QTR-Quadtone RIP

I am having problems getting a curve that doesn't flatten out the 
shadows for my images. I am using Condor BW with an Epson 7600 and UC 
inks with Matte Black.

I created a determined my black ink limit to be 50 and created a 
curve and printed a 21 step gray scale. I read the densities using my 
PrintFix Pro Spectro and loaded the values into an Excel spreadsheet. 
I also loaded two ideal step wedge values, 1.50 and 1.55 to compare 
with my 21 step wedge using line graph I created in Excel. After 
several interations of adjusting the Gamma, Shadow and Highlight, I 
got a curve in Excel that was close to the shape and values of my 
ideal. Then I took the density values from that 21 step wedge and 
entered them into the linearization area of curves creation.

Thinking about how bright I was to master this, I printed some images 
only to find that they are not as distinctive in the shadow areas as 
they appear on my calibrated monitor.

I think my process is valid, but the result are less that I think 
they should be. I would sure appreciate some help on my process and 
or my results.

I'm not sure I understand what you are doing with the Excel 
spreadsheet, but I suggest that you load the measured densities into 
the QTR Curve Creator Linearization tab and reprint your wedge with 
the linerized profile instead.  Then remeasure the densities of 
second wedge and plot in Excel.  They should be linear between the 
paper white and dMax you measured.

jr

--- In QuadtoneRIP@yahoogroups.com, "stasunas" <Astasunas@...> wrote:
>
> I am having problems getting a curve that doesn't flatten out the 
> shadows for my images. I am using Condor BW with an Epson 7600 and 
UC 
> inks with Matte Black.
> 
> I created a determined my black ink limit to be 50 and created a 
> curve and printed a 21 step gray scale. I read the densities using 
my 
> PrintFix Pro Spectro and loaded the values into an Excel 
spreadsheet. 
> I also loaded two ideal step wedge values, 1.50 and 1.55 to 
compare 
> with my 21 step wedge using line graph I created in Excel. After 
> several interations of adjusting the Gamma, Shadow and Highlight, 
I 

> got a curve in Excel that was close to the shape and values of my 
> ideal. Then I took the density values from that 21 step wedge and 
> entered them into the linearization area of curves creation.

Stasunas

It sounds like you have created the curve correctly as described by the
manual. However, since the manual was written, there is an additional step
that helps with better monitor to print matching. 

As a first step, you should read the file QuadToneRIP\ICC\Gray-Readme. That
will tell you how to use a few generic ICC profiles to either preview how
your print will look (using PS softproof) or to convert your file to a
working ICC profile that will print an image through QTR that looks like
your monitor. 

A second step would be to read (and interpret for your spectro) the file
QuadToneRIP\Eye-One\Eye-One-ReadMe. This file tells you how to create an ICC
profile for your specific printer/paper/ink combination. You can use it as
in step one to create an ICC file for your configuration. It will even allow
you to preview the hue for the specific blend of warm/cool/sepia etc. curves
that you used to create the ICC file.

There has recently been some lively discussion on this topic, so you might
review the recent previous messages, particularly under the subjects:

	softproofing vs. converting: an experiment
	Why are Epson 2200 prints too dark

Hope this helps

Tom Moore

> -----Original Message-----
> From: QuadtoneRIP@yahoogroups.com [mailto:QuadtoneRIP@yahoogroups.com] On
> Behalf Of stasunas
> Sent: Monday, March 19, 2007 1:36 PM
> To: QuadtoneRIP@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: [QuadtoneRIP] Problems getting proper curve
> 
> I am having problems getting a curve that doesn't flatten out the
> shadows for my images. I am using Condor BW with an Epson 7600 and UC
> inks with Matte Black.
> 
> I created a determined my black ink limit to be 50 and created a
> curve and printed a 21 step gray scale. I read the densities using my
> PrintFix Pro Spectro and loaded the values into an Excel spreadsheet.
> I also loaded two ideal step wedge values, 1.50 and 1.55 to compare
> with my 21 step wedge using line graph I created in Excel. After
> several interations of adjusting the Gamma, Shadow and Highlight, I
> got a curve in Excel that was close to the shape and values of my
> ideal. Then I took the density values from that 21 step wedge and
> entered them into the linearization area of curves creation.
> 
> Thinking about how bright I was to master this, I printed some images
> only to find that they are not as distinctive in the shadow areas as
> they appear on my calibrated monitor.
> 
> I think my process is valid, but the result are less that I think
> they should be. I would sure appreciate some help on my process and
> or my results.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Yahoo! Groups Links
> 
> 
>