Setting printer to black ink

[novicesurfer]

Hi,

I have just bought a Canon ip 1200 printer. It comes with a colour ink cartridge and the option to add a black ink cartridge if desired. Much of my photo printing will be in black and white. I have looked in the printer settings and the user manual, but can't see where you change the settings accordingly. Can anybody help please?

Alan

[Able]

Try selecting "print" from within most programs, then, when the window lists your printer, click on properties. Somewhere in there will be the option to print in b&w only.

[harry12]

Originally Posted by Able

Try selecting "print" from within most programs, then, when the window lists your printer, click on properties. Somewhere in there will be the option to print in b&w only.

Able's right again - but to add to what he's said :- bear in mind that selecting "B&W printing" may not reproduce photographs - I suspect it depends on the printer model - but often black-printing is for text and half-tones which would come out with a colour-bias if the 3-colour ink is used to make black.
The fact you "replace " the colour cartride doesn't sound like it's a top-range printer...stilll ....I understand that B&W photographers use fancy colour printers with grey-inks in their colour cartridges and these are then asigned grey shades - very techy IMHO - and something only dedicated photographers would attempt - so I wonder, why do you want to?

The alternative might be to strip out the colour in PSP/Photoshop and burn a CD - then take it to yr local store and explain they are B&W prints, so they don't tear their hair out!
Caution - these machine prints will fade, unlike chemical "silver" photography of old. Somehow I doubt you will achieve the lustre of silver, but maybe someone will bring out a dedicated B&W printer for a specialised market.
.

[novicesurfer]

Hi,

Thanks for the response. Yes it is a basic photo printer which comes with a colour cartridge only. There is an option to add a black ink cartridge, which I have done. I just wanted to know if the printer would automatically use the black ink cartridge for B & W printing, or whether you need to 'tell' it. When you print from a normal printer say from word you often get the option to select preferences, but this one seems to go straight to print, so I can't be sure which cartridge it uses.

Alan