Muddy midtones using K7 Piezography inks

[tjhanlon]

So, I just tried using the Piezography Sepia/Neutral K7 inkset and Hahnemuhl papers with my 2200. I am using the Quadtone RIP as well. No problems in getting the prints out, but they look really bad... Using the profile for the papers inside the QTR dialog i get muddy, mushed midtones and clipped shadows. Printing a nozzle test shows all cartridges are pumping as expected. I'm printing from within PS CS3. I've tried printing as a grayscale and as a monochrome RGB image, and no difference between the two.

So, I futzed with a curves adjustment layer to bump up the contrast, and it worked, but only because I shifted the midtones too dark, and lost a lot of detail.

Anyone have any suggestions? I'd like to get this figured out, because it's not only frustrating, but also wasteful of expensive paper.

Thanks, and I apologize if this has been discussed before, but I couldn't find anything about this problem during a search.

tjh

[silverhalide]

So, I just tried using the Piezography Sepia/Neutral K7 inkset and Hahnemuhl papers with my 2200. I am using the Quadtone RIP as well. No problems in getting the prints out, but they look really bad... Using the profile for the papers inside the QTR dialog i get muddy, mushed midtones and clipped shadows. Printing a nozzle test shows all cartridges are pumping as expected. I'm printing from within PS CS3. I've tried printing as a grayscale and as a monochrome RGB image, and no difference between the two.

So, I futzed with a curves adjustment layer to bump up the contrast, and it worked, but only because I shifted the midtones too dark, and lost a lot of detail.

Anyone have any suggestions? I'd like to get this figured out, because it's not only frustrating, but also wasteful of expensive paper.

Thanks, and I apologize if this has been discussed before, but I couldn't find anything about this problem during a search.

tjh
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=175906\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

[silverhalide]

TJ,
   Could be the Quadtone Rip. Am getting excellent results with StudioPrint  12 &
photospectrometer.

Michael

[TylerB]

the ink setups/profiles made to use with QTR for these inks are excellent, QTR is not the problem. The settings have to be exactly as suggested in the literature.
If problems persist contact IJM support.
Tyler

[tjhanlon]

the ink setups/profiles made to use with QTR for these inks are excellent, QTR is not the problem. The settings have to be exactly as suggested in the literature.
If problems persist contact IJM support.
Tyler
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=175960\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

OK, so as far as I can tell, the settings are the same as suggested. If the paper is Hahnemuhl Photo Rag, and I set to profile in QTR for Hahnemuhl Photo Rag, then I get the mushed and muddy tones. Other than contacting Ink Jet Mall, any ideas? Is there a common problem that I'm missing?

Thanks,

tjh

[tjhanlon]

TJ,
   Could be the Quadtone Rip. Am getting excellent results with StudioPrint  12 &
photospectrometer.

Michael
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=175947\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Thanks, I'm sure it's something I'm doing, I just wish I knew what it was.

tjh

[byushooter]

Are you converting the image to the gray matte profile before printing?

Are you sure your inks are in the right positions?

You might try asking your question here http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/Quadton...yguid=334426546

Jenny

[tjhanlon]

Are you converting the image to the gray matte profile before printing?

Are you sure your inks are in the right positions?

You might try asking your question here http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/Quadton...yguid=334426546

Jenny
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=175983\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Inks were in the right position, but I think the problem was the grey matte profile. I hadn't converted it. See, I knew I had skipped something. Test prints look a lot better... Still too little detail in the shadows, but I can tweak that out.

Thank you all very much, for your help.

tjh