Digital BW, The Print

Great thread as I'm considering the options to try my hand at black-
only printing. Have read good testimonials about the C86, but 
Clayton's article recommends avoiding the C86 and using the R200. 
Both printers seem to be around the same price point. What are the 
differences between the C86 and R200? Any significant advantages or 
disadvantages of each for black-only use?

Mark Friedman


--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, BKPhoto@a... 
wrote:
>
> I picked up this thread a little late (had to watch the UT/OK 
football 
> game today) but wanted to second (or third) Paul's suggestion. The 
C86 
> and EZ inks are an excellent and inexpensive starting point for 
> dedicated grayscale printing.
> 
> We have a digital lab where students have access to two Epson 
4000's 
> and one 4800. Each fall semester I teach a digital darkroom class; 
> these are students who've already taken several digital imaging 
classes 
> and want to concentrate on inkjet printmaking. I have every 
student 
> purchase their own C86 printer (its on their course supply list). 
I 
> started doing this as a way to encourage the same sense of 
ownership 
> they experience in the wet darkroom. It makes the digital printing 
> process less objective and more tactile. They learn the "care and 
> feeding" of their own machine and use the small printers to master 
> basic printing workflows (including print profile authoring with 
an 
> EyeOne kit). They use the larger printers for mid-term and final 
> portfolio work.
> 
> I demo both BIO (black ink only) and the EZ inks in class. About 
half, 
> those interested primarily in grayscale printing, purchase a 
second C86 
> (they find them for around $40.00 on sale; less than the cost of 
many 
> Photoshop textbooks).
> 
> I consider the C86/EZ inks a minor miracle.
> 
> Bill Kennedy
> Austin, Texas