Digital BW, The Print

My impression, Helen, mostly from pouring over this list's posts with 
the same question in mind, is that nearly all small-format B&W 
printers should consider Epson's R220 "page" printer for not more 
than about $100. Look through Paul Roark's posts, and on his web 
site, for information about using the 220 for B&W.

When 220 refurb's start to show up in the Clearance Center of Epson's 
on-line store, I expect they'll be about $60, as the R200 already is. 
You might even find a new one for that. And that includes the ink 
cartridges, which I believe are the same carts the 220 uses. But a 
set of the carts alone is also about $60, even at Atlex.com.

So if you see a re-furbished R200 first, you might want to consider 
buying it. For black-only (BO) B&W printing, I think it might be 
about as good anyway. The R200 is also a good "office" printer. And 
can also be a good and relatively-inexpensive proofing printer for 
Epson's larger R2400. Look for Clayton Jones's posts, and on his web 
site, for information about that (and for paper reviews too).

I haven't seen any R2400 refurb's yet either. Recently I paid 
Amazon's US store 765.69 US dollars for a new 2400. It would have 
been more economical to have waited for a 2400 refurb and spent the 
time getting up to speed on color management and paper and ink stuff 
using the R200/220 platform.

There are at least three other less-expensive 13-inch wide Epson 
Photo possibilities, the R1280, R1800, and the R2200. Each with a 
case to be made for it vs. the R2400 given the differences in cost. I 
think the question for you might be for how many printers do you want 
to invest in researching the details? That could be costly too, and 
your post makes me think you'd rather not do it anyway. So you might 
consider focusing just on how to make the most of the newer R200/R220 
and R2400 options.
--
Sam


At 4:00 PM +0000 2/11/06, helen529123 wrote:
>
>[snip]
>
>Having just had a judge at a camera club competition turn up his nose
>at the magenta cast on my B&W prints, I am about to get a new printer.
>Apart from really expensive ones - is there any printer that can be
>recommended for printing the best B&W prints. There are so many on the
>market that I am lost and even the photo mags don;t seem ot give
>enough info about B&W printing when reviewing these things. I am sure
>this has been asked a thousand times. If so just point me in the
>direction of the right post that wouold be great as well.
>
>[snip]
>