Digital BW, The Print

Hi Bill,

> ...

> We've printed large editions using our 9800/ConeColor/ColorBurst set-up on Arches BFK uncoated. Really beautiful, but with a "soft" black. ...

I'm not sure I'm familiar with the BFK variant of Arches (or Rives).  I tested a number of  the Arches and other brands of uncoated papers, the Arches Hot Press (and Cold Press if  you like texture) had the best dmax.  The watercolorists I work with like it for its relatively high color gamut.  It is more heavily sized and calendared than many of the softer papers.  Have you compared the 2 apparently different papers?  

Getting a good dmax on the Arches with the 7800 is an open question.  It initially had a terrible  one, but it turned out the Epson MK had badly settled.  Between that and the lower dmax (on Arches) of the Epson MK  v. Eboni MK, I still have hopes  that I'll  be able  to hit the mid  to high 1.50s with the 7800.  The best I've seen with Arches HP is 1.63 with the 1400, but that is not a normal, expected value.  Mid to high 1.50s, however, is normal and below that I'd start to have trouble.

Paul
www.PaulRoark.com