After years of reading and thinking, rereading, rethinking and doubts, There Will Be A New Printer.
It will be either a Canon iPF6100, an Epson 7880 or a HP Z3200. If you (or you, or you,) can convince me which one is the Right Choice.
Much, but not all will be printed black and white; I’m an old B/W darkroom addict.
What are my considerations? I have “only” a Nikon D700, which means 12 MP RAW files. I have no experience with up-res (programs), I use Lightroom 2.1 and PS CS3 only on a Vista platform with two calibrated 22” displays.
To date I print not salable copies on a 13” Canon i9900. So I thought, maybe the 17” Canon iPF 5100 or the Epson 4880 is big enough…
However, I do have thousands of Nikon F5 and Hasselblad 6x6 negatives; 99 % B/W of which the 10% best to be scanned (ever) to print them again on my new machine. And, when the next Nikon camera appears with 20+ MP, I will be able to print 24” wide with acceptable quality, right?
Questions, questions, questions.
For my B/W work the HP Z3200 with 4 blacks (in matt) seems to be the best, but is also the most expensive of the three. BTW, do I need the PS version, even more expensive?
I do not print daily, and the printer must be placed in my not too big office, so the sound of the always-on HP might be annoying, or not? Do you know?
I hate to swap the Epson PB / MB cartridges for the loss of ink. Not nice, right?
Questions, questions, questions.
I used to print on Ilford and Agfa multigrade barite, with its egg-shine, toned in selenium, mmmm. What paper to use on the new printer to get that back? Should I try the 1000 and 1 brand and third party papers? Start with the Hanemulle and other well-respected newest papers? Which one? And how do I tell my Canon / Epson the way to handle this paper? Only the HP has a profiling tool. Other question, how does Lightroom knows how to use my printer profiles?
Questions, questions, questions.
I would really appreciate any detailed advice, based more or less on my situation. I read these columns since I’m a member, in fact that is why I know that any of these printers is a good choice. I live and work in Amsterdam, so if any of you lives not too far I’ll be glad to come and take a look of How You Did It And Why, but please react wherever you live.
Bas.
P.S. And then the news came in of a Canon iPF6200. Waiting again?