CS5 not centering image

[robgo2]

I am having problems with printing on my Epson 3880.  For some reason, CS5 is de-centering the image on the paper, even though I have checked the "Center Image" box.  None of the preset paper sizes are exactly the same as those that I actually use, so I have created custom sizes (e.g. 13x19 inches.) 

I am using Mac OS 10.6.7.

What am I doing wrong?

Rob

[Mark D Segal]

13*19 is a standard size. It is called Super A3. Check your Epson driver paper size settings again. I had a 3800, now have a 4900, I use CS5 on Mac OSX and do not have a centering problem, so this suggests the issue is not generic but something to do with your settings in the Epson driver. I don't know the exact details of this driver for the 3880, but recall that these printers have a larger bottom margin than the other three. You can get around that by selecting the "maximum" paper size for Super A3 if that is offered in the 3880 driver. If the driver also gives you the option to center the image, check it. If your settings in both the driver and CS5 are both correct and consistent you should get centered prints.

[robgo2]

13*19 is a standard size. It is called Super A3. Check your Epson driver paper size settings again. I had a 3800, now have a 4900, I use CS5 on Mac OSX and do not have a centering problem, so this suggests the issue is not generic but something to do with your settings in the Epson driver. I don't know the exact details of this driver for the 3880, but recall that these printers have a larger bottom margin than the other three. You can get around that by selecting the "maximum" paper size for Super A3 if that is offered in the 3880 driver. If the driver also gives you the option to center the image, check it. If your settings in both the driver and CS5 are both correct and consistent you should get centered prints.

Mark,

Thanks for the quick reply.  According to the paper size dialog, Super A3 is 13.34 x 19.41 inches.  There must be a reason for this particular size, as it does not correspond to the actual size of standard paper sheets.

Rob

[Wayne Fox]

How much off centered is it?  Is it off centered in the CS5 preview dialog?  Is it off vertically or horizontally?

Unfortunately slight horizontal off centering is an issue with many inkjet printers.  It may not be CS5.

[Mark D Segal]

Robert, firstly I just visited your website - those B&W photos from North Africa are stunning.

That is really strange about the paper size. Never seen that, and I have no idea why they report Super A3 as larger than plain 13*19. Is there no plain 13*19 preset there? May be an idea to contact Epson tech support by phone or using their email service. They are usually pretty good. If the centering is just off by the difference between the three margins and the one margin, creating a "13*19 plus a bit" preset dimensioned to accommodate an upper margin equal to the lower margin may fix it. If my memory serves me correctly, someone - it may have been Martin Evening, provided very specific instructions for dealing with this issue - try a Google search and see what comes up.

[robgo2]

How much off centered is it?  Is it off centered in the CS5 preview dialog?  Is it off vertically or horizontally?

Unfortunately slight horizontal off centering is an issue with many inkjet printers.  It may not be CS5.

It is variable.  Sometimes it decenters on the long axis, and sometimes on the short one.

Rob

[robgo2]

Robert, firstly I just visited your website - those B&W photos from North Africa are stunning.

That is really strange about the paper size. Never seen that, and I have no idea why they report Super A3 as larger than plain 13*19. Is there no plain 13*19 preset there? May be an idea to contact Epson tech support by phone or using their email service. They are usually pretty good. If the centering is just off by the difference between the three margins and the one margin, creating a "13*19 plus a bit" preset dimensioned to accommodate an upper margin equal to the lower margin may fix it. If my memory serves me correctly, someone - it may have been martin Evening, provided very specific instructions for dealing with this issue - try a Google search and see what comes up.

Mark,

Thanks for the kind words about my website. 

I will try to do a search for 3880 decentering.

Rob

[Mark D Segal]

It is variable.  Sometimes it decenters on the long axis, and sometimes on the short one.

Rob

Does it decenter systematically on the same axis by the same amount for when you select Landscape versus from when you select Portrait? i.e. if you select Portrait the vertical axis is de-centered about half an inch or so, and if you select Landscape, the horizontal axis is likewise de-centered. If this is what's happening, it's definitely a driver setting issue to cope with how Epson media handling works in the Epson driver.

[robgo2]

Does it decenter systematically on the same axis by the same amount for when you select Landscape versus from when you select Portrait? i.e. if you select Portrait the vertical axis is de-centered about half an inch or so, and if you select Landscape, the horizontal axis is likewise de-centered. If this is what's happening, it's definitely a driver setting issue to cope with how Epson media handling works in the Epson driver.

Yes, that seems to be what happens.  I have found threads in other forums regarding this issue.  I agree that it must be a driver problem.  There may be workarounds, but I'm not sure that they would be worth the effort.  I'm still puzzled by the odd sizes that Epson has for its paper presets, especially given that they are the standard sizes sold in the U.S.

Rob

[Mark D Segal]

OK, well that pretty much nails it. It's not much effort to create a preset correcting the problem once you locate the exact instructions. In fact they may even be in the printer manual - have a look. Otherwise, I would still recommend contacting Epson tech support. No reason for you to remain with that issue.

[Sven W]

An old trick is to just make a new, own paper-size, which matches exactly your sheet of choice.

/Sven

[robgo2]

An old trick is to just make a new, own paper-size, which matches exactly your sheet of choice.

I have already done that, but the image is still not perfectly centered, even though I have checked the "Center Image" box.  Unless I learn otherwise, I will regard it as a bug in the driver.

Rob

[Randy Carone]

Can you make your image 13 x 19 with a border in PS and print BorderFree on 13 x 19? The image should then be oriented the way you want it on the sheet.

Edit - Sorry I missed the fact that you have no 13 x 19 choice. My 3800 driver has the 13 x 19 choice. I'm not home, so I can't share the version number.

[Pete Berry]

ANSI Super B size is exactly 13x19" - and is a choice in Canon larger format printers. There's no Super A3 choice in my iPF5000, but instead ISO A3+, which it states measures pretty close at 12.95x19.02". Neither of these available?

Pete

[Mark D Segal]

I have already done that, but the image is still not perfectly centered, even though I have checked the "Center Image" box.  Unless I learn otherwise, I will regard it as a bug in the driver.

Rob

Three things - (i) if it's a bug in the driver Epson should be made awsare of it; (ii) if they have 13*19 inch preset in the driver they should be made aware of that too; and (iii) you have every right to expect to be able to get a centered print easily from a professional model printer which this is. So on all three counts you owe it to yourself to get in touch with Epson tech support and get it resolved.

[AFairley]

Depending on the amount of de-centering, it could be a printer issue.  I printed my first box of 17x22 Exhibition Fiber on my 3800 and everything was almost but not quite perfectly centered (an amount you could not detect if you had, say 1.5" white margins), consitently on each print. When I started the second box, I found that the de-centering was a little greater (a mm or two), again consistently across each print.  I don't really care, but the variation between two boxes of media tell me it could be a printer issue and not a PS issue, so even a media issue if the sheets are not cut to the same size (I have not checked that).

[Farmer]

The first thing to clarify is the actual size of the media.  I may have missed it, but I didn't see what stock you are actually using.

Epson Enhanced Matte, 13"x19" is 329mmx483mm which is Super A3 in the driver.  That's *not* precisely 13"x19", so you should use Super A3 if that's the size it actually is.  If it's some other stock and if it is actually 13"x19" exactly, then a user defined size is appropriate.  Super B (mentioned above) is 330mmx483mm.  19" = 482.6mm and 13" = 330.2mm

Also, are you printing borderless and if not, how much margin do you have from your image to the media and is your image in exactly the same aspect ratio as the media?

You really need to get a quality ruler (like a Toledo Steel or something) and check the actual dimensions of your media.  From there, it should be possible to get it centered to within 0.5mm