Digital BW, The Print

Superb summary! 

It's rare when someone both writes coherently and with the intention
to be helpful (also applies to Clayton Jones). 

John Kelly

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "rgoldman2"
<rgoldman@n...> wrote:
>
> In my experience you can make excellent black and white prints using
UltraChrome Inks 
> and the Advanced Black and White (ABW) feature of the Epson driver
printing with 
> PhotoBlack Ink on Epson Premium Semi Matte paper. This is an RC type
paper not cotton. 
> And I am printing on a 4800, not a 2400. However, the 2400 uses the
same driver with 
> ABW (which is why I am responding to your question), but Premium
Semi Matte is only 
> available in large sheets or rolls. You would have to cut (and
waste) a lot to make it fit the 
> 2400 feeder. Also, my guess is that the very good Epson profile for
the PSM is not 
> available for the 2400. I might be wrong about that, however. 
> 
> There are very good alternative papers that are made for the
2400.Read Clayton Jones' 
> essays about a workflow for good (maybe excellent -- I don't know)
black and white prints 
> on the cotton papers using matte black ink on the 2400. I guess is
that these prints look 
> very good but lack a certain richness or depth. But you, as do many
others, my find the 
> look quite pleasing. Jones until recently was using the black only
printing technique on the 
> 2200 (see below), but he seems now to be using the full Epson ink
set on his 2400 without 
> a third party rip. (see message 68027 and  his website).
> 
> You do not need a third party RIP to make excellent prints on the
2400, because the ABW 
> feature is a great improvement over the driver in the 2200. But as
Steve Kale points out on 
> this forum the QuadToneRip new feature called ICC Create can be used
to improve even 
> these ABW prints (see messages 68030 and 68248). Also see Roy
Harrington's website 
> about QTR called quadtonerip.com.
> 
> With the 2200, my experience was that the UltraChrome inks could be
used to make quite 
> good black and white prints, using the matte black ink on cotton
paper. But a third party 
> RIP was essential. I used QuadToneRip, and I was a very satisfied
customer. But I am much 
> happier with the rich prints I am getting on PSM paper using ABW.
This is a very strong 
> argument for the 2400 over the 2200. I will go back to the cotton
papers soon, because 
> they have a fine look of their own, and I want to see how the new
Epson driver handles 
> them on my 4800.
> 
> Your other alternative on the 2200 is to use the dedicated grey
scale ink sets made by MIS 
> (see Paul Roark's website)or Cone (inkjetmall.com). Again, printing
on cotton paper. The 
> 2200 with almost 
> any setup produced problematic prints on glosssy paper. Maybe using
ImagePrint did a 
> better job of it, I don't know.
> 
> Finally, on the 2200, you have the option, documented and developed
by Clayton Jones, of 
> printing with just the black ink -- either the UltraChrome matte
black or Eboni black made 
> by MIS, which many seem to prefer.
> 
> My own view is that the 2400 is a better printer (a really good
printer) compared with the 
> 2200 for making black and white prints, whether it be on cotton
paper with MK ink or on 
> semi matte (or Costco Glossy) using PK. No additional rip necessary,
but perhaps even 
> better results by employing QTR ICC Create.
> 
> You can search this site for all of the proper nouns I've referred
to here to get more 
> information.
>