Digital BW, The Print

Hi,

  I've got a new epson 1400 and the UT-14 inkset. I created a profile for Epson Ultra 
Premium Presentation Matte paper as described on Paul's site. The curve was actually quite 
linear for this paper. I used for the printer driver settings when setting up the profile:

- Media Type: Ultra Premium Presentation Matte
- Color: Color. Advanced mode, Photo RPM
- Color management: Color Controls, Mode: Epson Standard, Gamma 2.2 and no 
adjustments to the sliders.

I then created the ICC, and have done a couple of prints with it. My prints are using the 
ICC, and the same printer settings as above. What I've noticed is that the prints do not 
really match the monitor. They are beautiful, but I find them too dark overall in 
comparison with the monitor. 

I've also tried some prints to Kirkland Glossy using the neutral ICC on Paul's site (the 
printer settings are different for this case : I use "Ultra Premium Photo Paper Glossy", 
"Photo RPM", but I disable the color management.

Any ideas as to the difference? I could compensate on the screen, of course, by 
brightening the print, but I would prefer that the monitor and print were more similar...

"Matthew Newhook" <mjnewhook@...> wrote:

> I've got a new epson 1400 and the UT-14 inkset. 
> I created a profile for Epson Ultra 
> Premium Presentation Matte paper as described on Paul's site. 
> The curve was actually quite linear for this paper. 
> I used for the printer driver settings when setting up the profile:
> 
> - Media Type: Ultra Premium Presentation Matte
> - Color: Color. Advanced mode, Photo RPM
> - Color management: Color Controls, Mode: Epson Standard, 
> Gamma 2.2 and no adjustments to the sliders.
> 
> I then created the ICC, and have done a couple of prints with it.
> My prints are using the ICC, and the same printer settings 
> as above. What I've noticed is that the prints do not 
> really match the monitor. They are beautiful, but I find them 
> too dark overall in comparison with the monitor. 
> 
> I've also tried some prints to Kirkland Glossy using the 
> neutral ICC on Paul's site (the 
> printer settings are different for this case : 
> I use "Ultra Premium Photo Paper Glossy", 
> "Photo RPM", but I disable the color management.
> 
> Any ideas as to the difference? 

There are too many variables to be sure, but calibration of the 
monitor is a big one that comes to mind.  The ICC should be reading 
the workspace (I usually use Gray Gamma 2.2).  With no ICC, most 
matte papers should be just slightly darker than a calibrated Gray 
Gamma 2.2 display.  The settings for this would be on page 2 of 
http://www.paulroark.com/BW-Info/UT14.pdf 

Paul
www.PaulRoark.com

This, by the way, is the same thing I noticed as well.

Monitor is profiled properly, when I print color the matching of print
and monitor is impressive.

However, when I print in ABW, print is much darker.
I checked the profile, it's really nice and linear, but it just does
not "open up" enough in the dark greys, I lose all detail.

A curve with a slight "belly" to lighten the dark greys gives a print
that is so much more realistic and matching.

Ciao, Marco.

> > I've got a new epson 1400 and the UT-14 inkset. 
> > I created a profile for Epson Ultra 
> > Premium Presentation Matte paper as described on Paul's site. 
> > The curve was actually quite linear for this paper.

What I had actually meant to say in my original post was that the glossy profile for 
Kirkland glossy that I got from Paul's site resulted in a print (on Kirkland glossy) much 
closer to my monitor than the self made profile for matte. Marco,  I noticed exactly the 
below. The dark greys all "black out". Can you tell me how you adjusted the curve? Did you 
just bump the raw numbers in the ICC 21 point input curve?

Regards, Matthew

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "the_mark_pv" <QTRIP_grp@...> 
wrote:

>
> This, by the way, is the same thing I noticed as well.
> 
> Monitor is profiled properly, when I print color the matching of print
> and monitor is impressive.
> 
> However, when I print in ABW, print is much darker.
> I checked the profile, it's really nice and linear, but it just does
> not "open up" enough in the dark greys, I lose all detail.
> 
> A curve with a slight "belly" to lighten the dark greys gives a print
> that is so much more realistic and matching.
> 
> Ciao, Marco.
> 
> > > I've got a new epson 1400 and the UT-14 inkset. 
> > > I created a profile for Epson Ultra 
> > > Premium Presentation Matte paper as described on Paul's site. 
> > > The curve was actually quite linear for this paper.
>

Hi Matthew,

I actually am not using QT yet.

When I tried it on my R2880, it printed with big problems on the
borders, but I do not know if it is due to too much ink or to problems.

What I did is notice that with the ABW driver, you can change the
settings, from darkest to normal.
This actually implements a curve with a "belly" in the dark greys that
opens them up perfectly.
Or at least it does to my still untrained eye.

Question for the other pros with QT ?

Do you create a linear profile, but then implement a curve in PS to
correct ?

Thanks, Marco.

To close this thread I figured out why my prints were so dark. When I did the initial print 
of the 21 test strip I printed with the printer color management _enabled_. I re-did the 
calibration, and ICC with a new print out this time with printer color management 
_disabled_. Now when I use the ICC I created the print matches the screen quite well.

All the best. Matthew

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "the_mark_pv" <QTRIP_grp@...> 
wrote:

>
> Hi Matthew,
> 
> I actually am not using QT yet.
> 
> When I tried it on my R2880, it printed with big problems on the
> borders, but I do not know if it is due to too much ink or to problems.
> 
> What I did is notice that with the ABW driver, you can change the
> settings, from darkest to normal.
> This actually implements a curve with a "belly" in the dark greys that
> opens them up perfectly.
> Or at least it does to my still untrained eye.
> 
> Question for the other pros with QT ?
> 
> Do you create a linear profile, but then implement a curve in PS to
> correct ?
> 
> Thanks, Marco.
>