Digital BW, The Print

>I am in the market for a low cost (under $250) printer to be used for
>color photos and also for all-purpose color graphics applications
>like greeting cards, tranfers, etc.  In addition, I would like to
>choose the best printer in that price range to hopefully print decent
>b&w photos (just hobby photos, of the kids, etc., but still hoping
>they could turn out decent).  I have been researching it a bit lately
>and it seems unless I would want to buy and dedicate a printer to b&w
>using costly Piezography BW systems that I may not be able to get
>decent b&w prints?

No, Cindy, I don't think so. For a good backgrounder on the 
possibilities see Clayton Jones' set of articles on his web site:

http://www.cjcom.net/digiprnarts.htm

As you'll see, Clayton uses both hardware and software your budget 
won't cover. But you might be able to get around that - for example, 
get by with Photoshop Elements for less than $100 rather than 
Photoshop 7 for about $600.


>  Rather then trying to go that route I may be able
>to make due w/ a printer where one can tweek photos in photoshop or
>whatnot like some of the posts discuss, using regular color inks,
>etc, so I hope to find recommendations about which low cost printers
>can best do this.
>  Has anyone used the Canon 900 to print b&w?  Also,
>just in case I would want to someday go that route, does anyone know
>if the Canon S900 can successfully use these quadtone inks to print
>really nice black and whites like the Epsons do?  I really am leaning
>more toward the Canon than the Epsons, but want to get a handle on
>this b&w issue first because I know I would really enjoy being able
>to make decent hobby b&w prints.

I'd encourage you to consider an Epson, Cindy; I think you'll be able 
to get more help with one. I think a refurbished Epson Stylus Photo 
890 is about $220 at Epson's Clearance Center. But InkJetArt.com says 
that the 820 is the best value. See

http://www.inkjetart.com/820/

They're thinking about color, not B&W, prints.  But for $99 I'd be 
tempted to try it unless I preferred the C80:

http://www.inkjetart.com/c80/review.html

or the C82 for about $150. In Guatemala, I think I would prefer the 
C80/82. Partly because its inks are pigmented and partly because, 
since Epson intended it as an office/business printer, it prints well 
on "plain" uncoated papers which might be more readily available to 
you.

Just some ideas.

Happy new year.

Sam McCandless             samcc@...