Digital BW, The Print

> ... the 220 prints SO well that I am tempted to buy a second
> one and put it away as a backup. The place I bought mine from still
> sells them for $69. It's a steal.
> 

For what it's worth, dedicated B7W inks and BO also appear to be more
lightfast than the 10 times more expensive 2400 printer's "Advanced B&W"
output.  Carbon is the most lightfast of the pigments, and the 2400, 4800,
and other K3 printers use more color inks than are needed just to neutralize
the carbon.  See a close-up scan of a 4800 "Advanced B&W" mode print here:
http://home1.gte.net/res09aij/4800_ABW_5-10_1600scan.jpg

Due to the use of more than the minimum amount of color and due to the
dedicated B&W inksets blending the color they do use with carbon so that
carbon as opposed to just paper backs up the color pigments, my fade tests
show a substantial advantage to the dedicated B&W inksets.  See
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint/message/71745 

So, while the 2400, k3 approach is very convenient for those who do both
color and B&W printing, for the B&W purist the dedicated B&W inksets would
appear to still have a significant edge.

Paul
www.PaulRoark.com