Digital BW, The Print

I am currently making duotone, tritone, and quadtone images, using 
epson inks, and am wanting to get away from the apparent 
posterization and banding that I get with my amateur attempts. I also 
want to make my images more archival.

I want to be able to vary the wamth of the image tone, to accomodate 
each photgraph individually.

Considering the purchase of the Epson 2200, it occurs to me that it 
will not support any kind of continuous ink system, and that its b&w 
inks are limited to mainly neutral greys only. 

Therefore, for printing up to 13x19 inches, does the Epson 1280, 
along with some kind of 3rd party variable Quadtone inkset, still 
shine as the best solution ?

Thanks for your help and insights !

- Ken Lee

Hi Jim,

> 
> I would like to make a point in that, while I agree with the CIS/CFS
> 1280/1160 route being a cheap and proven way to go, AND that certainly
> the Epson 2200 carts will be $$$, that any economics class will
> introduce the concept of opportunity cost, which is

Actually, the definition of "opportunity cost" goes something like this:

"Something scarce can be allocated to a variety of different uses. When one
use is chosen, the opportunity cost of that choice is the value of the next
best alternative"

So, if you have $500 (something scarce) and your choices are two Epson 2200
carts @ $250 each :)  or a box of EAM for $500, and you choose to spend the
$500 on the two carts, your opportunity cost is the cost of the EAM. (The
inability to allocate scarce resources to buy it)

>hidden, non-$$ costs (like not paying $ for air poluution when you buy a car).

Actually the term for this is "externality" (actually there are positive and
negative externalities, your example is an example of a negative one). A
positive externality would be this: a darkroom printer would say "Ah, you
have to buy a computer to do your printing!" To which you would reply "I
ALREADY had the computer (for email, internet use, etc.)--it is just a bonus
that I can do my image manipulations on it". It is a positive externality
that you bought your computer for one use and derive extra utility from it.

That, however, doesn't explain the cost of Photoshop, Piezo, and the Gig of
RAM...  :)

Back to your regularly scheduled ink discussion...

Jon