Printing high quality black and white images using a normal color inks on an inkjet printer has always been a difficult task. With the standard CYMK process that most printers employ, balancing levels of black in a monochromatic image is extremely difficult. The fact is that color defects are normally present within the grayscale; for example, if a neutral black is achieved for shadow detail, magenta or cyan often creeps into the mid-tones.

The result is a black and white that's never quite right, and this has been a longstanding concern of photographers using digital processes for black and white prints.

Lyson addressed this problem with the introduction of the first inkjet inks specifically designed for black and white-the Lyson Quad Black ink range. Quad Black consists of inksets containing four or six dilutions of the same black ink. By using these inks with ICC profiles and Photoshop settings, true monochrome images can be produced using standard OEM print drivers. Initially, the Quad Black range included three separate ink sets - warm, neutral, and cool - and changing between sets required swapping out the inks in a printer. Quad Black was quickly followed by Lyson Small Gamut; an ink set that provides a degree of tonal control without changing inks. Both of these Lyson ink sets have set the standard for monochrome inkjet printing, and are used by many thousands of photographers worldwide.

The recent introduction of seven and eight color inkjet printers has expanded the possibilities for black and white printing. The extra channels available on these new machines make it possible to achieve more levels of gray and toning effects; but despite this added functionality, it became apparent to Lyson that a limiting factor remained in the digital black and white process: OEM print driver software designed for color imaging, not black and white. While good results may be achieved with these drivers and the Quad Black or Small Gamut ink sets, a true monochrome driver would enable digital black and white output that is simply stunning.

Lyson began work on developing a special black and white print driver in tandem with new proprietary media coating technology to provide photographers what they have long desired - the ability to accurately mirror traditional darkroom techniques, including silver printing. The results of this development are a system producing nothing short of revolutionary digital black and white prints.