Digital BW, The Print

In a message dated 10/27/07 3:46:08 PM, k.kramer@... writes:


> This group seems to be very Epson-centric.  Both the Canon PIXMA
> Pro9500 and the HP B9180 have gotten some good reviews.  (See the
> current Shutterbug magazine for a review of the Canon.)  Are any of
> the subscribers to this group using these new printers?  Or are the
> Epson products just that much better?
> 
I've spent time profiling and printing with both of these printers. Neither 
one offers two grays, as the Epson 2400/3800 etc... do. The HP B9180 prints its 
light grays, in color mode, using CMY inks, so the consistancy of its   
neutrality inevitably suffers. In grayscale mode, it uses only its one gray and two 
black inks (one black, on some media). This produces less tonal shift, but 
stretches the single gray ink all the way to white. 

The PRO9500 has only a single gray and should suffer similarly, but I fail to 
be able to detect any tonal shifts in grayscale prints made in the color 
mode. This makes me quite curious about how grays are printed in this mode. 
Results are very detailed, very smooth, and very consistantly neutral, quite similar 
to Epson two-gray prints made in color mode with a B&W profile. However, the 
PRO9500 lacks the Red, Green, and Blue inks in the wideformat Canons, and the 
reds available on art paper from Canon's Magenta and Yellow inks are very 
dull. 

Its great to see HP and Canon making significant challenges to Epson's 
market, but I depending on your printing methods, and expectations, in this size 
range the Epsons are still ahead in some details.

C. David Tobie
Product Technology Manager
ColorVision Business Division
DataColor Inc.
CDTobie@...
www.colorvision.com


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