Digital BW, The Print

For Robert and Antonis (and anyone else interested)....

I unpacked my X-Rite 810 densitometer and recalibrated it this 
evening. I am measuring the density range of digital negatives to 
try and develop a baseline for comparison with traditional 
platinum negatives.

While I had it up and running I figured I might take some reading 
from a few digital prints made on my 7000 with the IP4 RIP.  

I was quite surpised to find that the greatest density I recorded 
was on H. William Turner. The dmax was along the edge where I 
printed the full frame of a 6x6 negative. The deepest shadow 
areas recorded a density reading on 1.79! and the rebate edge 
black border recorded a reading of 1.97!

Figuring I screwed up the calibration, I next read the calibration 
tablet again and it was within 0.02 du. So I read a Stoffer 
calibrated step tablet (transmission as I dont have a reflective) 
and the #5 patch wqas within .03 du.

Using the Epson driver, I get a dmax in the rebate border of 1.79.

This seems to confirm what I have suspected, and that is the 
RIP is laying down denser blacks. When I switch from MIS 
Double Density black to Epson black dye, the dmax jumps well 
over 2.0 to almost 2.2!

It is entirely possible to get very good blacks with the Epson 
7000 and pigmented inks using a RIP.

Considering that it is late and I am tired, I will re-test again 
tomorrow when hopefully I will get the same readings.

Mike

After letting the densitometer settle in all night I calibrated the 
reflective mode.  It is now within 0.1 of the standard test strip.


The 100% black on the print border now reads   1.91 du. That is 
still a very dense black that the 7000 is printing on William 
Turner with the IP4 RIP.

Mike

Mike,

Is this with the Standard MIS-FS set, or the Neutral?

Butch

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y..., "mkravit" <mjkaia@k...> 
wrote:
> After letting the densitometer settle in all night I calibrated the 
> reflective mode.  It is now within 0.1 of the standard test strip.
> 
> 
> The 100% black on the print border now reads   1.91 du. That 
is 

> still a very dense black that the 7000 is printing on William 
> Turner with the IP4 RIP.
> 
> Mike

Thanks Mike.  That's what John P. at colorbyte has been telling me...they
are getting dmax of 0.1 to 0.15 better than from the piezo driver.  I know
that I can frequently beat the piezo driver with the epson driver...but this
is completely paper dependent. For instance Eclipse is about 0.2 better with
the epson driver than anything I can get out of the piezo driver, while EAM
is nearly identical.

Keep us posted.  I hope to have an 1270 set up with MIS inks and the
Imageprint 4 driver in the next several weeks...so I will do similar
comparisons. However, its my understanding that the piezo driver still
doesn't support the 1270?  So my comparisons maybe between a 1160 running
the piezo driver and imageprint on the 1270.

Robert

routinely On 5/10/02 8:15 PM, "mkravit" <mjkaia@...> wrote:

> For Robert and Antonis (and anyone else interested)....
> 
> I unpacked my X-Rite 810 densitometer and recalibrated it this
> evening. I am measuring the density range of digital negatives to
> try and develop a baseline for comparison with traditional
> platinum negatives.
> 
> While I had it up and running I figured I might take some reading
> from a few digital prints made on my 7000 with the IP4 RIP.
> 
> I was quite surpised to find that the greatest density I recorded
> was on H. William Turner. The dmax was along the edge where I
> printed the full frame of a 6x6 negative. The deepest shadow
> areas recorded a density reading on 1.79! and the rebate edge
> black border recorded a reading of 1.97!
> 
> Figuring I screwed up the calibration, I next read the calibration
> tablet again and it was within 0.02 du. So I read a Stoffer
> calibrated step tablet (transmission as I dont have a reflective)
> and the #5 patch wqas within .03 du.
> 
> Using the Epson driver, I get a dmax in the rebate border of 1.79.
> 
> This seems to confirm what I have suspected, and that is the
> RIP is laying down denser blacks. When I switch from MIS
> Double Density black to Epson black dye, the dmax jumps well
> over 2.0 to almost 2.2!
> 
> It is entirely possible to get very good blacks with the Epson
> 7000 and pigmented inks using a RIP.
> 
> Considering that it is late and I am tired, I will re-test again
> tomorrow when hopefully I will get the same readings.
> 
> Mike

However, its my understanding that the piezo driver still
> doesn't support the 1270? 

True - in my set up at least.

Antonis

Mike,

entirely believable. Congratulations on the 810. A very solid instrument and 
as long as you check the calibration, the numbers would be valid across 
instruments. Please keep us posted.

Now that you have this great toy, perhaps you can also see if there is a 
reading for the 99% patch - i.e. how well does IP4 go from this extreme dmax 
to the next few percents up the scale. Do they separate well etc. That's where 
it gets tough. 

Antonis

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y..., "mkravit" <mjkaia@k...> wrote:
...

> The 100% black on the print border now reads   1.91 du. That is 
> still a very dense black that the 7000 is printing on William 
> Turner with the IP4 RIP.
> 
> Mike

Butch,

It is with the FS-N inkset, but I don't believe this would make a 
difference as the blacks are the same and the densities of the 
other inks are the same as well.

Mike


--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y..., "butchhul" <
butchhul@a...> wrote:
> Mike,
> 
> Is this with the Standard MIS-FS set, or the Neutral?
> 
> Butch
> 
> --- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y..., "mkravit" <
mjkaia@k...> 

> wrote:
> > After letting the densitometer settle in all night I calibrated the 
> > reflective mode.  It is now within 0.1 of the standard test strip.
> > 
> > 
> > The 100% black on the print border now reads   1.91 du. That 
> is 
> > still a very dense black that the 7000 is printing on William 
> > Turner with the IP4 RIP.
> > 
> > Mike

Antonis,

I will run a full check on a step wedge but it may not be until I get 
back from my trip. Tomorrow is "Mum's" Day and we will have a 
full house.  This coming week I am swamped in the office as I try 
to wrap un any loose ends.

It will definitely be interseting to run a full set of density and H&D 
curves for several papers.

mike


--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y..., "antonisphoto" <
antonisphoto@y...> wrote:
> Mike,
> 
> entirely believable. Congratulations on the 810. A very solid 
instrument and 
> as long as you check the calibration, the numbers would be 
valid across 
> instruments. Please keep us posted.
> 
> Now that you have this great toy, perhaps you can also see if 
there is a 
> reading for the 99% patch - i.e. how well does IP4 go from this 
extreme dmax 
> to the next few percents up the scale. Do they separate well 
etc. That's where 
> it gets tough. 
> 
> Antonis
> 
> --- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y..., "mkravit" <
mjkaia@k...> wrote:
> ...
> 
> > The 100% black on the print border now reads   1.91 du. That 
is 

> > still a very dense black that the 7000 is printing on William 
> > Turner with the IP4 RIP.
> > 
> > Mike