Digital BW, The Print

In a message dated 8/11/2005 3:48:55 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  
DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com writes:

You'll  get top-notch results in both these areas with BO.  The only
thing is  the graininess, as I'm sure you're aware.  You either like it
or you  don't.


Regards,
Clayton



Without a loupe, I don't detect any "graininess" on my BO prints from the  
4000.
 
I know that we can buy $99 printers, use MIS monochrome inksets, apply  Roark 
curves and do some amazing B&W. It has truly become available and  affordable 
for the old oxymoron: the "discerning masses."
 
In the old darkroom days, you could get a used, beat up, condenser enlarger  
with a cheap lens and trays for about $200. However,  a really  good darkroom 
setup for the perfectionist usually involved a good Beseler  enlarger, six 
element lenses, and a cold light source which would be in the  range of 
$1,000-2,000.
 
So why do we have a double standard with all this cheap stuff if the people  
here are such "discerning artists."
 
Every newbie that comes to town seems to want museum quality results with  
gread Dmax, etc. etc. for practically no money.
 
They can, therefore they do.
 
BUT you do get what you pay for and I find that an Epson 4000, with it's  
extremely tight and fast DX-3 heads, hassle free big cartridges, etc. to be a  
minimum requirement for someone who is truly "serious" about quality work.
 
With current rebates, you can get one of these fine beasts for about $1,300  
in 2005 dollars. That represents about 1/3 of the price in 1980 dollars (IOW  
about $4,000 in comparative 2005 dollars vs. the old serious darkroom  price).
 
The Epson  4000 represents a true bargain for the "serious" digital  printer 
for color or B&W who wants a solid platform that won't break or  drift in the 
next several years. I have tried screwing around with all these  cheap plastic 
desktop units with their "$1.20/milliliter" cartridges that you  have to baby 
sit. They represent false economy for sure. As for me, I like  to cue up a 
bunch of images in QImage and go to bed. They will all be done in  the morning. 
You can't do that with a $99 printer.
 
You can't buy real "quality products" at a dollar store.
 
Claude


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]