Digital BW, The Print

I apologize if this is too far off topic but there seems to be a lot of
discussion on Epson printers and ink. I also realize this printer is mainly
for color but I would think it could be used for B & W.

Since I am a photographer I have been seeing a lot of ads and articles about
this system, I personally am not interested because I do not have the volume
to support it, but I am curious as to what printers, inks, etc they are
using.

This is a dual printer ink jet package which includes the whole system in a
roll around case, it includes everything from the Mac networked to PC
software to make it work and help in setting it up. It prints on two
seperate printers using 8x10 and 13x19 paper.

They say it prints "professional" photo portrait quality with great skin
tones and little if any metamerism problems.

It is not for sale, you have a one time fee of $5000.00 which includes
deleviery and a minimum monthly royalty of $800.00 They say depending on
volume an 8x10 unit will run $2.00 to $4.00.

After following this list for some time, and reading all of the attendant
problems with papers, ink, longivity, metamerism, etc. it looks to me like
this is one dangerous thing for photographers to buy into. If this high
volume ink jet printing exhibits any of the past problems like those
discussed here, there is going to be hell to pay from photography clients
when their prints start having problems.

Just a thought,

John in OKC
Also posted on epson printers

Jack,

If nothing else, I would certainly want to see some user reports 
before I signed up for that kind of financial commitment. For a lot 
of commercial work where you really only need proof copies of photos 
that are ultimately meant for reproduction in magazines things like 
this may make sense.

I keep hearing rumors about a 7 color (CcMmYKk) Epson printer aimed 
at the dual B&W and color market. Interesting times ahead no doubt.

(By the way, color printers are not off topic here, since many are 
using them to print monochrome prints.)

Martin Wesley

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y..., "JackG" <jackg@p...> wrote:
> I apologize if this is too far off topic but there seems to be a 
lot of
> discussion on Epson printers and ink. I also realize this printer 
is mainly
> for color but I would think it could be used for B & W.
> 
> Since I am a photographer I have been seeing a lot of ads and 
articles about
> this system, I personally am not interested because I do not have 
the volume
> to support it, but I am curious as to what printers, inks, etc they 
are
> using.
> 
> This is a dual printer ink jet package which includes the whole 
system in a
> roll around case, it includes everything from the Mac networked to 
PC
> software to make it work and help in setting it up. It prints on two
> seperate printers using 8x10 and 13x19 paper.
> 
> They say it prints "professional" photo portrait quality with great 
skin
> tones and little if any metamerism problems.
> 
> It is not for sale, you have a one time fee of $5000.00 which 
includes
> deleviery and a minimum monthly royalty of $800.00 They say 
depending on
> volume an 8x10 unit will run $2.00 to $4.00.
> 
(snip)

>Since I am a photographer I have been seeing a lot of ads and articles about
>this system, I personally am not interested because I do not have the volume
>to support it, but I am curious as to what printers, inks, etc they are
>using.

The Epson Gemini uses two Epson 5500 printers in a custom cabinet that
also includes a PC print server for the two printers. It uses software
running on a Mac set up the prints to be sent to the print server. I
looked at this system a few months ago and was disappointed in the almost
total lack of color management/calibration for it.

cort anderson
www.trwheels.com