Digital BW, The Print

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Paul D. 
DeRocco" <pderocco@i...> wrote:
> > From: Mike Botelho [mailto:mfractl@h...]
> >
> > Since the use of colored inks seems to be a source of problems 
when
> > printing B&W with the Ultrachromes, why not just use the Light 
Black
> > to provide the lighter tonalities instead?  I know that 'black 
only'
> > printing results in noticable dots that some find objectionable 
and
> > that the use of colored inks eliminates this, but wouldn't the 
use of
> > the Light Black ink eliminate this also?  In fact, isn't that why 
the
> > Ultrachrome printers have a Light Black cartridge?  So, I'm
> > wondering, am I missing something here?  Does the inclusion of
> > colored ink somehow produce smoother gradations than simply using 
the
> > lighter tones produced by the Light Black ink?
> 
> Unfortunately, the black-only mode doesn't use the light black. 
Dumb. That's
> the sort of thing they could easily fix with a driver update. What 
I'd like
> to see is a driver with a B&W setting that uses black and light 
black ink,
> with a slider that lets you mix in a tiny amount of color to 
achieve a
> certain tint, but not enough to cause metamerism.
> 
> --
> 
> Ciao,               Paul D. DeRocco
> Paul                mailto:pderocco@i...


I was curious about that too, though I was told that the Light Black 
ink was not really light enough to provide optimal results this way.  
I had also thought that maybe the new drivers for the 4000 would do 
something like this, but Epson information that I've read says that 
both Photo Black and Matte Black printing uses all 7 inks.  So, if 
they are reducing/eliminating metamerism with new drivers, I assume 
its through a more balanced use of all colors.  Anway, I'm trying to 
focus on what's available to me now instead of worrying too much 
about what's going to be different in a few months.  But it does not 
seem as though the 2-black option you mentioned will be an option.  
(Though, if the Light Black ink isn't light enough to provide the 
same gradation as lighter colored inks, it still might allow an 
effect somewhere betweem black-only printing and the other methods, I 
suppose.  I don't know if that's desirable to anyone, or likely.  
Just thinking out loud.)

Mike