Epson 1280 printer question

[michaelging]

I have a Epson 1280 printer that I use only for B&W printing,both

Photographs and letters. Can anyone tell me why the level of Color

Ink , drops just as fast as the Black ink? Is there a way to turn off

the color ink,so I do not have to keep replacing color Ink that I am

not using? I find this to be a large pain in the wallet. I appreciate

any help I can get.

[ethervizion]

Michael,

 

All the inks are used during the cleaning cycles. But, more importantly, when you talk about B&W photo printing, are you just printing B&W photos without selecting black only in the driver? If so, then the driver is using all colours to make your B&W photo prints.

[michaelging]

I have not turned off the Color inks, so I guess I am using them all to make Black. If I do that, will I still get the deep blacks I am now? Thanks for the information.

[ethervizion]

Deep blacks is not the issue; the colours are being used to make shades of gray. You might try black only printing (discussed at length here: <a href="http://www.cjcom.net/articles/digiprn3.htm" target="_blank"><b>Digital Tri-X</b></a>), but the effect is certainly different from what you've been getting with full inkset B&W printing. If you like the results you've been getting, then use of the colour inks is the sacrifice you must pay.

[ketchemr]

I can tell you from experience with the 1280 that you will most likely not like the results of B&W prints using black ink only. I was noticing a slight color tone to some B&W's I was printing, so turned off color. The results were horrible. I looked around online at that time and found that the 1280 needs the colors to produce good shades. You should look at one of the newer printers that have two black inks, like the Epson 2200. Another option is to use monochrome inks, as mentioned here:

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/digital_b-w.shtml

but I have not tried this myself.

[ethervizion]

Actually, many people like the black-only results when using the Eboni black ink from <a href="http://www.inksupply.com/" target="_blank"><b>MIS Associates</b></a>. I haven't tried it myslef, but I probably will at some time in the future. I believe it's also cheaper than the EPSON OEM black ink!

[michaelging]

Thanks for the answers Karl and Randal.I will checkout those other inks and see how they stand up.

[west_cork]

If you don't like the results of black only printing using the Epson inks with a 1280 printer you are probably not doing it right.

 

Try printing black ink only at 2880 dpi using Epson Matte Paper Heavyweight (SO41264). You have to fool the printer by telling it it has glossy to get it to do 2880 dpi with Matte paper.

 

I prefer the results using this to selenium toned fibre paper prints from a wet darkroom, and so do other people who see them. I've shut my darkroom after 30 years.