Digital BW, The Print

Hi Espen,

>... now the r1800 has disappeared from the market here in Norway

I have not seen enough information on the new replacement -- the 1900 -- to
know if it uses the same carts of if Epson has gone to a new cart type that
is not available.  Note also that the pending Epson case over here may make
it harder to buy any Epson-compatible cartridges from MIS.  I'm not sure if
they will ship anything.

>so I'm looking at other solutions for good A3+ BW printing..
>The closest to the 100% carbon approach of the R1800 seems to 
>be UT-3D with R2400,

It's not really very close.  The concept of the 1800 3-MK and other 100%
carbon approaches (Eboni-6 now in my 7500 -- see
http://www.paulroark.com/BW-Info/Eboni-5.pdf ) is to get rid of the color
inks entirely.  The 2400 with the 3D inkset does not do it.


>Initially, could the UT-3D approach be too difficult for a beginner?

I originally designed the 3D to be a very small gamut B&W inkset that would
allow control of both the Lab A and B axis, within what I thought was the
"sweet spot" of the B&W tones and also allow software profiling.  I
originally called it the UT-6 inkset, because it was aimed at hextone
printers.  It also worked quite well on the 2200/2100.  At the time MIS had
a gap in it's products -- nothing for the 2400.  So, I tried it in the 2400.
It sort of worked, but barely.  Software profiling with the ColorVision
PrintFixPro will be able to give a reasonable neutral print, but for manual
profiling, which is needed for very accurate neutrals or tones outside the
neutral range, the LLK interferes so much with the underlying hextone inkset
that I just cannot recommend the 3D inkset for the 2400.

An alternative for the 2400 that is far easier and flexible, and
accomplishes the goal of getting the excess color (not all color) out of the
2400 B&W image is to simply put a light carbon ink  in the yellow spot and
use the Epson ABW mode for tone control (plus, perhaps the QTR Create ICC
for linearization).  See http://www.paulroark.com/BW-Info/2400.pdf

>... can I use UT-3D Eboni, LK, LLK with the epson color inks for
> color printing, with good results?

The 3D LK and LLK are not the same tone as the Epson or even MIS standard LK
and LLK.  So, you would probably not be able to use standard profiles and
get good colors.  The 2400 Y = Carbon approach allows you to just change the
Y-position ink and be at a full color inkset -- much easier.

> ... I'll be using (permajet delta matt fibre, at least at first)...

That's an Innova coating.  They all profile about the same.  So, which ever
route you go, find a profile for any Innova paper.  I recommend taking an
approach that allows you to make your own profiles easily.  The 2400 with
the Y=Carbon (for example MIS EZ-W) works best.  Note that I found the Epson
C86-88 yellow chip worked in the 2400 yellow spot.

Good luck with the B&W.

Paul
www.PaulRoark.com