Thanks. Can you suggest a printer which uses the quadtone inks? I've looked at Cone's website and looked at the info on his inks.
The Epson 1160 seems to be the large format affordable printer of choice for quadtone inks. I got a refurbished one for $154 + $37 shipping from ubid.com. They have them listed all the time; if you are patient, you may find one for $135-145. I am setting it up for color bulk archival inks (Generations from MediaStreet).
I bought an 860 printer (small format, otherwise like the 1160) for $129 with free shipping from outpost.com. Epson has a $50 rebate through 3/31/01 -- so net cost of $79. This one has the quad inks.
For both the 860 and 1160, I am using the continuous ink system from MIS Associates. $68 for the hardware (bottles, tubing, etc.) and $52 four 4-oz bottles of quadtone inks (or $60 for the MediaStreet color inks. By comparison, Jon Cone's Piezography quad inks are $260 for 4x4 bottles..
I have left my 750 as is for use with Epson ink cartridges. The archival pigment-based color inks are not as vibrant as the dye-based original inks. And I use the 750 for color glossy prints, because . . .
The only other caveat is that archival color or quad inks do not print well on glossy papers. Epson Archival Matte paper works well. Cone's software ($295) seems reasonable if you use lots of papers, because he supplies many profiles. (If you choose to afford his inks). I am settling on a few papers.
Hope that helps -- and that not too many are bothered by the off-topic discussion.
Tom
----- Original Message ----- > >I have been printing my paper negatives via photoshop and an Epson 1270. I > >conclude that it is truly impossible to get an reliably adequate B&W print > >out of the 1270. I use duotone instead, which usually is aceptable, but I'd > >really like any reports of successful experience in ink jet printing of B&W > >images. > >
Tom Harvey's original reply:
> The short answer is that you cannot get consistently acceptable B&W > results with color inkjet printers. I've tried Epson 750, 860, and > 1160 printers. I have been able to get pleasing prints some of the > time -- as long as I keep the print in one type of light and never > compare it side-by-side with other prints. What looks good in one > setting seems too magenta or green in other settings. The only real > solution is quadtone inks, though finding an inkset that does not > print slightly warm is a challenge.
