Digital BW, The Print

John, Jon, (and Roy Harrington too),

I don't often post here, yet I couldn't help respond at this point in this thread.  I am currently printing with ABW (and still learning how to make it do what I want) but I would also love to investigate some of the more specialized printing approaches being discussed here.  The problem is that I use an Epson 7900.  QTR doesn't support it and says it won't be able to because of Epson constraints, yet ColorByte has been able to (finally) release a version of ImagePrint that does. (My simple test showed that IP8 does produce very slightly better screening than the Epson driver and ABW.) And as far as I know, it's not possible to consider something like K6/K7 in a 7900 (assuming I'd actually want to do that).

The problem for me is that I would like to be able to take advantage of improvements in the core technology being released by the printer vendors (i.e. improved dot structure, paper handling, etc.), but this means giving up the option to experiment with other software (and especially) ink combinations.  So to me there is an interesting irony in that you can't explore these "improved" printing approaches using the latest printer technologies.  I'm fully aware of all the reasons for this, yet I'm still struck by how improvements in one aspect of making fine prints can actually torpedo your ability to make improvements in other areas.  I guess it comes down to having to make choices (and therefore compromises), as Jon said earlier in this thread.

Dave


--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "john" <deanwork2003@...> wrote:
>
> Right, Jim, it's a race to the bottom. 
> 
> Walker's right QTR rocks in so many ways. It is an amazing resource for both K3 and Piezography. 
> 
> 
> 
>  Epson set up a competition base to their own customers.. realistically we could all say they don't have the quality. But in truth they do if the image produced is deemed acceptable by the customer.
> > 
> > 
> > jimbo
> >   ----- Original Message ----- 
> >   From: deanwork2003 
> >   To: DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com 
> >   Sent: Thursday, April 08, 2010 7:36 PM
> >   Subject: [Digital BW] ABW is Walmart Special
> > 
> > 
> >     
> >   Well that is more than an ironic metaphor. I went into the Super Walmart the other day, up here in the burbs of Georgia to buy some soap, and low and behold there it was, the Super Walmart digital imaging center, complete with Epson 7880s, cranking out ABW prints by the thousands. I wish I were kidding but I'm afraid that IS what this HAS come to, right now, artistically created cheaper by the dozen "archival" pigment prints on Sommerset Enhanced. And they didn't even need QTR....
> >   Isn't life great.
> > 
> >   john
> > 
> >   --- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "igor_mountain" <igorkarpenko@> wrote:
> >   >
> >   > It sounds more like the "Wal-Mart way" - come in and run small shops out of business with cheaper and lower quality products. I would think that the American way is supporting a US-based small business that is innovative and which employs US citizens. 
> >   > 
> >   > But what do I know - I grew up in a Communist country :-)
> >   >
> > 
> > 
> > 
> >   
> > 
> > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> >
>