Digital BW, The Print

Very very well put.

Gary
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "wwodets" <odets@...>
To: <DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Saturday, July 30, 2005 11:02 PM
Subject: [Digital BW] Re: Ultratone vs. Epson K3 Inks


Clayton-

I can give you some feedback, of sorts, on the matte capabilities of
the 2400.  While I am aware that you may dismiss it for the lack of
hard figures, I am a very experienced traditional BW printer, having
worked in BW lab work since 1965.  I believe that I have a good eye
for a BW image and what makes a print work.

The 2400 that I have been using for the past month or so is producing
astonishing results over a wide range of prints of negatives with
which I am familiar.  I am using EEM for proof and Epson VFA for
final prints, both with the Epson inks (MK).  Although they do not
look like gelatin DW glossy-matte dried prints, they are comparable
in every way, and almost certainly better than what could ever have
been produced with a wet process on matte papers.  One can nitpick
*any* print to death, but all said and done, this is a remarkable
process "out of the box."

I realize that this is not a forum about photography, but "the
print," but ultimately the only real problem in photography is the
photograph.  The print merely serves the photograph and if the
photograph is of no interest the quality of the print is entirely
moot.  So, what I am suggesting is some perspective on these issues
and a reluctance to dismiss as neophytes and amateurs all those who
don't see what you see. To this long-trained eye, the Epson 2400 is a
remarkable achievement and will be a significant contribution to the
work of many serious, perceptive photographers.

To put my comments on the print issue in some perspective, I have
always found Ansel Adams a photographic bore who wrote a couple of
useful, if not entirely original, technical books.  Give me a Lee
Friedlander, Robert Frank or Cartier-Bresson print any day of the
week.  So, I suppose that puts our objectives in somewhat different
camps.

With good wishes and thanks for your contributions,

Walt










--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Clayton Jones"
<cj@c...> wrote:
> Hello Tony,
>
> >That was one of the more interesting posts I've read in awhile,
> >on a topic of particular interest to me at the moment.  In my
> >studio, I have a Epson 4000 as my main printer for B&W.  I'm
> >using the standard Epson UC inkset with Eboni Black instead of
> >the Epson MK and using QTR or BO.  I was thinking of adding the
> >2400 as sort of "test bed" to see if I wanted to upgrade the 4000
> >to the 4800.  Think I'll wait for some more reviews of the K3
> >inkset.
>
> At $850 that's an expensive test bed - maybe I saved you a lot of
> money <g>.  It's always tough knowing what to do when a brand new
> system comes out.  It seems worse in this case because all the
> reviewers, and even the early users, are going on about how great
the
> glossy prints are, and many don't even mention MK/matte prints.  I
> have yet to see a really thorough review or user report on
MK/matte.
>
>
>
> >My only problem with BO is that I frequently get
> >microbanding that I haven't figured out how to get rid of.
>
> It seems to vary from one printer to another.  I have a Carl
Schofield
> 4000 BO print that's one of the finest I've ever seen and has no
> dither banding.  From that I thought that all 4000s would be that
way,
> but learned later it wasn't so.  I cured it on my 2200 with a head
> alignment at a supposedly less than optimal setting, but it worked.
> The tiny amount that is there requires a loupe to see it.
>
> Regards,
> Clayton
>
>
> Info on black and white digital printing at
> http://www.cjcom.net/digiprnarts.htm





Please visit the Group Homepage to check the Files, and other resources as 
they are often being updated.

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

If you wish to receive no emails or just a daily digest, or you wish to 
unsubscribe, please edit your Membership preferences by visiting this same 
page.

Please follow these basic guidelines:
- As threads develop, trim off excess portions of earlier messages to keep 
them short.
- Good manners are required at all time. No personal attacks or flames. 
Hostile, aggressive or argumentative users may be removed from the 
membership without notice.
- Keep your posts and threads related to the group topic of digital B&W 
printing. Users who persistently make off-topic posts may be removed from 
the membership.
- By posting on this forum you agree to abide by the group rules and 
guidelines, and to abide by the actions and decisions of the group Owner and 
Moderators. See "Group Topic, Rules and Guidelines" in the Files section:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint/files/

BY PARTICIPATING IN AND/OR POSTING MESSAGES TO THE DIGITAL BW, THE PRINT 
YAHOO! GROUP YOU EXPRESSLY UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT THE "OWNER" AND 
"MODERATORS" OF DIGITAL BW, THE PRINT YAHOO GROUP SHALL NOT BE LIABLE TO YOU 
FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR EXEMPLARY 
DAMAGES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF PROFITS, 
GOODWILL, USE, DATA OR OTHER INTANGIBLE LOSSES (EVEN IF THE  "OWNER" AND 
"MODERATORS" OF DIGITAL BW, THE PRINT YAHOO GROUP HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE 
POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES), RESULTING FROM: (i) THE USE OR THE INABILITY 
TO USE THE DIGITAL BW, THE PRINT YAHOO GROUP; (ii) UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS TO OR 
ALTERATION OF YOUR TRANSMISSIONS OR DATA; (iii) STATEMENTS OR CONDUCT OF ANY 
THIRD PARTY ON THE DIGITAL BW, THE PRINT YAHOO GROUP; OR (iv) ANY OTHER 
MATTER RELATING TO THE DIGITAL BW, THE PRINT YAHOO GROUP.

Yahoo! Groups Links