Digital BW, The Print

Today I've been printing a 75% all black image on my Epson 7000. I have the 
standard Hextone inks with VM HEX-4-K in the black position. 
I believe Paul R. tested this as his favorite and piezo equal in the black 
position.
Is VM-HEX-4-K The best black to compare to Piezo?
What I can tell you is that visually this black is a full stop lighter than 
Piezo black.
Compared to the Piezo print of the same image. This MIS black looks more like 
80-90%. Its not a work flow issue either as I printed a black only image also 
with the MIS and its still weak compared to piezo. Is this because I dont 
have the Vari tone inkset included with this black? Are you guys getting some 
blue in there and making the black appear darker?
The More I use MIS inks the More different they are compared to Piezo, and 
black Vs black Piezo wins hands down. Maybe MIS ink just doesn't like Royal 
plush/ or Jazz paper!
Thats a possibility. Can anybody else explain my poor MIS blacks while know 
one else is complaining?
Steve Meyers

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y..., sdmey4@a... wrote:
A dip and dunk test tells you what happens when you completely soak a piece of paper in ink, all the way through. If the 
conclusions bear resemblence to real world use, it's coincidence. How dark a given black is when closely packed miniscule 
dots of it are lightly put down on paper in such a manner that it stays up in the coating is really is the issue. It's not as much 
fun, but just print the stinkin' patches and compare them.
Steve's 7000 is putting down as black a black as it can do with this ink. A full set of media setting tests were done to confirm. 
There are many things that can effect the results. First, the piezo black being compared is printed with a 3000. The 3000 puts 
down a great dot density, and therefore blacker black. I can easily see the difference between it and the 1160 at 100%K with 
Piezo ink on the same paper.
So to really compare the inks, all things must be equal. Since all of these inks haven't been printed with a 7000 under 
identical circumstances and compared, it's hard to draw conclusions.
The ink might be lighter, the printer might be lighter, or both to a meaningless degree that when combined creates a visual 
difference.
Perhaps this particular ink doesn't doesn't excell on these papers, as Steve has suggested, maybe there is another that will 
perform better with it.
Steve, I'd compare it to a 7000 Piezography ink print on the same paper and driver. Then you'd know.
Tyler

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y..., Dan Culbertson <danculb@b...> wrote:

But none of them will have eggs or Milanta, and yours will tower above them all! They will be tearing their hair out when no 
one is willing to pay your prices for theirs. Theirs are destined to remain in the hundreds, a rash of Soho suicides will 
follow.
Tyler

Now I ask you, what should I have changed the subject line to??
Notice I didn't ask whether or not it should even have been posted.

> 
> > Though I'm sure someone out there is selling dip and dunk tests in a
> > Soho gallery for thousands of dollars.
> > Tyler
> 
> 
> Dammit Tyler -- I told you not to tell anyone about my new conceptual art
> project!  Now they all will be doing it an the price will go down to only
> hundreds of dollars per dip strip.
> 
> Dan

> To all on the list:
> 
> Please do me a favor.
> 
> Name the Paper and ink you have used to get the deepest blacks you have ever
> seen from an inkjet printer.

Spectratones on Ilford glossy.

Dan Culbertson

> Though I'm sure someone out there is selling dip and dunk tests in a
> Soho gallery for thousands of dollars.
> Tyler


Dammit Tyler -- I told you not to tell anyone about my new conceptual art
project!  Now they all will be doing it an the price will go down to only
hundreds of dollars per dip strip.

Dan