Topic: Epson 3880 with ColorBurst RIP (Read 14811 times)

StuartOnline · « **on:** September 01, 2009, 05:59:20 pm »

I am looking to maybe purchase the new Epson 3880 which was announced today.
My question is, is it worth getting it with CcolorBurst RIP?
If so what advantages does it give you?
Currently I own a Canon IPF5000 and HP Design-jet 130.
From what the cost is for print heads for the IPF5000 it is less costly to purchase a new printer.
The Canon is over two years old so I am sure the print heads will go anytime now.

Thanks.

BobDavid · « **Reply #1 on:** September 01, 2009, 08:41:28 pm »

I wouldn't get a RIP for the 3880. It's unwarranted unless you are printing nested jobs and/or require ultimate color matching for prepress proofing.

CoyoteButtes · « **Reply #2 on:** September 02, 2009, 12:46:53 am »

I, too, am considering a 3880. And I appreciate your question - and the answer - about the ColorBurst RIP.

It would be way cool if Mr. Schewe and other knowledgeable folks would tell us what we might be able to expect from a 3880. Will you be able to go to the same 36 inch sheet length with the supplied drivers (for Mac OS X 10.6)?

Looking forward to more info.

Thanks,

Stan

StuartOnline · « **Reply #3 on:** September 02, 2009, 07:41:13 am »

My real question is I am not really sure what this ColorBurst RIP really does.
Most of my currents prints are landscape (scenic) and some commercial work.
Is there really a need for ColorBurst RIP for these type of prints?

I would like to hear from someone who has used ColorBurst RIP.

BobDavid · « **Reply #4 on:** September 02, 2009, 10:01:22 am »

In the days of the Epson 4000, 7600, and 9600 a RIP was essential for getting neutral black and white out of the printers. If you are printing a lot of jobs for clients that involve optimizing the the most efficient management of paper, a RIP can be a big asset. Another reason to use a RIP, not ColorBurst, is to be able to individually tweak ink output channels at the CMYK level. It doesn't sound like you need a RIP. Save your money. Save your time.

Alan Goldhammer · « **Reply #5 on:** September 02, 2009, 12:17:59 pm »

Quote from: StuartOnline

My real question is I am not really sure what this ColorBurst RIP really does.
Most of my currents prints are landscape (scenic) and some commercial work.
Is there really a need for ColorBurst RIP for these type of prints?

I would like to hear from someone who has used ColorBurst RIP.

Our frequent poster Eric Chan answers the question in his R3800 FAQ web posting.

rogan · « **Reply #6 on:** September 02, 2009, 01:13:24 pm »

Quote from: Alan Goldhammer

Our frequent poster Eric Chan answers the question in his R3800 FAQ web posting.

I have a 3800 and use the rip on every single print. I happen to think the color on the Rip is better than any custom profile I have seen. I find on matte papers most profiles want to put down way to much ink. The one problem with the bundled RIP is that it ONLY works with epson papers. You must buy the full one to work with other brands.

Another reason I like the RIP is once I have a file perfectly tuned file I save it as a flat tif. If I need 5 prints of 4 images I drag them to the program and hit 5 copies and print. That's it. Not one at a time.

madmanchan · « **Reply #7 on:** September 02, 2009, 03:54:46 pm »

True, but for the batch printing aspects, you don't need a RIP to do that. Lightroom and QImage are examples of non-RIP software that provide the same benefit, i.e., select a group of images and just hit the Print button (no more dialog boxes, driver settings, etc.).

BobDavid · « **Reply #8 on:** September 02, 2009, 08:45:56 pm »

Quote from: rogan

I have a 3800 and use the rip on every single print. I happen to think the color on the Rip is better than any custom profile I have seen. I find on matte papers most profiles want to put down way to much ink. The one problem with the bundled RIP is that it ONLY works with epson papers. You must buy the full one to work with other brands.

Another reason I like the RIP is once I have a file perfectly tuned file I save it as a flat tif. If I need 5 prints of 4 images I drag them to the program and hit 5 copies and print. That's it. Not one at a time.

I'd like to see the output from the "custom profiles" you are comparing to your RIP output. I run a fine art reproduction studio. We generate custom profiles. We've compared output from several RIPs on the market. The ones that outperform the current Epson drivers are CMYK. The amount of fuss it takes to get that 5% improvement isn't justifiable unless you are obsessed. RIPs are great for nested jobs in a production environment.

digitaldog · « **Reply #9 on:** September 03, 2009, 09:41:23 am »

Unless you're doing CMYK proofing (sending CMYK data and page layout stuff to the printer), you don't need this RIP.

The 3880 is quite lovely (Schewe and I both were testers). Faster and slightly better dither than the 3800, in some images, the differences in Magenta and Vivid Magenta are quite visible. The 3800 was my favorite printer prior to the 3880.

BlackSmith · « **Reply #10 on:** September 03, 2009, 12:18:48 pm »

I'm quite interested in the 3880.
From reading comments on the 3800, there have been struggles to get prints free of head strikes on some papers. The approach to improve the likelyhood of a clean print was to increase the platen gap and ensure perfectly flat paper. Does anybody know if there have been any design improvements to address this issue in the new model? On the website they quote identical specifications for maximum media thickness, but that's not necessarily a good indicator.
Also, I am disappointed to see that the most common complaint about the 3800 was not addressed - that it takes more that 5% of the ink cartridge to switch from matte to photo black. Oh well.

Sean

vandevanterSH · « **Reply #11 on:** September 03, 2009, 01:28:26 pm »

Somewhat OT but...

Does the version of ColorBurst associated with the 3800/3800 allow print lengths beyond 37 1/2" (I think)? It's been more than a year since I looked at this issue and at that time, for me, it wasn't worth the cost of a RIP to print a few long panos. Any new options, affordable options, that allow long prints?

Steve

digitaldog · « **Reply #12 on:** September 03, 2009, 01:52:35 pm »

Quote from: vandevanterSH

Somewhat OT but...

Does the version of ColorBurst associated with the 3800/3800 allow print lengths beyond 37 1/2" (I think)? It's been more than a year since I looked at this issue and at that time, for me, it wasn't worth the cost of a RIP to print a few long panos. Any new options, affordable options, that allow long prints?

Considering there's no roll option for these printers, the question is, can you fit 37" cut paper into it? (the answer I suspect is no).

madmanchan · « **Reply #13 on:** September 03, 2009, 03:59:50 pm »

It can be done, but rather inconveniently. It takes a lot of care to make sure the sheet doesn't get whacked (e.g., dented, dinged, etc.) while feeding it.

Frankly, it doesn't make sense to me to invest in a lot of extras to try to make the 3800/3880 do something that it wasn't designed to do -- namely, very long prints. I feel you are better off investing directly in a device designed to do precisely that, e.g., with a roll feed, like a R2880, 4880, Canon iPF 5100, etc.

rogan · « **Reply #14 on:** September 03, 2009, 08:01:06 pm »

Quote from: BobDavid

I'd like to see the output from the "custom profiles" you are comparing to your RIP output. I run a fine art reproduction studio. We generate custom profiles. We've compared output from several RIPs on the market. The ones that outperform the current Epson drivers are CMYK. The amount of fuss it takes to get that 5% improvement isn't justifiable unless you are obsessed. RIPs are great for nested jobs in a production environment.

Keep in mind I only print on matte paper and can't vouch for "plastic" prints. I just can't get the epson drivers with custom drivers to ease up on the black ink. With the epson driver dark prints always ripple and with the colorburst they are fine(yes, they do dry) but I find with the colorburst there is so much more shadow detail. I also find colorburst is much more accurate with reds and oranges than epson or custom profiles. I know this may defy logic but I have made/bought(custom) probably 20 profiles and not one is close to colorbursts..

vandevanterSH · « **Reply #15 on:** September 03, 2009, 10:40:00 pm »

It can be done, but rather inconveniently. It takes a lot of care to make sure the sheet doesn't get whacked (e.g., dented, dinged, etc.) while feeding it.
**********
It wasn't that big of a problem. I had down-loaded a "trial" RIP and constructed a removable extension for the paper-feeder. The paper ran through without problems. The "feeder" was put together with heavy construction paper and had side guides and cross guides to keep the sheet flat as it fed into the printer. IIRC, the max print length was about 60".

Steve

BobDavid · « **Reply #16 on:** September 04, 2009, 07:36:32 am »

Quote from: rogan

Keep in mind I only print on matte paper and can't vouch for "plastic" prints. I just can't get the epson drivers with custom drivers to ease up on the black ink. With the epson driver dark prints always ripple and with the colorburst they are fine(yes, they do dry) but I find with the colorburst there is so much more shadow detail. I also find colorburst is much more accurate with reds and oranges than epson or custom profiles. I know this may defy logic but I have made/bought(custom) probably 20 profiles and not one is close to colorbursts..

I wouldn't be surprised if you're printing blacks and shadow details with RGB hovering below 15, 15, 15 -- a big no no.

rogan · « **Reply #17 on:** September 04, 2009, 04:10:37 pm »

Quote from: BobDavid

I wouldn't be surprised if you're printing blacks and shadow details with RGB hovering below 15, 15, 15 -- a big no no.

not with colorburst....
You are right though with the Epson driver

edwinb · « **Reply #18 on:** September 04, 2009, 08:02:15 pm »

Quote from: rogan

not with colorburst....
You are right though with the Epson driver

A bespoke profile or calibrated rip will (at least it should!) always out perform the 'off the shelf' icc file
as well as nesting you can do some neat sizing and positioning that all adds up to quicker better workflow
photogate, proofmaster, efi are all worth considering
edwin

Author Topic: Epson 3880 with ColorBurst RIP (Read 14811 times)