Digital BW, The Print

eappert wrote:
> Hello, 
> 
> I am just sitting down with the HP Z3100. This is my first non Epson 
> printer and I'm feeling a little lost. I confess that the whole issue 
> of bronzing is an unwelcome surprise that's taking me a back three 
> years or more. I was sure that this issue was behind us. The bronzing 
> effect on semi gloss and gloss papers without the Gloss Enhance 
> option seems extreme to me. I would have to go back as far as the Pro 
> Stylus 7500 to get such a radical bronzing effect. Its not just 
> restricted to highlight areas but gives a bronze cast to all ink 
> densities when viewed at an angle. HP recommends greyscale printing 
> using the "standard" preset which appears to impose a "whole page 
> gloss enhance" This gloss enhance acts like a varnish or lamination 
> which fogs the paper and turns it slightly green. This obviously 
> reduces the brilliance of the print and shifts the colour slightly. 
> Setting the gloss enhance to Econo mode seems to back it off base 
> white and restrict the coating to the image perimeters but still 
> covers all densities up to but not including 255.  
> 
> Am I missing something or is this primarily an archival matte printer?
> 
> eugene 

I wouldn't call it primarily an archival matte printer with 
that gloss enhancer aboard. Of the pigment inkjet printers 
available right now it probably is the best solution for 
gloss. Customised dedicated B&W gloss printers with gloss 
enhancer or varnish applied afterwards may be a little better.

The Z3100 is very good with matte papers and B&W. It is very
good with satin and gloss RC papers + the gloss enhancer for
B&W.  It is good with the Fiber Base papers with gloss
enhancer if the paper transport doesn't put its marks on the
coating surface. It gives bronzing and gloss difference
without the gloss enhancer on the gloss and satin papers so one
uses gloss enhancer. The gloss enhancer is not completely
clear but I do not find that a problem on RC papers and not
on the Sihl Fiber Base Baryta (satin). With other printers 
the need to spray or coat an extra varnish layer has been 
discussed enough here and the MIS gloss enhancer as used by 
some in their printers isn't totally clear either.


-- 
Met vriendelijke groeten,  Ernst


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