Troubles with the Epson 3800 (and trying not to drop-kick it off the table)

[YYV_146]

Actually, no. Using the the Epson Advanced B&W Photo (AWB), the printer does the color management and no paper profile is used, unlike printing in the color mode.

MITCH ALLAND/Potomac, MD
Nightshots from Tristes Tropiques
Download link for PDF file of 16-shot portfolio

I see. I don't usually print in B&W, and haven't heard of the AWB mode before.

How would the auto settings compare to simply printing with a normal proofing process, though?

 

[Takkun]

Also note that in the original post, I did specify that I was using both Moab's and an independent profile, and am printing from Photoshop. You can either specify a profile in Photoshop itself ("Let Photoshop manage colors") or in the printer setup dialog box. Either way, no noticeable difference.

I also have tried soft proofing with these profiles--everything looks pretty good, though with the associated lower contrast of fiber-based papers. My bigger issues are the banding/striping and areas of flat tone. I'll take some photos when I'm in the today.

 

[__--]

I see. I don't usually print in B&W, and haven't heard of the AWB mode before...How would the auto settings compare to simply printing with a normal proofing process, though?

The Advanced B&W Photo (AWB) mode prints with only the black and gray inks and there is no color cast, although you can do mild toning — in the sense of say, selenium, toning in darkroom prints. If you print BW using a paper profile you may end up with a color cast — and the AWB also produces a much richer B&W print, which substaniatlly more Dmax, which can be dazzling on a 3880, particularly on Epson Exhibition Fiber paper. Indeed, with this combination the Dmax os more than that of silver print. On the other hand, as mentioned earlier, you can't do soft proofing with AWB, as you can with color profile printing; but a test strip is in any case better than soft proofing for B&W.

MITCH ALLAND/Potomac, MD
Nightshots from Tristes Tropiques
Download link for PDF file of 16-shot portfolio