image print 9

[Hathaway]

"The printer driver has been completely re-written for ImagePrint 9.  I can see a subtle but definitely noticeable improvement in the quality of my prints using version 9 versus version 8.  I have also found that ImagePrint 9 spools faster to the printer, so I am getting better prints faster.  It is all good.
 
My expectation is that now that the UI has been improved, and the product is compatible with the latest operating systems (a Windows version will be available also), ColorByte will figure out a way to further improve image quality."

Glowing report.  But I ask, in what way has the quality of your prints improved, and how are the prints better?
Thanks,
Paul

[rogan]

I can't imagine how great the improvement would have to be for me to ever consider dealing with that awful company again. The single worst customer service I have ever experienced.

[eleanorbrown]

I used IP for years...(never had any issues with their customer service) but the application itself has never been very user friendly...... then along came Lightroom 3 print module and Epson ABW printing  (for my toned monotone prints).  That's all I use now....for both color and monotone.  Eleanor

[BernardLanguillier]

I assume that IP8 users will need to pay to upgrade to IP9?

If that is the case, and for those users not sold on the value prodived by IP9 over IP8, it might be much cheaper to virtualize an instance of Snow Leopard within Lion through VM Ware Fusion... I don't know if that would work, but it might be worth trying.

Cheers,
Bernard

[dubomac]

Paul:

The improvement in image quality consists of better shadow detail, more neutral highlights and a "fresher look" overall that gives the impression to the eye that colors are cleaner. The rendition of local contrast also looks slightly more natural.

To use an analogy, the combination of all these things feels as if a very thin veil has been removed.   It is not a huge difference, but it is definitely there.

The look of an image is sometimes difficult to describe in words, but the eye/brain system certainly catches it instantaneously.

To paraphrase the article, it is a subtle difference, but clearly visible (particularly if you compare prints side-by-side).

Mark Dubovoy

[David Good]

Very interesting review Mark. I haven't used ImagePrint since version 5.6(?) on my older printer. I don't print a lot of B&W's but have never been totally satisfied with Epson's ABW output, especially compared to IP's. The interface has definitely been revamped so new users may find it more intuitive than previous versions were.

I find your comments on the color output quality interesting as well, although I'm not sure why you added that ColorByte will " figure out a way to further improve image quality". Will this be in subsequent releases or when version 9 launches? There is no mention of dongles so may I assume it still requires the use of this "feature"?

Dave

[dgberg]

I used IP for years...(never had any issues with their customer service) but the application itself has never been very user friendly...... then along came Lightroom 3 print module and Epson ABW printing  (for my toned monotone prints).  That's all I use now....for both color and monotone.  Eleanor

I am with Eleanor on Lightroom as my way to print.
That being said I have wanted to try ImagePrint for some time but with its present cost it will never happen.
If they had a $500 price point with an alacart plan for profiles at $25 to $40 apiece now we would be talking.
Just no need for all those profiles (At least for me.) and all it does is drive up the price.
With 2 different large format printers my cost would be $4500,just not worth it.
Any one with the Colorbyte group listening?

[dubomac]

David:

You got me!  You read the code correctly.

You would be a real asset in the intelligence community.

 

Yes, there are a few new things coming after the first release, but I am not allowed to disclose them yet.

Mark Dubovoy

[David Good]

Good to know Mark. I had actually considered upgrading my IP license a while ago when I bought a larger format printer, but the cost was a bit prohibitive for me at the time. I will be looking at it again when a (Windows) trial version becomes available, assuming there is one.

Dave

[wattsies]

Will imageprint 9 support the latest epson printers - eg the R3000?

[JLphotos]

I was a happy user of Imageprint 8. Actually, I was a user since version 6 and I share the frustrations expressed by many users in this forum - Imageprint caused me many sleepless nights - but I must admit they really overdid it with Imageprint 9.
While I was pleased with the quality of the prints, I can fathom how they took so long to bring their upgrade (Lion's) and even worse, how they could bring a long time customer to rack another 500 to 600$ to upgrade when he is using the his upgraded version 8 for less than 7 months.  In fact, when I called the sales dept to ask if anything could be done since the date for free upgrade was April (and I bought my upgrade in March), they simply answered I had to buy an upgrade because it was an important upgrade...
So, this is it, since everything has a limit - including my patience and wallet - I decided to buy an Epson Stylus pro 7900 on sale, sold my 7800 (in less than 24 hrs:-), and try to get rid of my version 8.
I am satisfied with my prints and completely free of Colorbyte.  Now I know that if anything happen, I will find a fast and simple way to fix it.  No more sleepless nights 

[Martin Kristiansen]

I have been very happy with IP and will not consider printing without it. I am currently using V8 on my 11880.

I watched the video on their website and think the dashboard idea is great as is the new way of handling profiles. If there is 1 thing I dislike about IP it has been the slow response of their FTP server. Perhaps that will improve as well. The automatic optimized placement of images(shuffle I think they call it) will save me time and I suspect paper.

The quality improvements I will have to see for myself. I have no complaints with it as it is.

From my side I have never had any problems with the software or the service from the company. I will most likely upgrade early next year if I have a decent run of business over the next few months ans as the studio is almost fully booked until February I am hopeful.

[JLphotos]

We all have different experiences with various softwares and there is no smoke (complaints) without some kind of fire.  I am certain version 9 will correct a lot of idiosyncracies that were still present in version 8. One thing is certain for me, I don't need the Phatte black capacity anymore with my 7900 and since I am more of an art and documentary photographer with a 24 inches printer, I rarely need a print setup Lightroom 3 - Photoshop CS5 can't offer for a much reduced cost.
Imageprint is great at reproducing subtle variances in colours but it is much less obvious (if not imperceptible to your clients that won't pay the increased prime) with the 7900.  This printer upgrade was certainly worth it for me since it simplifies my workflow by getting one step out of the way.  If I had kept my 7800, I would have been forced to upgrade my version 8, and still dream about the 7900...  But, in the end, what really irked me is that I was forced to upgrade and that was a big (and bad) surprise.  I definitely wasn't ready to dish out another 500$ in the same year I upgraded to version 8... Whatever the improvements...
Good photography and printing :-)

[I Simonius]

Using the 3880, I can't upgrade to IP 9 yet as Im still on a PPC mac ( that works) and have to say that I find IP8 clunky and complicated to work with ( not that I use it much; for this reason)

I could spend ages trying to figure it out better but as an amateur just trying to get the best for myself I don't have that much time to obsess about it

I have checked out v9 online and there aren't enough improvements AFAICS to warrant the upgrade price even if I could use it.

So when I finally get a new Mac (probably in a month or two) I might try the other methods for printing, I accept IP may have great profiles but it's UI is comparable to Canon's DPP to use (i.e. dreadful) , whereas LR's UI is light years ahead of these clunky programs

[digitaldog]

I agree that with Lightroom, some of the polish and necessity of IP is lost. That said, I've always found IP's dither to be superior to that from Epson. It IS visible to my eye and I'm referring to IP6 which is the last version I used. I hope by now they've fixed or improved their ICC profiles in terms of the blue shifting to magenta. Not uncommon but not something the tools I use produce. Again, this is based on use of a version going back to V6. The other HUGE advantage of IP over the Epson driver, certainly on Mac OS is it can print a much bigger sized print. I have one client that uses it just to print massive output on his 11880 of Pano's he stitches.