Datacolor User to User Support Group.

Hey David,

While setting up my Epson 10K today with the Piezotone NK6 monochrome
inks I did a test just sending the file through the standard Epson 10K
RGB driver, assigning the file a Grey Gamma 2.2 print space as a
profile and was shocked to see how nice and smooth the prints were
with a total black and almost ready to go, no posterization or strange
gamma.

The 10K is a little different than some of the 6 channel Epson
machines in that it utilizes a variable dot dither to the driver. Roy
doesn't have this really linearized for QTR and my using the 9500 raw
curve to linearize may or may not work out.

My question is (before buying Studio Print 12) is do you think it is
possible to create a good linearization using an RGB workflow out of
PFP by printing out the color patches and then utilizing the extended
greyscale patches to suppliment that? I'm using it already for color.

Hell it sure worked great with the 9600 and Ultrachrome for very
smooth neutral glossy monochrome. But then that is a different animal.

John

Thanks David,

If it looks as close as it does without any calibration I think it
just might work with mono NK7.

I think if one reads those targets carefully, and keep your targets
and spectro flat when reading, there is certainly no problem
neutralizing UC output.

John

David,

I'm experimenting with this today.

I just printed out the 225 patch PFP target with the K6 on the 10K,
carefully measured the patches, generated the RGB profile, and used it
to print a drum scanned file that I am familiar with. The file is very
is very subtle and has an extreme dynamic range from white to black.

The tonality is beautiful and very smooth, smoother than I'm getting
with QTR so far on this machine. It is very delicate. However, the
dmax is weak, it is measuring 1.58 while my usual QTR dmax is reading
1.68. It is black, just not dense enough. No posterization of any kind
though. 

Is there anything I can do with PFP to increase these dmax numbers
without effecting the highlights and midtones? I saw there was a
custom setting for "contrast" but that would effect the highlights too.

Any suggestions on things to try with this?

John




--- In colorvision_group@yahoogroups.com, CDTobie@... wrote:
>
> 
> In a message dated 4/3/07 9:43:14 PM, deanwork2003@... writes:
> 
> 
> > I think it
> > just might work with mono NK7.
> > 
> 
> I've been curious about that myself, but not curious enough to set
up an 

> entire NK7 system just to find out... so let me know your results.
> 
> C. David Tobie
> Product Technology Manager
> ColorVision Business Unit
> Datacolor Inc.
> CDTobie@...
> www.colorvision.com
> 
> 
> **************************************
>  See what's free at 
> http://www.aol.com.
>

--- In colorvision_group@yahoogroups.com, "john dean" <deanwork2003@...> wrote:
> I just printed out the 225 patch PFP target with the K6 on the 10K,
> carefully measured the patches, generated the RGB profile, and used it
> to print a drum scanned file that I am familiar with. The file is very
> is very subtle and has an extreme dynamic range from white to black.
> 
> The tonality is beautiful and very smooth, smoother than I'm getting
> with QTR so far on this machine. It is very delicate. However, the
> dmax is weak, it is measuring 1.58 while my usual QTR dmax is reading
> 1.68. It is black, just not dense enough. No posterization of any kind
> though. 

John,

Find the media type that produces the best dmax. Make a 100% black patch in photoshop  
and print out using all media types labeling each one as you go. Let all dry and read to 
find the deepest black. 

The above might find the best d-max but this could lead to blocked shadows that no 
profiler can fix as some Epson media types lay down too much ink in the shadows. But 
with all gray inks it might not be a problem.

Best,

John V

Well you guys were right on in regard to media settings. I tried a
bunch of them. There is a big difference there. I was using two of the
fine art paper settings for the 10K -  smooth and textured and they
were pretty low. When I tried the Water Color setting out of PFP AND
dried the black patches completely, I'm getting a dmax of 1.67 on
Photorag as my highest reading! That is amazing out of RGB with no rip
to control ink limits, and the midtones and highlights are beautiful.
I have only been getting 1.68 with K6 on Photorag on the other
machines with a linearized rip, and that is on the high end of what
people are getting with K7.

I'll know more in a week or so but this looks very good to me now.

John 





> > 
> An RGB printer profile just controls what mix of R, G, and B is sent
to the 
> printer. It doesn't define how black black is, thats a media setting
choice. So 
> choose a media setting that offers a deeper black, if one exists.
RIPs allow 
> you to define rich blacks (black in plus other components), and
control ink 
> limits on each ink channel, which are among the reasons people use
them. If you 
> can create an inkset where ink cart black, at an available media
setting, is 
> black enough, than all that becomes unnecessary. But if you can't...
then thats 

> where the advanced functions come into play.
> 
> C. David Tobie
> Product Technology Manager
> ColorVision Business Unit
> Datacolor Inc.
> CDTobie@...
> www.colorvision.com
> 
> 
> **************************************
>  See what's free at 
> http://www.aol.com.
>