Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2002/06/14
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]I have just printed my first print with the Piezotone inks. I tried the previous Peizo Quad Blacks and they clogged VERY Badly after two prints. The new inks had to sit in the printer overnight before being used (see the micro bubble issue on the Ink Jet Mall Tech support web site), but this AM the new inks were printing test patterns so I gave it a try. My first print was shot with Scala. The subject can be seen at http://www.photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=733945 , and was scanned with an Epson 2450 from a Hasselblad shot...sorry to be slightly off topic, I'll be printing some Leica shots this evening. I managed to get one good print of this shot out of the old inks before they clogged so I have a good way to compare the results for those of you that are already using Cones Quad Black. To my eye the new ink looks even more neutral in the grey and black tones than the old. The old inks look just slightly more "brown". I was actually surprised at this since the folks at Ink Jet Mall described the new inks as "warmer" which to me is less neutral, but my experience is they are very neutral, and have a really deep black. The quality of the print 15x15 inches at 1440 DPI using the Cones plugin is AMAZING! The final print was done on Cones Wells River paper. The paper is a PAIN IN THE ASS! It is a medium weight "water color" style paper. It must be brushed sheet by sheet before loading in the printer. The printer must have the feeder "feet" cleaned every five or six prints. It also requires (on my Epson 3000) a 3/16's inch piece of foam core under the paper, must be fed one sheet at a time, and needs a bit of me holding the back of the sheet as it loads to ensure that it goes in straight. All that said, the end product is absolutely as good as any black and white print I have ever done, and equal in quality to a platinum print I just got back from a lab in Maine. While the paper is difficult, I tried the Cones Matte paper and found that I could see slight indentations from the feeder mechanism on the printer down the length of the 17x22 inch paper. The Matte is thiner than the Wells River, and much easier to use but overall doesn't look as good to my eye. I plan on trying to use my iron to press the slight dents out later today... __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! - Official partner of 2002 FIFA World Cup http://fifaworldcup.yahoo.com - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html