I love my Lightscribe! The "shades of grey" are not an issue for me - the graphics are very crisp like a decent B&W photo.

As for the cost, they are really not that expensive. They are close to the cost of printable discs and you save the cost of ink.   The cheaper discs are more expensive once you throw in the cost of the labels and ink - and you risk damage to a drive with a paper label.

Very dependable and highly recommended!!! Well worth it!!