[Leica] Carbon Printing... any experiences?

[Ken Carney]

Lluis,

My experience with the aftermarket b&w pigment inksets (mostly MIS, not 
Cone) is a few years back, not current, but I can tell you what I 
found.  These were inks in cartridges as well as a continuous ink supply 
(CIS, feed from bottles).  I got some fine prints, but did discontinue 
this option because of clogging problems.  I should note that the people 
at MIS were candid about this if I didn't print regularly, but of course 
I plowed ahead anyway.  If I printed every day I might look at these 
inks again. At the time I used the inks, the only option was printing on 
rag papers, but I prefer papers similar to the old darkroom "fiber" 
papers such as Seagull.  That may well have changed now.

I have used RIP's, such as the Quadtone (QTR).  Personally, I would take 
claims that a RIP or profiling is not required with a grain of salt.  I 
don't print every day, but I use an Epson 3880 (pigment inks) since it 
was introduced.  The Epson P800 is its replacement, printing on paper up 
to 17x22" or longer and evidently with better blacks than the 3880.  I 
have gone for as long as three months without printing and a check shows 
no clogging.  Personally, I would look at the Epson P800.  You can print 
on rag or gloss papers, use the Epson factory paper profiles, or use the 
Epson Advanced B&W (ABW) option.  The printer is $945 now with an Epson 
factory rebate of $250, and replacement ink cartridges are about $60, 
and you are free from headaches such as clogs and RIP's.

The Epson ABW option is good, but I prefer to edit the print in 
Photoshop and perhaps add a slight warm or cool tone.  Then I can do 
soft proofing for b&w, which so far as I know is not possible with ABW.  
With an accurate monitor, I see a good print match and don't see issues 
like bronzing that we used to see. With regard to references, probably 
the master of b&w printing is on the LUG, Paul Roark, 
http://www.paulroark.com/BW-Info/.  I'm confident he would have more info.

Ken



On 6/17/2016 7:52 AM, lluisripollphotography wrote:
> As you know I have to decide what I do with my printer, up to the moment I was very happy with the B&W from my R3000, I have no intention to go to Canon, I have to decide if I repair, I buy a Epson P 600, I buy Epson 1500w (even is the possibility to buy 2, one for B&W and one for color for the same amount that the P600). I do very, very few color printing, in the case I can go to a external service.
>
> I have read that the problem with my printer, clogged, is quite usual using pigmented inks if the printer is not used frequently, Canon 100 don’t have this problem because it uses colorant inks, but the actual trends on printers, inks and papers are that all the developments are for pigmented inks. Secondly main of the systems I know have more developments for Epson than for Canon. These are my reasons.
>
> I’ve examined the existant systems, in my opinion I shall look for systems based in Europe, as far as I know there are two good ones:
>
> <http://www.taos-photographic.com>: This Company is the European distributor of Inkjet Mall (Cone Colors) The inconvenient is that they don’t have cartridges for the EPSON 1500w
>
> <http://www.farbenwerk.com/farbenwerk-Home-eng>
>
> I would appreciate if someone have some information about:
>
> - Farbenwerk reviews, experiences…
> - Quality compared with Epson 1500w, R3000, P 600 with Epson inks and Carbon inks (Inkjet Mall or Farbenwerk)
> - I see 1500w is 6 inks vs R000 or P 600 are 9 inks. How much can be the difference using only B&W inks?
> - Farbenwerk says that not RIP is required. I don’t know which can be the difference if using RIP and/or QTR Driver
> - I suppose that the first time you fill the printer with B&W inks you spend a certain quantity of ink cleaning and filling. How much…?
>
> I have no experience on these aspects, neither in building own ICC profiles and I have no intention to do them, I don’t have enough time. I would appreciate if there are some books or sites where I can get some information about Carbon Printing.
>
> Thank you very much!
>
> Saludos cordiales
> Lluis
>
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