Digital BW, The Print

Jerry wrote:

>The Variable curves take a long time to write, and it
>must be fine tuned many times. I don't think the
>average user here would want to tackle it.

True.

>But what about transfer curves? How do They work?
>What would they offer that the rgb curves wouldn't?

I think the Transfer Function curves are much simpler to manipulate because
there are just boxes that one enters numbers into to change the curves.
They didn't give good enough control to use as the primary method of
controlling the variable-tone inks (I tried).  However, they do allow one to
make changes simply that can, in effect, profile the default Archival Matte
curve for another paper.  I've done this for Somerset enhanced, and Mike
Kravit just mentioned that he'd done it for some Hahnemuhle papers that he
uses.

It think that the Transfer Function, which is accessed though the "Transfer"
button on the first Epson driver dialog box (I'm not sure this is the same
for all printers and the same for PC and Mac), is easy enough for most to
use.  And, using it does not risk messing up the main Photoshop image
adjustment curves that will still be used to control the inks.  The Transfer
Function will be, in effect, an overlay on the primary curve.

Paul