Digital BW, The Print

Hello Steve,

You actually have several options.

A. Use the "black ink only" printing option using the Epson ink you
have now. Depending on subject matter and presentation mode, this can
work very well and will give you a neutral/cool tone, depending on
paper. It's a dye ink.

B. Use "black ink only" with an MIS (or other 3rd party) pigment black
suitable for the paper you wish to use. This is a carbon based pigment
ink with great longevity. You will get quite a warm tone this way.

C. Use the full blown B&W pigment inkset from MIS (or other).

It's easy enough to experiment with black-only and see if it will work
for your taste and your images.

Now for your questions, many of which I have asked here recently, and
gotten great advice on.:

1. Many around here use an R200 or R220 as a dedicated BW printer.
Clayton has convinced me that this is the most economical way in the
long run. Certainly, the least labor-intensive. The more BW printing
you do, the more this will be true.

2. The experts will correct me if I'm wrong, but carbon pigment inks
on Epson Premium Glossy will last at least as long as any high quality
method available at reasonable cost.

3. see #1. I am told you will waste much ink to cleaning cycles when
you swap, not to mention time and effort, and you will be providing
more opportunities for dust and dirt to get into the works or onto the
carts and cause problems.

4. On gloss, I don't think you can do better than Epson PG or
Kirkland. The limiting factor for the R220, besides width, is
thickness/stiffness, as the paper path is not straight.

I just bought my R220, and a set of MIS neutral R2, but haven't made
the ink swap yet. Hoping within the next week.

Good luck,
Bob 

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Steve Dewing"
<dewing19@...> wrote:
>
> Hello everyone. I've poked around a bit looking for a solution to
> getting neutral B&W prints from my new R220 and now am more confused
> than ever.
> 
> I have many requests to purchase some prints. Nothing fancy, just 4x6
> to 8x10's done on Epson Premium Glossy Photo Paper.
> 
> Not looking to ponder over multiple options anymore.
> Can someone just tell me what to buy?
> 
> 1) I'm assuming I'll have to buy a whole B&W inkset from MIS and
> dedicate this printer to BO. No problem, I love the printer for color
> but I'll just buy another.
> 
> 2) What kind of lifespan can I expect from these prints? I do not know
>   which machines use dye or pigment inks and what the difference is on
> longevity.
> 
> 3) What kind of purging process is necessary to switchover from color
> to B&W. Or should I just buy a brand new machine and install the B&W
> cartridges from the get-go?
> 
> 4) Can I expect reasonable performance should I decide to go with a
> different paper source, whether it be the inexpensive Kirkland I've
> heard about from Costco or to a higher end paper.
> 
> If it matters I've also got an Epson 825 that worked OK for B&W but
> that thing is so noisy and slow, especially doing borderless.
> 
> Thanks in advance for any help.
> 
> Steve
>