Printing

[Deliberate1]

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Friends, I was wondering how many of you in our "intimate" S community do your own printing, and what gear you use. I have been using Epson machines for around 15 years with good success. Started with what I think was the 2200, then 2400 (12") and then a 7800 which I bought around 12 years ago when I got into square MF shooting with my Rollei 6008. Just beautiful 24" square prints from chromes scanned with a Scitex Eversmart flatbed scanner I got from a magazine that had no use for it given the proliferation of digital capture. The printer has been a real workhorse and is extraordinarily dependable, especially given how little use it gets. I can go several months between printing jobs, and not once did I have any nozzle clogs that did not resolve on their own. No head or electronic glitches. I have a pal who bought a 7880, the next generation, and the damn thing is a dud. Even the Epson tech on site could not get it going. He just gave up.

Curiosity fueled by GAS prompts me to post this. My printer is at least two generations behind the current crop. The new inks are "improved" and accommodate a greater color range. Mine has eight cartridges. I think the current crop has 11. With my machine, you have to manually swap out the black cartridges to change from matte to gloss. Just to reinforce the fact that Epson is an ink company and not so much a printer company, the waste of ink triggered by that conversion is painful (to the owner). I understand that the current machines do not require that manual process - though the ink waste may be similar. I do not know. 

If I were to get a new printer, I would likely go with a 44" inch model, a thought which sends tingles up my spine. I have no doubt that a properly crafted image from the S - tripod, mirror lock, lowest ISO - could print solidly at that size. I could convert my 7800 to a dedicated B&W machine which would make stunning images. 

But there are Canon machines as well which get good reviews. And while i have not shopped them, I assume they are similarly priced.

Bottom line is that, as Ansel noted, the print is the performance. Say what you will about everything that precedes it,  the print is the ultimate pudding. And to have control over that process is the key to fulfilling your vision.

Cheers.

David

[mgrayson3]

My pro friend just switched to a Cannon 44”. He wouldn’t have left Epson if he saw lower quality. I’m a happy 3880 user, but if I went larger, I’d go Cannon, too.

[Jeff S]

David, stop by the Digital PP part of the forum.... dozens of threads on the topic, even if not S specific.

 

Jeff

[Deliberate1]

David, stop by the Digital PP part of the forum.... dozens of threads on the topic, even if not S specific.

 

Jeff

I will. I just trust you guys.....

[Guest]

David, stop by the Digital PP part of the forum.... dozens of threads on the topic, even if not S specific.

Jeff

Second that recommendation. Also have a look at www.luminous-landscape.com for more info.My own printing has improved 100% from tips and general information I have been given the past couple of years from both sources.

[elmars]

After a Epson 3880 I now have a Canon Pro-1000. The printing results are very good, but not better than those of the Epson SC-P800. They are similar. The advantage, that the Canon must not change the black-ink-tank, when changing from matte paper to glossy paper, is not as big as it seems, because the Canon has a very long and ink consumptive way to prohibit the jet nozzles from drying. The procedure starts after one day of not using the printer.

 

The second disadvantage is bigger. Im am very dissapointed with the Canon support. There is a certain amount of printers, that use chroma optimizer (which is only for glossy paper) even if matte paper is printed. I have one of these and I print 90 % matte paper. My chroma optimizer use is ca. twice as much as of normal ink. See also here:

 

http://forum.luminous-landscape.com/index.php?topic=116200.0

 

Canon does not solve this problem for more than a year since knowing from it. My dealer says, they refuse to do it, because only some printers are affected.

 

Elmar

[Deliberate1]

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Second that recommendation. Also have a look at www.luminous-landscape.com for more info.My own printing has improved 100% from tips and general information I have been given the past couple of years from both sources.

Thanks, mate. I do frequent LuLa and have learned a great deal from the printing forum.

Since the "which is a better printer" question, like many, has too many moving parts, I think I will find a print shop that uses the latest Canon and Epson printers and send them a file to print without any adjustment, and on the Epson paper I use. Then I can compare it to my output on the 7800.

Can anyone suggest a print shop for this experiment?

Regards and thanks.

David

[Guest]

I used an open day at Calumet in Manchester to evaluate the Epson P800 where a guy from Epson gave me a comprehensive demo.

I followed that up a few weeks later when they had a demo model. Something serious would have had to happen to stop me buying the P800 as it wasn’t a brand new machine but based upon the previous model mechanically and that had a good reputation for reliability. The footprint is only a little wider than the Epson A3 printers and the role feed attachment is built like a tank.Also I was interested in using the Image Print software. 2 years later I have no hesitation in reccomending this printer.80 ml capacity cartridges help to keep ink costs under control and Image Print IP 10 helps me to get the best from the printer. 110% satisfied with my printing set up.

I am sure other printers and software packages will give good results but I have had several Epson printers and always been pleased.

[DaveNC]

I've always printed my images on my Epson 3880 and sold many.  Easy and very nice.  Recently I produced a 36" X 72" image for someone and used our local professional print show.  They printed on canvas and I am very happy with the results and price.  I may begin to use them more going forward.

[Guest]

I've always printed my images on my Epson 3880 and sold many.  Easy and very nice.  Recently I produced a 36" X 72" image for someone and used our local professional print show.  They printed on canvas and I am very happy with the results and price.  I may begin to use them more going forward.

Once you go to a large format printer they have to be used frequently. Unless you are printing almost daily and earning money from the results the local print shop has to be more cost effective.

[Exodies]

Cost effective but not as much fun.

[Guest NEIL-D-WILLIAMS]

David

I'm shooting with Leica S007 and printing with a Epson P807 (P800 outside of Asia). I'm getting fantastic results with both the Leica S and with the prints coming out of the P807 printer

 

I will be getting an Epson 44" printer for my home in Phuket................just trying to figure out the best company to get it from as in Thailand there is a 40% tax on LF printers :( .

 

I will just be using it for personal stuff and as Bob says above, hopefully will have a lot of fun with it

 

Neil