How do I print black using only black ink

[Adam S]

I'm trying to print high resolution black images on transparency, and
wish only to use black ink. I've tried a Cannon S330, and i550. Both
force the use of mixed colored inks when black images, except when print
media mode is set to "plain paper".

Does anyone know of an inkjet than can print high resolutions using
only the black ink (just one ink) ?

Whats the purpose of mixing colors with black ?, Does it suppose to make
black just a that little bit blacker ?

Adam

 

[sonsdad]

Hi
In the UK is a company Marruts at Marrut.com. They sell Lyson products that
for some printers allow you to change the bank of colours for a bank of
blacks. Also HP do a printer that gives first rate blacks at the right
money! Staples have them on offer. I cannot remember the number other than
it starts with 8...........
Cheers

 

[CWatters]

I'm trying to print high resolution black images on transparency, and
wish only to use black ink. I've tried a Cannon S330, and i550. Both
force the use of mixed colored inks when black images, except when print
media mode is set to "plain paper".

Does anyone know of an inkjet than can print high resolutions using
only the black ink (just one ink) ?

Whats the purpose of mixing colors with black ?, Does it suppose to make
black just a that little bit blacker ?

Yes but the most important reason is to increase the number of grey levels.

When you said "black images" what did you really mean?

One bit per pixel = two colours = Black and White ?
or
Four bits per pixel = Black, White and 14 shades of grey in between?

Your printer can do the latter several ways...

1) By using black ink only and a dot pattern to simulate grey (but this
reduces image resolution)
2) By mixing black and the colours to produce some (muddy?) greys.
3) A combination of 1 and 2 which I think is what most printers do.

When you select Plain Paper it's possible your printer is switching from
method 3) to method 1).

To improve the quality of your greyscale images you can do two things..

1) Buy a printer that has a Black and a "Light Black" (=grey!) cart
2) Replace the colour cart in your existing printer with a "Quad Black set"
and a new driver.

The latter is a set of carts containing Black and three greys that are mixed
to produce a wide reange of grey levels without needing to use a dot
pattern. The result is higher resolution and no muddy greys.... but you may
have to waste a lot of ink if switching back and forth to colour. A Quad
Black set works best if you can dedicate one printer to just greyscale work.

 

[me]

Yes but the most important reason is to increase the number of grey levels.

When you said "black images" what did you really mean?
One bit per pixel = two colours = Black and White ?
Four bits per pixel = Black, White and 14 shades of grey in between?

Your printer can do the latter several ways...
1) By using black ink only and a dot pattern to simulate grey (but this
reduces image resolution)
2) By mixing black and the colours to produce some (muddy?) greys.
3) A combination of 1 and 2 which I think is what most printers do.

Why does it have to be an inkjet? If you get a low end laser it will
try and offer varying levels of grey via dithering, or a higher end one
will tend to have an eight bit colour depth.

 

[Adam S]

Yes but the most important reason is to increase the number of grey levels.

When you said "black images" what did you really mean?

One bit per pixel = two colours = Black and White ?
or
Four bits per pixel = Black, White and 14 shades of grey in between?

Your printer can do the latter several ways...

1) By using black ink only and a dot pattern to simulate grey (but this
reduces image resolution)
2) By mixing black and the colours to produce some (muddy?) greys.
3) A combination of 1 and 2 which I think is what most printers do.

When you select Plain Paper it's possible your printer is switching from
method 3) to method 1).

To improve the quality of your greyscale images you can do two things..

1) Buy a printer that has a Black and a "Light Black" (=grey!) cart
2) Replace the colour cart in your existing printer with a "Quad Black set"
and a new driver.

The latter is a set of carts containing Black and three greys that are mixed
to produce a wide reange of grey levels without needing to use a dot
pattern. The result is higher resolution and no muddy greys.... but you may
have to waste a lot of ink if switching back and forth to colour. A Quad
Black set works best if you can dedicate one printer to just greyscale work.

Thanks for the reply. The images I'm trying to print are monochrome (1
bit/pixel) black on transparency film for the use as photomask in
contact exposure. There are no grey scales. Heck, I can probably even
use monochrome magenta or yellow in my application assuming that absorbs
significant amounts of long wave UV.

It makes sense now why colors are mixed with black. I'll investigate
other printers on the market. Its painful trying to get information from
printer retail outlets. Very few people really care too much about
monochrome opacity and line edge sharpness on inkjet transparency media.

Adam

 

[me]

It makes sense now why colors are mixed with black. I'll investigate
other printers on the market. Its painful trying to get information
from printer retail outlets. Very few people really care too much about
monochrome opacity and line edge sharpness on inkjet transparency media.

If you want crisp black output, why aren't you looking at a laser?

 

[Charlie+]

underneath my scribble :

I found trying to do photomasks (for PCBs) that even with the very
best pigment black (HP) that you cannot get a perfect mask with inkjet
printing on transparency - a real photographic mask is the only way -
otherwise you get pinpoint holes all over the tracks - laser printing
is not the answer either - you can get DIY reasonably close to perfect
blackout by stacking two or more transparent inkjet prints in perfect
registration.
Charlie+

 

[CWatters]

Thanks for the reply. The images I'm trying to print are monochrome (1
bit/pixel) black on transparency film for the use as photomask in
contact exposure. There are no grey scales. Heck, I can probably even
use monochrome magenta or yellow in my application assuming that absorbs
significant amounts of long wave UV.

It makes sense now why colors are mixed with black. I'll investigate
other printers on the market.

I wouldn't spend too much time on this as I don't think any printer will be
significantly better. Why not print in a mode that uses colour to make the
black darker?

Its painful trying to get information from printer retail outlets. Very
few people really care too much about monochrome opacity and
line edge sharpness on inkjet transparency media.

Very few people use a retail printer to make PC artwork

It can work if you use wide tracks. I've even sent one film through the
printer twice to get a decent black - but you can use a lot of film that way
until the registration lucks out.

For anything more complex take a look at some of the online PCB fabrication
services. Some of these are cheap if you only want copper (eg no resist or
silk screen). Less than $50 for a 160 x 100 mm double sided PTH PCB should
be possible I think.

Without looking too hard... (Most price for a 160 x 100 Euroard)

SS from $26..
http://www.olimex.com/pcb/

49 Euro for DS PTH..
http://www.pcb-pool.com/ppuk/info.html

$51 for 3
http://www.expresspcb.com/index.htm

?
http://www.pad2pad.com/
http://www.4pcb.com/index.htm
http://www.goldphoenixpcb.biz/special_price.php