Digital BW, The Print

Although my 7500 is back and running now, while its future was questionable,
I was exploring whether to simply buy a 4800 or 7800.  With respect to that
issue, I was using a 2400 to see what combination of inks might be the best
way to go for B&W.  Some of my results may be of interest to those with
these printers.

 

The bottom line is that "Advanced B&W" mode printing works very well with
carbon ink in the yellow position.  A second LLK (or MIS UT7 LC) works very
well, resulting in a very good ramp ("darker" and "Shadows - 10).  What this
second LLK does is not only remove the relatively weak yellow pigment from
the B&W mix, but it also results in prints that use the very minimum of the
LM and LC color pigments.  Because the carbon is, in effect, a very low
gamut yellow, the amounts of the LM and LC used to get to neutral are much
less than if the high gamut yellow was in the printer.  In a 2400, to get
back to color printing, just stick the standard yellow cart back in.

 

The Epson K3 LK and LLK are not the same as the older K2 LK.  The new LK and
LLK are much more neutral (and a bit green).  The MIS ("K4") LK and LLK are
still the more yellow color, very similar to the Epson K2 LK tone.  Because
the MIS K4 carbon inks are more yellow, the range that can be achieved with
them in the printer is greater on the warm end of the range than when the
Epson LK and LLK are used.

 

Of course, when the MIS LK and LLK are used more color is needed to achieve
a neutral print.  However, in past tests the MIS inks have still been more
lightfast.  I'll try to test this in the future.  Note that while I'm told
MIS LK and LLK are pure carbon, the Epson LK and LLK appear to be about half
carbon and half "proprietary dyes and pigments."  (See for example the MSDSs
at
http://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/support/supDetail.jsp?BV_UseBVCookie=yes
<http://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/support/supDetail.jsp?BV_UseBVCookie=yes
&oid=57105&infoType=MSDS> &oid=57105&infoType=MSDS ;  I do not have
comparable MIS sheets.)

 

At any rate, for those who want more lightfast prints from their 2400 with
the minimum of work, just pulling the yellow and sticking a second LLK in
that position (with the Y chip put on that cart) appears to be a serious
contender.  Using all the inks with the Epson driver in ABW mode at RPM
resolution produced Crane Silver Rag prints that were as good as any I've
ever seen.

 

Paul

www.PaulRoark.com <http://www.paulroark.com/>  

 

 

 



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]