Digital BW, The Print

Hi Nick.

Thanks for the reply. I've got my eye on a DesignJet, but the budget 
can't yet afford it. It's tempting to just go out and buy an Epson 
for the convenience, but frankly I'd rather save $$ towards a 
DesignJet than invest in an Epson with CIS set-up. Besides, I have a 
perfectly good printer already.

The upshot of all this is that I want to be able to print (and sell) 
gallery-quality monochrome portraits. It may not be possible, but I'd 
like to try. Last month's Shutterbug had an article on a landscape 
photographer who's gone inkjet for his monochrome images. I think he 
uses RIP software and quadtone inks. [ No doubt he's printing with an 
Epson as well. :0) ]

Your comments confirm what I've heard about the large format inkjets 
needing RIP software for high quality monochrome prints. Is the RIP 
software you're using generic, or does it require printer-specific 
profiles? I've looked at QuadtoneRIP, but it's only compatible with 
select Epson printers.

I think the 9800 is capable of matching the Epson 1280 in print 
quality, but there's no aftermarket supplies for HP products! As far 
as the MIS ink "experiment" goes, I do plan to flush the old ink 
carts before loading the MIS inks. 

I've been warned by Bob Headrick that the pigmented inks may produce 
a sticky residue on the printheads and printer wipers. According to 
Bob, the 98 and 99 ink carts have smaller nozzles than the 96 black 
cart, producing 5pL droplets vs 15 pL droplets. My plans so far were 
predicated on similar nozzle sizes. I'm presently experimenting with 
Vivera-compatible, dye-based inks from WeInk. Results are positive so 
far.

I'll be glad to let you know what happens with the MIS experiment. 
Then there's the issue of which paper to print on. Who knows, maybe 
I'll publish a web page on my "HP experiments" and become famous! LOL.

Sonrise

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Nick H. Nugent" 
<nghin@p...> wrote:
>
> Hello Sonrise,
> 
> I'm very interested in knowing the results of your experiment as I
> recently adopted an HP Designjet 30 for color printing and dedicated
> the Epson R1800 for monochrome printing as it has a frequently
> recurring yellow nozzle clogs.
> 
> Though the Designjet printers have linearizing functions as part of
> their built-in color calibration, the only way I can make an
> acceptable monochrome print is to employ a Wasatch SoftRIP. For 
color
> work on non-HP media I also have to use SoftRIP as the printer dumps
> so much ink that instant dry microporous media just cannot handle. I
> suspect HP increased the Vivera/swellable longevity by using large
> amount of ink in a virtually bottomless swellable substrate.
> 
> Still I think you may run into a clogging problem if you try to use
> the MIS hextone ink in your HP printer. But at least you can buy
> replacement printheads if you manage to clog them all up  :)  You 
also
> might want to make sure to flush all HP ink from your printer 
before 
> loading the MIS ink.
> 
> Good luck,
> --nick  
> 
> --- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "sonrisenc"
> <sonrisenc@y...> wrote:
> > 
> > As far as pigmented inks are concerned, HP does make pigmented 
> > (black) inks for its printers, so I'm certain the printheads can 
use 
> > pigmented inks as easily as dye-based inks. However, black only 
> > printing is not what I am interested in.
> > 
> > I hope to soon experiment with MIS hextone inks in my Deskjet 
9800. 
> > I will happily post the results of my experiments.
> > 
> > Sonrise
>