Digital BW, The Print

As you folks may know, Epson just released a new 8.5" printer in 
Japan that has 8 colors, including red, blue, and 'gloss optimizer'.  
Now, unexpectedly, they've announced it's going to be released in the 
US as the R800 (though not until Feb 2004).

Why am I mentioning this in a B&W forum?  Well, because the printer 
can print 1.5 picoliter droplets and does not include light C,M, and 
K carts.  Obviously the 'gloss' cart should really help with the 
bronzing problem, and the R and B inks should improve gamut, but I'm 
assuming they were able to eliminate the lighter carts because the 
droplets have gotten so small.  Or, at least, I'm wondering if that's 
true.

Anyway, if so, it would seem to offer another option for B&W printing 
without metamerism, for those that don't care for the current look 
of 'black only' prints I mean.  Assuming, of course, that the small 
droplets eliminate what some people feel are the drawbacks of BO 
printing.  (Which is not a criticism of BO printing, just an 
acknowledgment that some people don't prefer it at its current state.)

Of course, I don't know it any of this is true, and it won't really 
matter that much to most of us until these features migrate into 
larger printers, yet I thought it was kind of interesting.

Again, just thinking aloud, now that I've come to find this subject 
so interesting.

Mike

OK, to follow up on my own post, I found this comment from someone 
who actually owns the PX-G900, which is the Japanese equivalent of 
the R800 I mentioned:

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1013&message=6402074

One comment is hardly conclusive, but it at least supports my 
suspicion that B&W might be improved.  This person indicated B&W 
coparable to a 2200 with IP (no metamerism).  Though he did seem to 
be printing in color, not BO as I was talking about.

Anyway, that's enough about printers that aren't available yet.  Back 
to figuring out what I'm going to print with in the present.

Mike


--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Mike Botelho" 
<mfractl@h...> wrote:
> 
> As you folks may know, Epson just released a new 8.5" printer in 
> Japan that has 8 colors, including red, blue, and 'gloss 
optimizer'.  
> Now, unexpectedly, they've announced it's going to be released in 
the 
> US as the R800 (though not until Feb 2004).
> 
> Why am I mentioning this in a B&W forum?  Well, because the printer 
> can print 1.5 picoliter droplets and does not include light C,M, 
and 
> K carts.  Obviously the 'gloss' cart should really help with the 
> bronzing problem, and the R and B inks should improve gamut, but 
I'm 
> assuming they were able to eliminate the lighter carts because the 
> droplets have gotten so small.  Or, at least, I'm wondering if 
that's 
> true.
> 
> Anyway, if so, it would seem to offer another option for B&W 
printing 
> without metamerism, for those that don't care for the current look 
> of 'black only' prints I mean.  Assuming, of course, that the small 
> droplets eliminate what some people feel are the drawbacks of BO 
> printing.  (Which is not a criticism of BO printing, just an 
> acknowledgment that some people don't prefer it at its current 
state.)

> 
> Of course, I don't know it any of this is true, and it won't really 
> matter that much to most of us until these features migrate into 
> larger printers, yet I thought it was kind of interesting.
> 
> Again, just thinking aloud, now that I've come to find this subject 
> so interesting.
> 
> Mike