D-max with inkjet

[Kirk Gittings]

Is anyone aware of any independent d-max tests that have been done comparing different b&w inking systems such as Cone vs. MIS vs. Ultrachrome?

[Carl Schofield]

There is a compilation of dmax data for several papers and inks here:
http://www.graysteps.com/downloadables.htm (http://www.graysteps.com/downloadables.htm)

[Kirk Gittings]

That is perfect thank you!

[Bruce Watson]

Dmax is a complex thing. IMHO, there are four major components -- ink, substrate, printer, and driver. Of these, the driver has as much effect as any other, because the driver deterermines the size, location, and distribution of the ink dots that make up each pixel.

For example, consider an Espon x600. These printers have the capability of variable ink dot sizes. Some drivers, like the StudioPrint v10 RIP, can't use this feature, while in the StudioPrint v11 can. If you can lay down bigger drops in the shadows, you can improve Dmax over smaller drops. Not to mention improved tonal smoothness, but that's another thread.

Then there's the way the driver does ink laydown with various channels. In black only printing, you use only the black channel. With quadtone or hextone inks, the driver may use two inks (the lighter ink is an underlayment of the darker) to increase Dmax. With CMYK inks, it may use three or more colors to make a "process dot" for Dmax.

All I'm saying is, there's more to the Dmax game than just ink and paper. I too would like to see some independent studies that take all this into account. But if they've been published, I haven't seem them yet. Thesis topic anyone???

[Kirk Gittings]

My interests were to narrow some paper choices for testing for the Epson 4000 with Imageprint that I run now for color and b&w and to look at options for a dedicated b&w 7500 currently w/piezography that a friend is giving me later this year. Though the list refered to above is a bit dated, it did offer some good good points of reference. The test that HH is talking about would be really useful though if someone does or finds one. Here is a site with some more personal and anecdotal investigations by the author.


http://www.cjcom.net/articles/digiprn5.htm (http://www.cjcom.net/articles/digiprn5.htm)