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Author Topic: ImagePrint... Really?  (Read 24336 times)

deanwork

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Re: ImagePrint... Really?
« Reply #60 on: November 25, 2014, 10:22:55 pm »

I have to agree. I've been through about 12 years of Cone bw ink permutations and I have never had any color inconsistencies with any of the ink sets. I have had color differences with a couple of batches of Hahnemuhle rag papers years ago. It was minor difference but it was there. I was told that the difference was the result of the paper being produced in different countries and that the water used in the paper manufacture was the variable. I confirmed it was the paper by printing the same print with various printers and inks on the different batches of paper.

As to making a warm neutral print. I have recently discovered that using the Epson Hot Press and Cold Press media with the Carbon K7 inkjet gives me a beautiful warm neutral result. I personally like the look of these inks on the Canson media, which is warmer, but it's nice to have two great distinct hues to work with in this one mono inkset. That has made me think that there might be a whole other area of research to be done producing papers with coatings to neutralize many of the existing ink formulations out there. We know that some can give cooler results and some warmer with the same ink set up. Of course not much research goes into developing media specific hue for monochrome printing but it would be cool if someone did.

You know we bitch about all kinds of things with all of these inkjet systems, but it is really pretty remarkable that you can buy a cart of Epson, HP, Cone, or Canon ink from one year to the next and not see troubling batch inconsistency. That has to be difficult for them and they deserve a lot of credit. Remember how everything changed from batch to batch back in our analogue darkroom days, especially color. I have heard of significant color inconsistency with Mis and some of the other inexpensive color pigments out there however. Guess you get what you pay for.

john
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TylerB

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Re: ImagePrint... Really?
« Reply #61 on: November 26, 2014, 12:33:32 am »

Try taking a look at LaserSoft's New mac based print solution for Epson and Canon printers. PrinTao 8 is much like a RIP but much easier to learn. Very straight forward interface. ICC profiles from the major paper manufacturers are already in the software making them easily accessible. There are many features to explain but trying the demo might be the best solution. Read the User guide as it provides more info. Plus, did I mention, there is not a dongle in sight.

printao8.com

By definition a RIP becomes the driver, among other things creating the printer language from the image data... Printao8, like some other products that have come out, utilizes the OEM drivers, so not technically a RIP. There are many advantages to using these tools nonetheless, layout options, multiple image placement, sizing, etc.. the most desirable feature in my opinion is taking control of color management to the printer, avoiding imaging app or OS color management confusions. Printao8 may be wonderful, I haven't tried it, I can say from experience though that the QTR Print Tool is also great for these tasks, including the ability to confidently print profile charts with no conversions.
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deanwork

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Re: ImagePrint... Really?
« Reply #62 on: November 26, 2014, 02:17:44 am »

Yea it's a lot like Q-Image which has been around long enough to have worked out the quirks. I wonder how the output sharpening that is so good in Q-Image compares to this.
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hokuahi

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Re: ImagePrint... Really?
« Reply #63 on: November 26, 2014, 09:49:57 am »

Try taking a look at LaserSoft's New mac based print solution for Epson and Canon printers. PrinTao 8 is much like a RIP but much easier to learn. Very straight forward interface. ICC profiles from the major paper manufacturers are already in the software making them easily accessible. There are many features to explain but trying the demo might be the best solution. Read the User guide as it provides more info. Plus, did I mention, there is not a dongle in sight.

printao8.com

I did try PrinTao 8 (Epson 3880 OEM ink) and found that compared to QTR and ImagePrint, I liked the results the least with both matte and luster papers. Midtone gray seemed to suffer the most, it just didn't have the pop that I was able to get with QTR or ImagePrint.
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RachelleK

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Re: ImagePrint... Really?
« Reply #64 on: November 26, 2014, 11:03:06 am »

Has anyone tried Printfab?  I take it it is an actual RIP.  I've been fooling around with the new version and it appears to give more detailed shadows and deeper blacks than the Epson driver.  I'll need to measure to find out for sure.  Another interesting feature that Printfab has (and I guess Imageprint has) is the ability to limit and substitute colors.  Maybe limiting the Epson yellow?
« Last Edit: November 26, 2014, 12:10:03 pm by RachelleK »
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Stefan Ohlsson

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Re: ImagePrint... Really?
« Reply #65 on: November 26, 2014, 11:39:04 am »

Has anyone tried Printfab?  I take it it is an actual RIP.  I've been fooling around with the new version and it appears to give more detailed shadows and deeper blacks than the Epson driver.  I'll need to measure to find out for sure.  Another interesting feature that I guess Imageprint has is the ability to limit and substitute colors.  Maybe limiting the Epson yellow?
This is how it works. The profiles that ColorByte builds uses less of the yellow and more of the orange ink. We found out that this made that the prints didn't fade as fast when we sent some samples to Aardenburg. Here is what John from Colorbyte wrote about it: http://www.luminous-landscape.com/essays/the_weakest_link.shtml

For us that's an important difference.
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Phil Indeblanc

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Re: ImagePrint... Really?
« Reply #66 on: November 29, 2014, 03:07:10 am »

I used the GMG Oris, and the EFI, and they both do the job I need. The Oris is a pro volume RIP, and the EFI is a pain in the rear to deal with, but does a decent job. But I am changing printers and I have to pay lots for upgrades, so looking for a alternate solution. I too have a spectro and swatches, but if I can afford it, I would take the RIP over 2-3 days of testing re- linearization etc. But lately the well is dry, so we will see :-)

Both also SWOP certified contract proofers.
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Stefan Ohlsson

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Re: ImagePrint... Really?
« Reply #67 on: November 29, 2014, 04:24:34 am »

I used the GMG Oris, and the EFI, and they both do the job I need. The Oris is a pro volume RIP, and the EFI is a pain in the rear to deal with, but does a decent job. But I am changing printers and I have to pay lots for upgrades, so looking for a alternate solution. I too have a spectro and swatches, but if I can afford it, I would take the RIP over 2-3 days of testing re- linearization etc. But lately the well is dry, so we will see :-)

Both also SWOP certified contract proofers.

I use both EFI and ImagePrint, but for different purposes. For me ImagePrint is a fine art RIP, a RIP I use when the inkjet print is the final product. EFI is a product I use for proofing. As ImagePrint doesn't support my SureColor 70600, I have to use the EFI t drive that printer. Would I use ImagePrint if it supported that printer? Of course. I would change within a minute after Colorbyte releases a version that supported that printer, no matter what price.

 I've spent too many hours trying to build a good linearization and profile for different medias. To be able to download a good profile and just print, instead of spending hours of work, which I can't charge, would be a blessing.
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Ernst Dinkla

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Re: ImagePrint... Really?
« Reply #68 on: November 29, 2014, 06:48:16 am »

This is how it works. The profiles that ColorByte builds uses less of the yellow and more of the orange ink. We found out that this made that the prints didn't fade as fast when we sent some samples to Aardenburg. Here is what John from Colorbyte wrote about it: http://www.luminous-landscape.com/essays/the_weakest_link.shtml

For us that's an important difference.

Following that development then on the Aardenburg-Imaging and the LuLa sites I thought; quite like the HP engineers arranged the ink mixing in the HP Z models that were introduced in 2006. Actually they did it more refined with 11 inks including a yellow pigment that is more fade resistant + (one) light cyan pigment with adapted fade properties.

Met vriendelijke groet, Ernst

http://www.pigment-print.com/spectralplots/spectrumviz_1.htm
November 2014 update, 680+ inkjet media white spectral plots

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