Epson 1430 and ABW

[rmolson]

Epson 1430 and ABW

After 40 years of being a graphic arts camera and scanner operator I still lust after a good black and white print. Sold off all my old camera gear To heavy to carry and donated my darkroom (three enlargers including the kitchen sink) to a community darkroom. But you can't take the country out of the boy as it were . I have 40 years of negatives that still need printing. Scanning them is not a problem for me, but finding a good reasonable printer that can do black and white was until Amazon replied that the Epson 1430 comes with Advanced Black and White .I thought this was a separate program with different inks. And it sounds almost too good to be true. Any one have any experience with the 1430 and ABW?

 

[jeffreyg]

I haven't used that printer but it has six inks one of which is black so advanced Black and White is part of the printer software. I had an Epson 2200 that also printed up to 13 x 19 which had three black inks one of which could be switched on for matte surface papers. I rarely switched though. It was an excellent printer that I donated to a children's photography program when I got an Epson 3880 which has been replaced by model P800 taking the same nine inks and printing up to 17 x 22. The ink combo and paper I am using with a tweak from a PhotoShop plugin I've had for a long time is giving me results that are really great. That printer is more costly than the 1430 as well as the inks being more although the cartridges are 80ml. I can easily produce exhibition quality prints on cotton fiber papers. If I didn't enjoy the darkroom i would scrap it for my digital printing so for now I am happy with working in more than one medium.
If you search around you might find a 2200 refurbished or in excellent condition as well.

http://www.jeffreyglasser.com/

 

[pschwart]

I think you got some bad info -- Epson's spec sheet and doc for the 1430 don't mention ABW. You could use a 3rd party monochrome ink set, but this is a lot more work.
I have dedicated a 1400 to b&w printing and the prints are very fine. I think if you want ABW you will need to go with a 17" printer.

 

[rmolson]

ABW and epson

Thanks ,that was what I afraid of, too good to be true.

 

[ParkerSmithPhoto]

Bob, I recently purchased a 1430, which replaced my (dead) monster Epson 4900. There is no Advanced B&W option for the Epson.

However, you can use a BLACK ONLY option to get a grayscale image. This option will use only the black channel, which with Claria gives a very neutral tone image that sometimes leans a touch green, like an untoned warm-tone darkroom print. It can be very attractive, and the dots are so small that there is no excessive graininess. (I actually prefer this to the AdvB&W, which weaves in tiny dots of LC and LM.) Just go into the printer dialog box and click GRAYSCALE.

Also, if you are willing to dive into QuadToneRip, you can convert this to a monochrome printer that will knock your socks off. The Eboni Carbon from MIS Associates can make a stunning print with this printer. See Dead Link Removed to learn more about this option.

I highly recommend the 1430, especially if you are just getting your feet wet with digital B&W. Don't let anyone tell you that you can't make great B&W with digital!

 

[ParkerSmithPhoto]

Bob, I recently purchased a 1430, which replaced my (dead) monster Epson 4900. There is no Advanced B&W option for the Epson.

However, you can use a BLACK ONLY option to get a grayscale image. This option will use only the black channel, which with Claria gives a very neutral tone image that sometimes leans a touch green, like an untoned warm-tone darkroom print. It can be very attractive, and the dots are so small that there is no excessive graininess. (I actually prefer this to the AdvB&W, which weaves in tiny dots of LC and LM.) Just go into the printer dialog box and click GRAYSCALE.

Also, if you are willing to dive into QuadToneRip, you can convert this to a monochrome printer that will knock your socks off. The Eboni Carbon from MIS Associates can make a stunning print with this printer. See Dead Link Removed to learn more about this option.

I highly recommend the 1430, especially if you are just getting your feet wet with digital B&W. Don't let anyone tell you that you can't make great B&W with digital!

 

[ParkerSmithPhoto]

Epson 1430 Grayscale option

Screenshot

 

[Robert Ley]

Bob,
I have an Epson P600 which does ABW very well, but is a little expensive. I was using an old Epson 2400 that I set up with Inkjet Malls Piezography ink set which I was using for making enlarged negatives using Quad Tone Rip (QTR). When it worked it worked great, but the 2400 went belly up and just pissed out all the ink. My plan is to get an Epson 1430, a CISS and Piezography Inkset from Inkjet mall and make my Digital enlarged negs with this setup.
I think that if you just want to do B&W the 1430 and the Piezography inkset might be just the ticket for you. Check it out at InkJetmall.com

 

[ParkerSmithPhoto]

When it worked it worked great, but the 2400 went belly up and just pissed out all the ink.

I'm on my fourth Epson printer. I think I've finally realized that when they go, they're gone, and it's better just to toss it and get a new one than keep fighting.