Digital BW, The Print

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y..., "daintreeriver2002" 
<workmantx@a...> wrote:
> I am a serious amateur photographer and have invested in quite a bit 
> of computer/digital equipment in the past 6 months in order to set 
up 
> a digital darkroom.  I'm happy with my color prints, but not so with 
> my black and whites.  I would greatly appreciate any tips or sources 
> of information to successfully print black and white photographs.  

Experience. Yours, not mine.

ALL inksets/papers will have advantages/disadvantages, and what's 
more, they vary from person to person. You could read posts going back 
on this and other groups, but even that would be colored by personal 
bias (even mine<g>), conjecture and lack of experimental information. 
Also, new products are coming out now, namely the 2200 printer and the 
new Piezo inks.

The only thing I MIGHT suggest is that something you like now may 
change in six months, either because something better comes out, or an 
unseen problem with your existing setup arises. Sometimes the problems 
are blatent and/or occur immediately, but many times they are subtle 
and you don't notice a change in your printing quality right away. 
Often you have to jump on a bandwagon before the system has been out 
for half a year...oh well. Part of my "workflow" is to try as best I 
can to be observant about the current product I use and be flexible to 
changing products- not always easy to do.

In this light, although much more expensive, trying out carts before 
going to a plumbing system of CFS/CIS might be wise.

I'm sorry I don't mean to sound cynical or scare you away or confuse 
you. Actually this is an optimistic time in printing, simply because 
so many choices are out there. It's just that there is no instant, 
tidy, consistantly superior, undisputed sucess (some will dispute 
this<g>)- it's try and tweak. And INVESTIGATE for yourself.

I will however congraulate you on your printer choice, I am happy with 
my 1280 despite the chip nonsense.
Jim H.