Digital BW, The Print

Scott, 

I only speak/write for myself but I do have a few responses to your views: 

1.  Welcome to the group and to digital BW printing

2.  Almost all of us wish it was easier and more consistent.  Some of us like difficult things and if it were too easy, some of the forum would move on to something else.   If one does not have the "stomach" or time to mess with inks....they should probably wait until one of the major players has a solution you can buy at OfficeDepot.  The state of the art today is really experimental.  If you look at Piezo...it is easy.  It has had problems (for some/many).  If you look at other solutions....they also are "in development."  Nothing is really that mature in tech anyway....if it is...it is outdated. 

3.  Easy is not always better.  Dropping film off at Walm-art is easy.  

4.  The digital BW is still a leading edge "experimental" type of thing.  No major manufacturer (Canon or Epson) currently sells a digital BW only printer.  So....this 3rd party stuff is definitely pushing the edge.  

5.  Working with leading edge stuff (hardware, software, inks) is not going to be consistent....as the leading edge keeps moving out ahead.  

6.  Professionals and hobbiests are both involved in this...some devote more time to making prints...others more time to making images.  The forum tends to attract more comments from people who spend more time making prints (the other guys are out there making images...wink).  

This comment/reply is not meant to be discouraging at all.  Just the "current state" as I see it.  

By the way, I found Piezo extremely easy to use...others find MIS/Roark easy...so everyone can have a try at it...some finding their way..others losing it.  Regardless, if you don't want to experiment...this is probably not a good thing to buy into.  Remember, dropping the film off at Walm-art is easy.

Good Luck

Steadman


  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: smichener 
  To: DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com 
  Sent: Sunday, March 24, 2002 10:11 PM
  Subject: [Digital BW] A Newcomers View


  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


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