Digital BW, The Print

Clayton,

>>That the UC made with color pigs did well is simply 
>>inconsistent with my tests.  

>...  I made it with the UC PK on EEM when I first got the 2200.

You said the UT7 strips were on Photo Rag.  That might be the difference.  I
don't use or test on Photo Rag due to it's sensitive surface, including
flaking.  EEM does consistently well in my tests, close to what the
UltraSmooth did.  So, maybe the paper difference is one factor that has
caused the divergent results.

...
>Three questions:

>1) I put a q-tip dab of each ink on a piece of EEM.  Can you tell from
>these descriptions whether I have the new or old set?

I doubt it.

...
>LK - dark gray, a tad warmer than K

Hmm, why aren't they shipping the neutral LK?

>If I can determine that I have the new inks I'll begin a new test.  If
>I have the old ones I'll ask MIS if they'll swap them for new.

You might just tell Bob Zeiss what you're doing and that you need to be sure
these are the new inks.  I'll e-mail him also.

>2) Can you tell me what inks are now in each of the 7 positions and
>what their makeup is ?

The tones are the same as the original UT7 -- or so close you'll probably
not see the difference.  If the inks were very accurately mixed, the new
"sliders at 0" test strip would be slightly more neutral than the original
UT7.

The inks are as you described them.  The cyan positions are "pure" carbon.
The magenta position inks are carbon with "blue" pigments added to cool them
down.  The "blue" color pigments are a new R800 clone blue and the 7600 MIS
cyan.

The sepia has a new red (R800 red clone) and the 7600 MIS yellow in it -- at
about 16% to 84% LC.  But, that LC is dilute carbon.  So, on a load-adjusted
basis, the sepia toner is, perhaps, 55% carbon and 45% color pigments, and
the yellow is not known for its toughness.

>3) Is there any information which explains exactly how the three
>sliders affect the seven inks? 

Not that I am aware of.
  
I'd recommend you use the same paper for all the inks in a comparison test.
Paper does make a difference.

Paul
www.PaulRoark.com