Digital BW, The Print

In a message dated 11/27/06 11:07:32 AM, picnic@... writes:


> I'm going to ask a dumbie question here. 
> 

Not dumb, just really broad...

>  Having been a mono printer for
> years, but without using a toned inkset, I'd like to know what the
> alternatives are today with the newest printers.  I suppose I should add
> 'reasonably priced' but one person's reasonable is another person's 'way out
> of range', so I guess its fairest to just ask for alternatives and leave the
> 'reasonable' up to each individual.  I'm referencing David's post but
> changing the subject (knowing, as several of you say here, that he does have
> a dog in this fight LOL).
> 
> I have several dogs, and not all on the same team, actually. And this looks 
more like Doggie Daycare than a dogfight, most of the time. <G>

It can probably be split and organized a number of ways. But you said newest 
printers, so I'll try to stick to the solutions for the latest printers with 
at least two levels of gray:

OEM Only: This means using the manufacturer's inks (or something darned 
close), and whatever B&W printing method they provide. Not bad, but there a lack of 
controls, no cross-tints, no preview, and some other advanced complaints. 
This is certainly a good place to start if you buy an Epson 
2400/3800/4800/7800/9800, any Canon iPF printer, or either width of HP Z3100. This list is a bit   
short on smaller models, but the only other "dog" in that category is the new 
HP B9180, and it IS NOT a two gray printer, so its not quite in the category I 
describe above, and its B&W mode is fixed, single tone, neutrality defined by 
the paper involved. So no tintability, without using color mode, which 
creates its light grays from Light Cyan, Light Magenta, and Yellow, as earlier 
Epsons did.

OEM inks, RIP control: This used to offer more improvement than it does 
today, as OEM drivers learn most of the tricks that were advantages for the RIPs 
previously. I don't expect to see this gaining a lot of new users, mostly those 
who already own a RIP, and prefer the convenience of its layout capabilities. 
I have NO IDEA which RIPs currently support which new printers and which 
inksets, and don't even want to try to keep such a list in my head. Research is 
necessary, and a few users you trust who are already using a specific combo 
successfully!

Tinted Inks, RIP control: again, not as much advantage as it used to offer 
over OEM inks, since the OEM inks now use grays for the core of their B&W 
output. Can be viewed as creamier, more detailed, or otherwise superior to OEM inks, 
expecially at very close range, due to more grays to work with. How the RIP 
and inks interact determine what is needed to control tints. Can be as simple 
as choosing an item from a popdown list, or as complex as building a small 
boat...

And now to the variations that could be viewed as "my dogs" on this list:

OEM Inks, ICC control: Same limitations as any OEM inks choice, in terms of 
only two grays, and slightly "thinner" resulting prints, for those situations 
where this might be a factor. Same advantages of both color and all types of B&
W from one printer. Added advantages of standard ICC workflow like color 
images, preview of images like color via ICC, easy tinting, and visual feedback on 
it. Requires an ICC tool, ideally one that has B&W features. Not too many of 
those out there at the moment...

Tinted Inks, ICC Control: Avoids that issue of "thinness" in gray printing, 
but also limits printer to only gray and tinted gray prints. Offers many of the 
ICC advantages of the category above. Gamut limited to inkset's range. Even 
smaller choice of inksets and ICC tools to do this; in fact at the moment, I 
can't guarantee anything except PrintFIX PRO 2.0, and MIS UT3D; and there are 
limited printers supported by this inkset, at this time. There are a couple of 
simple OEM driver tinted sets that just used canned settings or profiles, but 
they are really beginners sets, and as an advanced user, they probably wouldn't 
interest you, and aren't for the latest printers. (anything with EZ in the 
name... <G>)

I can't think of any other categories, but I may have missed one...

So at the moment, I would recommend starting out with an Epson 2400 or 3800 
as the low end threshold, trying its AWB mode, and then moving forward as you 
see fit into one or another of the other options. Keep in mind that this is 
based on you specifying the latest printers.

C. David Tobie
Product Technology Manager
ColorVision Business Unit
Datacolor Inc.
CDTobie@...
www.colorvision.com



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