Digital BW, The Print

I'm using an Epson 1280 with Photoshop Mac OS X or 9, MIS VM inks and
am having the posterization problem I've often read about on this
group in the darktones.  I've tried both Paul and Tyler's curves.  It
seems as though only the PC users have been able to get the 1290
driver to work to fix this problem.  Is this true?  Is there any easy
way to get my mac to believe my 1280 is a 1290 so I can print
adequately?

I'm kinda bummed cause I just got started and already worried I might
have a systemic problem printing high-quality with the 1280 driver. 
Any help anyone can give would be greatly appreciated.  Thank you.

-Murph

Hello Murph,

>I'm using an Epson 1280 with Photoshop Mac OS X or 9, MIS VM inks and
>am having the posterization problem I've often read about on this
>group in the darktones.  I've tried both Paul and Tyler's curves.  

>I'm kinda bummed cause I just got started and already worried I might
>have a systemic problem printing high-quality with the 1280 driver. 
>Any help anyone can give would be greatly appreciated.  Thank you.

I don't know about Mac/1280/1290 etc, but you aren't the only one who
has trouble getting it to work well.  Many people struggle with it.  I
don't know if you have read the recent posts about Black Only printing
but there's workflow and other info on my web site about it (see link
below).  It's a good and easy way to get on first base and make
beautiful prints while you sort out the rest.  Lots of people are very
happy with it and the 1280 will do a fine job.

Regards,
Clayton


Info on black and white digital printing at    
http://www.cjcom.net/digiprnarts.htm

The curves are _very_ paper sensitive, what papers are you using?

I find that I get good results on Legion Photo Matte (fine) , Somerset
Velvet (excellent), and Eclipse Satine (acceptible, but not great) but
still have posterization problems with EAM and most other papers I've
tried. 

I have better luck with Tyler's curves than Paul's. Also I have had
better luck with the OS9 drivers than the OSX ones, though currently I
am only using OSX. 

Don't give up, it can work, it is just going to take some practice,
and lots and lots of stepwedges.

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "murph278
<maybeck@a...>" <maybeck@a...> wrote:

> I'm using an Epson 1280 with Photoshop Mac OS X or 9, MIS VM inks and
> am having the posterization problem I've often read about on this
> group in the darktones.  I've tried both Paul and Tyler's curves.  It
> seems as though only the PC users have been able to get the 1290
> driver to work to fix this problem.  Is this true?  Is there any easy
> way to get my mac to believe my 1280 is a 1290 so I can print
> adequately?
> 
> I'm kinda bummed cause I just got started and already worried I might
> have a systemic problem printing high-quality with the 1280 driver. 
> Any help anyone can give would be greatly appreciated.  Thank you.
> 
> -Murph

Appreciate the answer Clayton - thanks for the website - looks like
you have a lot of usefull information that will be helpful to me. 
Thanks...

-Murph


--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Clayton Jones
<cj@c...>" <cj@c...> wrote:
> Hello Murph,
> 
> >I'm using an Epson 1280 with Photoshop Mac OS X or 9, MIS VM inks
and
> >am having the posterization problem I've often read about on this
> >group in the darktones.  I've tried both Paul and Tyler's curves.  
> 
> >I'm kinda bummed cause I just got started and already worried I
might
> >have a systemic problem printing high-quality with the 1280
driver. 
> >Any help anyone can give would be greatly appreciated.  Thank you.
> 
> I don't know about Mac/1280/1290 etc, but you aren't the only one
who
> has trouble getting it to work well.  Many people struggle with it.
 I
> don't know if you have read the recent posts about Black Only
printing
> but there's workflow and other info on my web site about it (see
link
> below).  It's a good and easy way to get on first base and make
> beautiful prints while you sort out the rest.  Lots of people are
very

> happy with it and the 1280 will do a fine job.
> 
> Regards,
> Clayton
> 
> 
> Info on black and white digital printing at    
> http://www.cjcom.net/digiprnarts.htm

I am using Crane Museo...and since I'm real new at this I haven't
tried any other papers.  I will pick up some Somerset Velvet and see
how that works - thanks for the recommendation. Have you used 
Somerset Photo Enhanced paper?  MIS is recommending it for 6 color
quadtones over the Somerset Velvet. I just started printing step
wedges for all the curves I have, which has been very helpful to see
the differences.  So far, I agree with you that Tyler's curves are
producing smoother results that Paul's.  Thanks for the words of
encouragement - I'm getting better results already...

-Murph

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Charles Bandes
<byronbulb@y...>" <byronbulb@y...> wrote:

> The curves are _very_ paper sensitive, what papers are you using?
> 
> I find that I get good results on Legion Photo Matte (fine) , Somerset
> Velvet (excellent), and Eclipse Satine (acceptible, but not great) but
> still have posterization problems with EAM and most other papers I've
> tried. 
> 
> I have better luck with Tyler's curves than Paul's. Also I have had
> better luck with the OS9 drivers than the OSX ones, though currently I
> am only using OSX. 
> 
> Don't give up, it can work, it is just going to take some practice,
> and lots and lots of stepwedges.
> 
> --- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "murph278
> <maybeck@a...>" <maybeck@a...> wrote:
> > I'm using an Epson 1280 with Photoshop Mac OS X or 9, MIS VM inks and
> > am having the posterization problem I've often read about on this
> > group in the darktones.  I've tried both Paul and Tyler's curves.  It
> > seems as though only the PC users have been able to get the 1290
> > driver to work to fix this problem.  Is this true?  Is there any easy
> > way to get my mac to believe my 1280 is a 1290 so I can print
> > adequately?
> > 
> > I'm kinda bummed cause I just got started and already worried I might
> > have a systemic problem printing high-quality with the 1280 driver. 
> > Any help anyone can give would be greatly appreciated.  Thank you.
> > 
> > -Murph

Sorry, that's what I meant - Somerset Enhanced Velvet.

I haven't tried Museo yet, but I have some on order right now. 

I guarantee that it's possible to get good results, but it took me
months of experimenting to get there. It's a frustrating process, but
worth it in the end :)

(And, meaning no offense to the previous poster, imho good hextones
are about a billion times better than "black ink only" prints, there's
just no comparison.)

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "murph278
<maybeck@a...>" <maybeck@a...> wrote:

> I am using Crane Museo...and since I'm real new at this I haven't
> tried any other papers.  I will pick up some Somerset Velvet and see
> how that works - thanks for the recommendation. Have you used 
> Somerset Photo Enhanced paper?  MIS is recommending it for 6 color
> quadtones over the Somerset Velvet. I just started printing step
> wedges for all the curves I have, which has been very helpful to see
> the differences.  So far, I agree with you that Tyler's curves are
> producing smoother results that Paul's.  Thanks for the words of
> encouragement - I'm getting better results already...
> 
> -Murph
>

Hello Charles,

>(And, meaning no offense to the previous poster, imho good 
>hextones are about a billion times better than "black ink 
>only" prints, there's just no comparison.)

No offense taken, and I agree with your statement.  The operational
word, of course, is "good".  MANY people struggle with quad/hextone
printing and never reach a satisfactory point.  They occasionally come
to the forum with questions and are frustrated to the point of
quitting.  

I offer the BO technique as a way to make good prints and get
satisfactory results while continuing other experiments - I call it
"getting on first base".  And there are some other benefits to it, as
explained in the articles on my web site.  The positive feedback I've
received from many people has convinced me that my efforts to promote
BO printing have been worthwhile, so I continue to mention it whenever
someone comes into the forum who's having a hard time.  I'm merely
offering it as an option.

I have never suggested that BO prints are better than good hextones,
but they are certainly better than bad ones.  With a modicum of
Photoshop skills, good ink and good paper, BO prints can be stunning,
as many who have seen my samples will attest.  It really isn't bad at
all.

Regards,
Clayton


Info on black and white digital printing at    
http://www.cjcom.net/digiprnarts.htm