Digital BW, The Print

Just printed the same image, same printer settings on a 
different paper and no posterization.  Go figure.
Posterization on LPM MIS pigs with DD black, on 1280
On Somerset enhanced velvet, MIS pigs DDblack perfect 
print???
David

Hello,

I am a new digital B+W printmaker employing an Epson 2450 to scan 
6x9 and 4x5 negatives into Photoshop 6 printing to an Epson 1280 
employing the MIS variable mix hextone inkset.

I employ the Silverfast scanning utility which shipped with the 2450 
allowing the software to determine a file size which for any given 
image size allows a resolution of 320 dpi. I utilize the custom 
settings on the Epson printer driver specifying 1440 dpi.

Although I have been pleased with the output for the most part, I 
have noticed a bothersome tendency to posterize dense mid and 
darktones such as might occur in a tree line or a bed of salt grass 
in a shore scene. I have noted that a boost in local contrast can 
correct this in large part, but this is a nuisance and compels 
increasing local contrast to the point where dark tones tend to 
merge.

Any explanation or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

Stuart

This could be a number of things. Do you scan in 16bit? When you say 
boost in local contrast does that mean you are using the "brightness/
contrast" adjustment? If so, you should use curves instead so as to 
only affect the tones you want to. But doing all that really just hides 
the posterization. The actual cause might be in the scanning, the 
negatives themselves, or the transfer curves you are using which I have 
no idea about since I use the piezography plugin.

-mh

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y..., "oncdoc301" <oncdoc@c...> 
wrote:

> Hello,
> 
> I am a new digital B+W printmaker employing an Epson 2450 to scan 
> 6x9 and 4x5 negatives into Photoshop 6 printing to an Epson 1280 
> employing the MIS variable mix hextone inkset.
> 
> I employ the Silverfast scanning utility which shipped with the 2450 
> allowing the software to determine a file size which for any given 
> image size allows a resolution of 320 dpi. I utilize the custom 
> settings on the Epson printer driver specifying 1440 dpi.
> 
> Although I have been pleased with the output for the most part, I 
> have noticed a bothersome tendency to posterize dense mid and 
> darktones such as might occur in a tree line or a bed of salt grass 
> in a shore scene. I have noted that a boost in local contrast can 
> correct this in large part, but this is a nuisance and compels 
> increasing local contrast to the point where dark tones tend to 
> merge.
> 
> Any explanation or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
> 
> Thanks.
> 
> Stuart

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y..., "husseyhussey" <mh@t...> 
wrote:

mh:

Thanks for your reply. I am scanning in 48>24 bit color mode then 
converting to grayscale for editing. I have been using the 
brightness/contrast sliders in a new adjustment layer to boost those 
areas which posterize ( I hope that is the correct term..it appears 
as merging of what as a photographer I would call zone III-IV tones 
into a single flat poorly detailed puddle.

Stuart
> This could be a number of things. Do you scan in 16bit? When you 
say 
> boost in local contrast does that mean you are using 
the "brightness/
> contrast" adjustment? If so, you should use curves instead so as 
to 
> only affect the tones you want to. But doing all that really just 
hides 
> the posterization. The actual cause might be in the scanning, the 
> negatives themselves, or the transfer curves you are using which I 
have 
> no idea about since I use the piezography plugin.
> 
> -mh
> 
> --- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y..., "oncdoc301" 
<oncdoc@c...> 
> wrote:
> > Hello,
> > 
> > I am a new digital B+W printmaker employing an Epson 2450 to 
scan 
> > 6x9 and 4x5 negatives into Photoshop 6 printing to an Epson 1280 
> > employing the MIS variable mix hextone inkset.
> > 
> > I employ the Silverfast scanning utility which shipped with the 
2450 
> > allowing the software to determine a file size which for any 
given 
> > image size allows a resolution of 320 dpi. I utilize the custom 
> > settings on the Epson printer driver specifying 1440 dpi.
> > 
> > Although I have been pleased with the output for the most part, 
I 
> > have noticed a bothersome tendency to posterize dense mid and 
> > darktones such as might occur in a tree line or a bed of salt 
grass 
> > in a shore scene. I have noted that a boost in local contrast 
can 

> > correct this in large part, but this is a nuisance and compels 
> > increasing local contrast to the point where dark tones tend to 
> > merge.
> > 
> > Any explanation or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
> > 
> > Thanks.
> > 
> > Stuart

I've found that the posterization problems I occasionally encounter 
with the VM set (on a 1160) usually reflect the scan or inadvertant 
effects of curve adjustments I've made. I think it's easier to not 
notice the posterization or flatness when you're viewing output on 
screen than with a print. More than a few times I've thought the 
problem was with the printing process, but a closer look revealed 
that the source of posterization (i.e., in scan or from PS tone 
manipulation) was there to be seen on the screen. 

Chris Hargens




--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y..., "oncdoc301" <oncdoc@c...> 
wrote:
> --- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y..., "husseyhussey" <mh@t...> 
> wrote:
> 
> mh:
> 
> Thanks for your reply. I am scanning in 48>24 bit color mode then 
> converting to grayscale for editing. I have been using the 
> brightness/contrast sliders in a new adjustment layer to boost 
those 
> areas which posterize ( I hope that is the correct term..it appears 
> as merging of what as a photographer I would call zone III-IV tones 
> into a single flat poorly detailed puddle.
> 
> Stuart
> > This could be a number of things. Do you scan in 16bit? When you 
> say 
> > boost in local contrast does that mean you are using 
> the "brightness/
> > contrast" adjustment? If so, you should use curves instead so as 
> to 
> > only affect the tones you want to. But doing all that really just 
> hides 
> > the posterization. The actual cause might be in the scanning, the 
> > negatives themselves, or the transfer curves you are using which 
I 
> have 
> > no idea about since I use the piezography plugin.
> > 
> > -mh
> > 
> > --- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y..., "oncdoc301" 
> <oncdoc@c...> 
> > wrote:
> > > Hello,
> > > 
> > > I am a new digital B+W printmaker employing an Epson 2450 to 
> scan 
> > > 6x9 and 4x5 negatives into Photoshop 6 printing to an Epson 
1280 

> > > employing the MIS variable mix hextone inkset.
> > > 
> > > I employ the Silverfast scanning utility which shipped with the 
> 2450 
> > > allowing the software to determine a file size which for any 
> given 
> > > image size allows a resolution of 320 dpi. I utilize the custom 
> > > settings on the Epson printer driver specifying 1440 dpi.
> > > 
> > > Although I have been pleased with the output for the most part, 
> I 
> > > have noticed a bothersome tendency to posterize dense mid and 
> > > darktones such as might occur in a tree line or a bed of salt 
> grass 
> > > in a shore scene. I have noted that a boost in local contrast 
> can 
> > > correct this in large part, but this is a nuisance and compels 
> > > increasing local contrast to the point where dark tones tend to 
> > > merge.
> > > 
> > > Any explanation or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
> > > 
> > > Thanks.
> > > 
> > > Stuart