Digital BW, The Print

Hi, Kip.  I have a 2200 with the UC factory inks and get good mono prints,
with a couple of caveats.  First, I wasn't able to get acceptable b&w until
I used the separate ImagePrint RIP ($500).  There are other choices out
there, but I like IP since I can print color and b&w, and they have a lot of
decent paper profiles.  I'm into easy and low hassle, leaving more time for
taking photos.  For me the $500 was a bargain in terms of saving time.  The
other is that this pertains to matte papers, like water color papers but
with an inkjet receptor coating.  Insofar as I know (and I would certainly
like to know otherwise), there is no present way to get a semi-gloss print
comparable to air-dried fiber darkroom paper.  All the gloss and semi-gloss
papers I have tried look like the lame darkroom RC papers.  As if that's not
bad enough, the 2200 pigment inks build up on the surface of the gloss paper
resulting in a feature known as "bronzing".  Offsetting that, the best matte
papers such as Photo Rag and Arches Infinity are great and have their own
appeal, especially once behind glass.

It's great that you have the LF negs.  My background was also with 8x10 and
4x5 field cameras, and those negs make excellent inkjet prints.  They won't
go to waste!  I also have a full-time+ day job, so don't print but every
week or so.  Against clear warnings I bought a continuous ink system from
MIS, and sure enough it wound up in the trash after a few months from
clogging.  I would stick with prefilled cartridges or OEM.  Hope this helps
a little.

Regards,

  --Ken Carney
    www.kencarney.com 

> -----Original Message-----
> From: kipduff [mailto:kipduff@...] 
> Sent: Sunday, October 10, 2004 2:16 PM
> To: DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: [Digital BW] Is Epson 2200 good choice?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I've been doing some digital stuff on my 980 and 2000P, but 
> I'm mostly a BW photographer and I have 25 years of film to 
> work with (alot of my work was 8" x 10" contact printing- 
> it's tuff to approach that kind of tonal quality).  Trying to 
> print BW on the 2000P is sad- I believe the 2200 is possibly 
> a good choice because of the grey ink cartidge.  I've spent 
> alot of time looking at the Piezography site, but am thinking 
> the UC 7 color system might work (or MIS).  I have a full 
> time day job, but I'm starting to get back into photography 
> and need advice on what setup works well for BW.  
> I'm seeing used 2200's for $400 and up- I don't feel like 
> commiting to a 4000 at this point because digital BW printing 
> is evolving so much.  RIP's?  Thanks alot, Kip (714 337-0961, 
> SoCal area).