7D & Epson R1800 printer

[TME]

Dear bros,

Need some help with printing my own photos... phew... just got a R1800 A3+ photo printer at the IT Show last week... now trying out... the prints are quite pleasing to me... but somehow they lack punch...

Any bros here do your own printing? I will outline my workflow and u see if there is anything wrong...

Print settings: Best Photo, Glossy Photo Paper, Gloss (Full), High Speed, ICM Off,

For PS:
My assigned profile for each file is sRGB cos that's what I use in my 7D... I might switch to AdobeRGB now cos my printer seems to be able to take it... but sending to the labs is a problem cos they can't convert AdobeRGB to sRGB it seems....

I edit my photos until I see what I like. Then I softproof the colours by selecting the printer and paper type (R1800 + Glossy Photo paper) plus select Simulate White Paper. The photo always looks very dull when I proof... so I tweak the brightness and Levels (by selecting the appropriate white and black points). The photo looks punchier now...

Then I print using PSCS2's Print Preview function. I colour manage by allowing the document to stay in sRGB profile, but let PS determine colours, also choosing the requird printer profile (in this case Epson R1800 + Glossy paper). Rendering intent is usually relative colorimetric or perceptual. Then I print....

Problem: The colours are nice and balanced, but lack that pop I feel lar! Maybe u have to see it then u can say if I expect too much from the printer...

The most pressing issue is, is my workflow correct? I followed the workflow from this website which is the most intelligible to me so far... the Luminous Landscape one is a little too technical...

Bros, especially those with experience, please help!

BTW, my screen is calibrated using Adobe Gamma (I am getting the Gretag Macbeth calibrator from the IT Show soon - if my friend managed to get his hands on one)...

Any secret tricks when trying to print a 7D pic on an Epson printer?
Thanks a million!

[DewaKarma]

yo bro...i do print pics on my own...but..im using a HP photoprinter..the quality is very good...juz make sure u dun edit too much of the pics...i dun edit any setting...juz some minor cropping thats all

[Clem_C]

For more accurate color print, you can go to Epson website to download the ICC printer profiles. The profile will tell Photoshop the exact printer and type of paper you are using. (You must download the one for the specific paper you choose to print)

Look for it under “Driver & Support” for your printer.
http://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/s...s&platform=All

The ICC profile comes with a built in installer. Follow the instructions and when you relaunch photoshop, choose print with preview. Under “Printer Profile” you new printer/paper profile will appear.

Without going through the details, if you want to print your own photos, change the color space to Adobe RGB(1998) which is more appropriate for inkjet printing.

[satay16]

just a small opinion. turn off high speed prininting. for my case, it gave me better looking photos.

[TME]

Hi bros,

Thanks for the advice...

Clem_C, I use the ICC profiles supplied with the printer. So that one should be ok....

Satay_16 - yeah I was wondering if high speed printing affects the quality significantly or not... I get occasional banding (like I printed only 4 A4 high gloss prints and 1 had very narrow banding in only the red region which was a huge block of red colour - about 1/2 the photo).

Dewa, I actually didn't edit much... just curves and brightness/contrast to boost the spark a little cos on soft-proofing, it looks super dull...

Any more tips, keep them coming... I will recalibrate my monitor soon... that might be one of the problems as well...

Any more "old bird" bros who print their own stuff wanna contribute?

[Clem_C]

Calibrating your monitor is very important for consistence colour reproduction.

I’m still using my faithful Epson 1290(A3) printer.

To get poster type of result, you must always boost or tweak the colors of your photos to give you the ”wow” factor.

Nowadays, printers always provide a lot of extra printing options. Play with the options that gives you the best skin tone reproduction ( if you print out portraits). After that, do all your adjustment in photoshop to get consistence result.

Hope that help.

[yokechye]

Originally Posted by Clem_C Calibrating your monitor is very important for consistence colour reproduction. I’m still using my faithful Epson 1290(A3) printer. To get poster type of result, you must always boost or tweak the colors of your photos to give you the ”wow” factor. Nowadays, printers always provide a lot of extra printing options. Play with the options that gives you the best skin tone reproduction ( if you print out portraits). After that, do all your adjustment in photoshop to get consistence result. Hope that help.

1290 is it good?

[Clem_C]

Haha, it has been with me for 7-8 years already. Print quality is pretty good. But the inkjet head tends to clog up if I don’t use it for a few weeks.

I don’t really print out that often, but it never fails to amaze me when I see my own photos in A3 print! Problem is where to keep after that...

[yokechye]

Originally Posted by Clem_C Haha, it has been with me for 7-8 years already. Print quality is pretty good. But the inkjet head tends to clog up if I don’t use it for a few weeks. I don’t really print out that often, but it never fails to amaze me when I see my own photos in A3 print! Problem is where to keep after that...

this post should be here 2 weeks ago, so i will go ebay n get a 2nd hand one for very cheap cheap. but i got myself a hp buisnessjet instead

[tankm]

Good read on getting consistent printing result ..... http://www.normankoren.com/printer_calibration.html

[TME]

Originally Posted by Clem_C Haha, it has been with me for 7-8 years already. Print quality is pretty good. But the inkjet head tends to clog up if I don’t use it for a few weeks. I don’t really print out that often, but it never fails to amaze me when I see my own photos in A3 print! Problem is where to keep after that...

It's good, I wanted to get it... 6-ink and individual tanks... but it was out of production by the time I got down to it...

[TME]

Originally Posted by yokechye this post should be here 2 weeks ago, so i will go ebay n get a 2nd hand one for very cheap cheap. but i got myself a hp buisnessjet instead

Try the R1390 instead? It's the replacement for the 1290... $598 at the IT Show...

[TME]

Originally Posted by tankm Good read on getting consistent printing result ..... http://www.normankoren.com/printer_calibration.html

Thanks! Looks good... will spend some time analysing the article.... problem is these are written with different Epson drivers and the options are different!

[yokechye]

Originally Posted by TME Try the R1390 instead? It's the replacement for the 1290... $598 at the IT Show...

no money leh... haha... anyway i in aussie printer so ex.. sian 1/2. bid for a $50 old xerox laser color printer here but was outbid by someone who bid $52, bid for another newer xerox for $400 was outbid by someone who bid $400+. super sian 1/2

[TME]

Originally Posted by yokechye no money leh... haha... anyway i in aussie printer so ex.. sian 1/2. bid for a $50 old xerox laser color printer here but was outbid by someone who bid $52, bid for another newer xerox for $400 was outbid by someone who bid $400+. super sian 1/2

Samsung has a very small colour laser going for only S$399... it's about the size of a 14" monitor. Very compact. Supposed to print excellent photos as well... Get it when u come back to S'pore...

I would caution against Xerox colour laser printers if money is tight... I have a C525A colour laser... the output is superb and the print speed is excellent... but the toners cost a bomb... replacing all four toners at once cost $711!!!! Black is $111, colour is $189 each. Pirnts 4000 sheets at 5% coverage... but I usually print full coverage full colour... finish quite fast... Think about it! Plus I have exhausted my drum already with just 2 full toner changes... (i.e. change toner for each colour only 2x)... that drum is S$500 I think...

I decided to go for the inkjet cos can use refills.... the Inkstation replacement cartridge for the Epson R1800 works perfectly (so far as I can see lar...) and costs $100 only with 8 inks (including Gloss Optimiser). Each ink bottle that comes with the cartridge set contains 40ml of ink... and costs only $10... so after the initial investment of $100, u need only to buy the ink... of course must replace the head, but that would happen only if u print very heavily....

[yokechye]

Originally Posted by TME Samsung has a very small colour laser going for only S$399... it's about the size of a 14" monitor. Very compact. Supposed to print excellent photos as well... Get it when u come back to S'pore... I would caution against Xerox colour laser printers if money is tight... I have a C525A colour laser... the output is superb and the print speed is excellent... but the toners cost a bomb... replacing all four toners at once cost $711!!!! Black is $111, colour is $189 each. Pirnts 4000 sheets at 5% coverage... but I usually print full coverage full colour... finish quite fast... Think about it! Plus I have exhausted my drum already with just 2 full toner changes... (i.e. change toner for each colour only 2x)... that drum is S$500 I think... I decided to go for the inkjet cos can use refills.... the Inkstation replacement cartridge for the Epson R1800 works perfectly (so far as I can see lar...) and costs $100 only with 8 inks (including Gloss Optimiser). Each ink bottle that comes with the cartridge set contains 40ml of ink... and costs only $10... so after the initial investment of $100, u need only to buy the ink... of course must replace the head, but that would happen only if u print very heavily....

haha.. actually i looking at a3 laser.. well, its over anyway.. 3rd party good meh? i think sepom is the worst

[tankm]

Not too sure if it's coincident. The last time on my previous "OLD" CANON printer, after changing to Ink Station ink, the printing is not smooth at all, seems to have some clogging. Won't clear up even after doing multiple head clean. Your mileage will vary.

Originally Posted by TME Samsung has a very small colour laser going for only S$399... it's about the size of a 14" monitor. Very compact. Supposed to print excellent photos as well... Get it when u come back to S'pore... I would caution against Xerox colour laser printers if money is tight... I have a C525A colour laser... the output is superb and the print speed is excellent... but the toners cost a bomb... replacing all four toners at once cost $711!!!! Black is $111, colour is $189 each. Pirnts 4000 sheets at 5% coverage... but I usually print full coverage full colour... finish quite fast... Think about it! Plus I have exhausted my drum already with just 2 full toner changes... (i.e. change toner for each colour only 2x)... that drum is S$500 I think... I decided to go for the inkjet cos can use refills.... the Inkstation replacement cartridge for the Epson R1800 works perfectly (so far as I can see lar...) and costs $100 only with 8 inks (including Gloss Optimiser). Each ink bottle that comes with the cartridge set contains 40ml of ink... and costs only $10... so after the initial investment of $100, u need only to buy the ink... of course must replace the head, but that would happen only if u print very heavily....

[TME]

Originally Posted by tankm Not too sure if it's coincident. The last time on my previous "OLD" CANON printer, after changing to Ink Station ink, the printing is not smooth at all, seems to have some clogging. Won't clear up even after doing multiple head clean. Your mileage will vary.

I really don't know either but they have gotten it to work on their printers in the shop. U can see the printouts and they do do live print outs... but a point to note is that they told me they prefer Epson printers. The reason is that the Epson printer's print head is more powerful at feeding the ink through. This was meant for the large external ink tanks that they use and not the cartridges. The problem with Canon's print head is that it is not so powerful at drawing the ink in... so what happens is that the ink flow is dependent on the relative level of the external ink tank to the print head. Apparently the design of their inks and inking system was targeted at Epson.

I have no idea if this is rubbish but I do see that they use Epson printers exclusively for their demos. They do have Canon printers but are not promoted at all.

This information is for the external ink tanks system... I have no idea if for the replacement cartridge if it is an issue. Again the ink is different. For my R1800, I have a choice of dye inks or pigment inks. The former is less problematic where clogging is concerned. Also I was told to do a nozzle check every week to maintain the nozzles. It takes very little ink cos it just prints a few faint lines to check that no clogging is present.

Again this is what I am told. I would be glad to hear real life experiences of using their inks and the results. Apparently InkStation inks are waterproof.

tankm, what happened after your printing was not smooth? Did u revert back to Canon original ink or did u dump the printer? When u say old, what model was the printer? Was individual ink tanks or the refill the original cartridge era? Cos now they produce their own cartridges with microchip and all...

[Clem_C]

If you use third party ink, then the ICC profiles that come with your printer are no longer relevant. You would have to use the printer driver adjustments method to calibrate your printer manually.

I had ruin two low end Epson models before by using third party ink. That’s why I don't dare to try on my 1290. But the ink tank system is definitely a money saver.

Keep us posted of the results. Have fun….

[tankm]

Interesting observation on the printer they used. They didn't tell me about the Canon stuff. Now that you mentioned it, did notice the ink flow in the tube is not as smooth as well. This was long ago when they just started their business, probably at the early learning stage.

I bought the external ink solution, having similar idea as you to save $$$. The "OLD" Canon model was BJC-8200. Back then when I was using the "OLD" printer with original ink, any clogging will clear up when I did a head cleaning as well. Didn't bother to change the head or reattempt using back original ink. Cause if there is a need to change both, it will cost more than half of a decent photo printer.

"nozzle check every week to maintain the nozzles" Wonder why every week and using original ink does not need to check every week ?

Originally Posted by TME I really don't know either but they have gotten it to work on their printers in the shop. U can see the printouts and they do do live print outs... but a point to note is that they told me they prefer Epson printers. The reason is that the Epson printer's print head is more powerful at feeding the ink through. This was meant for the large external ink tanks that they use and not the cartridges. The problem with Canon's print head is that it is not so powerful at drawing the ink in... so what happens is that the ink flow is dependent on the relative level of the external ink tank to the print head. Apparently the design of their inks and inking system was targeted at Epson. I have no idea if this is rubbish but I do see that they use Epson printers exclusively for their demos. They do have Canon printers but are not promoted at all. This information is for the external ink tanks system... I have no idea if for the replacement cartridge if it is an issue. Again the ink is different. For my R1800, I have a choice of dye inks or pigment inks. The former is less problematic where clogging is concerned. Also I was told to do a nozzle check every week to maintain the nozzles. It takes very little ink cos it just prints a few faint lines to check that no clogging is present. Again this is what I am told. I would be glad to hear real life experiences of using their inks and the results. Apparently InkStation inks are waterproof. tankm, what happened after your printing was not smooth? Did u revert back to Canon original ink or did u dump the printer? When u say old, what model was the printer? Was individual ink tanks or the refill the original cartridge era? Cos now they produce their own cartridges with microchip and all...