HP Photosmart 7960 printer
Page 10.
Inks part 2.
In the previous screen I showed the deference between a print created with six colours (with the No 56 cartridge) and a print using 8 inks (with the No 59 cartridge). Here are another couple of samples using the same combination.
 |
Canon |
 |
Six
inks |
 |
Eight
inks |
The eight ink picture has far more depth and the colours are more saturated. The six ink print is also very good but when placed side by side you can see the difference, but its very subtle. Look at the yellows, deep blues and the shaded reds in the detail pictures below. I have also included a print made with the Canon S900 for your interest (I do not have the i950 here) .
 |
 |
Six ink |
Eight ink |
 |
 |
Canon S900 six ink |
Original file |
Compare the files with the original digital image and the HP matches it closely, with the exception of the deep blue and the pale blue flowers, the hp has added more saturation. All scans were made using the same settings and the prints were printed using the manufacturers recommended settings.
From these pictures you can see the advantage of using eight inks and how the next generation of printers are producing much richer colours than previous models. The prints certainly have a lot of impact, perhaps a bit too larger than life. I should point out that the Canon i950 will produce much better colours than the ones displayed here.
B/W printing.
With the advancement made in colour technology why do photographers still crave for decent Black and White prints? B/W photographs convey an artistic quality that is unique to photography. Strip a picture of its colour information and you are left with the raw ingredients, texture, light and form and we are left with image content without the distraction of colour.
 |
 |
B/W is arguably the purest form of photography. Photographers with a background in film and darkroom work are looking the digital equivalent of an enlarger. Inkjet printers would seem like the perfect solution, but as I mentioned earlier the grey tones in a b/w print are made from a composite of the colour inks, this can result in unwanted casts.
HP has resolved this problem with their No 59 grey photo cartridge. The b/w prints I have been producing over the last few days are every bit as good and even better than anything I have done in the darkroom. The greys are without any cast, the prints look and feel like traditional b/w photographs.
 |
 |
Using six inks |
Using eight inks |
The
first print was made with the No 56 cartridge with the greyscale setting
in the print driver. The second print was made using the No 59 cartridge
and the greyscale setting, no additional adjustments have been made
for either print. The six ink print is making up its greys from a composite
of the coloured inks and has a slight magenta cast. The No 59 cartridge
performs as claimed, i.e. pure greyscale photographs. As previously
mentioned, the prints using eight inks are about 1/2 stop darker than
the originals, the six ink prints looks about 1/2 stop lighter. I also
printed the above sample with the printer driver set to colour and
there is no perceivable difference.
Photographers
who want the best of the shelf solution for b/w prints need look no
further.
© Vincent
Oliver 2003 www.photo-i.co.uk
Please use the Forum to
post your questions and views.
Shopping is just a click away photo-i
shop
