B&W Photo Printing

Cougar

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Nov 22, 2003, 1:17:00 AM11/22/03

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I am looking to buy a new photo printer. Most have high resolution
for color printing, but I need one that will also print out quality
B&W photos. Would I setup the printer for "color printing" even
though the photo is B&W to get the higher resolution?

I am looking at possibly buying the HP 7760 or the Canon i960.

Any suggestions and comments are appreciated

SleeperMan

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Nov 22, 2003, 4:14:17 AM11/22/03

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<gcos...@comcast.net> typed:

For hi-res B&W printing, you should print B&W photo with printer set to
color mode and highest resolution. Printing color photo in B&W in a way that
you set printer properties to B&W is wrong. You should convert color photo
to B&W with some graphics program instead and print it as color.
In any way, grey shades are mostly printed with colors and not only with
black. If you lift the tray of your printer and print a test photo, you'll
see this.
That low res in B&W is for text printing only, as only then just black ink
is used.

Michael A. Covington

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Nov 22, 2003, 11:08:09 AM11/22/03

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What he's saying (and I agree) is that you should print the black-and-white
image as if it were a color image. The printer will consume all of its
color inks in equal quantities. If you set it to use only black ink, you
won't get smooth gradation.

Mark Herring

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Nov 22, 2003, 1:35:10 PM11/22/03

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Also---Look into the various ink sets for B&W printing. They are
available for both 4 and 6-color printers. Some require special SW.

4 for starters:

http://www.inksupply.com/ (MIS associates)

http://www.mediastreet.com/

http://www.lyson.com/

http://www.piezography.com/

Also, the 7-color Epson 2200 is supposed to do a good job on b&W
**************************
Mark Herring, Pasadena, Calif.
Private e-mail: Just say no to "No".

Mr 645

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Nov 22, 2003, 2:15:05 PM11/22/03

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I would look into the Epson 2200. Awesome B&W prints, especially on archival
matte papers. Clean, neutral, wide tonal range, great shadow detail.
http://www.jonlayephotography.com

CWatters

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Nov 22, 2003, 3:45:32 PM11/22/03

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The Epson 2200/2100 is good.

Here is a good review site
http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/printers/Epson2200.shtml

and some notes on how to get good B/W out of it....

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/printers/2200-bw.shtml

"Cougar" <gcos...@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:3ae29188.03112...@posting.google.com...

Bob Headrick

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Nov 24, 2003, 4:08:21 PM11/24/03

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"Cougar" <gcos...@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:3ae29188.03112...@posting.google.com...
> I am looking to buy a new photo printer. Most have high resolution
> for color printing, but I need one that will also print out quality
> B&W photos. Would I setup the printer for "color printing" even
> though the photo is B&W to get the higher resolution?
>
> I am looking at possibly buying the HP 7760 or the Canon i960.

You could buy a Photosmart 7760 and then buy the optional photo gray #59
cartridge. This cartridge is designed to give high resolution long lasting
prints. In the 7760 this cartridge replaces the normal (#58) photo cartridge.

The #59 cartridge is included as standard with the Photosmart 7960 printer.
The 7960 has the advantage that it will hold three cartridges at once, which
results in the ability to print in 8 ink mode if desired. This will not be an
advantage if you are printing only in B&W, but the additional gray scale
cartridge also improves the detail for color photo prints.

Regards,
Bob Headrick, not speaking for my employer HP