Gloss differential like banding

[AlexThiery]

Hi

I’m using a Epson 9900 and started to print on glossy paper (never done that before) and noticed some strange effects. It looks like banding but I can not see any damage like head strikes or missing nozzles the print looks perfect when I examined it from a cose distnce. Actualy it looks like some kind of gloss differential  but it is perfectly lined up in a straight line with about 6 to 7 mm apart and it is only vissibe in “hard” light halogen bulbs and from an angle of 30 degrees. Does any body know what can cause this affect?     

[Sven W]

Alex
What paper, platen gap, media setting, profile?
Can you show us a pic?

/Sven
(ja vi känner ju varann)

[Paul2660]

What weight of paper?  and if you look on the back of the print, do you see slight "scratches" running the length of the print.  Do these scratches, line up with the marks you see on the face of the print?  There won't be any banding due to ink issues, I think you may be seeing impressions left on the back of the print that show through to the face.

The marks you see are created by the printer as the paper moves over the hard plastic fence directly below the pinch rollers. You will only see it in certain lighting as you mention but it's there and is more noticeable in solid areas of your print, i.e. light blue sky. You can get rid of this with a good dry mount but if you are hinge mounting it can be a real issue depending on the lighting.

I noticed this as soon as I printed with a 9900, and opened a call with Epson, ended up sending them prints and they told me that this was normal and within the normal working conditions of the printer.   My older 9880 did this only on certain occasions the 9900 does it on all prints but the effect is by far the worse on a pure glossy paper.  I have tried about 4 different Glossy papers so far the worst is Epson Premium Glossy 250W, the best is the New Moab Lasal glossy 270 W.  The Lexjet Esatin 310 weight didn't get the impressions but scratches pretty easily as it ran through the printer. 

You can see the same effect on Canon Platine, or Epson Exhibition Fiber but it's much less noticeable and seems to go away after a few days. 

My customer base seems to be about 60% glossy right now so this did cause me a bit of concern until I tried the Lasal Glossy.

Paul Caldwell
http://www.photosofarkansas.com

[ashwee5185]

Hi-

A couple of people I know where having similar problems on their 9900s. It was looking like banding but more like shiny kind of banding. We tried everything platen gap, nozzle checks and head alignment. Finally I heard from someone else that it was actually a printhead problem. He called it a 'disoriented' printhead. The motherboard needed to be replaced and the printhead was replaced and after that no problems. I think this is a known issue. I personally know 3 people with that printer and that problem. But I also know they had a big problem getting Epson to fix it. If it is the same problem you should be persistent about getting it fixed.

Does it show up most readily in areas of solid color?

[Wayne Fox]

What paper?  How glossy?

I've printed a bunch of portfolio prints over the past month on Epson exhibition fiber, and just looking through them at random cannot see any sign of what you are referring to.  The EFP does have a little bit of an eggshell texture so while glossy it's not a mirror type of glossy.

I'm testing some Moab Metallic, very glossy ... I'll have to look at it closely to see.

[Paul2660]

Wayne:

If you don't see it on the Metallic, (if the paper weight is over 270 you may not) then try Epson 250W PGPP,  the texture of the Exhibition fiber will make the marks much harder to see unless it's a solid color i.e. light blue in a sky. The OP did not show a picture of his issue, and I am only assuming from the description that it's the same problem my 9900 has with a pure glossy paper.  I sent Epson 2 or 3 prints that had the problem and their response to me was it was within the normal operation of the printer and they were able to create the same marks on PGPP 250W on a 9900 in their lab.  I was surprised by this, and located another 9900 near me and was able to create the effect on his, so I had to agree and started to search for a paper that didn't have as big a problem. 

So far Moab Lasal glossy is the only paper I have found that won't show the marks.  It actually may be more of scuffing on the back of the paper that imprints through and leaves a slight impression on the face of the print.  Epson PLPP260W also has the same problem for me.  The marks on the front of the print match up perfectly with the slight scratches or scuffs that show up on the back of the print that run the length of the paper and are about 1" apart.  All of my Epson's leave these marks on the back of the prints but so far only the 9900 seems to effect the face of the a glossy print.  My other Epsons have been 7600, 7880 and 9880. 

Paul Caldwell

[AlexThiery]

hello
I have to apologize, for taking up your  time, for this I'm very sorry. The problem is now known,  it is Image print that has this problem I was printing on PHOTO HIGHGLOSS PREMIUM RC 315G and then tried the  PHOTOGLOSS PREMIUM RC 270G both with the same result a glossdiferential type of banding. when I today tryed with the driver there was no banding at all.

I thank you all for helping me with my problem 
/alex