Is the Epson R800 suitable for B&W printing?

[larry n.]

I am new to inkjet printing. After doing a little bit of research,

I decided to get an Epson R800. The results have been pretty good

with color photos, and it's been fun to experiment. But when it

comes to B&W printing, it's been highly unusual. I tried a few

different settings with Epson Enhanced Matt paper, including:

 

(1) Print space: SPR800 EnhMatte; Color Adjustment: None

 

 

(2) Print space: SPR800 EnhMatte; Color Adjustment: Monochrome

 

 

(3) Print space: Dot Gain 20%; Color Adjusment: None

 

(4) Print space: Dot Gain 20%; Color Adjustment: Monochrome

 

In each case the document colorspace was Adobe RGB (1998) and BPC

was selected.

 

In each case, the results had some kind of a color cast that I am

not used to seeing in B&W photos (surprisingly, "Monochrome" gave a

bluish cast!)

 

I am using monitor calibration, but this should not be an issue

because I'm simply printing gray swatches created by the number in

the Adobe RGB (1998) colorspace.

 

Is this to be expected in inkjet B&W printing?

[photograph-ng]

B&W should be printed with the same settings as color. See page 55 "Printing your color-managed photo" in the R800 User's Guide.

 

-brian

[larry n.]

Brian, With most inkjets, there are two ways to print B&W: using all six colors or monochrome ("Black Only" or BO). Each has its plusses and minuses.

 

I'll experiment some more. But if any one has figured out the R800 I'd love to hear about it.

[jack paradise]

Here's a reply from some Yahoo group (dont remember which one) about b&w printing with the Epson R800. Hope the original poster dosnt't mind reposting here.

 

I was then interrested in the R800 for b&w prnting and kept this reply in case. But I never got around to actually buy an R800.

 

HTH

 

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Epson R800 B&W prints

 

Purchased the new R800 from Epson. Only printed BW so far on EEM

using Windows. Tried printing using "monochrome" and results were

disappointing to say the least. Print came out so cold it was almost

blue. Downloaded the Gregtag Macbeth profiles included on the

supplied CD and printed a 2.2 gamma greyscale 21 step/gradient using

color management and Relative Colormetric rendering with BP

compensation OFF at the "Best Photo" setting. Greyscale was neutral

but blocked up over 85% black. Tried again, this time with BP

compensation ON and got a neutral wedge but blocked up over 90%

black. Tried again with BP compensation ON with Perceptual rendering

and voila, a beautifully neutral greyscale with every 5% wedge

discernable from 0 to 100% and a nice smooth gradient. I was ready.

 

Printed some files and results were excellent, and I mean fine art

quality excellent. Metamerism was less than 10% of that on my 2200.

You have to really know what you're looking for to even see it, in

fact I had to rapidly move the print back and forth between daylight

and tungsten to see it. You could sell prints from this printer at an

outdoor venue (art fair) and be confident that the print will appear

the same when taken home and viewed under incandescent lighting; that

is, if you were shown the print cold in either daylight or tungsten

you would not see any metamerism, in my opinion.

 

I have the ability to make a custom profile at home with some pretty

fancy equipment/software but don't think I'll bother, that's how good

the included profiles are.

 

I then converted a greyscale file to duotone in Photoshop and

customized an ever so slight tint application thru the duotone

curves. Out came a print exactly like on my screen with no unwanted

hue changes across tones. Tried a heavier tint and results were the

same. Its because of the lack of metamerism in tinted prints that

obviously use all inks that makes me think there's something

different about these inks that minimizes metamerism, and that its

not all in the driver.

 

If it sounds like I'm enthusiastic about this printer, well I am, and

I haven't even printed color yet with the gloss optimizer. Clearly

the downside of the printer is its small size. But here we have a

printer that prints archival fine art quality BW out of the box,

prints color glossy without bronzing (gloss optimizer), has increased

gamut, no need to swap out cartridges when switching between photo

and matte black inks, and I can drive down to the local store to get

more ink when I need it (major manufacturer distribution).

 

Put this technology in a 7600-type printer, and wow, put me on the

waiting list!

[mark_herring]

Many will tell you that the best B&W is with a dedicated inkset. These are available for a wide variety of printers. start with vendors like MIS, Lyson, or InkJetArt.

 

Also take a look at Paul Roark's site, and Piezography (if it is still active)

[larry n.]

Do they make dedicated inksets for the R800?

[mark_herring]

Most also use a dedicated printer---eg an 1160, a 1280. I doubt there is any advantage to filling 8 positions with shades of gray.

[fv]

YES : perfectly suitable for B&W !

 

I use the following setup :

 

Ilford Smooth Pearl Paper

Ilford ICC profile for R800 & Smooth Pearl Paper ( downloadable from Ilford web site )

Print with Preview in PS with Black point compensation & perceptual

Semi-Gloss Premium Paper setup in epson driver, no gloss optimiser, best photo but not RPM ( no visible difference) , ICC mode with calibration off, fast mode off

 

Looks just like a picture on Ilford multigrade traditionnal RC paper...

 

 

With Epson defaut settings & Epson paper ( matt ) : awfull ( all grey ). The perceptual mode seems to be very important.

 

I'm happy because I realize my printer can do nice glossy color pictures ( Epson Glossy & semi-gloss paper with epson ICC profiles, relative colorimetric & auto gloss ) and very good B&W, plus good life time ( 80-100 years ).

 

François