Luminous Landscape Forum

Raw & Post Processing, Printing => Printing: Printers, Papers and Inks => Topic started by: Portfolio on October 26, 2007, 05:19:04 am

Title: Matt Black Ink Off ? Z3100
Post by: Portfolio on October 26, 2007, 05:19:04 am
Anyone out there know if its possible to switch off the matt black ink on a HP Z3100?

Thanks
Title: Matt Black Ink Off ? Z3100
Post by: Geoff Wittig on October 26, 2007, 06:41:08 am
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Anyone out there know if its possible to switch off the matt black ink on a HP Z3100?

Thanks
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Why would you want to? The printer intermittently fires a few drops of ink from each head to make sure they are not clogged, but the ink waste is trivial. The printer only uses matte black ink for printing when the media preset you're using requires it. Otherwise it just sits patiently inside the printer.
Title: Matt Black Ink Off ? Z3100
Post by: rdonson on October 26, 2007, 08:47:26 am
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Anyone out there know if its possible to switch off the matt black ink on a HP Z3100?

Thanks
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=148785\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

To the best of my knowledge black ink usage (either matte or photo) has no manual control.  Use is determined by paper type.
Title: Matt Black Ink Off ? Z3100
Post by: jhein on October 26, 2007, 09:13:34 am
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Anyone out there know if its possible to switch off the matt black ink on a HP Z3100?

Thanks
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=148785\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

I would love to turn it off as well.  I will rarely, if ever use matte black.  I print on the ID Glossy and Satin papers.  Right now I am down to 40% on my  demo matte black cartridge, even though I have only made one 11x14 print.  Strangely on the colors I think I should be down on, in this case red,  I am at 47%...!?!? (I print a lot pictures with red).  I guess the slow waisting of matte black ink is simply the cost of doing business with this printer.

Jim
Title: Matt Black Ink Off ? Z3100
Post by: rdonson on October 26, 2007, 09:50:38 am
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I would love to turn it off as well.  I will rarely, if ever use matte black.  I print on the ID Glossy and Satin papers.  Right now I am down to 40% on my  demo matte black cartridge, even though I have only made one 11x14 print.  Strangely on the colors I think I should be down on, in this case red,  I am at 47%...!?!? (I print a lot pictures with red).  I guess the slow waisting of matte black ink is simply the cost of doing business with this printer.

Jim
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Interesting.... so this is a result of the normal automated maintenance?  How long have you had your printer?

I don't think you'd want to turn off the black as I would be worried about the ink drying in the lines or print head and the problems associated with that.  Still... its interesting to see it being used up over time.
Title: Matt Black Ink Off ? Z3100
Post by: neil snape on October 26, 2007, 10:52:21 am
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I would love to turn it off as well.  I will rarely, if ever use matte black.  I print on the ID Glossy and Satin papers.  Right now I am down to 40% on my  demo matte black cartridge, even though I have only made one 11x14 print.  Strangely on the colors I think I should be down on, in this case red,  I am at 47%...!?!? (I print a lot pictures with red).  I guess the slow waisting of matte black ink is simply the cost of doing business with this printer.

Jim
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Don't forget that it took at least 14ml to prime the tubes, and PH. Hence your usage is indicating this rather than actual usage.

Also if you want to print with Photoblack rather than MK you simply trick it to printing on a photo paper, where there is no MK going down. Doing so gives you weak blacks, if you use matte or semi-matte such as HArmon Baryta matte. You must use these papers on matte settings for anything reasonable to come out.
Title: Matt Black Ink Off ? Z3100
Post by: dkeyes on October 27, 2007, 07:45:24 pm
Does the printer stop printing if you run out of matt black (even though your not using it)? I'm in the same boat as I don't use matt papers but my matt ink is slowly running out. I'm assuming so but thought I'd ask.
- Doug