Digital BW, The Print

I stumbled across this on dpreview:

http://www.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1000&message=3613378

Reading down through the thread it happens on Somerset and Hahnumule 
photorag with the matte black ink only, no one says if it's a problem 
with the 2200, but Epson has apparently confirmed the problem on the 
larger printers. If you go towards the bottom of thread to the post 
titled "conclusion" it gives a lot of facts. And it seems to happen 
with alternate RIPS.

I don't know anything about this personally, it jyust looked like 
something worthwhile to post.
Jim H.

So has anyone had a chance yet to check this out yet? I don't want to 
start any rumors, but the source says that Epson did confirm it on 
both the 7600 and 9600 and has no solution other than changing paper 
coating/weight.

I'm thinking of buying a 2200 but not if it has the same problem, 
which no one has been able to confirm yet. And esp. as it affects 
Photorag.

It would look really ugly to have a section of 100%k on a print that 
had the criss crossed grid pattern described in the link to the 
thread...
Jim H.





--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y..., "jim hayes" <jimhayes@f...> 
wrote:
> I stumbled across this on dpreview:
> 
> http://www.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1000&message=3613378
> 
> Reading down through the thread it happens on Somerset and Hahnumule 
> photorag with the matte black ink only, no one says if it's a 
problem 

> with the 2200, but Epson has apparently confirmed the problem on the 
> larger printers. If you go towards the bottom of thread to the post 
> titled "conclusion" it gives a lot of facts. And it seems to happen 
> with alternate RIPS.
> 
> I don't know anything about this personally, it jyust looked like 
> something worthwhile to post.
> Jim H.

I suspect that the original post is bogus.

Firstly, the post says that the person had the problem with 
somersest velvet: and now Hanamuhle is dragged in.

All I can say is that I have been printing 36 x 48 on Photo Rag 
and have no problems with squares.  I have problems with 
triangles. 

Just kidding.

Bryan Whitney

Chris Bair at TSS photo confirms the problem too. It is a question of 
paper that just doesn't work well in the printers. Paper with the 
Epson name on it from Somerset. I still can't get a fix on what paper 
it is, apparently one of the Somerset offerings offered in 255gsm roll 
form.


Chris has a theory that the paper becomes saturated with ink and 
starts to buckle slightly. Since the paper is no longer flat, the head 
hits it, causing the grid pattern to print roughly every 1.5 inch in 
wavy , not quite striaght line grid pattern.


The solution is to either switch papers to something that works, or 
use a thicker version of the paper. Apparently just one or two papers 
cause problems...


Rather than spread innacurate rumors I suggest reading the original 
thread:

http://www.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1000&message=3613378

and decide for yourself. 

Someone had mentioned that photorag was also affected but Chris does 
not mention this and Bryan apparently has no problem using it. I don't 
know what thicknesses Bryan is using and whether that would influence 
the problem as it does with the Somerset.

If someone has an 2200 and cares to run the test outlined in the 
thread, can you verify whether it occurs with 2200 as well? I suspect 
it would, as it is paper/ink, not printer specific.
Jim H.






--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y..., "bryanwhitney" 
<bryanwhitney@m...> wrote:

> I suspect that the original post is bogus.
> 
> Firstly, the post says that the person had the problem with 
> somersest velvet: and now Hanamuhle is dragged in.
> 
> All I can say is that I have been printing 36 x 48 on Photo Rag 
> and have no problems with squares.  I have problems with 
> triangles. 
> 
> Just kidding.
> 
> Bryan Whitney