Printing With Epson Driver

[JeffS]

When you use the Epson ABW driver, you still need to specify the Media Type and that is how the printing systems know how to manage the inking. There are in-built, under-the-hood profiles for doing this. Profiles are used all the time. It is just a matter of whether you make and/or select them, or the printer does.


There are two controls over the tonality of ABW printing - the Media Type, as Mark noted, and Mode, where you can select Custom and then the Advanced option and in the Color Controls box you can vary Color Toning and Tone (five settings from light to darkest).

The trouble with any of these options is that they're trial and error.  Hugh's question hints at a partial solution.  It is possible to create ICC profiles for ABW using some of the tools that come with QuadToneRIP and an i1.  These ICC profiles enable you to print using ABW using the same sort of workflow that you would for color - you can use Photoshop manages color and specify the profile.  The profiles are only a partial solution, in that working out what Media setting to use and how to set the Mode options is still a trial and error process, but for a given mix of settings you can get a good screen to print match and you can soft-proof.

Sorry to repeat, but this is an example where IP presents a quick and reliable solution, at least for me. Same basic LR workflow for color or b/w, and my b/w prints are better with IP than when I used ABW with the print driver.  Profiles are embedded for all papers, and always in soft-proof mode, without trial and error or paper waste.  While costly, it was about half the cost of what I would have needed to spend on i1 profiling gear, forgetting about all the other benefits, and without all the time and effort needed to create custom profiles.

Jeff

[Ferp]

Sorry to repeat, but this is an example where IP presents a quick and reliable solution, at least for me.

True, and we hadn't forgotten, but ....

ImagePrint - $895 (for 17")
QuadtoneRIP - $50
ABW - $0

Where Imageprint may be economical is if you don't already have an i1, since there is more flexibility in using QuadToneRIP if you do.  But if you do, then QuadToneRIP is something of a bargain, so long as you don't mind the workflow.

Just as I wouldn't recommend Printer Manages Color for color printing (to keep this on-topic), nor would I recommend ABW for B&W, but I know that a lot of people use it and are happy with it.  YMMV.

[JeffS]

True, and we hadn't forgotten, but ....

ImagePrint - $895 (for 17")
QuadtoneRIP - $50
ABW - $0

Where Imageprint may be economical is if you don't already have an i1, since there is more flexibility in using QuadToneRIP if you do.  But if you do, then QuadToneRIP is something of a bargain, so long as you don't mind the workflow.

Just as I wouldn't recommend Printer Manages Color for color printing (to keep this on-topic), nor would I recommend ABW for B&W, but I know that a lot of people use it and are happy with it.  YMMV.

As I noted, I don't own an i1 kit, which would have been far more expensive than IP, and a lot more time consuming.

If I ran Piezo, then I'd have QTR....but no need otherwise.

And I never used ABW except to run some tests against IP.  And IP won.

YMMV.

Jeff

[unesco]

After reading a lot of positive comments, I decided to give a try to IP, despite its crazy price. I have a lot of experience with QTR and wanted to see how it would compare with IP and Epson driver.
My conclusions (P800 and 3880):
- colour prints with number of papers had unnaceptable "blue turns violet" shift and severe problems with deep blues known for many years with IP,
- BW prints were no better that what I could achive from QTR,
- if you are from Europe, as me, you must add 100$ (one hundred US dollars) to the initial price for FedEx, to send the dongle (!)

The last point had seriously cured me from thinking about buying IP - they are not serious...

[JeffS]

Opposite experience with no such problems here (with IP 10).  Same with a good friend who uses QTR with Piezo for b/w, and IP for his color work, even while still owning an i1 system.

Whatever works.   

Jeff