Qimage, QTR, B&W and a Z3100

[Ernst Dinkla]

Almost a dream :-) There is a Z3100 size issue discussed in another thread, it affects Qimage in a way.

Apart from that the Z3100 works very good with Qimage, color management is perfect.
More specific on B&W:
I have made a QTR (RGB) B&W profile (ICC perceptual tone scale) for the Z3100 Print in Greyscale>Application Managed Color>Advanced Color Adjustments at the default neutral setting for Fine Art Paper>250 gsm calibrated media profile on HM PhotoRag Bright White and it is almost perfect, as an * type I will do very small color slider adjustments but it could be that they are even too rough for what I see. The internal Z3100 calibration + the use of 99% K4 inks + the perceptual profile curve makes it a very consistent B&W solution. Qimage's interpolation and int. print sharpening adds to the image quality. And the ALGBA greyscale control gives flexibility in B&W color toning, I have still to make another QTR profile to get a generic perceptual tone range for color toned B&W, Dmax suffers a bit when color toning is done or the driver must have a compensation for that. Qimage, though an RGB application, accepts greyscale files and converts them to monochrome RGB on the fly so editing in Photoshop + archiving + transport to the print server can be kept in greyscale size. I think Qimage needs a 16 bit upgrade one day to keep up with the quality created in the Z3100 printers. Partitioning a greyscale image on 4 (3) monochrome inks/heads + a 4-6 pl droplet size all over asks for it, CMmYRGBK4 color not even mentioned.

There are good arguments to use color mode in the driver for greyscale too: softproof, just one ICC color profile for one paper, the combined printing of color and B&W images on one print page with for example Qimage. The last also allows different profiles and/or renderings per image on one print page if needed. I will use that method as well but the flexibility of the ALGBA color toning as a last stage is something I like despite the absence of a true image softproof on color toning. Having a dedicated B&W workflow is nicer IMHO and I'm assured that the least amount of color ink is used that way. Yet the ALGBA tone curve sliders are too much of the wet darkroom, for that I prefer editing in PS + profiling to get it right for more papers in printing later on.

Ernst Dinkla

try: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Wide_Inkjet_Printers/

[rdonson]

I think Qimage needs a 16 bit upgrade one day to keep up with the quality created in the Z3100 printers. Partitioning a greyscale image on 4 (3) monochrome inks/heads + a 4-6 pl droplet size all over asks for it, CMmYRGBK4 color not even mentioned.

Ernst Dinkla

try: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Wide_Inkjet_Printers/
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=108714\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Have you mentioned this to Mike Chaney?  I'd love to continue to use Qimage/Qstudio after I get my Z3100.

[SeanPuckett]

QImage & Z3100 user here.  

If not true 16 bit support (which would be a miracle given that windows only has an 8 bit graphics path), then at least internal 16 bit processing and dithering down to 8 bits for handover to the driver.  This would take care of banding issues quite nicely.

[Recked]

Hello,

I have heard about this app a number of times. Any way one of you who use it regularly could give a quick description of what its purpose is and how you use it in your workflow.

thank you

[namartinnz]

Hello,

I have heard about this app a number of times. Any way one of you who use it regularly could give a quick description of what its purpose is and how you use it in your workflow.

thank you
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=108789\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Essentially Qimage is a very easy tool for printing single or multiple images of differnt sizes on photo paper of a size you select - in the most efficient placement. It allows you to set up all your paper profiles and print quality settings for each individual paper or print job then save them in a file.  It does have some basic editing facilities but I never use them. Real easy to use once all your settings are in place. Very well priced. It does a whole lot more but I can't really explain it. Goes well with my Z3100.

Neal
www.photorestoration.co.nz

[rdonson]

Hello,

I have heard about this app a number of times. Any way one of you who use it regularly could give a quick description of what its purpose is and how you use it in your workflow.

thank you
[{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

[a href=\"http://www.ddisoftware.com/qimage/]Qimage[/url]

As mentioned it does image placement, can keep track of your print jobs and much, much more.  Visit the website for greater details.

For me, Qimage/Qstudio simplifies my print workflow by also handling uprezzing and final sharpening.  No more trying to pretend its not painful to use Photoshop for printing.  It's fully color managed as well.

It's like a RIP in many ways except that it uses the manufacturer's printer drivers for your printer instead of having its own.

[Nill Toulme]

... I think Qimage needs a 16 bit upgrade one day to keep up with the quality created in the Z3100 printers. ...

Are the Z3100's 16-bit?  I thought only Canon was doing that so far.

Nill
~~
www.toulme.net

[Ernst Dinkla]

Are the Z3100's 16-bit?  I thought only Canon was doing that so far.

Nill
~~
www.toulme.net
[{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

There has been 16 bit mentioned quite early in one of the interviews with the developers but I have not seen it confirmed later on. There is a choice for 16 bit application compatibility in the advanced mode of the Windows driver and I wonder what that should do if it is not referring to 16 bit computing in the driver itself.

Ernst Dinkla

try: [a href=\"http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Wide_Inkjet_Printers/]http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Wide_Inkjet_Printers/[/url]

[Ernst Dinkla]

QImage & Z3100 user here. 

If not true 16 bit support (which would be a miracle given that windows only has an 8 bit graphics path), then at least internal 16 bit processing and dithering down to 8 bits for handover to the driver.  This would take care of banding issues quite nicely.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=108779\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Internal calculations are done at 16 bit in most applications (Qimage as well) even when their in- and output is 8 bit.

Though Mike Chaney isn't convinced of the need for 16 bit in Qimage he also remarks that printer manufacturers could split the 16 bit data in two streams low and high bits or something like that, I'm not a software man. He has mentioned that at least two times.

In 2003 Mike gave an answer to similar questions:

I'm only telling you this because manufacturers could probably figure out a way to send 48 bit data through the normal Windows API print driver  calls (such as sending two 24 bit images that overlay) but to do that, you'd  have to have software that also used the same [clever] method of getting  48 bits to the driver which still amounts to specialized printing software to  get the job done. Mike. End of quote.

There have been more discussions on the 16 bit issue on the Qimage mailing list. So there are ways to overcome the 8 bit limit in OS drivers. Outside the strict  driver category there are several 16 bit print workflows meanwhile: ImagePrint claims to be 16 bit throughout, the Wasatch SoftRip is 16 bit for about a month now, GutenPrint is 16 bit internally, the Canon PS driver and there are more.

Ernst

[jpgentry]

I also appreciate Qimage for quality uprezzing of images in addition to photo layout.  You want to print big from small images it's the way to go.

-Jonathan