[Leica] Epson b&w printing

[Peter Klein <pklein@2alpha.net>]

Oliver:  Using Quadtone or Hextone inks means replacing the color
cartridge(s) of a printer with a special B&W cartridge that contains inks
of varying shades of gray.  So you have to dedicate your printer to B&W.

The MIS workflow involves converting a copy of your B&W image to 24-bit
color, and then applying curves that turn it into a false-color image.
This image determines how much of which ink will be applied to a given
area.  Ideally, then inks should be applied such that a gray scale will
have completely smooth transitions between one level and the next.  

The 1290 driver does this well.  For some reason, the 1280 driver tends to
"posterize."  You will have a smooth transition in the shadows between two
dark tones on the screen, but it will be an abrupt "step" in the print.
For example, in the screen, successive pixels might be 200, 201, 202, 203,
204, 205, 206.  On the page, it would come out 200,201, 201, 201, 201,
201, 206.

- --Peter


Peter wrote:
<snip>
I now use the Paul Roarke curves and MIS inks, and I've been quite pleased
with them.  The Epson 1280 driver has some very abrupt transitions, but
using the 1290 driver (from Epson's UK site) and Paul's 1290 curves has
solved that problem.
<snip>

Oliver wrote:

Peter, could you expand on what you mean by "abrupt transitions"? I'm not
that knowledgeable about these terms. I have a 1280 and printing b&w has
not been a good experience so far. At this time I'm not willing to
dedicate one printer to b&w work. Does the modification that you describe
allow you to continue printing in color on the 1280/1290?


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