Digital BW, The Print

I've just started playing around with the UT-3D inkset in my Epson 1290 
and have made a few PS curves for EEM. In preparation for some QTR 
experiments I printed the QTR calibration page, and to my great 
surprise the primary toner (magenta and light magenta position) inks 
look quite different to each other. Whereas the LM position ink is 
distinctly bluish, the M position is much more of a cool gray - it 
certainly doesn't look like a continuation of the same shade through 
the darker tones, the way the carbon inks do.

I didn't expect this. Has anyone else had the same experience? Is my 
assumption correct that the colors in the full-strength and light 
positions would look roughly the same? Or did I just not shake the 
bottle?  ;-)

Thanks in advance,
Ben Connor

P.S. If anyone else is using, or plans to use, this inkset with this 
printer, I'm very happy to share my curves or to try yours. Drop me a 
note if you're interested.
BC

Ben,

>... UT-3D inkset in my Epson 1290 ...
>... printed the QTR calibration page, and 
> the primary toner (magenta and light magenta position) inks 
> look quite different to each other. Whereas the 
> LM position ink is distinctly bluish, 
>the M position is much more of a cool gray ...

That's intentional.  The LM is going to be the main toner in the parts of
the image where tone matters most.  The LM contains the usual cyan-blue mix.
However, with most if not all papers, a toner with that mix goes too magenta
in the deep shadows.  So, more cyan is used there.  The M-position toner
also does double duty as a PKN -- neutralized PK.  So, the amount of toner
to carbon is also considerably less than with the LM, but it should have
enough there to handle the shadow tones.

Good luck with the system.

Paul
www.PaulRoark.com

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Paul Roark" 
<paul.roark@...> wrote:
>
> Ben,
> 
> >... UT-3D inkset in my Epson 1290 ...
> >... printed the QTR calibration page, and 
> > the primary toner (magenta and light magenta position) inks 
> > look quite different to each other. Whereas the 
> > LM position ink is distinctly bluish, 
> >the M position is much more of a cool gray ...
> 
> That's intentional.  The LM is going to be the main toner in the 
parts of
> the image where tone matters most.  The LM contains the usual cyan-
blue mix.
> However, with most if not all papers, a toner with that mix goes 
too magenta
> in the deep shadows.  So, more cyan is used there.  The M-position 
toner
> also does double duty as a PKN -- neutralized PK.  So, the amount 
of toner
> to carbon is also considerably less than with the LM, but it should 
have
> enough there to handle the shadow tones.
> 
> Good luck with the system.
> 
> Paul
> www.PaulRoark.com
>

Thanks Paul - and thanks for formulating these inks. I'm having heaps 
of fun and have some nice results so far.