Epson R200/R300 greyscale/black and white printing?

[Si]

Hi,

Anyone found the best combo of paper and settings to get as close to a B+W
print with the R200?

If I print straight onto Premium Glossy, I see a magenta cast - easy to dial
in -5%M, but then you are left with a green cast.

Si.

 

[John]

Hi,

Anyone found the best combo of paper and settings to get as close to a B+W
print with the R200?

If I print straight onto Premium Glossy, I see a magenta cast - easy to dial
in -5%M, but then you are left with a green cast.

Si.

I was having the same problem using Epson paper, changed to "PrinArt"
for Black and White prints.

 

[Hecate]

Hi,

Anyone found the best combo of paper and settings to get as close to a B+W
print with the R200?

If I print straight onto Premium Glossy, I see a magenta cast - easy to dial
in -5%M, but then you are left with a green cast.

The reason, most likely, that you're getting a magenta cast is because
you're double managing colour, or not colour managing at all.

 

[Si]

The reason, most likely, that you're getting a magenta cast is because
you're double managing colour, or not colour managing at all.

Expand on that then please.....

Si.

 

[Hecate]

Expand on that then please.....

If you use software which is capable of colour management, like
Photoshop, and set up colour management in the program, then allow the
printer to colour manage as well, you'll get a colour shift.

Conversely, if you do no colour management in software and allow the
printer to "do what it thinks" then you're also quite likely to get a
colour shift simply because you're allowing the printer to handle the
RGB/CMYK conversion without first checking that the RGB version is
suitable. Where you print in b&w, the printer will use colour inks -
you'll get a colour cast because the printer is "deciding" how to
convert the tones between true black and true white.

 

[Si]

If you use software which is capable of colour management, like
Photoshop, and set up colour management in the program, then allow the
printer to colour manage as well, you'll get a colour shift.

Conversely, if you do no colour management in software and allow the
printer to "do what it thinks" then you're also quite likely to get a
colour shift simply because you're allowing the printer to handle the
RGB/CMYK conversion without first checking that the RGB version is
suitable. Where you print in b&w, the printer will use colour inks -
you'll get a colour cast because the printer is "deciding" how to
convert the tones between true black and true white.

I'm using Photoshop 5.0

Coverted the image to Greyscale - printing using Greyscale as the colour
space - making no adjustments during printing - so where am I going wrong?

Si.

 

[Hecate]

I'm using Photoshop 5.0

Coverted the image to Greyscale - printing using Greyscale as the colour
space - making no adjustments during printing - so where am I going wrong?

I never used PS 5. I went from 4 to 5.5. And, to be honest, I don't
remember what is and isn't in PS 5. However, the best way to ensure
that doesn't happen is to control colour management. I.e. use Gamma
first, if that's all you have. Soft proof the image. (See the manual
for both things) And first of all, don't use convert to grayscale if
you can avoid it. I can't remember if Channel Mixer was available
then, but it's a much better way to turn colour into B&W and gives you
far more control than the set 3:6:1 (R:G:B) conversion.

 

[Si]

I never used PS 5. I went from 4 to 5.5. And, to be honest, I don't
remember what is and isn't in PS 5. However, the best way to ensure
that doesn't happen is to control colour management. I.e. use Gamma
first, if that's all you have. Soft proof the image. (See the manual
for both things) And first of all, don't use convert to grayscale if
you can avoid it. I can't remember if Channel Mixer was available
then, but it's a much better way to turn colour into B&W and gives you
far more control than the set 3:6:1 (R:G:B) conversion.

I'll have a read up - I'm using Image -> Mode -> Greyscale at the moment -
perhaps as you say, not the best.

Si.

 

[Hecate]

I'll have a read up - I'm using Image -> Mode -> Greyscale at the moment -
perhaps as you say, not the best.

The trouble with it is the lack of control. For average images with
say a complete range of Zone System tones, it'll give you a reasonable
result. For anything more challenging you'll end with a less than
optimal result.