Digital BW, The Print

I am currently use the 2200 but am considering to purchase one of the newer 
generation Epsons to be able to print glossy and mat without the need to switch ink 
cartridges and to use the advanced B&W driver.  I would opt for the 4000 if it wasn't for 
the cartridge switching issue (I am not interested in the "phatte black" imageprint option).  
Appart from the obvious differences in paper and cartridge size are there any differences 
in image quality between prints produced by these printers using the advanced B&W 
driver.  I have read that the 4000 is manufactured with a tighter degree of quality control 
and that each machine is individually calibrated.  Does this translate to superior B&W 
output in the real world?  Opinoins from members who have actually used both printers 
would be greatly appreciated.
Marc.

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "marcsienicki" 
<marcsienicki@y...> wrote:
>
> I am currently use the 2200 but am considering to purchase one of the newer 
> generation Epsons to be able to print glossy and mat without the need to switch ink 
> cartridges and to use the advanced B&W driver.  I would opt for the 4000 if it wasn't for 
> the cartridge switching issue (I am not interested in the "phatte black" imageprint 
option).  
> Appart from the obvious differences in paper and cartridge size are there any 
differences 
> in image quality between prints produced by these printers using the advanced B&W 
> driver.  I have read that the 4000 is manufactured with a tighter degree of quality 
control 
> and that each machine is individually calibrated.  Does this translate to superior B&W 
> output in the real world?  Opinoins from members who have actually used both printers 
> would be greatly appreciated.
> Marc.
>

You do not need to swap out carts with the 4000, you do with the 4800..
There is no advanced B&W in the 4000. It uses two blacks at a time. The 4800 uses three, 
this in combination with the new advanced B&W option in the driver results in the superior 
B&W performance of the 4800 over the 4000.
All this assumes limiting options to the supplied Epson solutions.

Tyler

Sorry, I've made a typo.  I meant to ask about B&W print quality differences between the 
2400 and 4800 printers.
Marc


--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Tyler Boley" <tyler@t...> wrote:
>
> --- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "marcsienicki" 
> <marcsienicki@y...> wrote:
> >
> > I am currently use the 2200 but am considering to purchase one of the newer 
> > generation Epsons to be able to print glossy and mat without the need to switch ink 
> > cartridges and to use the advanced B&W driver.  I would opt for the 4000 if it wasn't 
for 
> > the cartridge switching issue (I am not interested in the "phatte black" imageprint 
> option).  
> > Appart from the obvious differences in paper and cartridge size are there any 
> differences 
> > in image quality between prints produced by these printers using the advanced B&W 
> > driver.  I have read that the 4000 is manufactured with a tighter degree of quality 
> control 
> > and that each machine is individually calibrated.  Does this translate to superior B&W 
> > output in the real world?  Opinoins from members who have actually used both 
printers 
> > would be greatly appreciated.
> > Marc.
> >
> 
> You do not need to swap out carts with the 4000, you do with the 4800..
> There is no advanced B&W in the 4000. It uses two blacks at a time. The 4800 uses 
three, 
> this in combination with the new advanced B&W option in the driver results in the 
superior 

> B&W performance of the 4800 over the 4000.
> All this assumes limiting options to the supplied Epson solutions.
> 
> Tyler
>

Marc,

I currently use a 4800 and previously used the 2200. I think the main
difference in quality with the new printers (inks) is the lack of
bronzing and metamerism on glossy papers. I could never get what I
considered to be really great results with the 2200 (for B&W). With
the 4800, it has become almost effortless. The ABW driver in the Epson
software does, in my opinion, an excellent job. The B&W prints are
completely neutral, absolutely no metamerism, and the bronzing is all
but eliminated. I've heard some folks say that on matte papers, the
difference is not all that much. However, I think one reason a lot of
fine art photo printers chose to use matte papers in the first place
was the poor quality obtained on glossy papers with previous inkjets.
That is really no longer the case, and I think you'll see a lot of
photographers going back to the more "traditional" look of the
glossier papers. I know I have, and my clients have responded very
well. Again, this is all very much my opinion and I'm sure there are
many others who disagree, however, hope it helps.

Ben

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "bghess_sp"
<bghess_sp@y...> wrote:
> ... I think the main
> difference in quality with the new printers (inks) is the lack of
> bronzing and metamerism on glossy papers. I could never get what I
> considered to be really great results with the 2200 (for B&W). With
> the 4800, it has become almost effortless. The ABW driver in the Epson
> software does, in my opinion, an excellent job. The B&W prints are
> completely neutral, absolutely no metamerism, and the bronzing is >
>all  but eliminated.
> Ben

I used an Epson 4000 until recently, now have the 7800, and I also
still have my B/W darkroom and enlarger.  I agree with the above post
by Ben.  Results from the 7800 (or I assume the 4800) are great on
glossy paper.  I used Roy Harrington's Quadtone Rip with the 4000 but
my prints still suffered from bronzing (luster or glossy papers).  The
new K3 inks have eliminated that problem (only used the ABW mode so
far).  Also, I find that gloss differential can be eliminated by
spraying with Premier Art Print Shield.
Ken