For black & white photo enthusiasts, being able to control the tone of prints is critical. In addition, getting the darkest blacks and smooth gray tonal transitions make printing a truly enjoyable. That is why picking the right printer for your black & white photo printing needs is so important.
Bear in mind that all inkjet printers can print black & white images and artwork. However, grayscale prints often take on a light magenta or green cast. The cast is difficult to control and results from the mixing of all available colors to create grayscales. Out of the many inkjet printers available, a select number have inks and software specifically tailored to grayscale printing.
Epson's UltraChrome K3 and UltraChrome HD printers use a three black set up - photo black or matte black plus gray, and light-gray. The printer driver's Advanced Black & White mode is used to control tonality as well as ink density, contrast, and brightness.
Canon's Lucia EX printers use the same ink set up as Epson. Canon's B&W driver controls are not as detailed as Epson's but do a good job of controlling tone.
You should know that these systems actually add a splash of color ink in the mix to insure the right tonality. It is automated and generally out of our control. To use only black inks for a print job, specialized software or alternative ink sets are required.
Canon PRO-10
- 10 color printer pigment based photo and fine art printer
- Uses sheets 4" x 6" up to 13" x 26.61"
- Street price $650
In Brief: For Canon fans that need fade resistant prints and have a real interest in B&W output. This printer performs best with photobase glossy, luster, and metallic.
Read the full Canon Pro-10 Printer Review
Epson Pro 3880
- Eight color pigment ink photo and fine art printer
- Uses sheets 3.5" x 5" up to 17" x 37.5"
- Street price $1200
In Brief: The 3880 is the ultimate desktop, sheet fed workhorse. The UltraChrome K3 pigment ink system produces true-to-life colors and neutral rich B&W prints. The big bonus of the 3880 is 30-40% savings in terms of cost to print.
Epson SureColor P600 - Replaces the R3000
- Eight color pigment ink photo and fine art printer
- Uses sheets 4" x 6" up to 13" x 595"
- 13" roll capability
- Street price $700
In Brief: The P600 produces true-to-life colors and neutral rich B&W prints on the gamut of inkjet media.
Read the full Epson SureColor P600 Printer Review
Wide Fomat Black & White Printers
Epson, Canon, and HP all offer 24" and wider printers with black & white systems. In fact, every wide format printer in the photography and fine art categories comes with a three black ink setup. Below is many but not all of the choices:
Canon
- iPF6400/6450
- iPF8400 / 8450
Epson
- Pro 7890 / 9890
- Pro 7900 / 9900
HP
- Z-Series
Last updated: February 27, 2025
