Digital BW, The Print

> Message: 1
>    Date: Thu, 30 Aug 2001 08:14:51 -0000
>    From: d.martini@...
> Subject: Print B&W with Epson 5000 color cartridges
>
> I am just new in this group, and I see that everybody have great
> knowledge about b&w digital printing, so I think there will be
> someone who could advise me. I scan my films by a Powerlook III Umax
> and Binuscan Photoperfect, then I print them by an Epson 5000 and
> Power RIP 2000 software (with Photoshop 6): normally I am quite
> satisfied of the results in color . The trouble begins with the b&w
> printing: if I print only with black the result is poor, if I print
> monochrome the result is almost "green", regardless the type of
> paper;
>
Daniele,

For what it's worth, I've been enjoying remarkable success with a
technique apparently suggested recently by Paul Caponigro in *Camera
Arts* (I've not seen the article, but Martin Wesley has, and he
suggested a starting point on this list).

The trick is simple enough: convert your image to RGB (if you're working
in greyscale) just before printing, and add a Levels adjustment layer.
Set the gamma of the red channel to 1.05, and the gamma of the blue
channel to 1.10. The screen image will take on a tone, but the neutral
print will not reflect the green cast characteristic of Epson OEM inks.
Try a print. My last BW printed neutrally with the red gamma set to 1.07
and the blue 1.12 with third-party dye inks on my Epson 1160.
I'm printing on Epson Photo Paper SO41141-60.

Bob Bollini