Digital BW, The Print

Hi Edward,

Sorry to hear you have had problems with QTR. There is a tremendous 
amount of support for the program on this group, and also a new group 
has just been formed for QTR at this URL: 

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/QuadtoneRIP/

When you're having problems, it doesn't do much good to have me or a 
lot of other people telling you how trouble-free the program is in 
general, so we won't go there ;>)

I might also mention that IJC/OPM is another very good RIP that runs 
on the same print engine as QTR but (for the moment) has a bit more 
of a commercial GUI and support base. The price is a higher than 
Roy's incredibly generous $50 shareware -- IJC/OPM runs $250 (still 
VERY inexpensive for the functionality, and you can find out more 
about it at http://www.bowhaus.com

In the interim, using Paul's EZ-UT inkset for the C86 (I assume
you're using the MIS EZ version, yes?) is a very good interim step. 
For many, depending on what they're doing with their prints, it is 
all you may ever need. Clayton's "Black Only" for the 2200 has an 
almost legendary following, and using an MIS Eboni cart in the K 
position produces beautiful B&W "Tri-X" results.

Regarding ImagePrint, it is a pretty good RIP if you are running a
2200 with UltraChromes. The B&W output is generally quite good and 
many people prefer the simplicity of IP and UltraChromes to the full 
quadtone approach so they have both color and B&W in one machine. 
However, it is not inexpensive, Colorbyte tech support is not the 
best, and you will find yourself relying on the good people here and 
in the Yahoo Imageprint forum for most of your answers.

In terms of how IP compares with MIS or Piezotone inksets and either
a RIP or Paul's curves, this becomes subjective to the artist and 
often is more or less specific to the print and subject as well.

Personally, we use IP, Cone Piezotones, MIS inks (with RIPs and
curves) and print on 9600, 7000/9000, 2200 and desktop printers. Are 
there differences? Definitely. Is there a simple, objective 
quantification of that difference? I don't think so, but subjectively 
I would say there is a certain beauty to the subtle tonalities of the 
quadtone print that are unique. However, the UltraChromes have proven 
their commercial and collectible value on all fronts, so this really 
becomes a personal matter of choice for you.

Most importantly, I would hope that you can settle into a system that 
perfoms close to your artistic standard as quickly and easily as 
possible and enjoy your photography -- because that's why we're all 
involved here. We don't want to get too caught up in the struggle 
with equipment if we can avoid it.

Then, as you continue to enjoy working with your photography and 
printing on whatever system you choose for now, you can pursue the
refinements and nuances of printing offered by the different systems 
without battling the frustration of what you set out to do, which is 
to have fun and make art. 

If I can answer any questions for you, I'd be happy to try...

All the best,
Richard
 
--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "mastedward" 
<mastedward@y...> wrote:
> 
> I have tried (without success) to run QuadToneRIP (Windows
version).  
> Instead I have been using an Epson C86 with MIS inks for b&w - 
keeping 
> an Epson 2200 with color inks. I have also used Clayton Jones 
technique 
> of black-only printing with the 2200. It seems the next step to 
better 
> b&w printing might be to go to MIS inks for the 2200 or bite the 
bullet 
> and spend the money for ImagePrint (and I'm assuming that I would
be 
> able to understand the tutorial that is included with that
software). 
> Has anyone compared MIS ink prints with prints done with
ImagePrint?  
> Are the differences apparent and significant?  Thank's - Edward