Digital BW, The Print

On 4/7/03 11:06 am, Grant <DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com>
wrote:

> 
> Can dye sub printers such as kodak 8500 be used for B&W or is it
> better to use an inkjet?
> Is there a recommended make/model - from looking at previous posts
> it looks like epson is the preferred supplier. Is this true?
> 
> Along with printers how do they compare cost per 10*8, or is it
> better getting prints done at a lab from disk?
> 
> Sorry if the questions are dumb, but this is a new venture for me.
>

Dye-sub printers can be used for black and white but the results are never
black and white usually magenta coloured brown and white - the printer has
not black dye and makes up the black from cyan/magenta and yellow dye
ribbons. There was one time you could by monochrome ribbons for Kodak's
earlier Ektatherm dye-sub printers but cost was prohibitive and I never
tried them.

Dye sub prints are not cheap and you have no choice over paper stock - you
buy paper and ribbons are a complete package from Kodak - roughly 140 sheet
capability for over 300GBP if I recall correctly.

Dye subs are great for colour saturation and I have used them for exhibition
prints.

With the cost of a good lab print on RA4 paper being so cheap...OK for
colour. For B&W I'd definitely recommend inkjet and quad or hex inks with
your own choice of paper.

--
Regards
David Prakel

Centre of Britain PhotoWorkshops Partnership
www.photopartners.co.uk