Digital BW, The Print

And if you can be bothered waxing the prints dMax may even go further....

My MIS order has shipped so maybe that means PKN is now available.  The
order was held up and I am hoping they were waiting for the ink.  Fingers
crossed...


> From: Carl Schofield <scho@...>
> Reply-To: <DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com>
> Date: Thu, 3 Feb 2005 15:54:54 -0500
> To: <DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com>
> Subject: [Digital BW] Update on MIS PKN and LKN in the Epson 4000
> 
> 
> The new MIS PKN and UT7 LK neutral inks are performing very well in my
> Epson 4000 for both B&W and color.  I've tried PKN only printing with
> the Epson driver, PKN + LKN neutral profiles with both QTR and IJC/OPM,
> and PKN+LKN+LM+Y sepia profiles.  All yield a dmax of about 2.46 on
> Kirkland Signature Glossy paper.  I was surprised at how good the
> linearity was for the 4000 Epson driver printing BO with the PKN
> (compare density plots below for the linearized QTR PKN+LKN profile and
> Epson driver PKN only).  After making some adjustments in the LKN:LM:Y
> ratios I also have a very nice sepia tone with deep, rich blacks.  I'm
> still working with a mix of Epson UC inks in the color positions and
> MIS PKN and LKN so I won't  re-profile all my  papers for color until I
> have all inks switched over to the MIS UC equivalents.  However, I did
> print the Kirkland with a new RGB profile and colors were very close to
> the original prints with straight UC inks so I don't expect any
> problems printing color with the neutral PK and LK inks.  I'm also
> still evaluating different glop overlay application rates on the 4000
> prints by running them through my 2200 and printing with a glop only
> overlay profile.  My initial test were done with an IJC glop only
> profile (glop in 2200 LK slot) with glop ink limit set to 50%.  There
> was almost no bronzing and only some slight gloss differential to begin
> with on the Kirkland PKN prints and after glop application both
> bronzing and gloss differential were completely gone.  See last density
> plot below for post glop coated PKN+LKN print.  Slightly higher dmin
> from the glop but a terrific dmax boost to the highest dmax (2.602)
> I've ever obtained for any ink/paper combo and beautiful artifact free
> gloss finish.  I'm still considering my options for installing glop in
> the 4000 that will also enable me to print both B&W and color, but
> these prints are so good I'm leaning towards dumping matte paper
> printing completely and just using glop in the matte black slot for
> overcoating prints.  The matte prints on cotton rag with dmax levels in
> the 1.7 range just look dull and pathetically weak next to these new RC
> prints.
>