Digital BW, The Print

Christina,

>... 2000P ... traditional darkroom printer and am 
>not very knowledgeable with digital darkroom.  
>I have Paint Shop Pro 7.  
>I would love to use my printer to it's potential and 
>print b&w photos. 

>Do I just need to purchase inks other than Epson's 
>to achieve this?

I have a 2000P here that I am fine tuning for B&W as I write this.  So far,
I'd say the machine is a great B&W printer with MIS UT-FS (warm) and UT-FSN
(neutral) carbon pigment inks at least on matte paper.  I've posted the
control curves for a number of matte papers on my website.  You can either
get there from my main one or from the index for inkset information at
http://home1.gte.net/res09aij/index.htm. See also from that page the 2000P
information sheet, located under the "Information on Monotone FS inksets in
Hextone printers" subtitle.  I am updating it as I make more curves.

What you need is the ink from MIS Associates, which will soon be posted at
http://www.inksupply.com/index.cfm?source=html/qn.html, and the software
that can utilize the curves I write.  The curves are written on Photoshop
(expensive) and can be applied also in Picture Window (cheap, but only for
PC).  (See Digital Light and Color for Picture Window, at www.dl-c.com.)
The curves are not compatible with Paint Shop Pro, unless they have recently
changed things.

>What quality scan would be required?

I use Nikon and find it worth the money.  Above the Nikon 4000 dpi quality
level I doubt there is a very good return to the extra money spent.  Some
say the latest 4800 dpi Epson flatbeds can do a good job on medium format.
However, flatbed resolution needs to be cut in half to compare the sharpness
to that of a good film scanner like the Nikon.

.Of course I have attempted to print b&w on this printer before but 
>gave up figuring I could never match the darkroom.  

The Epson color inks in the 2000P are terrible for B&W.  All of us who do
B&W digital printing have tried and given up trying to get top notch prints
form color inksets.  The UltraChrome printers do OK, but only when one buys
a third party RIP that is more expensive than a second printer.  The
dedicated B&W carbon pigment inkset is by far the best way to go.  

MIS should have the 2000P UT-FS inksets in stock soon.  

Once you get down the learning curve a little with carbon pigment printing,
you'll never go back to the darkroom.  The digital carbon prints are simply
superior.  Don't let a little initial frustration stop your from going this
route.

Good luck.

Paul
www.PaulRoark.com