Digital BW, The Print

jerry78008 wrote:

> Thank you Bruce, this is a valid and intelligent response. I, the
> spouse and I, have printed with some 9 iterations of evolving Epson
> inkjet printers.
> I was coming to the conclusion that the capacities, at least in the
> color printing world, and with the very significant fact that digital
> files can be finalized in the designated color space (adobe RGB, SRGB,
> etc.). Then what should come out the other end of a color print, in a
> service bureau, should be so, so much more uniform and predictable
> than 5 years ago, even, in the digital inkjet world.
> Back in the days of color film printing, which I would not consider
> doing myself, one could or would have to bring the print back for a
> redo, but today the digital darkroom has given printers a pretty much
> ready to go "do it this way" file, that would seem to be just needed
> to be spit out by an Epson 9600 or Fuji Frontier or, which can't be
> done at home, a "C" print on long used and accepted traditional
> photographic paper.
> I am trying to see if firing up an Epson 2200, as yet unused and
> returnable, is really worth it any more, particularly since I live in
> a large city with pro printers all over the place competing for my
> business.
> I am not asking anyone else to decide my life for me, but yours and
> other responses are, indeed, valuable.
> Please continue to any other responses.
>
Perhaps a compromise position will work for you. Use the 2200 for your 
proofing printer. That is, use it to get your image just the way you 
want it. Then take the file (and your proof) to a print-for-pay shop for 
that bigger print.

This is the best of both worlds. You don't have to buy and maintain (and 
find a place to put) something like an Epson 9600 (or a LightJet with an 
RA-4 processing line !), yet you still have control over the image and 
can manipulate it as you need to, and get test prints when you need them.
--
Bruce Watson