Digital BW, The Print

I also posted this question on the QTR group site!

The issue I'm having is with reading the "Ink Pattern Page" for QTR is with my
densitometer (Spyder3Print); is that each patch or square is so small it is hard to tell if I
have the sensor directly in the center or overlapping into the next square. The instructions
were very adamant about not resizing or changing the inkseparation.psd file in
anyway, although I've done this when printing targets for developing color profiles, which 
ColorData says is ok.

Is there a larger "Ink Pattern Page" out there that would make reading the
"patches" much easier? Seems that reading the 21-step patterns is the only way to 
linearize custom curves.
I know that you can use a scanner to set your ink limits with, but I see no way
to linearize using a scanner; if so what is the procedure?

I'm going to try painting, just around the outside tip of my densitometer with
some "whiteout" which should make it much easier to see the placement of the
densitometer sensor directly over the squares, particularly the dark ones, which are
especially hard to see.

Thanks,
Randy

"Randy Rancier" <randy_rancier2004@...> wrote:

> The issue I'm having is with reading the "Ink Pattern Page" 
> for QTR is with my densitometer (Spyder3Print); is that 
> each patch or square is so small ...

I have the earlier model and found that if I put a white dot on the 
outside of the read orifice on the side I'm looking at while reading, 
it made it much easier to see what I was doing.

Also for linearization, I use this 21-step test strip:
http://www.paulroark.com/BW-Info/21-Step.jpg

The markings at the corners of the test patches, particularly with 
the dot on the read orifice, help me center the spetro.

I use the Calibration mode prints only for ink limits and relative 
density.  It's usually obvious when making these readings if you've 
hit some white paper.  You can always make a couple reads to make 
sure.

Hope this helps.

Paul
www.PaulRoark.com

Hi Randy. I also enlarged the calibration target, specifically so that
I could use it with a lab type bench top spectro. It worked fine.
I think all that is required is that you not embed any profiles into
the target or alter the actual target image's numbers in any way.

I also made a large patch version of a 21 step grayscale similar to
Paul's version to use for the linearization process. You don't print
the 21 step target in calibration mode.

Regards,
Duane


--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Randy Rancier"
<randy_rancier2004@...> wrote:
>
> I also posted this question on the QTR group site!
> 
> The issue I'm having is with reading the "Ink Pattern Page" for QTR
is with my
> densitometer (Spyder3Print); is that each patch or square is so
small it is hard to tell if I
> have the sensor directly in the center or overlapping into the next
square. The instructions
> were very adamant about not resizing or changing the
inkseparation.psd file in
> anyway, although I've done this when printing targets for developing
color profiles, which 
> ColorData says is ok.
> 
> Is there a larger "Ink Pattern Page" out there that would make
reading the
> "patches" much easier? Seems that reading the 21-step patterns is
the only way to 
> linearize custom curves.
> I know that you can use a scanner to set your ink limits with, but I
see no way
> to linearize using a scanner; if so what is the procedure?
> 
> I'm going to try painting, just around the outside tip of my
densitometer with
> some "whiteout" which should make it much easier to see the
placement of the
> densitometer sensor directly over the squares, particularly the dark
ones, which are

> especially hard to see.
> 
> Thanks,
> Randy
>

Thanks for your comments Paul.  I ended up painting the outside of the orifice with 
"whiteout" making sure not to get any on the inside.  It has help greatly placing the sensor 
right where I want it.  I figured that the "whiteout" would be easy enough to remove if I 
ever needed too.

Randy

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

>
> "Randy Rancier" <randy_rancier2004@> wrote:
> 
> > The issue I'm having is with reading the "Ink Pattern Page" 
> > for QTR is with my densitometer (Spyder3Print); is that 
> > each patch or square is so small ...
> 
> I have the earlier model and found that if I put a white dot on the 
> outside of the read orifice on the side I'm looking at while reading, 
> it made it much easier to see what I was doing.
> 
> Also for linearization, I use this 21-step test strip:
> http://www.paulroark.com/BW-Info/21-Step.jpg
> 
> The markings at the corners of the test patches, particularly with 
> the dot on the read orifice, help me center the spetro.
> 
> I use the Calibration mode prints only for ink limits and relative 
> density.  It's usually obvious when making these readings if you've 
> hit some white paper.  You can always make a couple reads to make 
> sure.
> 
> Hope this helps.
> 
> Paul
> www.PaulRoark.com
>

I would caution not to make the target patches too small. The Spyder3
probe works better (more consistent readings) if the patches are at
least 1/2" in size. David Tobey of Data Color also regularly warns
users not to be too frugal with the size of the target they print.

John Nollendorfs
 
--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Randy Rancier"
<randy_rancier2004@...> wrote:
>
> Thanks for your comments Paul.  I ended up painting the outside of
the orifice with 
> "whiteout" making sure not to get any on the inside.  It has help
greatly placing the sensor 
> right where I want it.  I figured that the "whiteout" would be easy
enough to remove if I 
> ever needed too.
> 
> Randy
> 
> --- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "pr_roark"
<pr_roark@> wrote:

> >
> > "Randy Rancier" <randy_rancier2004@> wrote:
> > 
> > > The issue I'm having is with reading the "Ink Pattern Page" 
> > > for QTR is with my densitometer (Spyder3Print); is that 
> > > each patch or square is so small ...
> > 
> > I have the earlier model and found that if I put a white dot on the 
> > outside of the read orifice on the side I'm looking at while reading, 
> > it made it much easier to see what I was doing.
> > 
> > Also for linearization, I use this 21-step test strip:
> > http://www.paulroark.com/BW-Info/21-Step.jpg
> > 
> > The markings at the corners of the test patches, particularly with 
> > the dot on the read orifice, help me center the spetro.
> > 
> > I use the Calibration mode prints only for ink limits and relative 
> > density.  It's usually obvious when making these readings if you've 
> > hit some white paper.  You can always make a couple reads to make 
> > sure.
> > 
> > Hope this helps.
> > 
> > Paul
> > www.PaulRoark.com
> >
>