Digital BW, The Print

Derek

I would add the following comment:  you don¹t need to make at this stage the
definitive decision as to the best technology mix.  Personally, I would
recommend an explorative and incremental approach.  It is not clear from
your post as to whether you also have an interest in printing colour images
in addition to B&W.  I will assume for now that you do.  The Epson printers
mentioned (1280, 2100/2200, 7600 and 9600) are all fantastic printers for
which a lot of non-OEM material is available (inks, drivers, RIPs etc).  I
personally purchased the 2100 (mostly due to budget considerations) but
might now consider the larger, new 4000 model.  Print size and cost are key
considerations here.   I have never had any issues with the printer at all.
In this forum there is much discussion re dedicated B&W printers.  I have no
doubt that there are advantages to be had from dedicating a printer solely
to B&W.  However, it is not necessary on day one.  Select a printer which
best fits your cost/size matrix and work from there.  I am very happy with
the colour images printed on my 2100 using the OEM Ultrachrome inks and the
Epson driver but with correct coloursync setup and good profiles for my
printer/media combinations.  I was not happy with the results for B&W though
due to the often mentioned metamerism issues and so I invested time (and
thanks particularly to Roy, no monetary cost) in deploying Quadtone RIP (I
use a Mac).  I am now happy with my much improved B&W printing.  However,
that¹s not to say that in the future I might not venture further eg using
specialist B&W inks like the MIS Ultratones, or Imageprint to perhaps
improve my colour work, or even purchasing another printer and dedicating
one of the two to B&W.

In the pursuit for the Holy Grail, many on this forum sometimes (or perhaps
³particularly² lately) overlook the basic quest ­ getting started and having
fun.  And digital is fun.  I have found a new vigour in my passion for
photography by being able to explore the capabilities of PS and print my own
work ­ and all for a very modest cost.  I am sure that if, or rather when, I
purchase a top-of-line digital camera or MF digital back (one of the best
things I have ever bought is the Canon Ixus ­ simply for the fun of taking
fun pictures in a carefree and [incrementally] costless fashion) I will gain
further vigour as the world of possibilities expands yet again.

As with the wet darkroom ­ get started, explore, learn, add and become more
³specialised² as your knowledge base demands and allows refinement of your
techniques.

Cheers

Steve




From: Alan Zinn <AZinn@...>
Reply-To: DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com
Date: Sun, 30 Nov 2003 09:43:54 -0800
To: DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [Digital BW] Moving from Chemical to Digital

At 09:53 PM 11/29/03 -0800, you wrote:
>I have been doing chemical B & W photography for many years.  Trying hard
>not to be a luddite I decided I needed to become open to digital
>concepts.  I remain open.  Digital cameras have reached a point where I can
>do most of the same kind of things I do with a traditional film
>camera.  The advantage no film processing.  Now we get to the nub of my
>dilemana.  I know I can make photoshop do magical things that will allow me
>to replicate the kind of techniques I do in a darkroom.  The problem for me
>seems to come at the printing stage.  I've been reading along with the many
>thoughtful and highly technical experiments that folks discuss here.  As
>near as I can understand what folks have experienced and what they are
>doing the consensus is: You cannot replicate a chemical darkroom with a
>traditional printer without tweaking many different aspects of inks, ink
>jets etc.  As I read deeper I hear folks talking a lot about trials using
>these inks that involve multiple cleaning of ink delivery jets.  If all of
>this is true, I just cannot see myself switching from chemical to digital
>at this time.
>Am I reading things correctly?  I don't really enjoy mixing chemicals.  My
>joy comes when, as a result of chemical mixing and the magic of the
>projector I create something that hints at what I imagined.  Then I'm in
>heaven.
>Cleaning printer heads just doesn't do it for me.
>So I guess my question is:  Is there a stock off the shelf printer with
>stock off the shelf ink supply in nifty little plug in modules that will
>allow me to come close to duplicating my dark room work assuming that I've
>done a good job in the image capture and photoshop manipulation.
>If the answer is no, I'm quite willing to go back to the dark room and wait.
>Thanks for reading.
>
>
>Derek Hamlet
>Victoria, B.C.
>592-8590

Derek,

First, a reminder that you are likely to see a lot more posts about
problems with B/W printing than anything else. Many people have almost no
problems with clogs, etc.

Second, you are fortunate to be making the leap from the dark at a time
when great advances in the craft have been made - see Clayton's comments a
couple days ago.  You have at least three excellent and proven ways to test
digital printing: Black only on a 1280 or 2200 printer,  Piezography - a
turn-key process, or the Paul Roark (or similar) curves which take a little
more savvy.  In each case there is a wealth of  expert help and opinion on
this list, the Epson printer list, and the Pieziography list.

Good luck,

AZ



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