Message-Id: <mailto:199512211459.IAA27500@library.wustl.edu> Date: Thu, 21 Dec 1995 06:52:08 -0800 From: Michael Stokes <mailto:stokes@HPLMDS.HPL.HP.COM> Subject: Re: Printing B/W photos To: Multiple recipients of list IMAGELIB
On Dec 21, 9:22am, Joel Wolfson wrote: > Subject: Re: Printing B/W photos
> >From: Peter MacDonald <mailto:PMACDON@HULAW1.HARVARD.EDU>
> >Subject: Printing B&W photos
> >
> >I have some black and white snapshots of people's faces
> >that were scanned at 400 dpi that I want to print in the
> >best way possible.
> >
> >My question is this: Do color printers that use the composite
> >method (i.e., mixing colors) produce good gray scale output
> >for such photos? Or, is a good black and white laser
> >printer a better bet.
> >
> >I have heard that compisite color printers can print in gray
> >but I have never seen one print a black and white picture
> >better than a laser printer.
> >
> >I am most interested in printers that cost between $400 and
> >$800.
> >
> >Thanks
>
>
> If you want a printer in the $400-800 range for printing photos I would
> suggest looking at the high resolution ink jet printers such as the Apple
> Stylewriter 1200 (which prints grayscale) or the Color Stylewriter 2400
> and Color SW Pro, HP 550, 850, Epson Stylus, etc. All of these are at
> least 360 dpi with the Epson up to 720. If you use the special photo
> papers on the market, the results with photos are pretty impressive. The
> only caveat is that they're very slow and use lots of ink for printing
> photos.
>
> There are a few laser printers starting in the upper end of this price
> range that produce decent photos but make sure they have something like
> Apple's or HP's enhanced gray scale capabilities. Otherwise you won't
> have much in the way of tonal range. Laser printers will usually be a
> little faster, depending on the size of your photo file.
>
> If you want stunning black and white or color photos, consider
> out-sourcing to a service bureau with a Fujix Pictrography printer.
> They're portfolio quality (many of my photographer clients use them in
> their portfolios) and much nicer than dye-subs.
>
> Hope this helps.
>
> Joel Wolfson
> DPI Manager
> Digital Photographics & Imaging
> a division of West Photo
> (612) 379-2321 Main (612) 699-2533 Direct
> E-mail: mailto:digiwolf@aol.com
>-- End of excerpt from Joel Wolfson
Having written the color matching parts of the Apple drivers while working on their printer driver teams and currently working very closely with the HP printer driver teams, I'd strongly encourage the higher models such as the Color SW Pro and the HP 850 (or the Epson Color Stylus :).
I also agree with the above comments on laser printers, be sure they have PhotoGrade (Apple) or ReT (HP) grayscale enhancements. If they do, you should be able to achieve very good quality gray scale images on plain paper. I know HP has entries into this field in your cost range.
Currently the ink jets still have the quality issue of noticable dots in highlight areas (the Epson 720 dpi is a bit misleading, especially on any media but their premium stock). Laser printers perform much better in this part of the tonal range.
Just my two cents,
-- -- Michael ________________________________________________________________________ Michael Stokes mailto:stokes@hpl.hp.com Hewlett-Packard Laboratories Phone : (415) 857-3908 1501 Page Mill Rd, MS: 4U5 Fax : (415) 857-4320 Palo Alto, CA 94304 Hewlett-Packard Company