Digital BW, The Print

When I try a new paper I always print the Cone test file  'Proof of Piezography' first and I find that from this I get a good idea as to how the paper will react to the inks. I am particularly interested in the resolution of the 1% steps in the 92%-100% blacks and 1%-9% Whites as the ability of Piezo to resolve these well, albeit on very few papers, is a considerable achievement.

When I got my MIS variable tone inset and Paul Roark curves I had been working on an image that had a side of a mountain that was in deep shadow. Piezo printed this with great richness and detail. MIS inks produced a totally different and unwanted effect with a much expanded tonal range in the shadows.

So I returned to the proof of piezography file that I should have been first using for  testing in the beginning. If I print the file with the piezo driver on Epson Archival Matte I can see that it just can resolve the blacks from 92% - 100% in 1% increments. Likewise with the MIS inks and the Roark curve. BUT the MIS 92% is much lighter than the Piezo 92% to the point that the MIS prints looks as if it is showing 2% steps. 

Is this something inherent with the MIS solution or am I missing something.

Apart from this I think that the Roark/MIS combo is stunning and the ability to change the image color is most welcome.

Adrian Joyner
Clevedon
England


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