Digital BW, The Print

Hi Martin,


Message: 20
   Date: Thu, 09 Aug 2001 17:46:00 -0000
   From: mwesley250@...
Subject: Re: Spectratone Print Samples

Allen,

Well it sounds like there is a not too 
expensive path to give the 
inks a try. I figure some empty 1200 
cartridges and refill supplies 
at about $30 and a set of ink is $180. In 
switching a printer over 
from either the Epson, MIS, Piezo, Lyson, 
etc. inks are there any 
incompatibilities to watch out for? Do you 
need to run a cleaning 
cartridge through first?


~Yes, run a cleaning solution.  I know that 
the spectratones and generations are 
definitely not compatible.


I know the 4 papers you sent me are your 
tested papers for maximum 
life but can you give us a list of other papers 
(in 8.5X11, 11X17 and 
13X19) that you have tried with good results 
or believe are likely 
candidates? In other words what are the resin 
and polymer coated 
papers currently on the market?

~there arn't many resin and polymer coated 
papers out there except for some of the films 
and film type papers.  I've concentrated on 
the ilford and oce media but some beta 
testors have tested very widely and the vote 
for best neutral is the media I already 
recommend.  The color can vary widely 
depending on the media.  

I agree with you that a 17X?? 

~just means 17 inches by X inches since the 
3000 takes 17 inch wide paper.

with the Spectratone inks from the 3000 
on the Oce watercolor paper would be 
wonderful. (I take it the RIP 
allows you to get past the 22" length limit of 
the Epson?) 

~what 22" limit?  I always thought it was 44"


For myself 
I am reluctant to buy a 3000 because of cost, 
reported feeding 
problems, and I suspect that it is about to go 
out of production 
(hopefully to be replaced by something 
better).

~It's an amazing workhorse and I do believe 
that it has the 44" native rgb driver limit that 
you can use with Dan Culbertson's RGB 
workflow with an RGB profile as detailed on 
our site.  No need for PressReady as a cost 
either.  I haven't seen prints with this 
workflow yet but I'll get to it on my end in a 
week or two.  

It has feeding problems with some media but 
none with the ilford 9 mil media for me.  

On the contact negs are you getting enough 
Dmax for contact printing 
to standard silver paper and what do you 
think the quality would be 
like? I am thinking in terms of the 
photographer who wants all the 
Photoshop advantages but would like to get 
back to a silver fiber 
print all on the desktop without having to go 
to a lab for the 
digital neg.

~I'm supposed to print up a silver contact 
neg for a friend this week for initial tests.

I see Peter Lindman has taken you up on 
your offer to beta test on a 
1280. I hope that works out and look 
forward to hearing about the 
results.

Thanks,

Martin Wesley

Allen