Digital BW, The Print

I am using an Epson 1200 and have been experimenting with various ink 
systems searching for the ultimate black.  I have used Cone's Piezo 
system and was not happy with the tones.  I just bought the MIS 
variable mix system and still not happy.  Before trying yet another 
combination, what are the groups experiences with the other MIS 
combos...ie full spectrum with the Piezo driver or the original quad 
system.  I have also used Black only printing with a Epson 1270 and 
epson oem ink and love the black tone.  I have learned through the 
group that this is the least best way to go because of color fading 
and metamercism.  What combo should be used to garner the best blacks 
with the least amount of fading.  As usual thanks in advance for the 
help.

Rick Zeidman
www.morgan-baily.com

Hello Rick,

I have been; and am, still like you; seeking the ultimate black in my 
black and white images. I assume you have calibrated your monitor to 
show absolute black when it is present in the image. There are so 
many techniques available to do this that I hesitate to cite any 
particular one for fear of the group jumping in and telling me what 
is wrong with that one; but if it works for me, then it's right for 
me and I can reproduce the same results on a regular basis. The one I 
use is to use the desktop to determine absolute black. Move all icons 
to a folder while doing this and make the desktop true black (RGB 
0,0,0). Slide the screen down so that there is an unscanned area 
above the black desktop. Using the eye, which is the instrument we 
use to determine the black in the image, match the desktop black with 
the unscanned part of the CRT tube black. This gives you the true 
black to compare with in your image. Recover the standard desktop you 
had before doing all this jazz and then switch to Photoshop and your 
image to see the difference in the image as the result of making this 
change. Make adjustments to the image to your liking and see if this 
image has a real black. I do make the default values on the curves to 
0,0,0 for the black point and 243,243,243 for the white point which 
allows for specular highlights to be present in the print if they are 
present in the image. The inkset I use is MIS Full Spectrum Neutral 
and the PiezoBW plugin for printing. I am getting closer to my 
ultimate black and white image prints than I was when I started this 
quest. Let me know your ideas on this  if you would.

Your friend in photography,

Johnny Eades



--- In 
DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "morganbaily2000" 
<rickz1@a...> wrote:
> I am using an Epson 1200 and have been experimenting with various 
ink 
> systems searching for the ultimate black.  I have used Cone's Piezo 
> system and was not happy with the tones.  I just bought the MIS 
> variable mix system and still not happy.  Before trying yet another 
> combination, what are the groups experiences with the other MIS 
> combos...ie full spectrum with the Piezo driver or the original 
quad 
> system.  I have also used Black only printing with a Epson 1270 and 
> epson oem ink and love the black tone.  I have learned through the 
> group that this is the least best way to go because of color fading 
> and metamercism.  What combo should be used to garner the best 
blacks 
> with the least amount of fading.  As usual thanks in advance for 
the 

> help.
> 
> Rick Zeidman
> www.morgan-baily.com

Hello Rick,

>I have also used Black only printing with a Epson 1270 and 
>epson oem ink and love the black tone.  I have learned through the 
>group that this is the least best way to go because of color fading 
>and metamercism.  What combo should be used to garner the best
>blacks  with the least amount of fading.  

Black Only printing does give good intense blacks, and along with the
Epson dye ink does indeed produces a spectacular black.  But yes, you
do need to use a pigment ink for stability.  The relatively new MIS
Eboni black is cooler than the Epson Matte Black and doesn't "warm". 
IMO it comes the closest to what the dyes produce.  I recommend
getting an Eboni cart for the 1280 and try some BO prints with that
and see how you like the blacks.  Even if you decide not to stick with
BO, those prints will be a good reference point to compare with prints
from other techniques.

Regards,
Clayton


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