Digital BW, The Print

Good Afternoon,

I am new here so if  this needs to be addressed in a FAQ etc. or another
list please let me know. I have followed your posts for about a week now and
am very impressed with everyone's knowledge.

I am working on a Mac dual G4 in PS6.01 and printing to a Epson  1270. I
have scanned a 5x7 B & W glossy print with no texture on a Microtech
Scanmaster 4. After doing a little retouching and when printing to the
Epson, there is not a  continuous tone using black ink only. Is this normal?
I have been able to get good color prints. I am assuming that not using all
of the ink jets contributes to the problem.

TIA,

John in OKC

Some people on this list print with black ink only and like their results,
but if you print a demanding test pattern (I recommend Tyler's Zees, which
can be found in the files section of this list on yahoogroups) you'll see
that that method does not properly distinguish tones across the entire tonal
scale, and you'll see an effect which resembles grain in the lower tones of
your image.

My recommendation is, unless you like the effect of black ink only, which it
appears you do not, use all your inks and use adjustment layers to try to
neutralize your color across your grayscale (or doutones, etc), or get a set
of carbon monotone inks and devote a printer to BW only.

Todd

> Good Afternoon,
> 
> I am new here so if  this needs to be addressed in a FAQ etc. or another
> list please let me know. I have followed your posts for about a week now and
> am very impressed with everyone's knowledge.
> 
> I am working on a Mac dual G4 in PS6.01 and printing to a Epson  1270. I
> have scanned a 5x7 B & W glossy print with no texture on a Microtech
> Scanmaster 4. After doing a little retouching and when printing to the
> Epson, there is not a  continuous tone using black ink only. Is this normal?
> I have been able to get good color prints. I am assuming that not using all
> of the ink jets contributes to the problem.
> 
> TIA,
> 
> John in OKC

John,

Assuming you use Espon inks, Epson papers and Windows.

To get B&W continuous tones on the Epson 1270 do this:

1. Download Epson paper especific profiles from:
http://www.btinternet.com/~ian.lyons/epson1270/1270profiles.zip
2. copy the profiles to the 'Color' folder usually
   located in:
   'Windows\system32\spool\drivers\color' or
   'Windows\system32\color'
3. In Photoshop convert the image to RGB
4. Print with these settings:
   - In the PS6 print dialog press 'Setup...'
   - Choose 'Epson Stylus Photo 1270' in 'Printer' and press
     'Properties...'. You will see the 1270 print dialog.
   - Set 'media type' to the Epson paper you use
   - Set 'Ink' to 'Color'
   - Set 'Mode' to 'Custom'
   - Press 'Advanced...'
   - Set 'Print Quality' to 'Photo - 1440dpi'
   - Set 'Halftoning' to 'High quality halftoning'
   - Uncheck 'High speed'
   - Set 'No Color Adjustment' in Color Management
   - You can save those settings with 'Save settings'
     so you don't have to reset all those settings next time you print.
   - Click OK and Click OK on the next dialog again
5. On the PS print dialog, make sure you select the appropriate
   profile for your paper in 'Print space' and select 'Perceptual'
   in 'Intent'. Do NOT use the generic Epson 1270 profile or
   you will get green pictures.

You should get nice continuous Black & White pictures. The paper
profiles for this printer are VERY good for B&W with
color inks. At least that is what I see with Epson Photo ink jet
and Epson Photo paper, it seems that it also works great on
Epson Heavyweight Matte.

Jose Luis Martinez
Barcelona - Spain.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Good Afternoon,

I am new here so if  this needs to be addressed in a FAQ etc. or another
list please let me know. I have followed your posts for about a week now and
am very impressed with everyone's knowledge.

I am working on a Mac dual G4 in PS6.01 and printing to a Epson  1270. I
have scanned a 5x7 B & W glossy print with no texture on a Microtech
Scanmaster 4. After doing a little retouching and when printing to the
Epson, there is not a  continuous tone using black ink only. Is this normal?
I have been able to get good color prints. I am assuming that not using all
of the ink jets contributes to the problem.

TIA,

John in OKC

> 1. Download Epson paper specific profiles from:
> http://www.btinternet.com/~ian.lyons/epson1270/1270profiles.zip
> 2. copy the profiles to the 'Color' folder usually
>    located in:
>    'Windows\system32\spool\drivers\color' or
>    'Windows\system32\color'

First question.  Where do I put these profiles if the folders above 
don't exist on my Win98 system.  My choices are:
Windows\system32\Adobe
Windows\system32\DRIVERS
Windows\system\COLOR

Second question: Won't these "B&W" prints still suffer from tinting 
with the Epson color inks?

Thanks, Hap

John,

>PS:  I was in your beautiful country a few years ago and enjoyed it very
>much

Thank you! :-)

Jose Luis Martinez
Barcelona - Spain

Hap,

If you print as I detailed in my post you should have
VERY neutral grays.

I can't see any cast in the prints I'm making with this
technique. I compare them to my silver prints under daylight
and the gray tones are similar, is hard to see the difference
if you look at them alone, they are black and white prints.
(I'm using Epson Photo paper and Epson Photo Quality inkjet)

Of course there's the metamerism and the archival issue.

Under a light bulb there is slight shift in color towards green.
But it seems that this can be corrected adding a little bit
of magenta usign the levels or curve tool. So depending on
where do you plan to show your prints you can correct the
cast.

Your prints can last more or less 25 years (under glass)
using ColorLife Photo Paper or Matte Paper Heavyweight. There
is a document ('Taking care of your photographs') discussing
this on the Epson site. In the documentation section of the
1270 printer.

So IMHO it is a great solution if you don't have to sell
the prints (proofs, portfolio, etc.)

Jose Luis Martinez
Barcelona - Spain

-------------------------------------------------------

Message: 3
   Date: Tue, 09 Oct 2001 21:29:45 -0000

   From: "Hap Mullenneaux" <hapm@...>
Subject: Re: lack of continuous tone on b & w image

Maris,
Thanks for your reply.  I did my own test and it looks like a random 
tritone as usual.
Hap

Good Morning Jose Luis,

Carolyn mentioned that the profiles were already on the Mac. So I am using
the Mac profile.

I had just done a new color calibration on the Mac and the print I had made
before looked darker on the screen than before, but it was the continuous
tone that I was interested in checking. The print matched the density on
screen, a little too dark. I checked again this morning and maybe it is just
the density difference, but it seems the reds, her lips for instance, seem
to be darker than the print made using the black only profile. Even if this
is so, I assume this could be corrected in PS before printing using RGB. The
continuous tone is well worth it though. This was an outdoor bridal portrait
and it also seems there is more detail in the gown than with the black only
printing.

Regards,

John in Okc


: John,
:
: I'm glad you it works for you.
:
: Make sure you copied the profile in the colorsync profiles
: folder. I should list in your printer dialog. You should have
: an 'Epson Premium glossy paper' profile (I have it in my windows
: machine for my 1270). Just make sure you select it in the
: printer dialog along with the 'Perceptual' option.
:
: Are you using the PC profiles or Mac ones?
:
: Jose Luis Martinez
: Barcelona - Spain
: