B&W - separate 1280's or 2200 for color and b&w?

[tomasz_zakrzewski]

Hello all,

I basically have one fundamental question: buy two printers - (2x

Epson 1280 (1290s), one for color and one for b&w or a single printer

for both color and b&w (Epson 2200 (2100).

I've spent last month on learning all I could on MIS setups for those

printers but I'm still a bit confused and I lack hand-on experience

yet.

 

I already read this recent thread http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-

fetch-msg?msg_id=009lS9 in which David S. Stein recommends going the

2200 route with color inks for both color and b&w. I'd happily do it

due to cost and space requirements but I'd like more comments from

you, especially on how close or far of each other the results are in

b&w matte prints from a b&w system like MIS UT2 and from b&w from

Epson 2200 with MIS Archival Pigment Inks used with Quadtone RIP (I'm

on Win XP but I hope this program already runs on it).

What can you say about achieving neutral b&w with both systems, what

about effects of toning (for example when I want to achieve platinum

print effect)?

I assume I'd have to use Eboni black to get excellent matte b&w

prints. Can Eboni black give good effect on pearl/semiglossy papers

(I know it's not suitable for glossy papers)?

My black and white prints are mainly planned for exhibitions and

portfolios. Color prints are needed for portfolio purposes mainly (I

think I want to print color larger than 13x19" with a separate

printer).

If I sent a small file (say 5x7" at 300dpi) would anybody print this

file for me with a quadtone system, another person with color inks +

QTR and with black ink only for comparison? Only then I would be able

to judge with my own eyes what I really need (in my country very few

people use such advanced system but maybe somebody from Poland would

chime in?)

[jim_a]

Tomasz, if you send me your file with a return postage envelope I will print your image on my 1280 using the Black Only method with MIS Eboni ink. Please send me an email if interested. I have more information on my website about BO printing. Click my name for website address. You can email me from there. Jim

[jack paradise]

Tomasz,

 

You can print both color and b&w with an Epson 2200 using the UC (Ultrachrome) inkset from Epson provided you use a RIP like ImagePrint.

 

You can also print both b&w and color on an Epson 2200 using the black only printing technique of Clayton Jones.

 

Other than these two techniques of printing, you need two printers to do b&w & color printing.

 

http://www.fotopolis.pl/index.php?arch=1&nrarch=1300

 

http://www.colorbytesoftware.com/imageprint.htm

 

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/software/imageprint6.shtml

 

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint/

 

http://www.cjcom.net/digiprnarts.htm

[rich815]

Jack does not mention that instead of ImagePrint (and a way load cheaper) you can use QuadTone RIP (a.k.a. QTR). More here: http://harrington.com/QuadToneRIP.html

[daniel_staver1]

I'd say a 2200 with standard Ultrachrome inks and QTR will get you 90-95% of the way there in terms of quality. A dedicated BW inkset like the MIS UT7's will give you smoother highlights and less visible dots, but the difference isn't really that huge. Of course, I've still chosen to go with UT7's precisely because of that small difference, but you really should try QTR before investing in anything more complicated.

 

A clear advantage of the UT7 inkset is that you will be able to print on glossy papers without changing black inks. You'll have to to spray your prints to get rid of the bronzing though...

 

Another thing worth mentioning is that QTR prints a lot slower than the Epson driver. This really doesn't matter unless you print high volumes, but then I could imagine the lack of speed becoming very annoying.

[paulstenquist]

I've been getting good BW with a 2200 and the standard Epson ink set. It seems to be

largely a function of how well the image is prepped in PS CS. The shadow/highlight tool is

very valuable in this regard. If the hot areas and deep shadows are tamed, the Epson 2000

can produce a very nice print. I just printed eight images on Velvet Fine Art for a gallery

show. The gallery owner and her art director examined them and were quite pleased.

Paul

[robert gordon]

I find that with the Epson 2200 I prefer setting the RGB sliders in Photoshop 6.0 to 50/-10/-75. This gives a very pleasing sepia tone.

 

After almost 40 years in the darkroom and experimenting with Piezography the only digital b/w prints with which I am satisfied are those that are at least slightly sepia toned.