[George Klass Participant Posts: 5]

Epson Printers

on: March 27, 2022 at 1:56 pm

I have really appreciated the printing series and I may have missed this question.

How much difference does it make to use PK inks on MK paper and vice versa. I note that the epson icc profiles include profiles for both mk and pk inks for some papers

[Andrew Rodney Participant Posts: 416]

Re: PK or MK ink

Reply #1 on: March 27, 2022 at 2:01 pm

Simple; you want to use the profile and ink the profile was built using, along with all other settings to print: super important is media settings used for the creation of the said profile.

Author “Color Management for Photographers" & "Photoshop CC Color Management" (pluralsight.com)”

[George Klass Participant Posts: 5]

Re: PK or MK ink

Reply #2 on: March 27, 2022 at 2:19 pm

Thank you for your reply and I see your point that the profile and ink need to match the settings used to create the profile. When I look at the Epson profiles for my P5000 printer for example, LLK Archival Matte Paper, there is a profile for MK and also for PK inks. This was supplied by Epson thus I presume, wrongly perhaps, that it is OK to use either ink on this paper as it is selectable in the print driver settings also. What would be the difference in the print using these profiles and indicated  inks?

If the difference is not easily noticeable it would avoid having to change inks for just a couple of prints. I do not have the instruments to check the differences and wonder if any one has taken a serious look at this?

 

 

[Andrew Rodney Participant Posts: 416]

Re: PK or MK ink

Reply #3 on: March 27, 2022 at 2:23 pm

They are not interchangeable in that you use MK and associated settings for the MK profile etc.

The differences will appear when you test the same image with both profiles and correct settings.

Author “Color Management for Photographers" & "Photoshop CC Color Management" (pluralsight.com)”

[George Klass Participant Posts: 5]

Re: PK or MK ink

Reply #4 on: March 27, 2022 at 3:34 pm

Thank you for clarifying. I will try a test to see what it looks like. It however begs the question, why would Epson provide a MK profile as well as a PK profile for a matte paper which obviously should use the MK icc profile.

By the way I do have your excellent book from focal press, purchased some time ago, which has helped me a great deal when moving from film to digital cameras and colour digital printing.

[Mark D Segal Silver Member Posts: 951]

Re: PK or MK ink

Reply #5 on: March 27, 2022 at 4:35 pm

Andrew is correct of course about making sure the choice of ink is consistent with both the choice of profile made for that ink and the choice of Media Type and ink in the driver settings. That said, there is a generic consideration of what the ink/paper combinations actually do. You can use photo black ink on a matte paper, but in general one could expect that the blacks won’t be as dark and rich as they could be with matte black ink. If you use matte black ink on a paper that should be using photo black ink, the ink may not dry properly and would be prone to smudging if rubbed. When Epson provides the option to use either MK or PK ink on several of their inkjet papers, the CORRESPONDING profiles and driver settings they provide would tend to neutralize the less desirable impacts of either ink. It is then a matter of selecting which visual effect you prefer as between the properly configured options.

[George Klass Participant Posts: 5]

Re: PK or MK ink

Reply #6 on: March 27, 2022 at 5:46 pm

Thank both you very much for clarifying this. It helps a great deal as I now realize that with certain matte papers I can continue to print with PK ink, which is my normal setting, without any significant concern as to print quality, except for the dmax, which with many day to day images may not be noticeable. When I print fine art prints I will ensure to use mk and pk inks with corresponding driver and profiles according to paper finish.

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