It's incredibly convenient to be able to use the Quimage unclogger on just one ink color.

I bought an HP Deskjet 3520 last year just so I'd have a basic printer to use at my n. Wisconsin cabin during the summer months. Works fine, no problems. Because it's just a 3-season cabin, I brought the printer back home when I closed down the cabin at the end of September last year.

Haven't used it since. Kinda forgot about it, literally, until I read the rave reviews of the Qimage unclogger and updated my copy of Ultimate. Ran the printer's built-in "print quality report." Essentially no black ink being used. Only a few skips in the other colors. Not too surprised, since I've had the same problem with my HP Photosmart B209 at the office, which uses the same 564-series ink cartridges as the Deskjet 3520 (and my home printer, a Photosmart B8550). From what I've read, the blank ink in these cartridges is a pigment ink. It certainly gives me more troubles than any of the other colors.

The B209 at the office has a removable printhead. Not so for the Deskjet 3520. But just two or three black-only unclogger pages and I was back up & running, no problems. Ran the printer's ink-wasting "print quality report" again just to make sure--but I NEVER HAD TO RUN the "clean printhead" utility on the 3520.

Also printed a couple of unclogger pages on the Photosmart B209 at the office, which is lightly-used except during tax season. Everything A-OK. Previously, of course, when I was having trouble with the black cartridge, I had to run the printer's quality report...which printed bands of ALL colors...when all I wanted to do was check the black. I had actually cobbled up a Word document which was nothing more than several rectangles filled with various shades of gray so I could test only the black ink. What a waste.

Based on this experience, I'm sure I'll be running the unclogger utility every week or two on the 3520 and the B209. A great addition to Qimage, Mike, thanks much.

Good suggestion, Fred. From what I've read elsewhere, "maintenance" printing is especially important for pigment-ink printers.

My basic inkjet printer at work has a finicky printhead, so I'm sure that I'll be running an unclog print at least once a week.

I've seen some portrait photographers say that for a formal sitting portrait such as you describe, ONLY the eyes should be in sharp focus.  But have you seen the prices on those f1.2 lenses?

Good post.  Got to try your techniques on some informal portraits in my files.

It's easy to overlook.  I did.  The first thing that catches your eye on the "new" screen is "DFS" in the drop-down box.

...or "USM/DFS Tone Targeting"

I'll try it.  So far, a test print on 8½x11 paper looks good.

Thanks, Fred.  DFS certainly helped render the edges of the petals which overlap other petals.  That particular white-on-white detail was barely visible in the original.

And thanks again to you and Terry for the DFS tutorials.

Not building snowmen quite yet, but it won't be long.

We've had wind & rain, so the fall colors are pretty much over down here.  However, we're looking at buying a cabin in northern Wisconsin.  Here's the view from the shore, taken about a month ago.

Second image.

Okay, first attempt.  Perhaps not the best example, since I may not have applied proper sharpening to the original image.  But it's the same image I posted in this thread: http://ddisoftware.com/tech/qimage-ultimate/tts-neutrals/msg9880/#msg9880

First image: USM, radius 2, 150, slider at 80%.
Second image: DFS, radius 5, 400, slider at 80% (in next post)

Your comments, please.

DOUBLE WOW!  Man, I've GOT to go back to my best flower shots and re-do them with DFS.

I've been traveling and otherwise away from these forums for quite a while, but you guys have certainly made it easy for me to get up to speed on what's new.  Great examples, likewise, in the "QU 2013 imminent" thread.

As I've said before, can you believe these forums are free?

Foie gras, very definitely.

Hey, I specifically said, "Great examples, guys."  Plural!  Plural!  Terry just happened to post an image that's similar to a lot of stuff I shoot.  Not much opportunity for me to shoot nautical scenes out here in the NW Illinois cornfields.

On your image, I wonder what would have happened if you had tried to apply that level of sharpening with USM instead of DFS.  I speculate that halos would have been apparent around the masts and lines.

Great examples, guys, as usual.  Terry, on the rose...WOW.  Just wow.  Got to go back and re-do some of my flower close-ups, now that I can do them properly.

Mel, your viewpoint of Qimage and its benefits is exactly like mine.

And speaking of benefits...can you believe that these forums are free?

Ah, yes...British usage and American usage...

In the mid-1960s, I spent two summers working for a general contractor in my home town.  He was a WWII vet who saw combat in Belgium, but spent much of his service time in England.  Early on, he was allowed a period of R & R and went to a London hotel.

After he checked in, the attractive young lady behind the desk handed him his key and asked, "And what time would you like to be knocked up in the morning?"

He had previously received advice that this hotel was a good place to stay, and momentarily took the young lady's comment as confirmation of that advice.

He ultimately returned to the states with a British bride, so evidently the language barrier was not insurmountable.