Digital BW, The Print

For a fairly bulletproof system, notice I said "fairly bulletproof" 
system, get yourself a digital camera, best you can afford, 
preferably Nikon or Canon high end, and do away with the film 
altogether. (I can almost hear the gasps) As for the finishing gear, 
get the Piezo software driver and throw away the Piezo ink. The piezo 
driver works with the MIS inks. The MIS inks, in my experience as a 
passionate hobbyist, work much better with far fewer (if any) clogs. 
Get a 1280 printer with a Niagra CIS system. Viola! Now your system 
is ready to print when you are (for the most part). You'll be 
producing outstanding prints in no time, far superior to any you've 
seen before. Remember though, a hammer does not make a master 
craftsman, and a nice system is only as good as the operator, both 
asthetically and technically. 

As for your statement, "To gain widespread support for this medium, 
we must gain in numbers. But while you argue over minute technical 
details of blacks being black and details in shadows being 
present. . . we never see references as to what will advance this 
art?" 

The art advances by the pursuit of perfection and mastery of the 
chosen medium. As a physician, would you ever settle for less? Best 
wishes in your new adventure. 

Barry Gilliand


--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y..., "smichener" 
<smichener@y...> wrote:
> Hello Friends,
>    First and foremost, I probably speak for a number of 
eavesdropping 
> members of this group when I thank you for sharing your knowledge 
and 
> ideas with us.  It is a tremendous resource.
>     There is another printer out here.  As a physician and father, 
> black and white photography is my hobby.  As an enthusiast, I long 
to 
> produce images like I see on your websites.  
>      I don't have access to a custom lab without the mail. . . I 
> don't have a wet darkroom.  The digital darkroom is more accessible 
> and more affordable.  The learning curve, I think, no less 
difficult.
>     To gain widespread support for this medium, we must gain in 
> numbers.  But while you argue over minute technical details of 
blacks 
> being black and details in shadows being present. . . we never see 
> references as to what will advance this art?
>     For a hobbyist, we want a reliable, reproducible printing 
form.  
> We want it to be of superior quality, but want to concentrate on 
the 
> image as our primary goal.  If I get 4 hours to sit down and try to 
> produce some work, it is frustrating and will be terminal if that 
> time is spent clearing clogs, aligning heads, trying to correct 
> banding, etc. . .   Is scanning, formatting and printing quality 
with 
> ease a pipedream?  For this, it seems piezo would get the edge, yet 
> then you get the clogs, the green etc.  So, where should a newcomer 
> begin or end?
>     So, while we look to your work for our advancements, some 
> consideration should be given to quality with consistency and 
> technical ease.  It will keep the door open to the hobbyist and may 
> someday make the digital black and white darkroom more popular than 
> we ever imagine. 
>                   Thank you,
>                            Scott Michener