Digital BW, The Print

Hi Mike,

Your assessment of the pros/cons of each "solution" seems about right. I just moved from running an Epson 1160/UT inks/Roark curves to IP 5.6 to drive my Epson 2200. I have been very happy with both the color and B&W results from IP. BTW, IP doesn't use the yellow ink for B&W which, reportedly, eliminates metamerism--have not noticed any color cast in my B&W prints--and the UC inks already have a reputation for being pretty stable.

Overall, I have been happy with IP...so far. I like the fact that many seemingly accurate paper profiles are free for download--custom profiles ain't cheap--and, my overall workflow has been greatly simplified...Drag-n-drop image onto IP main layout window, select appropriate paper profile, hit print. Printer starts running almost immediately--compare that to the wait time of whatever spooling the Epson driver is doing--and I'm free to use my machine for other tasks. Less mistakes works for me!

Just my 2 cents,
Alan Huntley

> 
> From: "Mike Botelho" <mfractl@...>
> Date: 2003/10/22 Wed PM 11:03:27 EDT
> To: DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: [Digital BW] Ultra Tones & Dedicated B&W vs ImagePrint & 7-Color
> 
> OK, based on absorbing lots of information in a very short amount of 
> time, I seem to have reached a choice between two options, using the 
> Ultra Tone inks on a dedicated B&W printer or using ImagePrint with 
> the Ultrachromes on a 7-color Epson printer.  Assuming that the 
> ImagePrint prints will also display no matamerism (correct me if I'm 
> wrong), here is how I've come to understand both options:
> 
> Option 1: Ultra Tones on a dedicated B&W printer:
>      -high quality results with no metamerism
>      -avoids colored inks fading before black ink
>      -choice of warm, neutral, cool toning
>      -an expensive RIP not needed
>      -would end up spending money on a separate printer for color
> 
> Option 2: Ultrachromes/ImagePrint on Epson 7-color printer
>      -high quality results with no metamerism (due to the use of more
>          colors)
>      -colored inks could conceivably fade before the black ink
>      -some, limited, control over toning
>      -high cost of RIP, increasing considerably for WF models (but
>          the RIP would also be extremely useful for color printing)
>      -could print B&W on the same printer, which could save quite a
>          lot if we're talking WF (though the increased cost of a WF
>          RIP would eat up a god chunk of that)
> 
> So, is that a good estimation?  Am I wrong anywhere?  Are there other 
> advantages or drawbacks to either choice?
> 
> Also, there's the upcoming Epson 4000 that will supposed have drivers 
> that will handle B&W better.  (Will this mean new drivers for the 
> 2200/7600/9600 that also do better?)  Plus, having Photo Black and 
> Matte Black available as a software change makes it all the more 
> viable as a printer for both color and B&W.  (Though I'm unsure if 
> I'd be willing to pay that much more than the 2200 for a few extra 
> inches.  At that point, why not just spend a bit more and go with the 
> 7600 and get an impressive size increase, I think, maybe.)
> 
> Mike