Digital BW, The Print

> Cheap Flat Bed scanner to make contact sheets.
> Epson enhanced Matte paper.
> Vuescan software (I already have this).
> Photoshop CS ( I already have this).
> Negative Developing supplies (I have this)
> 
> I develop my own film in Rodinal. I mainly use ilford FP4+ in 35
mm.  
> I do not have a Darkroom just a changing bag and I plan to do just 
> black and white printing.  Basically, that is my planned setup for
my 
> Digital Darkroom.  I will spend a  lot of money in the next few
days 
> and order this equipment.  Comments or advice is appreciated.  I 
> consider this a starting point for my digital printing. I want to
at 
> least start with good equipment that I can experiment and grow
with.  
> Total cost is not much of an issue I have been saving for a while:)

The only good way I've found to make contacts with a flatbed is to use
one with a transparency adapter. See
http://www.jimarnold.org/112003a.jpg for the quality I can get with a
TA. I'm currently using a Umax Powerlook 1000. Warning. This is a 3.3
meg jpeg.

Like Bob I wonder if a 2200 is more printer than you need for B&W
printing. I went throught the same exercise a few months back and
opted for the 1280. I print at 1440 on my 1280. Even when printing
at 11x14 I can't see a difference between 1440 and 2880 dpi. It just
takes _a lot longer_ to get a print.  My printer is now set with a CF
eboni black system and an inexpensive $5 MIS color cart. I had planned
to try QuadtoneRIP on my Mac as well, but the results I got off the
bat with BO printing looked so good I didn't see a need to hassle with
Quad printing. Einstein once "Everything should be made as simple as
possible, but not simpler." BO printing fits that philosophy
perfectly.

Have fun.

--Jim