Digital BW, The Print

Anyone have any info - confirmed data - wild rumors - regarding new
printers from EPSON this spring - summer - next year (2009) - that
might   justify delaying purchase of a 3800 - 

Yes - everything is obsolete as soon as you buy it - but not polling
an expert group - would be opportunity missed - 

Any feedback appreciated - 

HBH

Here is a well know "rumours page"

http://www.northlight-images.co.uk/printers/epson_news.html

The suggestion is that new printers may be announced at the end of May.

I too want an upgrade to the 3800 before I purchase. Specifically 
looking for two black heads (mat and photo that is) thus no purging.

Hope this "helps". I check this site every couple of weeks.....

Scott

http://www.ScottJonesPhoto.com

I hear this summer and from another source about 70 +- days till the 
Epson 2880, the 2400 replacement is either announced/released (still 
not clear), but that's all I know. 
I'm waiting till July anyway and currently following the discussion 
here in great anticipation on the 1400. My concern with the 1400 is 
installing RIP's, dealing with maintenance issues, etc. and dealing 
with the occasional switch over to color for the occasional print.
(This will be my first inkjet printer. Up till now I've been 'wet 
printing' B&W prints in the darkrkoom.) 
Also, the thought of having to calibrate the computer monitor is 
daughting, I expect this will be a concern even with the still to be 
announced printer or even a 38000. If anyone has any suggestions or 
links regarding monitior calibration made easy, or installing RIP's 
made easy, it would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks.
   
--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Scott Jones" 
<peanutdogs@...> wrote:
>
> Here is a well know "rumours page"
> 
> http://www.northlight-images.co.uk/printers/epson_news.html
> 
> The suggestion is that new printers may be announced at the end of 
May.

> 
> I too want an upgrade to the 3800 before I purchase. Specifically 
> looking for two black heads (mat and photo that is) thus no purging.
> 
> Hope this "helps". I check this site every couple of weeks.....
> 
> Scott
> 
> http://www.ScottJonesPhoto.com
>

Don't be daunted with monitor calibration - although I would recommend a hardware calibration tool like the X-Rite Display 2 or Spyder 3. Best not buy the cheapest as they are less flexible in available settings.

Until you buy a calibrator you could try this: http://quickgamma.de/indexen.html - I haven't tried it, but it could be a stop-gap.

Richard

At 04:53 a.m. Wednesday 14/05/2008, you wrote:
>Also, the thought of having to calibrate the computer monitor is 
>daughting, I expect this will be a concern even with the still to be 
>announced printer or even a 38000. If anyone has any suggestions or 
>links regarding monitior calibration made easy, or installing RIP's 
>made easy, it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

--
http://smallfield.vze.com 

   "Big egos are big shields for lots of empty space."
   --Diana Black

Thanks Richard for your suggestions.  I will indeed start with the 
calibration software and see how that works on the two MS machines 
(Vista and XP) and if necessary opt for Spyder 3 simply based on a 
quick google review of the websites. 
While Spyder 2 seems simple to use and less expensive, after looking 
at you personal site highlighted in you message and seeing your 
excellent photographs and then rereading your post "... best not to 
buy the cheapest...", I'm inclined at this point to get Spyder 3 if 
quickgamma turns out to be unsatisfactory as a long term solution. 
Thanks again, very much appreciate your help. 

 
--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, Richard 
Smallfield <r.smallfield@...> wrote:
>
> Don't be daunted with monitor calibration - although I would 
recommend a hardware calibration tool like the X-Rite Display 2 or 
Spyder 3. Best not buy the cheapest as they are less flexible in 
available settings.
> 
> Until you buy a calibrator you could try this: 
http://quickgamma.de/indexen.html - I haven't tried it, but it could 
be a stop-gap.
> 
> Richard
> 
> At 04:53 a.m. Wednesday 14/05/2008, you wrote:
> >Also, the thought of having to calibrate the computer monitor is 
> >daughting, I expect this will be a concern even with the still to 
be 
> >announced printer or even a 38000. If anyone has any suggestions 
or 
> >links regarding monitior calibration made easy, or installing 
RIP's 

> >made easy, it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
> 
> --
> http://smallfield.vze.com 
> 
>    "Big egos are big shields for lots of empty space."
>    --Diana Black
>

Hi again,
here's the page for the Sypder 3 Elite ...
http://spyder.datacolor.com/product-mc-s3elite.php

If I were buying one I'd be tempted to go for one of the packages that includes the printer spectrocolorimeter as well as the monitor colorimeter however - Printfix Pro Suite (with the Spyder 2) is now discounted and is not much more than the Spyder 3 ... but the new Spyder 3 Studio package that replaces the Printfix Pro Suite looks very good with the later monitor colorimeter - the Spyder 3. 

http://spyder.datacolor.com/product-pp-s3studio.php

You pay more but again, you get a printer profiler too. A few custom profiles soon add up in cost.

C. David Tobie can help further with the Spyder products - he's always happy to advise where possible.

Richard

At 02:44 p.m. Wednesday 14/05/2008, you wrote:

>Thanks Richard for your suggestions. I will indeed start with the 
>calibration software and see how that works on the two MS machines 
>(Vista and XP) and if necessary opt for Spyder 3 simply based on a 
>quick google review of the websites. 
>While Spyder 2 seems simple to use and less expensive, after looking 
>at you personal site highlighted in you message and seeing your 
>excellent photographs and then rereading your post "... best not to 
>buy the cheapest...", I'm inclined at this point to get Spyder 3 if 
>quickgamma turns out to be unsatisfactory as a long term solution. 
>Thanks again, very much appreciate your help. 
>
>--- In <mailto:DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint%40yahoogroups.com>DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, Richard 
>Smallfield <r.smallfield@...> wrote:
>>
>> Don't be daunted with monitor calibration - although I would 
>recommend a hardware calibration tool like the X-Rite Display 2 or 
>Spyder 3. Best not buy the cheapest as they are less flexible in 
>available settings.
>> 
>> Until you buy a calibrator you could try this: 
><http://quickgamma.de/indexen.html>http://quickgamma.de/indexen.html - I haven't tried it, but it could 
>be a stop-gap.
>> 
>> Richard
>> 
>> At 04:53 a.m. Wednesday 14/05/2008, you wrote:
>> >Also, the thought of having to calibrate the computer monitor is 
>> >daughting, I expect this will be a concern even with the still to 
>be 
>> >announced printer or even a 38000. If anyone has any suggestions 
>or 
>> >links regarding monitior calibration made easy, or installing 
>RIP's 
>> >made easy, it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
>> 
>> --
>> <http://smallfield.vze.com>http://smallfield.vze.com 
>> 
>> "Big egos are big shields for lots of empty space."
>> --Diana Black
>>
>
> 

--
http://smallfield.vze.com 

   "For every problem there is a solution which is simple, 
   obvious, and wrong."
   ---Albert Einstein

I just got a great deal on an Epson 7600.

It came with a few rolls of Epson Standard Proofing Paper -- a paper 
which I had never even considered using for anything.

Since I do my black and white printing on an Epson 3000 with MIS 
quadtone inks (and Eboni black), it doesn't seem appropriate for that.

And it certainly doesn't seem to look great with color prints.  I'd 
even prefer Epson Enhanced Matte.

- - -

While talking about my 7600 printer, I should also ask about Photo 
Black vs Matte Black ink.  Since most of my printing is on matte 
papers (proofing on EEM, printing on Moab Entrada), I'm inclined to 
switch to Matte black.  But can one use the Photo Black?  If so, what 
kind of results can one expect?


Thanks much,


Arthur Fink


	A r t h u r  .  F i n k  .  P h o t o g r a p h y
	-------------------------------------------------
	Ten New Island Avenue         . land 207.766.5722
	Peaks Island, Maine 04108     . cell 207.615.5722
	www.arthurfinkphoto.com  . af@...

	More dance images  www.f64gallery.com/arthur.html
                    www.arthurfinkphoto.com/BatesShow2007

	Problems with my e-mail address?  My provider has
	been returning some mail as if it were spam!  You
	can address me at    arthurfinkphoto@...

No ptroblem using the Photo Black.  That is the one machine that it is 
relatibely easy to switch on. Do a search on the "South African" 
method.  Also documented in links.

More bronzing and gloss differential on that than the 7800 though. It 
is a great Matte Black machine, as good as more recent printers.

I think the proofing paper is a Photo Black paper? Not really a bad 
paper.  Mostly used with pre-press. But profiled it should make a 
decent test paper.

I like the 7600's. Good feature set to price point. 

Best,
Michael

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Michael T.
Murphy" <uriel_bear@...> wrote:
...
> I think the proofing paper is a Photo Black paper? Not really a bad 
> paper.  Mostly used with pre-press. But profiled it should make a 
> decent test paper
....
all correct, but it's pretty pricey.
Tyler

Hello Arthur,

>Since most of my printing is on matte papers (proofing on EEM, 
>printing on Moab Entrada), I'm inclined to switch to Matte black.  

>But can one use the Photo Black?  

Yes.


>If so, what kind of results can one expect?

Very poor dmax on matte paper.



Regards,
Clayton


Info on black and white digital printing at    
http://www.cjcom.net/digiprnarts.htm
I-Trak 2.1   http://www.cjcom.net/itrak.htm

At 10:41 PM 5/14/2008, Clayton Jones wrote:

>Hello Arthur,
>
> >Since most of my printing is on matte papers (proofing on EEM,
> >printing on Moab Entrada), I'm inclined to switch to Matte black.
>
> >But can one use the Photo Black?
>
>Yes.
>
> >If so, what kind of results can one expect?
>
>Very poor dmax on matte paper.
>
>Regards,
>Clayton

What I'm hearing is you can, but you shouldn't.

I'm inclined to give away or sell the Epson Standard Proofing Paper, 
switch to Matte Black ink, and keep using the papers I'm used to.

One more 7600 question:  Must I go through the changeover process in 
going to Matte black ink, or can I just switch carts and expect that 
after a few prints the new ink will have worked its way in?

Arthur

	A r t h u r  .  F i n k  .  P h o t o g r a p h y
	-------------------------------------------------
	Ten New Island Avenue         . land 207.766.5722
	Peaks Island, Maine 04108     . cell 207.615.5722
	www.arthurfinkphoto.com  . af@...

	More dance images  www.f64gallery.com/arthur.html
                    www.arthurfinkphoto.com/BatesShow2007

	Problems with my e-mail address?  My provider has
	been returning some mail as if it were spam!  You
	can address me at    arthurfinkphoto@...

> 
> One more 7600 question:  Must I go through the
> changeover process in going to Matte black ink,
> or can I just switch carts and expect that after
> a few prints the new ink will have worked its way in?
> 

You need to "trick" the printer into not knowing that you are 
switching blacks. Then you run an all black purge page of about 24" 
x40" to get rid of the black in the lines.

That is what is called the "South African" method of changing blacks 
on the 7600.  All you lose is the amount of black in the black line 
and no other colors. It is actually pretty easy/not too costly or 
time consuming to switch blacks on the 7600.

Personally, I would find some use for the proofing paper and Photo 
Black ink you have. The 7600 can do good quality Photo Black prints. 
Your call though.

Best,
Michael