Digital BW, The Print

Miguel,

You asked:

>Have you tried the VM Sepia on the 870? How did the Quad curves do?

I just loaded the 870 with the MIS VM-Sepia inks last night.

The existing curves appear to give nice, even and smooth test strips.  The
tone distribution is not as precise as I'd prefer, but I think these curves
will remain the ones to use for a while.

I sent Martin scans of 870, VM-Sepia test strips (on EAM), using the
standard MIS VM, version 1 curves.  So, they'll probably be posted in the
Files section soon. You can see from the scanned test strips what the 870
can do with the vm-s inkset and existing curves.

As I told the Bay Area group a while ago, I'm likely to make an alteration
in my VM-Sepia toner mix.  I'm finding the darkest sepia that I can print
with the existing inkset to be a little too dark for my uses.  Viewers
definitely like the curve I call the Light Sepia shade.

So, I think I can improve image quality, including tone distribution, by
lowering the gamut of the toner slightly.

By a pleasant coincidence, the almost-ready, non-warming sepia toner is
about ready for some final-mix fade testing.  This new formula appears to
take care of the gamut-related issues.

So, the scanned test strips show where I'm at now with the inkset, and a
non-warming, lower-gamut toner is where I'm likely to go.

Paul
http://www.PaulRoark.com

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y..., "Paul Roark" 
<paul.roark@v...> wrote:

> 
> As I told the Bay Area group a while ago, I'm likely to make an 
alteration
> in my VM-Sepia toner mix.  I'm finding the darkest sepia that I 
can print
> with the existing inkset to be a little too dark for my uses.  
Viewers
> definitely like the curve I call the Light Sepia shade.
> 
> So, I think I can improve image quality, including tone 
distribution, by
> lowering the gamut of the toner slightly.
> 
> By a pleasant coincidence, the almost-ready, non-warming 
sepia toner is
> about ready for some final-mix fade testing.  This new formula 
appears to
> take care of the gamut-related issues.
> 
> So, the scanned test strips show where I'm at now with the 
inkset, and a
> non-warming, lower-gamut toner is where I'm likely to go.
> 
> Paul
> http://www.PaulRoark.com

Hi Paul,

I think I understand your desire to change the sepia mix.  When
you say lower-gamut, do you mean same basic density but
less saturated color?  Would you then just continue to use
the same curves that you already use?  It seems like that
would work -- they would just be just closer in color.  

I'm mostly worried about the logistics of so many ink and
curve combinations.  I've been using an 1160 with the regular VM
but I'm interested in getting another printer for VM sepia. I'd
probably buy a 1280 but I could also convert a color 1270 that
I already have.   Besides the hardware differences, are the
curves and future work better on either printer.  BTW, I'm using
a Mac and prefer OS X. 

I don't mean to pin you or MIS down but are these ink changes
imminent or still in the "good idea" stage?  As in: should I use
carts for a while or load a CIS?

Thanks,
Roy

I would also like to know if *this* is the right time for me to get 
a CFS with the VM Sepia inkset??

Thanx

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y..., "royvharrington" 
<roy@h...> wrote:

> --- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y..., "Paul Roark" 
> <paul.roark@v...> wrote:
> 
> > 
> > As I told the Bay Area group a while ago, I'm likely to make an 
> alteration
> > in my VM-Sepia toner mix.  I'm finding the darkest sepia that I 
> can print
> > with the existing inkset to be a little too dark for my uses.  
> Viewers
> > definitely like the curve I call the Light Sepia shade.
> > 
> > So, I think I can improve image quality, including tone 
> distribution, by
> > lowering the gamut of the toner slightly.
> > 
> > By a pleasant coincidence, the almost-ready, non-warming 
> sepia toner is
> > about ready for some final-mix fade testing.  This new formula 
> appears to
> > take care of the gamut-related issues.
> > 
> > So, the scanned test strips show where I'm at now with the 
> inkset, and a
> > non-warming, lower-gamut toner is where I'm likely to go.
> > 
> > Paul
> > http://www.PaulRoark.com
> 
> Hi Paul,
> 
> I think I understand your desire to change the sepia mix.  When
> you say lower-gamut, do you mean same basic density but
> less saturated color?  Would you then just continue to use
> the same curves that you already use?  It seems like that
> would work -- they would just be just closer in color.  
> 
> I'm mostly worried about the logistics of so many ink and
> curve combinations.  I've been using an 1160 with the regular VM
> but I'm interested in getting another printer for VM sepia. I'd
> probably buy a 1280 but I could also convert a color 1270 that
> I already have.   Besides the hardware differences, are the
> curves and future work better on either printer.  BTW, I'm using
> a Mac and prefer OS X. 
> 
> I don't mean to pin you or MIS down but are these ink changes
> imminent or still in the "good idea" stage?  As in: should I use
> carts for a while or load a CIS?
> 
> Thanks,
> Roy