Digital BW, The Print

ayashko wrote:

> Just joined the group - pleased to meet you all.
>  Have a couple of questions, and I'll apologise upfront as they've 
> probably been asked before. 
>  I'm currently working in Kurdistan (north Iraq), for an NGO, and it 
> looks like my work is going to neccesitate me buying a digital 
> setup, mainly for ease of download and transfer. Having always 
> worked on analouge, currently m/f Mamiya 6 and Hexar, the field is a 
> bit new. What I would like to do is be able to print my photos here 
> as well. Thankfully I'm heading home soon, for a week or so 
> (Australia) so I expect to buy a scanner (guess who's going to try 
> and bring back b+w chem across the border..)printer and paper/ink.
>  My main concern is a printer that excels in B+W, but colour is 
> important too.
> As I'm not going to have much time back home - and there's nothing 
> here - I'm trying to do the research now. What I need is a; 
>  -printer for b+w, happy with 8"x10" prints, but able to do good 
> colour too. The 8x10 is a compromise as i'm going to have to lug it 
> back with me, but obviously larger prints would be nicer. I've been 
> able to do very little research on this on the web as it's so 
> slooooow here, so I appreciate your help.
>  -inks, how much of which colours (to print say, 50% b+w/colour?) 
> Again, there are no supplies here, and I'm probably staying for a 
> year when i get back.
>  -paper, which brands to suit which printer, gloss/mat? etc. I've 
> been using Ilford Multigrade IV gloss, and Agfa Classic Premium 
> gloss - both fibre based papers for years now, and am not a fan of 
> r/c. What would be the closest equivalent of printer paper to 
> convential fibre papers?
>  -lastly (i think) what else would i need to be self-sufficient? ie; 
> problems with clogged heads, software (i have p/s), cableing etc.
>  Thank you for all your advice in advance, and if there are any Q 
> then post it and I'll try and reply asap.
>  Thanks,Alex
> 

To get the thread on the rail but no traveler myself.

First of all; keep the Hexar lenses. Though not my ideal digital 
RF camera the Epson RD1 is just around the corner and your lenses 
most likely fit, if it isn't the Epson for you, they will fit on 
another one within 24 months.

Given the transportability you need and the places you are 
staying it may be a better idea to get one of the HP 7960/7660 
printers.  Next choice would be a Canon that can have its heads 
replaced as well and a third part B&W cart inkset like Lyson's. 
Buy a/some extra heads. After that the Epson R 800 with the fixed 
head. Don't have the experience with any of them so can't comment 
on the papers. 50% more light cyan + magenta + yellow than cyan, 
magenta, black. B&W sets as much as Colour sets.

A recent but stable version of Qimage if you are using a PC. Get 
the printer + Qimage profiled before you go. Get some knowledge 
on B&W curve manipulation to keep the B&W quality high. There are 
some references in the archives but it's different for the HP 
grey carts. A spectrometer for traveling isn't invented yet I 
guess, an older small solid state densitometer for reflective B&W 
measurement may be possible. Maybe more trouble than it is worth. 
A friend or professional who can make profiles of targets you 
send back home, isn't much bandwidth to send the profiles.

Any thoughts on steady power supplies ?

It is a compromise but it doesn't have to be bad. Better than 
having a darkroom on the mule.

To Australia along Singapore/Bangkok ?  You could arrange to get 
the items above there.

Ernst