Would Epson 3800 B&W look like darkroom-print?

[paulr]

My digital printing experience is with monchrome quadtone inks, so I can't directly comment on that particular printer/paper combination.

I imagine you could come pretty close to the look of a gelatin silver printer (at least for a viewer who isn't scrutinizing it to see what kind of print it is. And especially if it's under glass). But by making this your goal, I don't think you'll be getting everything you could out of the process. As others have said, ink is a different medium with its own strengths, its own look, its own expressive potential. If you open yourself up to the possibilities it presents, you'll likely find yourself happy with the process. At least for printing work that's well suited for it.

[Marcus Carlsson]

Ok, you can call me stupid (or at least my wife does).

I went to a big city in Sweden and ended up buying the big horse.

I have only printed one copy on a Ilford Gold Fibre Silk and it came out way too light.
It was probably me

Anyway I really love the paper because it reminds me a lot of my Kenmtere VC Fibers.

Now I just hope I can calibrate and profile everything so I get the images darker.

/ Marcus

[D. Bryant]

How better? This is a genuine question. My experience is that it's easier to achieve tonal linearity (from paper white to neutral black) with ABW that it is with QTR when working with the K3 inkset, at least for most papers. Tonal separation isn't an issue with either. QTR has obvious benefits for spilt toning or specialty inksets etc, but I'm not seeing the benefit for single tone prints.

Are your results significantly better than this (Harman FB Gloss Al, 4800, ABW):

http://www.largeformatphotography.in...7&d=1192175841

Presenting me with a set of LAB values tells me nothing. What is the point of your question?

Don Bryant

[Marcus Carlsson]

Now, I know why the image looked really pale.
I had accidently set to use the proofed image as source space (and it was a pale proof).

Now I just love the printer and the Ilford Gold Fibre Silk.

/ Marcus

[Stephen Best]

Presenting me with a set of LAB values tells me nothing. What is the point of your question?

The LAB values show how linear the transform is, both in density and tonality. With a linear
response, you can then concentrate on using Photoshop to get the look you want with predictable results. I would have thought this was obvious. But getting back to the original question, you made the claim that output with a RIP was "much better" and all I'm asking is in what respects is it "much better"?

[Richard M. Coda]

Scan it, fix it, print out a new negative at final print size using a film recorder, make a contact print. Best of both worlds. Or so I'm told.

http://www.albumenworks.com/lvt_pric...ng_photogs.htm

I've done it... wonderful! Even made a 4x5 negative from a color DSLR shot (the flag on my website) and made a silver print in my darkroom. Can't tell the difference...

[D. Bryant]

The LAB values show how linear the transform is, both in density and tonality. With a linear
response, you can then concentrate on using Photoshop to get the look you want with predictable results. I would have thought this was obvious. But getting back to the original question, you made the claim that output with a RIP was "much better" and all I'm asking is in what respects is it "much better"?

First, I'm aware of what the LAB values mean and I certainly understand why one wants to linearize those values.

However, my comment was subjective based on using ABW ICC profiles created by Eric Chan and using curves included with QTR for the 3800. In others words I made prints, looked at them and made a judgement about how they looked.

[gbogatko]

Hello.

My question is more basic.

I've been using a 2200 with the MIS UT7 ink set, and even after a repair by an authorized agent, the head has clogged again... and so forth. Time for a new printer.

What I DON'T want to have to do is buy two 3800's -- one for monochrome and one for color, so my question is... Do the newer 3800 inks still show that god-awful magenta tinge under certain lights? Or can I get the same result with 3800 ink that I was getting with the MIS monochrome ink set.

It was that discoloration that drove me nuts. Sigh... the MIS inks are probably why the 2200 is now seriously clogged. I could continue to spend $$$ on fixing the 2200, but if the 3800 can produce the UT7 look (and more), I'll take it.

Besides, I do want to print in color every now and then.

BTW, I do print wet as well, so know how it looks.

george

[Ron Marshall]

I sold my 2200 (I used NK7 inks from Cone) and bought a 3800.

I now print almost exclusively with the PK ink on Ilford Gold Fiber Silk, mainly because of the better dmax.

I have reprinted on the 3800 many of the images that I made on the 2200 with NK7 inks. In most cases the image looks better with the greater dmax, but in some the smooter gradation of the NK7 provides a better rendition. In most cases the difference is very minor.

I find the 3800 prints look diferent than selenium toned silver gelatin prints (I have some of my old ones from years ago for comparison) but not better or worse. Some images suit a particular printing medium better than others.

Hello.

My question is more basic.

I've been using a 2200 with the MIS UT7 ink set, and even after a repair by an authorized agent, the head has clogged again... and so forth. Time for a new printer.

What I DON'T want to have to do is buy two 3800's -- one for monochrome and one for color, so my question is... Do the newer 3800 inks still show that god-awful magenta tinge under certain lights? Or can I get the same result with 3800 ink that I was getting with the MIS monochrome ink set.

It was that discoloration that drove me nuts. Sigh... the MIS inks are probably why the 2200 is now seriously clogged. I could continue to spend $$$ on fixing the 2200, but if the 3800 can produce the UT7 look (and more), I'll take it.

Besides, I do want to print in color every now and then.

BTW, I do print wet as well, so know how it looks.

george