Digital BW, The Print

Rick,

You wrote:

>... a broad, repeating wavy mottle pattern in the deep blacks. ...

>... another new 7000/VM user and in addition to the lack of black
>problem he's also
>experienced the black mottle problem and switched to the
>FS black and both problems disappeared.

MIS tells me that the FS and VM blacks are the same ink.  It/they are the
only solvent-based black MIS sells, as far as I know.  So, if it smells bad,
that's probably the right ink.  If it doesn't smell bad, I'd say its the
Double Density ink.  If it is the solvent-based, VM/FS black, maybe one
batch got messed up somehow.

>...I'm about ready to can the 7000.

Mike Kravit gets excellent results from his 7000, PC and MIS VM inkset.  The
7000 is supposed to be terrific when they work right.

For the print exchange I'm distributing images made with the MIS VM inkset
on a 3000, so people will be able to see what kind of quality they can
expect from that old workhorse.  I think for 16x20s on EAM or the like (thin
paper) the 3000 is a wild bargain.

Paul
http://www.PaulRoark.com