Digital BW, The Print

I am printing from Photoshop CS2 v9.0.2 using Advanced Black & White to an Epson 2400 from large TIFF files onto the Innova F-type gloss paper.

I have several prints that I made back in May that on the Innova paper are stunningly sharp. Same box of paper.

As a test I reprinted some of those tonight. The difference is crushing. The new prints are noticeably less crisp and detailed -- not terrible but when compared to the ones made back in May the difference is very obvious.

I see this on two different test prints. I then tried a different paper (Ilford Galerie Smooth Pearl) to see I what get -- and the sharpness here is more or less the same as the new Innova prints -- which is to say not what I got back in May.

What do I know that is different?

Well, now I am using PS CS2 v9.0.2, before I used v9.0.1. I think that I am using a different ICC profile for the Innova -- the latest from Booksmart now (not sure what I had before). The printer and inks did sit unused for 4 1/2 months.

The printer settings are the same as best as I can remember but it possible that something is different here but I have tried different Rendering Intent and Black Point Compensation settings with no visible improvement.

The TIFF files are absolutely unchanged.

But only the print sharpness seems different. The ink density and image tonality are not appreciably different.

It was the stunning sharpness of these original prints that sold me on the Innova F paper earlier in the year. Suddenly I have lost it.

What printer settings could affect this? Could the printer/ink idle time affect print sharpness?

Again it's not that today's reprints were disgustingly bad -- but they are noticeably less sharp then prints made in the same environment, more or less, five months ago.

Any ideas? 

David Keenan
Austin, Texas

David - have you run an alignment check on the printer?

Stephen Petegorsky

Just a guess; run a nozzle check and look very carefully (with a loupe) for
any nozzle(s) that may be spraying at an angle.

Best regards,
John Moody

-----Original Message-----
From: DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com
[mailto:DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com]On Behalf Of David
Keenan
Sent: Friday, October 13, 2006 4:01 AM
To: DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Digital BW] print sharpness lost -- WTF happened?

I am printing from Photoshop CS2 v9.0.2 using Advanced Black & White to an
Epson 2400 from large TIFF files onto the Innova F-type gloss paper.
Again it's not that today's reprints were disgustingly bad -- but they are
noticeably less sharp then prints made in the same environment, more or
less, five months ago.
Any ideas?

David Keenan
Austin, Texas


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]