Printers [was Virgin.net scam]

[Dirk Koopman]

On Fri, 2006-03-03 at 22:31 +0000, Pedro Figueiredo wrote:
> On 3 Mar 2006, at 21:59, David Hodgkinson wrote:
> 
> >
> > On 3 Mar 2006, at 15:59, Toby Corkindale wrote:
> >>
> >> The printer I almost bought was the Canon IP4000!
> >
> > I have that and it rules.
> >
> 
> i have an ip5000 and am extremely pissed off because i can't get it  
> to do proper b&w, it's always a sort of sepia (mac os x, photoshop  
> cs, adobe rgb 1998 profile in everything). do you have any luck with  
> b&w with the 4000?

An IP5000 IIRC has a both a "photographic" and a "normal" black ink tank
(the IP4000 certainly has). Unfortunately I only use the gimp, being a M
$ o'phobe, and it is simple to get b+w prints from colour. You just need
to tell it correctly. Methinks the same is true for photoshop. Obviously
it thinks it is printing in "colour" and making the best black and white
it can - just not good enough for you. 

However, this does all demonstrate one of the problems with all colour
printers (and screens) - accurate colour rendering. In essence (and in
theory) using the manufacturer's inks and paper on its printer with its
drivers "should" give you the best colour rendering available. 

For instance, I have a Canon IP4000 + genuine inks and the only 5x7"
paper I can get any quantity of, at a price I am prepared to pay, is
Epson. The problem with that is that it has a slightly green cast (as
opposed to the Canon equiv which is slightly magenta). So to use it, I
either have to live with problem or try to correct it. Unfortunately,
because I am that cheapskate and use Neovo F-419s, this is not very easy
because the finished print will not be the same colour as the screen.
Result: lots of test prints...

It is extraordinarily expensive to get it all correct (and I mean
"correct" not "good enough for me"). You will need monitors that cost
upwards of £2000, calibration widgets (which are actually quite cheap
[around £50-100 IIRC]), decent printers, more calibration tools and lots
of time. Also you will need to keep on top of it all because lamps
change colour temperature with age and printers go out of "perfect"
alignment if you use them.   

So I suggest you investigate Photoshop a bit more or download a copy of
the gimp [you will *hate* the interface, I know I do].

Dirk