Photo Black Ink on Matt Paper

[Jimbo57]

To avoid the wasteful purging of ink whenever I change from Photo Black to Matte Black on my Epson R3000 printer, I have lately been using Photo Black all the time.

On matt papers such as Fotospeed Smooth Cotton 300 and Fotospeed Platinum Etching 285, the results are absolutely indiscernible from those using Matt Black ink.

Have others found similar results with other matt papers?

[enduser]

On my Canon printer I have noticed that although we use it exclusively for matt canvas, over time the photo black ink gradually and slowly is also consumed.
One guess is that is because the machine wants to keep a flow going so that inevitably, fresh ink will be needed, and perhaps to prevent a dried out and clogged up line.  Who knows?

[hanzo]

Interesting, I also want to know other's experience. And why I didn't think of this before lol

[aaronchan]

To avoid the wasteful purging of ink whenever I change from Photo Black to Matte Black on my Epson R3000 printer, I have lately been using Photo Black all the time.

On matt papers such as Fotospeed Smooth Cotton 300 and Fotospeed Platinum Etching 285, the results are absolutely indiscernible from those using Matt Black ink.

Have others found similar results with other matt papers?

I have 2 Epson 9880
I used to run one as MK and one as PK
But later on, I just couldn't see a huge difference when using PK to Matte paper.
So I just convert the MK back to PK, so I could achive a better productivity.

aaron

[hugowolf]

Where you should see a difference is in the deepest blacks. The Dmax of the photo black should be less than that of matte black on matte paper. There is also the question of profile validity. A profile made with MK wouldn't be the same as one made with PK, which isn't a problem if you make your own profiles.

Here is a slide showing black densities for K, LK, and LLK on a matte paper using PK. The previous slide shows black densities for MK on the same paper:
http://www.dygartphotography.com/papertestcharts/006harmanmatte2880pk.html

Brian A

[Jimbo57]

There is also the question of profile validity. A profile made with MK wouldn't be the same as one made with PK, which isn't a problem if you make your own profiles.

Brian A

Like most of the folk whom I know, I find that using the Epson Advanced B&W profile and letting the printer manage the printing from Lightroom gives perfect results with all the papers I use. I have it set for Ultra Premium Lustre irrespective of whether I am using semi-gloss or matt papers.

[disneytoy]

9890. I also stick with PK. For most work I can't tell. I'll try the Ultra Lustre setting. I have been using Glossy 250 setting.

I guess Lustre outputs more ink?

[pluton]

I use PK for printing maps(mostly lines) on matte paper.  A few times I accidentally printed photos with large, dark areas using PK on matte paper, and in those instances I could see that the darks/blacks were a bit compromised.
But, if it works, do it.

[hanzo]

when using matte paper (Museo), there are black blotches on paper before the actual image.. anyone have similar experience ? maybe I should increase the gap ?

[disneytoy]

I also stay on PK on my 9890 printing on exhibition canvas matte and exhibition Watercolor. Doesn't make sense to waste all that ink switching forc1 or 2 prints. If I was going to do a series of advanced BW I might switch to matte black.

[martin0reg]

Where you should see a difference is in the deepest blacks. The Dmax of the photo black should be less than that of matte black on matte paper. There is also the question of profile validity. A profile made with MK wouldn't be the same as one made with PK, which isn't a problem if you make your own profiles.

Here is a slide showing black densities for K, LK, and LLK on a matte paper using PK. The previous slide shows black densities for MK on the same paper:
http://www.dygartphotography.com/papertestcharts/006harmanmatte2880pk.html

Brian A

Although many users here seem to be happy with PK on matte, I'm not.
And your curves are showing exactly what I see in my printing:
Not only to get the deepest blacks, but also a decent all over contrast on matte paper, I have to use MK. With both a 3880 (switch) and a small r800 (no switch) prints with PK on matte are missing the brilliancy of a MK print, at least to my eyes...

[huguito]

I found that on my 9600, if I make a custom profile of the matte paper or canvas using Photo Black ink the results are really good.

Not so much when I have tried to use photo Black on a canned matte paper profile.

If the matte media is going to be coated, I coat all my matte stuff, hate the look of it under glass, I don't think anyone can tell

Hugo

[Rob Reiter]

It's my understanding that with Canon iPF printers, the Photo Black ink is used, when a matte profile is selected, as an additional dark gray ink. But on glossy papers, use of a Photo Black profile does not make use of the Matte Black ink because it smudges on those papers