QTR-Quadtone RIP

Mike,

> So question is what Epson paper setting are you using for Photo Rag?
> I think Ultrasmooth puts down the most ink, VFA next and Textured Fine
> Art the least.

I was using VFA. So I'll try the ultrasmooth setting - thanks.

> You can try the different paper settings on your 2400 to see which gives you
> the best black without laying down too much ink (blocking the shadows). Do
> this by printing out the Create ICC step wedge, measure it and then before
> you use Create ICC, plot the values on a graph and see if the shadows are
> closing up like the end of a hockey stick or not. If they are then you are
> putting down too much ink, try a different paper choice in the ABW driver.

Actually I saw this with the VFA setting - see figures below:

Step	Dens	Lab	A	B	
0.00	0.036	96.80	0.79	-1.23	-                        b    |  a                        L +
5.00	0.074	93.58	0.88	-1.05	-                        b    |  a                      L   +
10.00	0.121	89.68	0.90	-0.68	-                          b  |  a                   L      +
15.00	0.168	85.95	0.86	-0.40	-                           b |  a                 L        +
20.00	0.225	81.62	0.85	-0.24	-                            b|  a              L           +
25.00	0.281	77.52	0.79	-0.06	-                            b|  a            L             +
30.00	0.339	73.44	0.73	0.04	-                             b a           L               +
35.00	0.405	69.00	0.63	0.17	-                             b a        L                  +
40.00	0.474	64.63	0.51	0.24	-                             b a     L                     +
45.00	0.543	60.49	0.43	0.43	-                             |b    L                       +
50.00	0.618	56.19	0.18	0.83	-                             a  b                          +
55.00	0.700	51.79	-0.11	1.04	-                            a|L  b                         +
60.00	0.790	47.24	0.02	0.81	-                           L a  b                          +
65.00	0.889	42.63	-0.06	0.40	-                        L   a|b                            +
70.00	0.969	39.13	-0.04	0.19	-                      L     ab                             +
75.00	1.086	34.39	-0.05	0.11	-                   L        ab                             +
80.00	1.248	28.50	-0.07	0.01	-                L           ab                             +
85.00	1.403	23.53	0.03	0.02	-             L               b                             +
90.00	1.530	19.84	0.17	0.26	-          L                  ab                            +
95.00	1.607	17.80	0.43	0.96	-         L                   |a b                          +
100.00	1.619	17.47	0.76	2.11	-         L                   |  a    b                     +

As you say, the values bunch up in the shadows giving a "hockey stick" curve. I guess that 
I'll have to experiment with some different paper settings. 

> Also I would use the normal setting for ABW not the darker setting. The both
> have the same dmax, but normal gives Create ICC more headroom to manipulate
> the shadows and I find a I get better shadows with normal.

Thanks - I'm doing that already as it happens. 

Cheers

Guy