Digital BW, The Print

Hello George,

>I appreciate the help. Here's my answers to the questions you 
>posed:

Ok, this will help a lot.
 

>>1) Do you want to do both color and BW with one printer?
>I'm using two different printers at the moment and am not adverse 
>to that. Although, I must say, the simplicity of using one printer 
>for both certainly appeals on a certain level.

Ok, so let's go with "one printer" for now.  This means you'll use
color inks rather than grayscale inks.  This means you use either a
2400 with its built in RIP or with a 3rd party RIP, or some other
printer with a 3rd party RIP (a RIP is the only way to get good BW
from color inks).


>>2) Do you like working with curves/profiles and RIPs or would 
>>you want a simpler workflow with the native printer driver?
>I do like working with curves. Even with the EZ MIS inks, I still
>apply curves using adjustment layers and other PS tools. I like to
>fiddle with the print. 

Oops, that isn't the kind of curves I meant :)

>I have never used profiles or a RIP.

A RIP controls all the ink channels individually, and is controlled by
complex multiple curves/profiles that dictate how the inks are
blended.  Making these profiles, for each paper/ink combination,
requires time, expertise, and to be really accurate, a densitometer. 
You either do it yourself or get them from someone else.  You'll need
to do some more research into this to decide if you want to go that
route or not.  It can give you either immense satisfaction or
excruciating frustration, depending on your personal technology threshold.

At this point your answers seem to point to a 2400 more than anything
else.  The 2400's ABW system is basically a built in RIP that's real
easy to use.  Ranging from simple to complex it can be used with a
completely profile-less easy workflow (I describe this in an article
on my web site, see link below), or with paper profiles, or with a
completely color-managed workflow, or with 3rd party RIPs.  It's a
printer you can grow with, according to your own pace and motivation.


>>3)Do you have any preference for tonal range obtained by mixing 
>>color ink dots on the paper vs toned grayscale inks?

Since you want to use one printer for color and BW, that rules out
using grayscale inks (more about this below).

>3. I haven't been able to obtain good tonal range in BW by mixng 
>color ink dots so far in my digital printing experience. 

This fits what you said earlier (not using a RIP), because the only
way to mix color ink dots effectively for good BW is with a RIP.  


>>4)If you're ok with the color ink dot approach, do you prefer that
>>yellow is included or omitted in the toning?

>I'm sorry, but I don't understand this question.

The 2400 uses yellow along with the cyans and magentas to get the
various tones.  Yellow has always been the least fade resistant color
pigment, so it's been common for RIP users to omit the yellow.  The
new K3 inks are getting better test results than ever before, but
there is still some question about the yellow (no definitive test
reports yet, I think, so the jury is still out).  So some 2400 users,
even though it does a great job with its own built in RIP, are using
other RIPs so they can eliminate the yellow.  Others feel the new inks
are so much improved that it's not so important any more.  Everyone
has to make up their own mind on this (until and unless some
definitive tests show up).


>>5) Do you want to use bulk inks with refillable carts or prefer
>>prefilled carts?

>5.Well, I started with prefilled carts and recently ordered the
>refillable ones. Too early to say. I got the refillable ones 
>for economy because, obviously, the prefilled carts are simpler.

There are now bulk replacement inks for the 2400.  Reports are just
now beginning to come in, so it's not clear yet whether they will
perform as well as the K3 inks (appearance, longevity, etc).  So keep
a watch for this.


>>6) Are you averse to combining inks from different sets or would 
>>you prefer a complete ready-made ink set?
>Not adverse to combining, though I haven't yet interchanged inks 
>except to replace the Eboni black with Photo Black for paper types.

Some 2400 users are using Eboni with K3, and now there's some talk
about substituting the MIS R200 PK for the MIS 2400 PK (or something
like that) for glossy paper users.  Just be aware that there are
options.  K3 inks are quite pricey.


>>7) Do you like experimenting and testing or do you prefer to find
>>something and settle down with it?
>I like a little bit of testing, but would like to find a 
>combination that is consistent and reliable that I can always go 
>back to.

Some choices (such as a 2200 with grayscale inks and a RIP) almost
force you to fiddle and twiddle and try lots of things before you get
really satisfied.  The 2400 gives you the option.  It's exceptionally
good right out of the box, and you can experimant with all sorts of
options if you wish.



>I haven't seen 2400 prints in real life and am, at this point, 
>relying on comments in this forum, which seem to indicate that 
>the 2400 produces fine art quality BW. 

It is an exceptionally fine printer, the best out-of-the-box BW
solution available so far for gallery quality fine art BW.  There's
more information about it at my web site.


>I hope I've answered sufficiently.

Yes, very much so.  It's hard to know what to suggest when someone
asks "What should I do?".  Questions 1 and 3 are the biggies,
everything else narrows down from there.  However, some people don't
like the color ink dot approach, and prefer toned grayscale inks. 
This of course eliminates the single printer option if they print
color, so that's the first thing to decide.  

There are still other things to consider I'm sure, but hopefully this
will give a good start.  Good luck, have fun.


Regards,
Clayton


Info on black and white digital printing at    
http://www.cjcom.net/digiprnarts.htm