Digital BW, The Print

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "petexp2" <kafoozalem@b...> 
wrote:
>
Hello Pete,

Paper makes an enormous difference in tonal range and quality. Try using one of the 
better Art papers such as Hahnemule Photo Rag, or Epson Velvet Fine Art. Both have a very 
good dmax. But there is a boatload of quality paper out there which will give you very 
good results.

Clayton Jones' website has a good article on papers. This will point you in the right 
direction. 

Experiment, experiment, experiment.

Roy Harrington's QTR will solve your metamerism problem, but I don't know if it's been 
developed for Canon printers. Check his website too.

Lastly, RC papers will give you the deepest black in my opinion, if you like the glossy look.

Steve


> I am in the process of upgrading from the Epson 2100 to the 2400. I 
> am aware that both printers use the same matte black ink which 
> worries me a little. I mostly printed using Lyson's quad black inkset 
> on the 2100 and the blacks were deep and satisfying though there were 
> other problems.
> I was less satisfied with the blacks I achieved using the supplied 
> Epson ultrachrome inks on Epson matte media. The prints had 
> a "newspaper like" quality as a result of an insufficient tonal range 
> despite a full range of tones in Photoshop ( "0" to about "240"). 
> These images look fine under glass but were inferior to darkroom 
> prints in the hand. I suspect the paper I used may not have been the 
> best -- Epson "watercolor" and "Heavyweight matte". I was also using 
> the standard Epson printer driver.
> Can I expect better blacks using different matte papers? Would using 
> Ray Harrington's QTR have any bearing? Am I right in thinking some 
> people use MIS eboni black instead of the Epson Ultrachrome matte 
> black in their 2100 printers? Should I try this when it becomes 
> available for the 2400?
> Incidentially the samples of Piezography K7 prints done on a 2100 
> show a similarly weak black.
> I would be very grateful for any advice or recommendations.
> Regards, Pete.
>