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Re: Ink Density Calibration

2005-10-18 by Tom Husband

Michel,
Here's something that Tom Moore wrote (I think it was Tom) when I
asked more or less the same thing.  I've kept it and refer to it
frequently:

"The description that follows explains how to determine the relative
densities in the K3 case.

Print the Inkseparation page with limited inks.
Measure the density of 100%K (limited)
Measure the density of 100%LK (limited)
Measure the density of 100%LLK (limited) Etc.

What you're going to do next is determine the %K that equals the
density of
100%LK. Since you printed in 5% steps, you have to interpolate between the
step that is lower or equal and the next higher step. It's simple math so
I'll explain it by an example:

Suppose
Your measurement of d 100%LK = .65
You find d 40%K = .61
and d 45%K = .68
Therefore
There are 7 (68-61) steps of d between 40 & 45%K
And 100%LK is 4 (65-61) steps above 40%K
Thus 100%LK corresponds to (40 + 5 x 4/7) = 43%K

Hopefully that's clear. Next you repeat the process comparing LK and LLK.
Suppose you find that 100%LLK is equivalent d to 32% LK. Then it is 14%
(32%of 43%) of K. You keep repeating this process with all the black inks.
You may also need the relative densities of the toners if they need to be
partitioned as well.

You may be wondering why not compare all the gray inks with black and be
done with it. You could, but it's a bit more accurate this way.

As a final note, which may change all of the above in your mind, several
people, more experienced than I, have told me that you don't have to
be that
accurate and simply using your eyeball will suffice. Being a mathematician
by training, I'm more comfortable with numbers.

On the other hand, other people, also more experienced than I, reprint the
separation page for each K's ink limit and measure from that. I like to
measure the densities, but I only print the limited inks once. That's
worked for me and my little old 2200."

Hope that helps a bit.

Tom

--- In QuadtoneRIP@yahoogroups.com, "lours51" <sinwen@f...> wrote:
>
> In QTR help file under "Ink Density Calibration" I don't understand 
> how to do the following :
> 
> "The darkest ink limit will be called 100. Now match the density of 
> the limit for the next lighter ink with the matching density of a 
> percentage of darkest ink".
> 
> Also, using a scanner and the eyedropper is ok but how to use the Eye1 
> instead ?
> 
> Many thanks for your answers
> 
> Michel
>

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