I want to get into high quality b&w printing and I'm researching my options. As I understand it there are 2 systems, Paul Roark & Jon Cone, is that correct? I'm sure there have been many discussions on the topic, can someone point me to them? Thanks.
I really wouldn\u2019t describe it as two different systems. Basically, the same thing presented differently. Cone tries to present sort of a package that seems on the surface anyway, sort of plug and play. Everything is slicker and well packaged. You pay for this. Cone is definitely in business. Nothing wrong with being in business.
Paul Roark, on the other hand, isn\u2019t doing this for the money. (If he is, he\u2019s the world\u2019s worst businessman.) Paul is just grinding out the work and sharing results with everyone, in the tradition of photography. He doesn\u2019t sell inks, but some of his formulas are sold by inksupply.com, where I get my inks. He may get a percentage of some of it. I don\u2019t know. It certainly can\u2019t amount to much if he does. Virtually everything I know about aftermarket B&W inks and their use, I learned from Paul or from Roy Harrington who wrote the QTR software you will have to use, regardless. To my way of thinking, this is the only route that makes sense. In the bargain, you will pay one hell of a lot less for the same quality inks, too.
There is a third and a fourth option. You can use Epson\u2019s ABW (advanced B&W) feature if your printer supports it. I don\u2019t care for it, but lots of people do. Or, you can use just the QTR software to control Epson\u2019s OEM inks. Most say this gives a better result than ABW. The drawbacks I see to these two options are that neither is quite as good as a dedicated B&W ink set and you would still have to pay Epson’s $6000 per gallon ink prices, instead of using inksupply.com\u2019s, by comparison, free inks.
I would suggest taking this approach. First try out Epson\u2019s ABW. Then download QTR, install and use it to control the OEM inks to see if you get a better result. There is a significant learning curve to QTR. Be patient. Everyone gets it eventually. Then, if still game, go all out, get some cartridges and a set of inks from inksupply.com and dive in.
David Kachel
___________________
Artist-Photographer
Fine B&W Photographs
www.davidkachel.com
david@...
PO Box 93
Fort Davis, TX 79734
(432) 386-5787