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3880 vs 4000?


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I bought the 24 inch NEC, with built-in SpectraView, after reading Sean's review and recommendations. No complaints. Add a Mac desktop Pro, LR 3 and a 3800 with some nice papers, inks and custom profiles, and voila...beautiful prints. Any improvements from here likely to be in small increments. Likely a 3880, or next iteration, once the 3800 dies.

 

Don't miss my darkroom so much.

 

Jeff

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{snipped}

But, I can't believe how impossible it is to make a good color print using the screen on the MacBook Pro 15in laptop. I was pulling my hair out. Jamie has it just right to feel sorry for people like that.{snipped}

 

Hey Bill--it's true... every argument on colour I've ever had with anyone turns out they're on a laptop--including some labs who should know much, much better! :)

 

I haven't tried the NECs; I hear very good things about them.

 

I still have my trusty EIZO CG19. Someday I will replace it and it will become the secondary monitor :) But for now it's still excellent. Glad to hear IPv8 is working as usual, though :)

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Hey Bill--it's true... every argument on colour I've ever had with anyone turns out they're on a laptop--including some labs who should know much, much better! :)

oh, please don't tell me this is true for b/w :(

 

i really want to get a 3880 (finally!) but that means i can't afford a desktop computer... (i'm working on a 17" MacBook Pro).

 

and then there's the RIP to figure out... Epson, QuadTone, ImagePrint... argh!!!

 

(p.s. i'm still using your profiles :D)

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oh, please don't tell me this is true for b/w :(

 

i really want to get a 3880 (finally!) but that means i can't afford a desktop computer... (i'm working on a 17" MacBook Pro).

 

and then there's the RIP to figure out... Epson, QuadTone, ImagePrint... argh!!!

 

(p.s. i'm still using your profiles :D)

I do everything on a 17 inch, high-resolution, matte screen PowerBook — both color and B&W. I'm careful about the lighting in the room (not too bright) and the angle at which I view the monitor. It's calibrated and I've adjusted the brightness so that it matches the prints.

 

—Mitch/Bangkok

Tropical Light

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I do everything on a 17 inch, high-resolution, matte screen PowerBook — both color and B&W. I'm careful about the lighting in the room (not too bright) and the angle at which I view the monitor. It's calibrated and I've adjusted the brightness so that it matches the prints.

 

—Mitch/Bangkok

Tropical Light

thank you, Mitch, that makes me feel better.

 

i think we have the same computer... i will calibrate my monitor weekly, but i haven't quite nailed the proper lighting (i work in two rooms). i guess that will have to be trial and error.

 

i know you've used ImagePrint for quite some time. do you know if it is *that* much better than QuadTone for b&w?

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Cam, dunno, really. Years ago I used the Cone inks but those prints turned green within 3-6 months in the heat and humidity here. At that time, the IP dither was a lot better and the tones and gradation was similar.

 

WIth the LCD I don't think that frequent calibration is necessary; you just have to make sure that the brightness level is the same and the room lighting is consistent.

 

—Mitch/Bangkok

Scratching the Surface

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Hi guys, I've been following this thread with great interest. I use a 3880 and an Eizo 24 coupled to a MacBook pro, but have trouble with colour prints. Does this have to do with "RIP" (what does it stand for other then..?) and is it recommended to change the printer drivers or profiles? Excuse my ignorance.

 

Bas

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Bas, welcome. You'll find many threads here if you search on calibration.

 

To repeat some of the info, you should be calibrating your screen and, at a minimum, using profiles for the paper and printer combo you have.

 

I happen to use the Huey Pro for calibration, mostly because it's the least expensive device. There are several of these.

 

The paper profiles are available for free download from the site of the paper manufacturer. For example, you can do a web search for Ilford profile download or Epson profile download, to find the profiles you want.

 

Check out the other posts on calibration.

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Hi guys, I've been following this thread with great interest. I use a 3880 and an Eizo 24 coupled to a MacBook pro, but have trouble with colour prints. Does this have to do with "RIP" (what does it stand for other then..?) and is it recommended to change the printer drivers or profiles? Excuse my ignorance.

 

Bas

 

RIP = Raster image Processing whereby the program takes direct control of the printer. Many people see it as one way to get more control.

I do as Bill Parsons says, except I use a Spyder 3 to profile my screen. For me though part of the pleasure is that there is no perfect solution. there are different papers and different ways to balance your particular print and no particular one is right. Trying to get what you see on screen though has for me been an illusory trail such that I have a feel for what can be achieved and it is a starting point. Although it is a long time since I did any darkroom work and that was never much, it was maybe easier to get into the groove of achieving what you want. Just my experience.

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Not to hijack my own thread, but it seems that my Epson 1400-I6 printer isn't working with my MBP. The 3880 may turn out to be the b/w engine of my choice. At least IP has a b/w interfx to it.

 

I'm going to explore with a Silver FX-Pro transformation and the 3880 in matte black mode with my Hahnemuhle photo rag to see what I get. Maybe I'll lose a printer.

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Not to hijack my own thread, but it seems that my Epson 1400-I6 printer isn't working with my MBP. The 3880 may turn out to be the b/w engine of my choice. At least IP has a b/w interfx to it.

 

I'm going to explore with a Silver FX-Pro transformation and the 3880 in matte black mode with my Hahnemuhle photo rag to see what I get. Maybe I'll lose a printer.

 

Try some of the Hahnemuhle Baryta papers (Photo Black) and you'll never look back!

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Try some of the Hahnemuhle Baryta papers (Photo Black) and you'll never look back!

Tecco are a German paper company and I use them because of their easy availability here but also their consistent high quality. It was pleasing to see that at PhotoKina they were well represented. There was a fine art stand where from the magazine Fine Art Printing where they showed a number of papers and their results. It showed me that we now seemed to be spoilt for choice. Back on the Tecco stand they showed me their new Iridium paper which out Baryta's both of their Baryta papers. I think for most subjects it might be too much but now and again it would be just right.

Good printing. Robert

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Try some of the Hahnemuhle Baryta papers (Photo Black) and you'll never look back!

 

This looks very neat -- I don't have to change inks.

 

I will try some Ilford glossy to see what that looks like with the FX Pro transformation in IP and get some of this.

 

Very cool!

 

Will, I think you've posted a similar one before this. Thanks for the reminder.

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Bill,

 

I just made a 13x19 print using Hahnemuhle Photo Rag Baryta paper, IP v8 RIP and my Epson 7900 printer of the image in this thread:

The Swimmer

 

I'm literally speechless. I couldn't have wished for a better result. The detail is outstanding!

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@wparsonsgisnet $ luxbob, yes the monitor has been calibrated, the paper profiles however, I have not been using so far. I must admit that this is my first photoprinter bar de 60$ HP photosmart I got for Xmas in 2004... and I have only tried the two types of srandard (matte and glossy) epsin paper that came with the printer as testers. I will buy some quality paper after I've got the printer more or less sussed with these cheap samples, I thought. It seems all a bit more complicated than I initially thought, but nevertheless god fun. It really remembers me of my darkroom days, although completely different, the pursue for the perfect print is exactly the same!

 

Bas

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  • 2 weeks later...
Guest WPalank

@wparsonsgisnet

Bill,

Have you had a chance to upsample an image using the IP Driver?

I just upsampled an M9 B&W file to a 22" width (33" height) using the RIP algorithm and printed it on roll Hahnemuhle Photo Rag Baryta. Gorgeous and Neutral, even at Pixel Peeping distance!

 

I'll be bringing the print to the Leica Akademie I'm speaking at here on Tuesday along with the same image on cut sheet at native resolution.

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William, I have printed a b/w using IP and the 3880, on Ilford glossy. Very nice. I plan to do my first 17x22 prints this weekend, both color and b/w.

 

This is a very nice printer.

 

Per the monitor question, since this is now a 2-subject thread, I have looked at the NEC and EIZO specs, and am waiting for a check from Aunt Rose for the EIAO 243. Rosie, where are you?...

 

[For those unfamiliar with 'Murican "culture," this is a reference to a burlesque routine containing a singing telegram called "Your Aunt Rose is Dead" and the receipt of a bequest. Alas, I have no Aunt Rose.]

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