The problem with carbon has been that most such pigments tend to be too warm for those who like a neutral B&W image such as the gelatin silver print. To make a neutral B&W print all of the large printer manufacturers' B&W approaches use significant amounts of color pigments. Sometimes the color is mixed with the carbon pigment so that no color dots appear, but the weaknesses are still there. The vast majority of B&W inksets also use colorants even if they are marketed as "carbon" inks.
The colorants in B&W inksets have been a major source of image instability. Color pigments not only fade, but they also fade at different rates, causing the print tone to shift, often to an unpleasant greenish tone. There have also been inconsistencies among color ink batches and mixing, differential settling, problems of metamerism, and profiling sensitivity when high gamut color inks need to be precisely and consistently controlled.
The best solution to the problems introduced by color inks in B&W printing is to completely eliminate them from the B&W prints -- print with 100% carbon pigment. This approach is not supported by the large printer companies. However, it is not only possible, but also relatively easy and affordable.
MIS Eboni MK is the best 100% carbon ink I've found for this purpose, in part, because it is more neutral than the others. Several 100% Eboni carbon pigment workflows are described below. B&W purists and collectors might favor these approaches.
There are 2 approaches to printing with Eboni carbon pigments that have wide appeal. First, one can use one of the Epson printers that use tiny 1.5 picoliter droplets to print only with the concentrated Eboni MK. The R1800 and 1400 are samples of these printers.
Second, one can dilute the Eboni MK to make multi-channel, "K6" or other 100% carbon pigment, monotone inksets that are very smooth. With these approaches one can use QTR to balance the advantages of each approach.
For more information on this 1800 "3-MK" workflow, click here. See also the February 2008 issue of Shutterbug magazine, reproduced here.
Although I have not tested the 1900 with this workflow, it should work very well.
The 1800 3-MK approach and profiles can be ported to the 1400 rather easily by anyone who knows how to re-linearize QTR profiles.
The 1400, with several inksets, appears to bring top notch 13" wide printing to a more affordable level, and it is now my primary printer, except, of course, where the 13 inch wide paper limit is too small.
While all pigment inksets settle with time, dilute Eboni settles faster than most. In desktop units, where the carts are agitated continuously during printing, this is not a problem. Although I have Eboni-6 in my old 24" Epson 7500, I recommend it for wide format printers only for individuals who are willing to do the agitation required to keep the printing consistent. One can physically rock the printer, as I do, or CIS bottles, or use a syringe to agitate inks in funnel fill cartridges. Wide format "K2" and newer carts are easy to remove and agitate.
I do not recommend Eboni-6 for any cartridges that have sponges in them. Check with MIS to verify whether their carts are compatible with Eboni-6. The MIS 1400 cartridges are totally spongeless and trouble free. For details on this 100% carbon pigment inkset, click here. Eboni-6 in my 7500 is producing the best display prints and is the most reliable inkset I've ever used in that printer.
For the C88+ version of Eboni-6 and Carbon-6, click here. A C88+ with Carbon-6 is about the least expensive and easiest to care for B&W printer possible. And the images are 100% carbon pigment; so they'll have state-of-the-art stability. Just remember to agitate the CIS if one is used.
One can also combine Eboni-6 with a neutralize Photo Black ink ("PKN") in a 1.5 picoliter printer like the 1400. See, for example, www.paulroark.com/BW-Info/Eb1400.pdf for an inkset that is basically Eboni-6, but with a single PKN for black-only glossy printing. This variant is for those, like me, who use matte 100% carbon pigment printing for serious work, but want the ability to print good glossy B&W when necessary. The PKN also allows cool neutral matte paper prints to be made.
The same "C6" clear dilution base and approach appear to work well with the HP Z3100 PK pigments. This approach can be used to make a variety of inksets, including the dilute neutral gray inks used in the 1400-NC2 inkset approach note elsewhere.
The C6 inkset base is composed of just a few common, readily available, economical, and safe materials. Because the cost of the dilution base is so low, the cost of the dilute inks can be very low even when relatively expensive inks are used in the mix. This is because dilute inks are mostly just water.
These inksets must be considered experimental. So far, I have seen no problems with these inksets that relates to the C6 base. The C6 diluted inks I've used have been the most clog free inks I've used, including OEM dye-based inks.
For details on these inksets and user mixing, click here.
The dilute Eboni inksets discussed above can be printed with either the Epson driver or QTR.
In my view, the most convenient workflow for Windows users includes
an easy to make ICC in the Photoshop or Elements Print Preview.
For a tutorial on making B&W ICCs with a flatbed scanner,
click here.
The most interesting PKN offering from a large OEM is the Hewlett Packard photo black pigment used in the HP Z3100 and similar HP printers. In Wilhelm Research fade testing, the B&W images made with these pigments were rated at over 250 years of display on all matte papers when framed under glass. With this very good Wilhelm rating, the HP-PK appears to set the standard. However, there is no available test information that allows a comparison to the third party PKN inks. So, while we don't know how the various PKN and neutral glossy B&W printing inksets compare, my best guess is that the HP PK-based blended inksets are the most resistant to color shifts, although one may see no differences for a long time. The Wilhelm test, however, no doubt helps in marketing to high end users and purchasers. On the other hand, for the fine art market or where longevity is a primary goal, 100% carbon pigment on matte paper is significantly better.
I've recently used HP's Z3100 PK pigments as well as MIS Eboni and its dilutions in various combinations in the Epson 1400. See www.PaulRoark/BW-Info/1400-NC2.pdf for an inkset that is laid out much like MIS UT14. See www.paulroark.com/BW-Info/Eb1400.pdf, noted above, for an inkset that is basically Eboni-6, but with a single PKN for black-only glossy printing. This Eboni-1400 with HP-PK is what I currently use for my serious printing of print sizes 13" wide or less.
This is a work in progress, but purists, artists, and collectors might find the results worth the additional work and price this medium requires. Most B&W photographers should stay with commercially available approaches.
For the 100% carbon Eboni-6 option, click here.
For the latest variation of Eboni-6 with PKN
for glossy printing and cool matte prints, click here. This is what I currently use.
R260/280 and similar Claria ink printers
(The R340 appears to print the same as the R220.)
7000 & 7500 - 100% Carbon beta test
7600 & 9600 - 100% Carbon beta test
Possible way to hold printer chips in place without the need for a cartridge,
Large format 100% carbon-pigment prints in Epson K2 printers to match R1800 Eboni prints,
Printing 100% Eboni carbon B&W plus color with the R800 and R1800,
QTR, 2200, 4K+, Matte BW, Carbon & general monotone inkset curve profiling,
(The most recent QTR workflow notes, above, are now my prefered approach and what I'd recommend to the extent they use different settings than the notes below.)
QTR, 2200, 4K+Ccm, Matte BW profiling
Sample 4K+, IJC, Split-tone profiling
Making B&W ICCs with a Flatbed Scanner and Gray Card
Selected Canon (and comparison) lens MTF curves
Inks are not affected by Epson's actions. As such, once one has a printer with refillable cartridges or a CIS/CFS, there are no barriers.
Paul Roark
Solvang, CA, USA
www.PaulRoark.com
