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Author Topic: Getting digital darkroom ready for new Epson P5000  (Read 3065 times)

Rand47

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Getting digital darkroom ready for new Epson P5000
« on: April 12, 2017, 07:34:09 pm »

I'm moving from my current P800 to the SC P5000.  I had the 800 sitting on a nice black metal cabinet that worked "just right" as a printer stand, with nice storage for paper, ink, etc. below.  Doing some quick measuring made me realize that the cabinet was woefully inadequate in area to accommodate  the footprint of the 5000.  The solution I came up with was to have a craftsman friend of mine turn the metal cabinet into "one leg" of a new table.



3x3" legs, and the cabinet through-drilled and six screws from underneath make the "table" one solid and very rigid piece.  You can tell from the photo that the 800 doesn't take up much real estate.  The 5000 will "just fit" on the left side of the table and there will still be adequate room for my little utility scanner. I now have room to the left of the cabinet to store my roll paper underneath.

Thought I'd share this.  The cabinet wasn't all that expensive to start with, and the materials for the table top/legs was about $120 at the local big-box hardware place.  The top is white "Formica" type material - easy to keep clean.

Also, if anyone is interested in "why" the upgrade from the 800 - I used to have a 4880 and was spoiled by the auto-cut, paper tray, etc.  So that, and the slightly better gamut of the 5000 was enough to push me over the edge.  I also very much like the roll/sheet auto switching.  Hope it works as advertised.

Rand
« Last Edit: April 12, 2017, 08:28:25 pm by Rand47 »
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Rand47

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Re: Getting digital darkroom ready for new Epson P5000
« Reply #1 on: April 14, 2017, 12:29:54 pm »

UPDATE: The eagle has landed.  I thought some of you might benefit, or at least get a kick out of, the difference in size, in situ, between the P800 and the P5000.  Yikes!   ;D



Rand
« Last Edit: April 14, 2017, 09:07:27 pm by Rand47 »
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MarkFarber

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Re: Getting digital darkroom ready for new Epson P5000
« Reply #2 on: April 14, 2017, 06:15:32 pm »

I'm likely going to replace my 3880 with either the p800 or p5000, so I hope you'll post comparison notes in depth. 3880 is great but I want to print panos. Leary of p800 because it sounds like a pain to shift from roll to rear-manual feed (I use thick paper, primarily Hot Press Bright). And Leary of P5000 because of clogging reputation of 4900. Please post often.
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aduke

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Re: Getting digital darkroom ready for new Epson P5000
« Reply #3 on: April 14, 2017, 06:35:14 pm »

I'm likely going to replace my 3880 with either the p800 or p5000, so I hope you'll post comparison notes in depth. 3880 is great but I want to print panos. Leary of p800 because it sounds like a pain to shift from roll to rear-manual feed (I use thick paper, primarily Hot Press Bright). And Leary of P5000 because of clogging reputation of 4900. Please post often.

I alternate between Hot Press Bright rolls and plain card-stock with a few nozzle-checks on plain paper on my p800. The major problem encountered is near the end of a roll, where there is considerable paper curvature. I've learned that near end of roll, I need to de-roll a few inches of paper in order to get it to load correctly. If it has a strong curve down, which it does, the paper will try to get into the backside of the fine art paper front feed and will not load correctly. Before I figured out the de-roll, I would stick a piece of some paper in the front fine art feed just far enough that the HPB could not go down that path. Then, just a little help to the HPB to go up instead of down would allow loading.

Since by previous printer was a 4880, I initially missed the professional paper handling features when starting with the p800 which is almost entirely manual.

Alan
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pearlstreet

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Re: Getting digital darkroom ready for new Epson P5000
« Reply #4 on: April 14, 2017, 07:26:45 pm »

Nice setup Rand!
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Rand47

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Re: Getting digital darkroom ready for new Epson P5000
« Reply #5 on: April 14, 2017, 08:50:57 pm »

Nice setup Rand!

Thanks, Sharon.  The cabinet-come-table is working out great.   Solid as a rock.

The grey panels on the wall are powder coated metal.  I use magnet thumbtacks to hang prints for evaluation and my own "living with them for a while."  On the ceiling above the panels is mounted a Solux Color Proofing Light Kit (two sections of track)  with (7) 4700K fixtures.  Provides pretty even light.  I can turn them on and off from a remote switch at my seating position.  My workstation is on the "right end" of this so all I have to do is pin the print in my standard "evaluation location" on the panel and I can just turn my head to do a screen to print comparison.  Works well for me.  I've been refining this set-up for a couple of years, slowly figuring out what works best for efficiency.

Thanks for the comment!
Rand
« Last Edit: April 14, 2017, 09:03:12 pm by Rand47 »
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BobShaw

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Re: Getting digital darkroom ready for new Epson P5000
« Reply #6 on: April 14, 2017, 09:02:23 pm »

I'm likely going to replace my 3880 with either the p800 or p5000, so I hope you'll post comparison notes in depth. 3880 is great but I want to print panos.
There is no problem printing panos with the 3880. I do it often. You just use Mirage Print or similar to overcome the length limitation and use the rear feed.
The lack of the rear feed option on the P800 is a concern for me.
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MarkFarber

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Re: Getting digital darkroom ready for new Epson P5000
« Reply #7 on: May 05, 2017, 09:18:41 am »

Thank you for the push to dig into Mirage.  I've now tried the trial version and it does indeed work.  A life extender for my 3880, which is otherwise a great machine.
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Rand47

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Re: Getting digital darkroom ready for new Epson P5000
« Reply #8 on: May 19, 2017, 11:47:49 pm »

The last piece is in place.  Just arrived today.  GTI PDV 2020e/D.



Rand
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BobShaw

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Re: Getting digital darkroom ready for new Epson P5000
« Reply #9 on: May 20, 2017, 12:23:34 am »

The last piece is in place.  Just arrived today.  GTI PDV 2020e/D.
I just looked at the price of that. Yikes.
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Rand47

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Re: Getting digital darkroom ready for new Epson P5000
« Reply #10 on: May 20, 2017, 01:21:21 am »

I just looked at the price of that. Yikes.

Yeah, if my printing is bad it sure as heck won't be the fault of the equipment I'm using. 😜

Rand
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elliot_n

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Re: Getting digital darkroom ready for new Epson P5000
« Reply #11 on: May 20, 2017, 04:46:26 am »

The last piece is in place.  Just arrived today.  GTI PDV 2020e/D.


Earlier you mentioned you've got 2 metres of track with 7 Solux lamps. What are you hoping to gain with this viewing booth? (Whoah! It costs $1,545.00.) It looks neat, but it can only accommodate one print (?)
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Rand47

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Re: Getting digital darkroom ready for new Epson P5000
« Reply #12 on: May 20, 2017, 08:42:24 am »


Earlier you mentioned you've got 2 metres of track with 7 Solux lamps. What are you hoping to gain with this viewing booth? (Whoah! It costs $1,545.00.) It looks neat, but it can only accommodate one print (?)

Often when clients are here for file optimization and print making we spend the entire afternoon making multiple prints from their files. The booth will be used for "the current print" we're working on. The "wall" will be used for finished prints as the collection grows so that they may see "the body of work" as a whole as we create it.  I have a niche kind of business where the client is part of the process in a very direct way. This (hopefully) will enhance the process.  That's the theory at least.  My typical client is someone who has been unhappy with not having direct control/input when their files are lab printed. 

Rand
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elliot_n

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Re: Getting digital darkroom ready for new Epson P5000
« Reply #13 on: May 20, 2017, 09:24:19 am »

Ah, you have visiting clients. Makes sense. Thanks for the explanation.

Do you use any diffusion on your Solux bulbs? I have a 1 metre track with 4 enclosed fixtures containing Solux bulbs and Lee dichroic diffusion filters. I have them all pointed to roughly the same spot on a magnetic board. This gives me just about enough space to do a comparison of two A2 prints.

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Rand47

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Re: Getting digital darkroom ready for new Epson P5000
« Reply #14 on: May 20, 2017, 10:06:58 am »

Ah, you have visiting clients. Makes sense. Thanks for the explanation.

Do you use any diffusion on your Solux bulbs? I have a 1 metre track with 4 enclosed fixtures containing Solux bulbs and Lee dichroic diffusion filters. I have them all pointed to roughly the same spot on a magnetic board. This gives me just about enough space to do a comparison of two A2 prints.

No diffusion, but it sounds interesting.  Which of the Lee diffusion patterns did you use?

Rand
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elliot_n

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Re: Getting digital darkroom ready for new Epson P5000
« Reply #15 on: May 20, 2017, 11:13:49 am »

Hmm, I can't remember.

Either 'Pristmatic Diffusion' of 'Softening Diffusion' filters. They are under 'Glass Diffusion Filters' here:

http://www.leefilters.com/architecture/arch-dl.html

I find the output of Solux bulbs too uneven without some form of diffusion. I think Solux sell diffusion filters of their own (?). I'm in the UK, so it's easier for me to buy Lee filters.
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Rand47

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Re: Getting digital darkroom ready for new Epson P5000
« Reply #16 on: May 20, 2017, 10:14:17 pm »

Hmm, I can't remember.

Either 'Pristmatic Diffusion' of 'Softening Diffusion' filters. They are under 'Glass Diffusion Filters' here:

http://www.leefilters.com/architecture/arch-dl.html

I find the output of Solux bulbs too uneven without some form of diffusion. I think Solux sell diffusion filters of their own (?). I'm in the UK, so it's easier for me to buy Lee filters.

Thanks!

Rand
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