why no "Advanced B&W" option when printing to Epson Ultrasmooth paper???

[bellimages]

I want to print a black and white to Epson's Fine Art Ultrasmooth Fine Art Paper. Why the "f" does Epson not have a profile that allows me to choose "advanced B&W" with this paper??? This is verrrrry frustrating. This paper costs a premium. Why this isn't an option is beyond me.

[Farmer]

I want to print a black and white to Epson's Fine Art Ultrasmooth Fine Art Paper. Why the "f" does Epson not have a profile that allows me to choose "advanced B&W" with this paper??? This is verrrrry frustrating. This paper costs a premium. Why this isn't an option is beyond me.

What do you mean a profile?  ABW on the 3800 works fine with Ultrasmooth Fine Art.

If you could explain your problem in a little more detail, perhaps someone can help.

[bellimages]

What do you mean a profile?  ABW on the 3800 works fine with Ultrasmooth Fine Art.

If you could explain your problem in a little more detail, perhaps someone can help.

I didn't explain very well. In choosing my print settings (on my Epson 7800), I can't choose "Advanced Black and White" mode when using Epson Ultrasmooth Fine Art Paper. I like that setting because the color inks are not used ..... only black, light black and light light black. why would Epson not allow that option for that paper?

[Guigui]

I didn't explain very well. In choosing my print settings (on my Epson 7800), I can't choose "Advanced Black and White" mode when using Epson Ultrasmooth Fine Art Paper. I like that setting because the color inks are not used ..... only black, light black and light light black. why would Epson not allow that option for that paper?

I have a 7900 and I sure can select the ABW option for Epson Ultrasmooth. This option is only available when you select "Matte black ink" in the black ink selection box.

[Farmer]

I didn't explain very well. In choosing my print settings (on my Epson 7800), I can't choose "Advanced Black and White" mode when using Epson Ultrasmooth Fine Art Paper. I like that setting because the color inks are not used ..... only black, light black and light light black. why would Epson not allow that option for that paper?

Hmmm, some colour inks are used, btw.

If you have the PK loaded then that will be your issue (unlike the 7900 which has both on board, you can't just specify which to use in the driver).

You should be using MK with that paper, and then the driver should show you the ABW option.

[bellimages]

I have a 7900 and I sure can select the ABW option for Epson Ultrasmooth. This option is only available when you select "Matte black ink" in the black ink selection box.

MATTE BLACK INK ..... OH YEAHHHHH. SHIT, I'VE BEEN USING PHOTO BLACK FOR THE PAST FEW YEARS WITH MY PREMIUM LUSTER PAPER.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU

[Randy Carone]

Photo Black is the correct ink for Premium Luster. Any paper that has a sheen or is not dead matte should use Photo Black. Most Barytas (Silver Rag, HFA Fine Art Baryta, Epson Exhibition, etc) also use Photo Black. Matte papers such as Epson USFA use Matte Black. No fear - you've been printing with the correct ink for "the past few years".

[Guigui]

You're welcome bellimages.

Actually it is my turn to ask a question. I must say I'm not familiar with this option. Every time I had to print a B&W image, I simply let the settings on "Color" and "Max quality" and disabled color management in the printer (I soft-proof in Photoshop and print from Qimage).

Could someone explain to me what are the benefits of using "Advanced B&W" as opposed to letting another software manage colors and soft-proof a B&W photo manually ?

[Alan Goldhammer]

You're welcome bellimages.

Actually it is my turn to ask a question. I must say I'm not familiar with this option. Every time I had to print a B&W image, I simply let the settings on "Color" and "Max quality" and disabled color management in the printer (I soft-proof in Photoshop and print from Qimage).

Could someone explain to me what are the benefits of using "Advanced B&W" as opposed to letting another software manage colors and soft-proof a B&W photo manually ?

See Eric Chan's notes on the Epson 3800.  He also provides a workflow using the ABW driver.

[Guigui]

See Eric Chan's notes on the Epson 3800.  He also provides a workflow using the ABW driver.

Thanks Alan, it makes much more sense now.

[bellimages]

You're welcome bellimages.

Actually it is my turn to ask a question. I must say I'm not familiar with this option. Every time I had to print a B&W image, I simply let the settings on "Color" and "Max quality" and disabled color management in the printer (I soft-proof in Photoshop and print from Qimage).

Could someone explain to me what are the benefits of using "Advanced B&W" as opposed to letting another software manage colors and soft-proof a B&W photo manually ?

It's my understanding that once you choose the "Advanced B&W" option, the printer will only make use of the three black inks. Since the color inks are not used, there will be no color tint.

[Schewe]

It's my understanding that once you choose the "Advanced B&W" option, the printer will only make use of the three black inks. Since the color inks are not used, there will be no color tint.

Due to the forum uh, issues I think the response to this is gone. Fact is that the ABW driver does indeed use cyan, magenta and yellow depending on your tinting mix. At neutral, a tiny amount of cyan is used to cool down the warmth that the 3 blacks in the K3 ink set have. If you run the yellow/magenta tints up it'll also use those inks. Note, I'm pretty sure it's the main colors of cyan, magenta and yellow not the two light versions of cyan and magenta.

There is a real benefit using the ABW mode due to the fact that very little of the colored inks are used and as a result longevity of up to 300 years can be expected with some papers. But the ABW does indeed use some colored inks...

[Farmer]

Due to the forum uh, issues I think the response to this is gone. Fact is that the ABW driver does indeed use cyan, magenta and yellow depending on your tinting mix. At neutral, a tiny amount of cyan is used to cool down the warmth that the 3 blacks in the K3 ink set have. If you run the yellow/magenta tints up it'll also use those inks. Note, I'm pretty sure it's the main colors of cyan, magenta and yellow not the two light versions of cyan and magenta.

There is a real benefit using the ABW mode due to the fact that very little of the colored inks are used and as a result longevity of up to 300 years can be expected with some papers. But the ABW does indeed use some colored inks...

Thanks, Schewe - my reply was eaten  and you went into more detail anyway :-)

Regarding which colours are used (light or normal) it's mostly light, but like anything the real answer I suppose is "it depends".

An example, just did a quick A5 sized print on a 9900 with ABW neutral, darker, Premium Luster 250.  Inks used:

C 0.03ml, O 0.02ml, Y 0.03ml, LC 0.12ml, MK 0.00ml, PK 0.23ml, VM 0.02ml, LK 0.13ml, G 0.02ml, LLK 0.05ml, VLM 0.16ml

So for C and M, it's the light colours that are used mostly (and O G and Y are minimal, too).