Digital BW, The Print

Until the end of this month, the 1280 can be had for $299. I have one
now, mounted on my Win2K machine with a CFS and Gen2 pigments. My
1160, with MIS VM (and Paul's curves) has given me some memorable B&W,
but it has just collapsed. Now that the new cartridges are available
for the 1280, I'm tempted to replace the 1160 with a new 1280, using
COLOURED inks -- MIS' pigments probably -- IJC & OPM, and my Eye-One
Photo, to experiment with a do-it-all printer. I have the impression
from Lou Dina's generous contributions to the list that this combo
will permit B&W and colour from one printer with no sacrifice in
quality. Have I got it right? Do any third-party bulk inks especially
recommend themselves to this project?
Bob Bollini

Hi Bob.

I'm using a 2200 with the standard UC inkset and IJC/OPM.  I have 
never used a dedicated quad inkset for B&W, so I'm not sure what I am 
missing.  My initial plan was to buy a new larger printer for color 
work and install a dedicated B&W inkset, probably MIS UT7, inks in my 
2200.  However, I have put this on the back burner for now for a 
number of reasons.

First, I am getting awesome B&W and toned monochrome prints from the 
UC inkset, on both matte and glossy papers using IJC/OPM with the UC 
inks.  Great Dmax, perfectly neutral (as measured by my Eye One), 
great tonal separation, etc.  My current ink profiles don't use 
yellow (except for the sepia profile) and I haven't experienced any 
metamerism in my prints, which was one of my main concerns.  I've 
done quite a bit of wet B&W darkroom work and I am very happy with my 
current setup.  Perhaps the UT7 inkset will improve on this, but I 
can't imagine by much.

Second, I have seen way too many complaints about clogged nozzles, 
poor QA, wrong inks, defective cartridges, etc.  I'm sure the bulk of 
users have no complaints and this is a relatively small percentage, 
but it is clear there are still quite a few people having problems.

Third, I don't really want to be swapping inks back and forth.  I 
like being able to switch from color to B&W and not have to change 
inks.  I do a lot of color and B&W.

Finally, if I don't have to buy a new printer, I save myself a few 
thousand dollars, since I am looking at an Epson 4000 or larger.

Perhaps the dedicated inks will provide marginal improvements in 
quality, and it is probably worth trying, especially with the easy 
fill carts.  But with IJC/OPM and good profiles, the color inkset 
provides marvelous B&W output.  Perhaps some dedicated quad ink users 
will provide additional feedback.  Regardless of the inkset chosen, 
IJC/OPM can give you great profiles and great prints.

Hope this helps.  

Lou

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "p5198" 
<rbollini@n...> wrote:
> 
> Until the end of this month, the 1280 can be had for $299. I have 
one
> now, mounted on my Win2K machine with a CFS and Gen2 pigments. My
> 1160, with MIS VM (and Paul's curves) has given me some memorable 
B&W,
> but it has just collapsed. Now that the new cartridges are available
> for the 1280, I'm tempted to replace the 1160 with a new 1280, using
> COLOURED inks -- MIS' pigments probably -- IJC & OPM, and my Eye-One
> Photo, to experiment with a do-it-all printer. I have the impression
> from Lou Dina's generous contributions to the list that this combo
> will permit B&W and colour from one printer with no sacrifice in
> quality. Have I got it right? Do any third-party bulk inks 
especially
> recommend themselves to this project?
> Bob Bollini

Hello Bob,

I don't think an all-in-one solution is possible with the 1280 which
doesn't have a light black cartridge. With the 2200 with the LK
cartridge you can do these two things:

1. Create color profiles using Eye-One for color prints
2. Use IJC/OPM or QTR to create gray profiles using only PK or MK and
LK and the various color inks for toning.

However with the 1280 you can use IJC/OPM or QTR to create black-only
profiles with of course color inks for toning.

--nick

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "p5198"
<rbollini@n...> wrote:
> 
> Until the end of this month, the 1280 can be had for $299. I have
one
> now, mounted on my Win2K machine with a CFS and Gen2 pigments. My
> 1160, with MIS VM (and Paul's curves) has given me some memorable
B&W,
> but it has just collapsed. Now that the new cartridges are available
> for the 1280, I'm tempted to replace the 1160 with a new 1280, using
> COLOURED inks -- MIS' pigments probably -- IJC & OPM, and my Eye-One
> Photo, to experiment with a do-it-all printer. I have the impression
> from Lou Dina's generous contributions to the list that this combo
> will permit B&W and colour from one printer with no sacrifice in
> quality. Have I got it right? Do any third-party bulk inks
especially
> recommend themselves to this project?
> Bob Bollini

I have not created profiles without using the LK ink in my 2200.  But 
with the 1280 you still have C,M,Y,K,LC,LM inks to work with.  You 
should be able to blend LC, LM and Y inks to achieve neutral grays in 
the lighter tones.  I hesitate to say it is not possible, but you 
will have to rely more on colored inks to come up with a neutral 
blend.  You might even be able to mix a small amount of K in the 
lighter shades.  After all, a lot of people do black only printing.  
I suspect it can be done with pretty good results.

Lou

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Nick H. Nugent" 
<nghin@p...> wrote:
> 
> Hello Bob,
> 
> I don't think an all-in-one solution is possible with the 1280 which
> doesn't have a light black cartridge. With the 2200 with the LK
> cartridge you can do these two things:
> 
> 1. Create color profiles using Eye-One for color prints
> 2. Use IJC/OPM or QTR to create gray profiles using only PK or MK 
and
> LK and the various color inks for toning.
> 
> However with the 1280 you can use IJC/OPM or QTR to create black-
only
> profiles with of course color inks for toning.
> 
> --nick
> 
> --- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "p5198"
> <rbollini@n...> wrote:
> > 
> > Until the end of this month, the 1280 can be had for $299. I have
> one
> > now, mounted on my Win2K machine with a CFS and Gen2 pigments. My
> > 1160, with MIS VM (and Paul's curves) has given me some memorable
> B&W,
> > but it has just collapsed. Now that the new cartridges are 
available
> > for the 1280, I'm tempted to replace the 1160 with a new 1280, 
using
> > COLOURED inks -- MIS' pigments probably -- IJC & OPM, and my Eye-
One
> > Photo, to experiment with a do-it-all printer. I have the 
impression

> > from Lou Dina's generous contributions to the list that this combo
> > will permit B&W and colour from one printer with no sacrifice in
> > quality. Have I got it right? Do any third-party bulk inks
> especially
> > recommend themselves to this project?
> > Bob Bollini

Lou...Your current satisfaction level is so high, I question whether 
you should fool around with anything else.  A trouble-free system 
that produces results you are happy with is as good as gold.  When 
you start tinkering you are likely to have problems.

IMO, save your money for another link in your system, like cameras 
or lenses and spend the time you would save getting a new system up 
and de-bugged on taking some great images!!!

Best...Val

"Louis Dina" <lbdina@c...> wrote:

> First, I am getting awesome B&W and toned monochrome prints from 
the 
> UC inkset, on both matte and glossy papers using IJC/OPM with the 
UC 
> inks.  Great Dmax, perfectly neutral (as measured by my Eye One), 
> great tonal separation, etc.

Val,

I have put a new printer on the back burner for now, for just the 
reasons you site.  Now I have to decide which new toys to buy.  Life 
is tough! :O)

Lou

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Val Brunell" 
<vbrunell@d...> wrote:
> 
> Lou...Your current satisfaction level is so high, I question 
whether 

> you should fool around with anything else.  A trouble-free system 
> that produces results you are happy with is as good as gold.  When 
> you start tinkering you are likely to have problems.
> 
> IMO, save your money for another link in your system, like cameras 
> or lenses and spend the time you would save getting a new system up 
> and de-bugged on taking some great images!!!
> 
> Best...Val
> 
> "Louis Dina" <lbdina@c...> wrote:
> 
> > First, I am getting awesome B&W and toned monochrome prints from 
> the 
> > UC inkset, on both matte and glossy papers using IJC/OPM with the 
> UC 
> > inks.  Great Dmax, perfectly neutral (as measured by my Eye One), 
> > great tonal separation, etc.