Epson 3800 ABW settings?????

[Kirk Gittings]

Does anybody actually know what the TONE settings (Normal, dark, darker etc.) do? Or the shadow Tonality (with the +- slider)? I am having problem with the supplied Velvet Fine Art profile clipping the shadows allot and am trying to find a work around. I can't see that these adjustments do very much if anything.

[Stephen Best]

Does anybody actually know what the TONE settings (Normal, dark, darker etc.) do? Or the shadow Tonality (with the +- slider)? I am having problem with the supplied Velvet Fine Art profile clipping the shadows allot and am trying to find a work around. I can't see that these adjustments do very much if anything.

The Tone setting effects the contrast (dot gain) and, to some extent, Dmax. For Epson brand papers you're better sticking to the defaults. However ABW is making assumptions about the gamma of the input data (looks to be 2.2) so for optimal tonal distribution you'll want to create a linearization profile on top of ABW. You can use the QTR-Create-ICC utility from the QuadtoneRIP package for this purpose. With VFA on my 4800 I get a Dmax of 1.75 and separation of tones all the way through the shadows (measured in 2% intervals).

[Kirk Gittings]

Thanks Stephen, I have been using ImagePrint for years and gotten lazy. But I cannot get the new IP to load and am up against a deadline of........TOMORROW to deliver three prints for a show.

[Stephen Best]

Thanks Stephen, I have been using ImagePrint for years and gotten lazy. But I cannot get the new IP to load and am up against a deadline of........TOMORROW to deliver three prints for a show.

I'm happy to do the prints for you (I have plenty of VFA in stock) but I'm not sure I can turn them around in time :-).

You may find the following useful:

http://people.csail.mit.edu/ericchan/dp/Epson3800/abwprofiles.html

Note though, as I documented elsewhere, that the gamma of your working space will determine placement of the shadow values.

[Kirk Gittings]

I owe you one. That improved the shadow detail considerably. Thanks a million.

[Nathan Potter]

Kirk, I love it when the real value of this forum shines through.

Nate Potter, Austin TX.

[Kirk Gittings]

Nate.....when its good, its really a lifesaver!