Digital BW, The Print

I've been having great fun with the r220, and I'm ready to upgrade to the 2200 or r2400 so I 
can make larger prints.  I can get a refurbished 2200 for $450, and the r2400 goes for $800 
or so.  I plan on using both of them for B&W output, and if I got the 2200 I would also buy 
the MIS inks (about $100) and QTR ($50).  So when I add those variables, the price difference 
really comes out to about $200.

What are the other main differences between the 2200 and r2400?  I know the K3 inks are 
more archival than the inks in the 2200, but I will be using the MIS inks in the 2200 so I'm 
not sure how much of an issue that is.

Thanks for your help,
Chris

I have both the 2400 and 2200 in my office now.  The 2200 was stored in a
warehouse for a while and needed a lot of work to get it un-clogged.  So, it
may not be in the best possible condition.  However, with that caveat, the
2400 I'm using can make better prints than the 2200.  Under a loupe, the
2200 exhibits some microbanding , which is typical of most Epson printers
I've had.  The 2400 at RPM makes the best Crane Silver Rag prints if not the
best prints on any paper, that I've ever seen.

 

Paul

www.PaulRoark.com <http://www.paulroark.com/>  

 

 

  _____  

From: DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com
[mailto:DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of
chriskjezp
Sent: Friday, September 08, 2006 9:17 AM
To: DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Digital BW] 2200 (refurbed) vs. r2400

 

I've been having great fun with the r220, and I'm ready to upgrade to the
2200 or r2400 so I 
can make larger prints. I can get a refurbished 2200 for $450, and the r2400
goes for $800 
or so. I plan on using both of them for B&W output, and if I got the 2200 I
would also buy 
the MIS inks (about $100) and QTR ($50). So when I add those variables, the
price difference 
really comes out to about $200.

What are the other main differences between the 2200 and r2400? I know the
K3 inks are 
more archival than the inks in the 2200, but I will be using the MIS inks in
the 2200 so I'm 
not sure how much of an issue that is.

Thanks for your help,
Chris

 



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

I forgot to ask: how would the ink costs compare between these two printers?

Hello Chris,

>What are the other main differences between the 2200 and r2400?  
>I know the K3 inks are more archival than the inks in the 2200, 
>but I will be using the MIS inks in the 2200 so I'm 
>not sure how much of an issue that is.

The K3 inks do a better job of making a BW print with color inks,
because of using 3 blacks.  Plus, it does it with it's own driver (ABW
mode).  The 2200 driver can't make good BW with its color inks.  It
requires a RIP to do it, and IMO the results arent as good as the
2400.  In addition, on glossy papers with PK there is less bronzing. 
Also, the K3 inks will work better on Silver Rag.

However, if you don't want to use color inks and will use a MIS
grayscale set, then the differences between them are much smaller. 
Both will require a RIP.

So I think the first decision is color inks vs grayscale ink.


Regards,
Clayton


Info on black and white digital printing at    
http://www.cjcom.net/digiprnarts.htm

> However, if you don't want to use color inks and will use a MIS
> grayscale set, then the differences between them are much smaller. 
> Both will require a RIP.
> 
> So I think the first decision is color inks vs grayscale ink.


Clayton,

Thanks for your reply - it makes the choice much more clear.  I'm fairly certain that if I 
invest that much $$ in a printer, I'd like to be able to make great color prints as well.  I'll 
still have an r220 for B&W only.  

I notice it's about $130 to for a set of Epson K3 inks, and from what I understand they 
don't last too long.  Yikes!  I've heard a little bit about the MIS K4 inks, spongeless carts, 
etc.  Do you know the advantages/disadvantages of going in that direction?  I gather the 
K4 ink is a bit cheaper, especially if I buy it in large bottles.

Also, I see that QTR is available for the r2400.  But from what I gather, the ABW sliders in 
the Epson driver perform essentially the same function as the RIP would.  Is that right?

Thanks again,
Chris

Hello Chris,

>Thanks for your reply - it makes the choice much more clear.  I'm 
>fairly certain that if I invest that much $$ in a printer, I'd like 
>to be able to make great color prints as well.  I'll still have an 
>r220 for B&W only.  

 
>I notice it's about $130 to for a set of Epson K3 inks, 

That's at full retail.  They are $11.90 each from atlex.com (good
paper prices and quick service, too).


>...and from what I understand they don't last too long.  

Do you mean in the sense of carts being small or it puts more ink on
the paper?


>I've heard a little bit about the MIS K4 inks, spongeless carts, 
>etc.  Do you know the advantages/disadvantages of going in that
direction?  

Well it's certainly cheaper, but of course you have to mess with
refilling carts.  People who use it say it looks great.  It's just
wherever you place the most value.  I am always extremely busy (self
employed) and time is at a high premium.  Since I sell prints, the
photography pays for itself, so it's worth it to me to use the K3
carts and avoid refilling (I do refill my R200 carts with R2 ink). 
But everyone is going to have their own cost/benefit equation.


>Also, I see that QTR is available for the r2400.  But from what I 
>gather, the ABW sliders in the Epson driver perform essentially the 
>same function as the RIP would.  Is that right?

Yes, exactly, and it does an excellent job.  But (there's always a
but), ABW includes the Yellow ink, which is not as lightfast as the
others.  Some people use QTR so as to eliminate the Yellow.  However
another alternative is to put MIS K4 LLK in the Y position.  I haven't
tried it yet, but Paul says it works very well.  That increases the
longevity and still allows using ABW (which IMO is a dream come true).
 But (!), of course then you can't make color prints.

How big an issue the yellow ink is is, again, a personal call. 
Wilhelm Research, at
       http://www.wilhelm-research.com/epson/R2400.html
on Page 3 of 9, rates BW prints using K3/2400 inks as follows,
depending on the paper:

Framed under normal glass: 110 to >205 years
Framed under UV glass: 110 to >300 years
In dark album storage: > 200 years

That's good enough for me, so I don't worry about it.

However it's used, the 2400 is a dynamite printer.  Hard to go wrong


Regards,
Clayton


Info on black and white digital printing at    
http://www.cjcom.net/digiprnarts.htm