ULTRA TONE 2 (“UT2”) INFORMATION AND
SETTINGS
By
(7-12-06)
(Note,
the formatting of this document works better when at full screen display.)
Ultra Tone 2 (“UT2”) is a
pigment-based, variable-tone black and white inkset for the Epson 1280 printer. It can be purchased from
MIS Associates. See the MIS website at:
http://www.inksupply.com/bw/ut2-1280
The 1270 also makes good
matte prints with this inkset when the 1280 driver is used. PCs seem to have no trouble with this. Macs may not be able to run the 1270 with a
1280 driver. The 1270 glossy printing
may not be up to the 1280 quality.
The 1290 can also use
this inkset and the 1280 curves. At one
time I thought the 1290 printed slightly darker than the 1280. However, now having a “silver” version of the
1280, I’d say that printer is actually a 1290 with a different power supply and
name plate. The silver 1280 also prints
slightly darker than the original 1280.
For the 2200 or other
UltraChrome printers use the UT7 inkset.
There are two general printing procedures for the UT2 inkset. First, any application can be used to print
grayscale files on matte papers just by using the standard Epson print
driver. Tones (hues) can be changed by
using the sliders in the Epson
driver. The range varies depending on
the Yellow position ink option used, as discussed below.
Second, with image editors Photoshop
and Picture Window more control is possible, including print tones that range
form dark sepia to very cold, by using image adjustment curves.
Photoshop Elements can also be used to
gain this expanded control. For that
program the adjustment curves need to be put onto small files as adjustment
layers that can then be dragged to the image file. I have not done this for many papers, but
will do so as people request the layers files.
The settings for these two printing
methods are in separate sections, below.
UT2 is compatible with both matte and
glossy (also called “barrier” or “RC”) papers.
For matte paper, Eboni matte black ink should be used.
For glossy papers, there are two
printing procedures that can be used. First,
if Photoshop, Picture Window, or Photoshop Elements is used, image adjustment
curves (or layers) are available that allow printing a number of popular glossy
papers even though Eboni matte black ink is installed in the printer. I, personally, keep Eboni black ink in my
1280 and use the image adjustment curves to print on glossy paper. This makes the inkset extremely flexible and
also usually results in better prints.
Second, Photo black ink (“PK”) can be
used. It must be used if the print is
made with programs other than the image editors noted above. Recommended settings for PK ink are in the
last section of this Readme file.
INK
POSITIONS
The UT2 inkset uses predominantly
carbon pigments. The magenta and light
magenta ink positions use un-toned carbon pigments, which give a warm print
tone. The cyan and light cyan positions
are predominantly carbon pigments, but they also have blue pigments added to
tone them cold. No dyes are used in this
inkset, so all images will be very fade resistant and archival on acid free
paper and with proper display and storage.
In general, the more carbon pigment that is in the image, the more
lightfast it will be.
The Yellow-position ink has several options. MIS sells several
of these options, and once there are easy-refill carts available for the 1280,
more options will be easy to utilize.
The default ink in the yellow position
of the pre-filled MIS 1280
UT2 cartridges is sepia.
Some users might want to mix a custom sepia tone by adding more MIS 2200
yellow or light magenta pigments.
If one does not print sepia tones, then
there are better uses for the Y-position ink spot. If one prints only matte papers, a second
light gray carbon ink can be put in the yellow spot. The UT2-LM is the appropriate ink. This makes the slider range slightly more
neutral. It also makes the inkset more
lightfast, as it reduces the amount of yellow pigment, which is the weakest
component of the new UT2, and it only in the sepia toner. (With the old UT2 magenta was the weakest,
but I re-formulated the inks in late 2004.)
If one prints on glossy prints, it now
appears that MIS “Gloss Optimizer” (“Glop”) placed in the Y position will be
able to eliminate most of the bronzing that was so distracting with these
papers. While I have been recommending
spraying with PremierArt Print Shield for this purpose and for print
protection, the Glop, applied with special curves that have “Glop” in the
names, largely eliminates the need to spray.
Since the Print Shield spray is a noxious chemical, this is a pleasant
option that I recommend to all glossy print makers. New curves for glossy papers that utilize the
Glop have been posted on my download page.
Glop can be purchased in bulk from MIS at http://www.inksupply.com/r800ink_org.cfm
. (The curves I have posted do not
require the procedures listed on the MIS web page.) MIS is also starting to sell UT2 carts with
Glop in the yellow position. Note that
when Glop is applied while printing, the driver setting should be set to 2880
dpi to ensure smoothness.
While MIS Photo black (or the new PKN)
can be used, the most flexible approach is to have Eboni installed and use
Photoshop curves to adjust the inkset for glossy printing. Thus, the first section, below, assumes Eboni
is installed. Another section, further
below, has some recommendations for printing when Photo Black is installed. I have only made curves to control the gloss
optimizer when Eboni is installed.
However, these curves also work when PK is installed; they just do not
utilize the PK.
_____________________________________________________________
Workflows & Settings when EBONI Black ink is installed:
In general, the Photoshop Color Settings (Edit, Color
settings) are set as follows: First, set
the top setting to Photoshop 5 Defaults, which includes Gray Gamma 2.2; second,
change RGB working space to Adobe RGB (1998).
1. SLIDER CONTROLS –
Printing from Any Application on Matte Paper
This workflow option requires
only the Epson driver, but be sure it is a full driver and not one of the
abbreviated ones that ships with Windows XP.
The Epson Driver Settings are made when a person starts to print a
file. (“Print with Preview” is used in
Photoshop CS.)
These are the recommended
settings for best grayscale file printing:
Source Space – Document :
Gray Gamma 2.2.
Print Space
– Same as Source.
Media Type – “Matte Paper Heavyweight:”
(If the deepest black
tones are not properly separated or blotchy, try the “Photo Quality Ink Jet” or
“Photo Quality Glossy Film” media type settings.)
Print Quality -- 1440 dpi
Color Management -- Color Controls
checked; Mode – Vivid.
Slider Settings
Default – all sliders at “0.”
(Different papers print with different tones
or hues.)
For cooler prints: Cyan
+10, Magenta -10
Warmer prints: Cyan
-15, Magenta +10, Yellow +25.
With Glop in the Y spot,
use up to C – 25, M + 25.
(Obviously, putting more Y ink in will not warm
the print if Glop is installed.)
These slider settings are
illustrative of what usually works well.
Experimentation will probably allow you to achieve prints that better
match your monitor and the look you prefer.
2. IMAGE EDITOR
ADJUSTMENT CURVES
This workflow option
requires specific image editor programs.
While Photoshop is the industry standard image editor, Picture Window is
a good, affordable alternative for Windows users. (See Digital Light and Color for Picture
Window, at www.dl-c.com.) As noted earlier, Photoshop Elements can
also be used when the curves are first put onto files as adjustment layers.
Controlling the print
tones (hues) with image adjustment curves gives more control than the sliders
and has some other advantages for experienced printers. Which curve is applied determines the mix of
inks and thus the tone of the print.
For this approach the
final grayscale file must first be changed to an RGB color image for
printing. (Save the final grayscale file
before doing this.)
For some curves,
particularly the sepia and carbon curves, it is best to have the RGB file in 16
bit mode before the tone curve is applied.
This is true even if the grayscale file was an 8 bit file. Once the curve is applied, it can be
converted back to 8-bits per channel (24 bit total) and be just as smooth.
In general, the following
driver settings are used:
Source Space – Document: Adobe RGB (1998)
Print Space – Same as Source
Media Type – "Photo Paper" works well
for most, but this can vary with paper type.
Print Quality – 1440, High Speed
unchecked, works well for most prints; 2880 gives marginally better quality but
is slow. For glossy papers some might
see the difference.
When Glop is used, 2880 is recommended.
Color Management – “No Color Adjustment”
is always used. Because this setting is
used, the curves should work equally well with both Windows and Mac computers.
These curves are not
difficult to modify for fine tuning the printing system. For the relatively neutral curves the Red
curve (which controls the cyan/cool ink) and the Green curve (which controls
the magenta/warm-carbon ink) have only 3 internal points on them from 75% to
0%. Changing the tones of the highlights
and midtones independently can be accomplished by making off-setting moves of
the respective points of these 2 curves.
Densities can also be changed while holding the tone/hue the same by
moving the Red and Green curves the same amount up or down.
Compared to past
partitioning and control curves, the UT2 inkset allows much simplified curves
and adjustments because the Epson driver takes care of the light-dark ink
cross-overs. Users are encouraged to
learn how to tweak the pre-made curves.
The "carbon"
tone curves print warm, about half way to a sepia tone. Some people compare its visual impact to the
classical platinum print. The curves
essentially eliminate all the color pigments and print with only carbon. This gives the most lightfast print possible,
because the carbon pigments are more stable than the color pigments.
"Carbon on
cotton" (acid-free & buffered paper) is such an appealing visual and
archival medium that it can, in my view, stand on its own as a classic B&W
medium.
As late as 2004, the pure
carbon tone was the only tone I would recommend when longevity was
primary. With the upgraded UT inks,
however, the neutral tones are almost as stable as the carbon tones. Note that the primary aging one sees with
carbon is that it warms very slightly.
This is actually an increase in the yellow density of the carbon. It is not fading in the sense of density
loss. In the long run, however, all
imaging substances will fade if left in bright sunlight for extended
periods.
Using curves to control
tones also allows one to make split-tone prints by using one curve in one
selected area and another curve in the other part of the image. If the selected areas overlap, apply the
different curves to 2 separate copies or layers of the image, and then combine
them. The curve must be on the top
layer, and multiple curves applied to the same image will not print well.
Curves are available for
the following papers. Use the settings
above unless otherwise specified. Go to
my curves download page at http://home1.gte.net/res09aij/UT2-curves.html
or MIS for copies of these.
MATTE PAPERS (Use
with Eboni black ink.)
Wood-pulp based papers:
Epson Enhanced Matte
& “Archival Matte” (These are the same paper, and neither is archival due
to acidity. They are excellent for
non-archival printing.)
Premier Art Dual Matte,
210 gsm, 11.5 mil.
This double-sided matte paper is the
best bargain in acid free
papers. It has a dmax that rivals Photo Rag.
It is a bright, cold paper. The convex side seems a bit smoother.
PermaJet Matt Plus (acid
free)
Use media type “Photo Quality Glossy
Film” for the 1280, “Plain Paper” for the 1290.
Cotton-based papers:
Cotton papers are the
most archival, but most such papers have suffered from a lower dmax and
problems with flaking surfaces.
PermaJet Alpha (Optical
brightener free, very good dmax, very little if any flaking)
PermaJet Omega (similar
to Alpha, some optical brighteners)
PermaJet Delta (similar
to Omega, slightly more optical brighteners)
Innova Art has a line of
papers that offers an excellent combination of features.
PremierArt Fine Art Hot
Press (no optical brighteners, but relatively bright; little
or no flaking, various weights
and sizes, 205 is dual sided, the convex
side prints slightly smoother;
205 is a very good value in cotton papers.)
PhotoRag (dmax champ,
optical brighteners), German Etching, Torchon, &
Albrecht Durer
Brushing or wiping off the
surfaces of these papers before printing helps avoid flaking problems, but
sometimes it will leave marks.
Compressed air
or a blower bulb is another
option. PhotoRag’s
surface is very soft and easily damaged.
Epson UltraSmooth
(Appears to be the same as PremierArt, above.)
GLOSSY PAPERS – WITH EBONI BLACK INK
The UT2 inkset does allow
one to print on glossy papers even when Eboni ink is in the printer. However, special curves must be applied. They will all contain “Eboni” or “Eb” in the name of the curve.
For glossy paper, the
Epson printer "pizza wheels"
may leave marks on the finished print. I
recommend the wheels be removed. See the
instructions at
http://www.inkjetart.com/pizza/
Most of these papers have
some reflective differentials or artifacts that can be reduced significantly
with a spray like PremierArt Image Shield or Lyson Print Guard. When sprayed, these papers have a surface
that is durable enough to be cleaned with a damp paper towel.
Curves are available for
the following papers:
Use the default settings, above, unless otherwise noted.
Ilford Galerie Smooth
Pearl & Glossy papers:
Use "Photo Quality Glossy Film" media type.
2880 gives noticeably smoother prints.
Ilford Smooth Pearl provides a good image and one of the
deepest
blacks of any paper, but it is
not acid free and bronzes.
Costco’s Kirkland
Signature Pro Glossy Inkjet paper, made in
is an excellent product that
uses the Ilford curves.
The paper appears to be acid free, and has the best
combination
of dmax, very low bronzing, and
price. This can be mail ordered
from Costco even by
non-members. Too bad it’s only in letter
size.
Epson Premium Semigloss,
Glossy and Luster Photo Papers
These papers and the Costco paper, above,
are the only acid-free glossy
papers I know of. In general,
acidic papers will not last more than about 30 years.
Wilhelm Research rates the Epson Premium papers as having
a dark storage life of >200
years, the top rating any paper receives.
These curves do not work on Epson Premium Semimatte.
Epson Glossy Photo Paper
(also known as “Photo Paper”):
(This widely-available and modestly-priced paper produces
a
very
good image, with few if any differential reflection issues such
“bronzing.” However, it is not archival,
and some like a thicker feeling paper. )
Permajet Oyster and Gloss
(Use “Photo Quality Glossy Film” media
type.)
Settings when MIS PHOTO Black ink is installed:
GLOSSY PAPER SLIDER SETTINGS -- (Use
Photo Black ink.)
For glossy paper, the
Epson printer "pizza wheels"
may leave marks on the finished print. I
recommend the wheels be removed. See the
instructions at
http://www.inkjetart.com/pizza/
Epson Glossy Photo paper (aka Epson Photo Paper):
Media Type: "Matte Paper -
Heavyweight."
("Glossy Photo Paper"
or "Photo Paper" are
OK only when the sliders are
in the
neutral/"0" positions).
Sliders:
To darken the midtones and for a
full tonal
scale: Brightness -6, Contrast -6;
Neutral: C +10, M -5, Con -3;
Warm: Y +25, M +10, C -15.
Premium Semigloss, Glossy & Luster Photo Papers:
Media Type: “Premium Glossy Photo Paper.”
Sliders:
To lighten print: Brightness +5;
Neutral: Brightness +10, Contrast
-3, C +7, M -7;
Warm: Br +12, Contrast -2, C -15,
M +10, Y +25.
(These settings do not work with Premium
Semimatte.)
(Highlights are a little lighter than the target
densities.)
Epson Photo Quality Glossy Paper:
Media Type: "Photo Quality Ink Jet
Paper."
This would be the starting
recommendation for other
thin
photo papers such as Photo Quality Ink Jet
paper.
Sliders:
Neutral: C + 5, M -5;
Warm: C -15, M +10, Y +25.
Ilford Galerie Smooth Pearl & Glossy; these settings
will also
probably work well
with Costco Kirkland new Swiss paper.
Media type: "Photo Quality Ink Jet
paper."
Sliders:
Neutral: C +5, M -5;
Warm: C -15, M +10, Y +25
Contrast -5 might
help open up shadows.
_________________________________
Image Adjustment curves:
GLOSSY PAPERS – WHEN PHOTO BLACK INK IS USED
Curves are available for
the following papers:
Epson Glossy Photo Paper (also known as Epson Photo
Paper);
Ilford Galerie Smooth & Glossy papers;
(Media Type: "Photo Quality Glossy Film.")
Costco Glossy paper will probably work well
with these curves
and
settings.
Epson Premium Semigloss, Glossy and Luster
Photo Papers.
Nearly all of the glossy
papers other than the Epson Premium line and the Costco product have paper
backings that are not effectively buffered.
These papers will have a more limited life due to the acids in the paper
backing.
Technology marches on.
Enjoy the journey.
Paul
__________________________
PS: For an open forum
where I hang out, join the B&W Digital Print form at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint/