Digital BW, The Print

Thanks for a much-needed summary!  Regarding Method 4:

> 4) Ink: Epson 
> Driver: Epson RIP
> Results:  Metamarism is reported to be eliminated, but tonal 
control 
> may be very limited.  Epson RIP is expensive ($200), and there 
is a 
> software learning curve (documentation?).  A few people have 
acheived 
> satisfactory results.
> 
I tried this method because it was recommended by George 
DeWolfe in Camera Arts magazine.  The Mac version of Epson's 
RIP works only with OS9 (whereas ImagePrint for Mac works 
only with OS X).  I found the documentation inadequate & the 
software counter-intuitive, but finally got it going.  I was, however,  
unable to print with all colors, getting quite mottled results at that 
setting - despite DeWolfe's  statement that the color setting 
worked well for him (from previous articles, I believe he also 
uses a Mac).  

What did seem to work was using the black ink setting, which I 
suspect  kicks in both the matte black (for Enhanced Matte 
paper) & the light black.  I could find no manual feed setting for 
this driver, so I couldn't try Velvet Fine Art paper (which is what I 
would've preferred to use).

The prints on Enhanced Matte were quite luminous, and I got rid 
of most of the magenta cast of the regular Epson driver.  They 
are not, however, neutral prints - they're quite warm, rather like 
darkroom prints on the old Portriga Rapid 111 paper with 
selenium toner.  The tone isn't adjustable (as on ImagePrint).

If anyone gets good results with all-color inks and this driver, 
please let me know - I'd like to figure out what I'm doing wrong! 

I would suggest that if you use XP or OS X, you'll probably get 
better results with ImagePrint - another studio in my 
neighborhood uses a 9600 with ImagePrint, & the results are 
marvelously neutral, so I suppose the "lite" version for 2200 is 
worth the money.   

Kirk
thompsonkirk@...