Digital BW, The Print

Carl,

Yes, you can stay in RGB after channel mixer.  I have been keeping files in 
16 bits.  I apply Paul's curves at the very end, right before printing -- no 
need to go down to 8 bits.

My original question, however, did not relate to how to convert to grayscale. 
 I wanted to know if people do *any* editing at all on the original D30 color 
file (Jerry said he does).  Or, if they go directly to grayscale and do all 
the editing there.

I see a difference and I would guess it's because of working on color vs. 
gray.  I wondered if anyone else has noticed this and have they decided one 
way was better than the other.

Helene 


> 
> 
> > 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. 
> 
> 
> 
> 



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