Piezo for B&W Printing from an Epson?

This is the "Analog Darkroom/Printing" section, if the mods could please move this thread to the appropriate section of the forum... Thank you
 
I print using Piezography Pro and K7-HD.

The new black developed for Piezography Pro is the blackest black available. I adopted this PK-HD to use for K7 to expand the tonal range.

As far as development goes, the addition of Walter Blackwell to the Piezography team has made all Piezography systems more updated and turnkey. The level of support is really great. Although I have not delved into printing digital negatives for contact printing, due to lack of space, I intend on doing so in the future.

My current set-up only requires an I1 calibration device and $150.00 worth of software. The system is turnkey.

When I intergrated PK-HD into my K7 I just had to download new profiles.

As far as cost goes, the savings in ink is about half over Epson OEM, but Piezography lays down a lot more ink, so any savings in ink is kinda moot. The expanded tonality and dynamic range has to come from somewhere, but know that unless you print larger than 13x19 you likely won't see much of a difference between an Epson OEM print.

I consider myself a fine art printer who specializes in B&W only. It is in the big prints that things really open up. The files from my Leica Monochrom become less about contrast and more about shadow detail and midrange. Pretty much takes the step into medium format and on some images I dare say large format.

BIG PRINTS DON'T LIE.

I found the 3880 has limits due to its paper transport, and that my 7800 is better suited. Had difficulties with "Pizzawheeels" head scuffing, and head strikes due to the high ink loads. The 7800 uses muffin fans to utilize a vacuum for superior paper transport.

I recommend go big or don't go. Also do your research. Plenty of information and stuff to learn before buying anything. Understand that I was invited by Jon Cone to be an "early adopter" of Piezography Pro so in a way I was a "Beta-Tester" of this new system for about a year before it was available to the public. Piezography Pro with the mentioned I1 and software is a fully calibrated system that is fully developed. Basically turnkey, and no ink change is required.

OFF Topic: About 5 years ago I took advantage of a Digital Silver Imaging promotion where if I pre-paid $500.00 I would get $1K worth of printing. I decided to hose them and took advantage of their promotion to make some large prints.

Although DSI used a laser to make my fibre silver wet print the large prints exhibited a softness due to the projection. Evidently even a laser is not perfectly collumated. With contact printing pretty much expect large format like results.

Also note when shooting my Monochrom, pretty much I shoot like a large format shooter, optimizing IQ and image quality at time of image capture. I find that minimal post processing is best. For instance I use filters to boost and control contrast at image capture so I don't add digital noise that will be in the print. My post processing is minimal, and it is as if I am shooting large format, say 8x10, for contact printing.

Cal
 
I guess analog darkroom and printing are very flexible terms :)

Still, getting all fussy is what led me away from the old APUG site. Most people who only print in a darkroom (like me) are probably just curious to see what this is about. Scanning? Inkjet printers? Piezo (I haven't a clue)? Digital cameras? Who knew those things existed!
 
Steve M. said:
I guess analog darkroom and printing are very flexible terms :)

Still, getting all fussy is what led me away from the old APUG site. Most people who only print in a darkroom (like me) are probably just curious to see what this is about. Scanning? Inkjet printers? Piezo (I haven't a clue)? Digital cameras? Who knew those things existed!
Click to expand...

Steve,

I'm an old guy who went to art school in the 70's. If Leica did not create the Monochrom I likely would still be a film die-hard. Know that I still shoot film.

Now imagine that now I can pretty much do a "Salgado" without having the best lab in Paris at my dispoal like Salgado did to produce the show Genesis.

I'm really startled that not many here know, understand, or care about how technology has gotten this good or advanced.

Anyways most people do not print their work is one explaination. Another is that image quality has been reduced to just computer screens.

Cal
 
Thanks Cal, I'm currently reading one of your old threads so I'm still playing catch up.

I'm interested in Piezo in part because I'm sick and tired of my dodge/burn work in my crampted darkroom set up. I can fix most of this in a photoshop and make contact prints, that would be great to my work flow. Plus, I find printing from larger negs like 120 or from my Xpan a huge problem too. I've also signed up for a class (locally) to learn Platinum/Palladium printing, and requires blow up from digital negs too. So, it seem time.

I'll be converting a Epson 1430 which will do 13x19, which is plenty big for me. I've read over the site and have been reading up on more user end now. But have yet to take the plunge in dropping the additional $300ish for inks and software.
 
filmtwit said:
Thanks Cal, I'm currently reading one of your old threads so I'm still playing catch up.

I'm interested in Piezo in part because I'm sick and tired of my dodge/burn work in my crampted darkroom set up. I can fix most of this in a photoshop and make contact prints, that would be great to my work flow. Plus, I find printing from larger negs like 120 or from my Xpan a huge problem too. I've also signed up for a class (locally) to learn Platinum/Palladium printing, and requires blow up from digital negs too. So, it seem time.

I'll be converting a Epson 1430 which will do 13x19, which is plenty big for me. I've read over the site and have been reading up on more user end now. But have yet to take the plunge in dropping the additional $300ish for inks and software.
Click to expand...

F,

Contact printing is a great way to print limited editions. For bigger than 8x10 you'll want to use a vacuum frame.

I print with only black and three shades of grey using Piezography Pro. The shadow detail is amazining and the contrast mucho punchy. Blacks exceed a wet print.

For monster prints K7-HD is seven shades of black, and I blend my splitone mixing inks. I use warmth in the shadows with that blackest-black, and the highlights are cool. Adds lots of depth.

So imagine using your inkjet to make a proof, then contact the digital negative, and everything matches up. The calibration is that good. No ink changes required anymore, and everything is seamless.

The ultimate would be to buy a P7000 and use an added light-light grey in both warm and cool. I've seen some prints done with this extra light-light and the roll off in the highlights rivals a silver wet print. So smooth.

A few years ago when the Leica SL was released I took my SL2-MOT to PhotoPlusExpo to visit the Leica booth. I also brought a 13x19 print to gift my mentor and friend Robert Rodriguez, the Artist-In-Residence in the Canson booth that I have gotten to know over the years.

The print was of the Domino Suger Refinery that stretches for eight city blocks along the East River, with Madhattan in the background, shot from above with a 28 Cron from the Williamsburg Bridge.

So after saying hello and gifting Robert the print I headed over to the Leica booth. I showed them my minty SL2-MOT and asked them why I would buy a new SL when I already have an older one. They thought that was cute, and I said there are 27 letters in the alphabet so could Leica come up with a better name for a new camera?

This one guy engaged with me and asked about my work. His name was Richard Herzog of Phase One, who happened to be a large format shooter.

I decided to go full impact, I went back to Robert Rodriguez to borrow the print I had just given him, and I went back to the Leica booth. That is when I blew them all away. Realize that this was just a small print and the 20x30 on 24x36 sheet really shows mucho more detail and a much wider range of tones. The big print opens up.

"Is this large format?" Richard Herzog asked.

Now imagine contact printing on Kodak AZO big.

Cal
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom