QTR-Quadtone RIP

Please excuse the novice question but I'm a little puzzled -

 

I have an Epson 1270 that I've had for a while. It has made some nice prints
but the fading issue prompted me to replace it with an Epson R1800. Then I
had the idea of buying a pigment b&w ink set and dedicating the 1270 to b&w
printing.

 

I'm using MIS Eboni ink in both printers for matte black. When I print in
calibration mode on the same paper (Hahnemuhle PR BW) The Epson 1270 black
strip maxes out at 1.70 while the r1800 goes to about 1.74. Each printer is
set for its highest resolution and lower speed.

 

Is this typical that some printers might achieve higher densities with the
same inks?

 

Thanks,

Ian.

 



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

The differences you are seeing may well be less than you think.
Depending on your densitometer, they might be within it's measurement
tolerances. Also different printers are very unlikely to give exact
matches. There are differences in max/min dot sizes, possible head
voltage diferences, age and head wear differences between the two
printers, the fact that the two printers were designed for different
inks to begin with and a host of other variables. In actuality you are
getting very good results with both in terms of d'max.

Regards
Duane
 


--- In QuadtoneRIP@yahoogroups.com, "Ian Christie" <ichristie@...> wrote:
>
>  
> 
> Please excuse the novice question but I'm a little puzzled -
> 
>  
> 
> I have an Epson 1270 that I've had for a while. It has made some
nice prints
> but the fading issue prompted me to replace it with an Epson R1800.
Then I
> had the idea of buying a pigment b&w ink set and dedicating the 1270
to b&w
> printing.
> 
>  
> 
> I'm using MIS Eboni ink in both printers for matte black. When I
print in
> calibration mode on the same paper (Hahnemuhle PR BW) The Epson 1270
black
> strip maxes out at 1.70 while the r1800 goes to about 1.74. Each
printer is
> set for its highest resolution and lower speed.
> 
>  
> 
> Is this typical that some printers might achieve higher densities
with the

> same inks?
> 
>  
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Ian.
> 
>  
> 
> 
> 
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>

Thanks. i guess it's really academic anyway. i've been obsessing over the dmax thing a bit because i'm used to the intense blacks i got from the dye inks on the 1270. i thought switching to a b&w inkset would improve my prints in all regards but came away thinking "nice greys but where's the black?"
 
 i think my new plan is to make two copies. one with ut-2 and eboni black for archive and one copy with ut-2 and dye black for short-term display.

dlruckus <dlruckus@...> wrote:                                  The differences you are seeing may well be less than you think.
 Depending on your densitometer, they might be within it's measurement
 tolerances. Also different printers are very unlikely to give exact
 matches. There are differences in max/min dot sizes, possible head
 voltage diferences, age and head wear differences between the two
 printers, the fact that the two printers were designed for different
 inks to begin with and a host of other variables. In actuality you are
 getting very good results with both in terms of d'max.
 
 Regards
 Duane
  
 
 --- In QuadtoneRIP@yahoogroups.com, "Ian Christie" <ichristie@...> wrote:
 >
 >  
 > 
 > Please excuse the novice question but I'm a little puzzled -
 > 
 >  
 > 
 > I have an Epson 1270 that I've had for a while. It has made some
 nice prints
 > but the fading issue prompted me to replace it with an Epson R1800.
 Then I
 > had the idea of buying a pigment b&w ink set and dedicating the 1270
 to b&w
 > printing.
 > 
 >  
 > 
 > I'm using MIS Eboni ink in both printers for matte black. When I
 print in
 > calibration mode on the same paper (Hahnemuhle PR BW) The Epson 1270
 black
 > strip maxes out at 1.70 while the r1800 goes to about 1.74. Each
 printer is
 > set for its highest resolution and lower speed.
 > 
 >  
 > 
 > Is this typical that some printers might achieve higher densities
 with the
 > same inks?
 > 
 >  
 > 
 > Thanks,
 > 
 > Ian.
 > 
 >  
 > 
 > 
 > 
 > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
 >
 
 
     
                       


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

Yes. If you are used to the gloss with dyes, it's a bit of a shock to
see pigment matt prints, even very good ones. Try playing with a
variety of different papers and you may well find some you like
extremely well. There can be a velvety look to the blacks that is
unmatchable with the glossy deeper d'max prints. Put them both under
glass in normal display conditions side by side and you will be hard
put to tell the difference between them in any case.

Regards
Duane



   --- In QuadtoneRIP@yahoogroups.com, Ian Christie <ichristie@...> wrote:
>
> Thanks. i guess it's really academic anyway. i've been obsessing
over the dmax thing a bit because i'm used to the intense blacks i got
from the dye inks on the 1270. i thought switching to a b&w inkset
would improve my prints in all regards but came away thinking "nice
greys but where's the black?"
>  
>  i think my new plan is to make two copies. one with ut-2 and eboni
black for archive and one copy with ut-2 and dye black for short-term
display.
> 
> dlruckus <dlruckus@...> wrote:                                  The
differences you are seeing may well be less than you think.

>  Depending on your densitometer, they might be within it's measurement
>  tolerances. Also different printers are very unlikely to give exact
>  matches. There are differences in max/min dot sizes, possible head
>  voltage diferences, age and head wear differences between the two
>  printers, the fact that the two printers were designed for different
>  inks to begin with and a host of other variables. In actuality you are
>  getting very good results with both in terms of d'max.
>  
>  Regards
>  Duane
>   
>  
>  --- In QuadtoneRIP@yahoogroups.com, "Ian Christie" <ichristie@> wrote:
>  >
>  >  
>  > 
>  > Please excuse the novice question but I'm a little puzzled -
>  > 
>  >  
>  > 
>  > I have an Epson 1270 that I've had for a while. It has made some
>  nice prints
>  > but the fading issue prompted me to replace it with an Epson R1800.
>  Then I
>  > had the idea of buying a pigment b&w ink set and dedicating the 1270
>  to b&w
>  > printing.
>  > 
>  >  
>  > 
>  > I'm using MIS Eboni ink in both printers for matte black. When I
>  print in
>  > calibration mode on the same paper (Hahnemuhle PR BW) The Epson 1270
>  black
>  > strip maxes out at 1.70 while the r1800 goes to about 1.74. Each
>  printer is
>  > set for its highest resolution and lower speed.
>  > 
>  >  
>  > 
>  > Is this typical that some printers might achieve higher densities
>  with the
>  > same inks?
>  > 
>  >  
>  > 
>  > Thanks,
>  > 
>  > Ian.
>  > 
>  >  
>  > 
>  > 
>  > 
>  > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>  >
>  
>  
>      
>                        
> 
> 
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>

you might compare your numbers to a piece of Illford Silver Gelatin paper if you can find 
one around, just for curiousity of course.

When I finally switched to digital printing on a 4000, I found that the blacks were both 
darker and colder than the Illford darkroom paper, and this was even on Epson Enhanced 
Matte.  So I was thrilled, after getting rid of the cyan of course, and never even got beyond 
a few simple experiments with QTR.  Framed behind glass they look fantastic.  at least one 
person thinks so :)

the K3 photoblack on luster is even better.  

one caveat, after years of obsessing, I determined this all by eye rather than measurement.  
So the numbers?  don't know.  The results as art do know.

Take care
Scott

--- In QuadtoneRIP@yahoogroups.com, Ian Christie <ichristie@...> wrote:
>
> Thanks. i guess it's really academic anyway. i've been obsessing over the dmax thing a 
bit because i'm used to the intense blacks i got from the dye inks on the 1270. i thought 
switching to a b&w inkset would improve my prints in all regards but came away thinking 
"nice greys but where's the black?"
>  
>  i think my new plan is to make two copies. one with ut-2 and eboni black for archive 
and one copy with ut-2 and dye black for short-term display.
> 
> dlruckus <dlruckus@...> wrote:                                  The differences you are seeing 
may well be less than you think.

>  Depending on your densitometer, they might be within it's measurement
>  tolerances. Also different printers are very unlikely to give exact
>  matches. There are differences in max/min dot sizes, possible head
>  voltage diferences, age and head wear differences between the two
>  printers, the fact that the two printers were designed for different
>  inks to begin with and a host of other variables. In actuality you are
>  getting very good results with both in terms of d'max.
>  
>  Regards
>  Duane
>   
>  
>  --- In QuadtoneRIP@yahoogroups.com, "Ian Christie" <ichristie@> wrote:
>  >
>  >  
>  > 
>  > Please excuse the novice question but I'm a little puzzled -
>  > 
>  >  
>  > 
>  > I have an Epson 1270 that I've had for a while. It has made some
>  nice prints
>  > but the fading issue prompted me to replace it with an Epson R1800.
>  Then I
>  > had the idea of buying a pigment b&w ink set and dedicating the 1270
>  to b&w
>  > printing.
>  > 
>  >  
>  > 
>  > I'm using MIS Eboni ink in both printers for matte black. When I
>  print in
>  > calibration mode on the same paper (Hahnemuhle PR BW) The Epson 1270
>  black
>  > strip maxes out at 1.70 while the r1800 goes to about 1.74. Each
>  printer is
>  > set for its highest resolution and lower speed.
>  > 
>  >  
>  > 
>  > Is this typical that some printers might achieve higher densities
>  with the
>  > same inks?
>  > 
>  >  
>  > 
>  > Thanks,
>  > 
>  > Ian.
>  > 
>  >  
>  > 
>  > 
>  > 
>  > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>  >
>  
>  
>      
>                        
> 
> 
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>