B&W on Canon Printers

[mikling]

Digital10d,

Since my posts, I am favoring swellable papers like the Ilford Galerie CLASSIC series. I have obtained some Gloss and Pearl I will try. However, I have used it on HP Premium Plus Glossy Paper and this has exhibited the most neutral tone yet. I have been told that Ilford makes the HP Premium Plus Glossy as well.

In addition to the accuracy of the swellable papers is also the aspect that print stability/longevity is much enhanced with dye inks. I would not hesitate to use swellable papers placed behind glass for numerous years.

This is a good indication of how papers affect the quality of printing whether it is B&W or Color. With dye inks, if you want the best colors and semi archival properties, swellable papers are clearly the path to go. In profiling these swellable papers. the Ilford CLASSIC line has always produced the widest gamut prints and highest dynamic range prints to date. With swellable papers though, keep moisture droplets away AND allow sufficient drying time.

 

[martin0reg]

...
Mikling thank you for your efforts. Now if you want another project how would your ink set be adapted for a 4 ink A3 Canon printer IX4000. A3 B&W interesting !!

ix4000 should be easy to adapt: just take the 3 greys to substitute C-M-Y.
In all photo settings the pigment/text black is not used.
The canon firmware (RIP) of this printer should be mixing it the right way, as it mixes all colors including grey and black out of the three C-M-Y.

I hope I am right - as it would be indeed very interesting, B&W in A3.

But for my older A3 model S9000 you have to use not only 3 greys but 5:
C-M-Y-PC-PM (photo/light tones of cyan and magenta).

I have received my grey canon ink set from mikling today, the refilled cartridges are waiting to be used in a second-hand IP4000. I will report soon...

 

[mikling]

Not having an S9000 I was not able to accommodate a 6 tank machine initially. However, I now have an iP6600 to "play" with again. Now assuming that they are close and I do believe so I will come back with a mix formula for the grayscale LC LM that will allow the 9000 to get those A3+ or Super A3 size prints.
This could get tricky as one of the risks in adding those LC LM is reversion on gradients if it is not mixed correctly. We shall see.

Yes, those S9000s might well be the B&W printer of choice for the larger size prints.

 

[martin0reg]

yes milkling, a 6 channel ink set for S9000/i9100 would be nice - but

For the moment I am perfectly happy with your grey ink set C-M-Y-K !!
Great black and white output from my ip4000!

I have flushed and filled the cartridges (just like digital10d) and after 3-5 cleaning cycles and nozzle checks my new B&W-Fine-Art Printer was ready to go!

I have tried before the "black only mode" with epson r285
http://dahmerphotography.blogspot.com/
and it makes BW-prints without color cast; but it has a grainy look because only one ink channle and one nozzle row is used, you can see the pattern if you are looking very close

This ink set in canon printers is excellent:
No grain, the prints are looking as smooth as the printer resolution gets, because all nozzles are used.
No color cast, or only the color cast of the paper. In comparison to "black only" with epson the prints are very neutral (on my most used paper they look less greenish, which has to depend on the paper)
You can print directly from color pictures, but it is better to convert first to B&W. Furthermore you can experiment with the settings.

It looks like real "photographic" prints.

Thank you for reinventing my private B&W darkroom!

http://cgi.ebay.de/4-Color-16-oz-B-.../200509798160?pt=BI_Toner&hash=item2eaf50b710

 

[Digital10d]

Martin0reg

Agree with your observations. This ink set in my IP4700 produces really good B&W. I too tried BO printing simple but to grainy for my taste. This ink set produces a smooth photographic result with no special software of printing techniques. Its quite brilliant !!

 

[mikling]

OK, I hope you guys did not throw away your drying lines and clips to hold the prints. So just like the darkroom days, you need a line to hang the prints to allow them to properly dry!

 

[The Hat]

mikling

In the space I have to work in, I am afraid it has to be a rotary line because I might end up hanging on it (some might say hurray)..

 

[martin0reg]

...
In addition to the accuracy of the swellable papers is also the aspect that print stability/longevity is much enhanced with dye inks...

I have only microporous glossy paper in my stock. because there is a good and affordable type in germany: manufacturer: sihl, shop: aldi.
Could it be that this ink makes a "gloss differential" on micro paper?
The effect is not like pigment on glossy, the gloss is not affected, but it looks a little like negative if light is reflected very bright.
Could this also depend on paper sort, swellable or micro?

By the way I am printing mostly on matte paper, there is no such effect.

edit: glossy problems were probably due to bad flushed cartridges ..

 

[pharmacist]

Hi Martin0reg,

I use this Sihl paper from Aldi too. It is very good and also very cheap. I pay 4.99 for 50 sheets A4 in Belgium. Unfortunately they do not sell the satin version in Belgium. In Germany they also sell the satin version.

 

[The Hat]

I use the same Sihl gloss photo paper from aldi all the time for all my photos as well.
The only trouble with the paper is it doesnt travel well, the dam thing cost me 8.99 for the same 50 sheets but I still think its worth it..