Digital BW, The Print

Bernhard,

You wrote:

>is there actually an "affordable" Epson Printer that has about the same
>quality as - lets say - an 1160 but goes up to A2?
>... The 7000 series makes bigger prints and is way too expensive ...

I use both the 1160 and 3000 with the MIS VM system.  The 3000 does have
more visible dots, but in my display prints only those who get their noses
in the print ever notice them.  I use medium format cameras with Tmax 100,
and the grain of the Tmax 100 (or any other film with he possible exception
of Tech Pan) is FAR more of a problem to image quality than are the 3000's
dots.  In real-world display prints, the dots are a total non-issue for me.
The 3000 is still a great work-horse.

(By the way, the Nikon 8000's GEM grain reduction system works wonders with
T400CN film [and XP2, no doubt].  This film may become my standard.
However, the medium format film is still, in my opinion, the weak link in
16x20 inch or A2 display prints, not the 3000.)

I distributed samples of the 3000 output with the various tone curves with
the first print exchange.  I'm not sure if you were in that or not.  If not,
some on this group who were might want to comment on the quality.

I'm happy to send samples, but I need my costs covered.  ($5 in my PayPal
account for an 8x10 that has 4 images of Oceano Dunes with the 4 curves.  I
think that image, with its foggy sky, shows the dots -- or relative lack
thereof -- rather well.)

Bottom line -- the 3000 is an excellent, affordable way to get terrific
display prints on your walls, but don't expect state of the art postcards.

Paul
http://www.PaulRoark.com