Digital BW, The Print

Innova has released a new fiber semi-gloss paper that I like. It is
similar to the Innova F Gloss but the texture is a bit closer to the
Epson Semi-Gloss, only in a non plastic fiber paper. I liked the
samples in black and white that Jimmy at Shades Of Paper showed us
that were done on the new Cannon machine. This new paper isn't on his
web site yet but will be available, if not immediately, very soon. 

The problem I have with the Fiber Gloss prints as they stand now is
that the texture looks a little mechnical to me when the prints are
smaller than 16x20 or so. I didn't get that feeling with these smaller
prints on that semi gloss fiber paper. I really want to try working
with it. It is a PK paper with Epson printers.

Besides that paper, the HP Z series printers really kick butt in black
and white more than I expected, if you consider what all they can do
with ultra permanent color and no gloss problems of any kind to deal
with. As in the new inksets from Canon and Epson, the greens and blues
are more subtle and provide an expanded gamut there that I really
like. The HP machines utilize both the photo black, the matte black,
and two lighter blacks so your really talking quad inks within the
color set and they are very smooth with excellent dmax. They've got it
together.

The Cannon monochrome prints from the big printers are nice too, even
on gloss media providing a pretty smooth finish, though not as smooth
as I saw with the HP printers and the internal glop channel. 

The new Epson 3800 seems awesome for everything monochrome too
considering its technology and price point. They should do very well.
Like the HP and Canon, the blues and greens it is producing are a step
up from K3 Ultrachrome for sure. It's noticeable. Too bad it will be
another couple of years before that inkset is available on the big
machines. That's gonna hurt em. It's nice to have real choices out
there now.

John