize all
> 16-bits of data, and even if printing through the Epson driver you can just
> send the 16-bit file to print and either Photoshop or the Epson driver will
> downsample the data on the fly leaving your file unscathed.
> 
> It may not make a difference in print, but since you went to the trouble to
> stay in the high bit mode throughout, might as well keep it there. Plus it
> saves you a step.
> 
> Todd

Thanks for the tip Todd.  I didn't know that this was possible.  I'm using
MIS VM inks with Paul Roark's curves and have been converting back to RGB
after the 8 bit conversion.  I'm wondering if I could just skip the
greyscale conversion at the end of the workflow I described previously, stay
in 16 bit RGB mode after using the channel mixer monochrome conversion,
apply Paul's curves, and then just send the 16 bit file to the printer.