Sushi 101
The standard driver is designed to take a good quality file and print it “good” and a great quality file and print it “good’. ImagePrint on the other hand is designed to print a good quality file “good” and a great quality file “great”. -Colorbyte Imageprint FAQ
As I fall deeper down this rabbit hole called photography, I find myself wanting to master certain aspects of it. There is nothing, in my mind, that is as satisfying as looking at a well done print. It is something to behold. Today’s technology allows prints to be made, from digital images, that rival prints made in the darkroom. With the advent of new papers, or films such as Inkpress White Gloss Film, which is similar to the old Cibachrome films, we are getting lovely blacks and beautiful whites. I want to find those images that speak and then be able to translate them to print. I want to master this, especially for B & W.
I just read a fantastic essay by Pete Meyers, a fine-arts landscape photographer living in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The article was all about printing and getting the most dynamic range possible from your prints by using:
1. The right inkset – He’s using an Epson 3800 and Epson Ultrachrome K3 Inkset : $1200
2. Colorbyte Imageprint software for the 3800: $895
3. Inkpress White Gloss Film
Not all subjects, of course, are well suited to the paper type, which will vary depending on your needs and the subject that you are printing.
In reading the article, he recommends that you always use RIP software for printing. This software is made by printing experts for one reason, and one reason only, printing photographs, whereas the regular drivers included are made to handle a variety of printing needs.
It’s easy to get something to work to 90% of potential—as many non-Olympic athletes can attest. But to obtain a 99% performance level requires vastly greater skill, precision, practice, and knowledge.
And so it is with stochastic RIP technology used in driving the inkjet print engine. Getting the printer to print an image is not that difficult. Getting it to print that image with exacting fidelity is a whole different matter. – Pete Meyers
So, do any of you use RIP software and, if so, how much difference can you see in the prints? If I believe all of the testimonials, then I cannot see how one could function without RIP software for a professional printer; however, that said, I’ve survived all of this time without it by subscribing to the theory of “You can’t miss what you’ve never had.”.
Well, my printer will be here on Friday or Monday and I can start to experiment. Much thanks to Laure, of Capture This!, for sharing her knowledge of printers and papers with me via e-mail!
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11 Responses to “Printing: Good enough, or great?”
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Ok, so you’re hooked, and get a new printer? Wow…maybe I should start catching up by reading your posts in chronological order. But, I guess, congratulations are in order anyway!
You could try QuadTone Rip for great Black and Whites. Only about 50 bucks, and it is a try-before-you-buy deal. Supports a lot of epson printers, including all the professional models.
http://www.quadtonerip.com
I researched RIPs for awhile. If you look at a lot of the threads on the Luminous Landscape forum, you will find a lot of people who really couldn’t tell much of a difference in print quality. RIPs are great if you are doing multi-image layouts, but other than that I don’t see that the RIP itself actually makes a better print. I think the whole ‘dedicated’ program is a bunch of marketing hooey. Epson puts a lot of effort into making professional photo printers with input from a lot of professionals, it isn’t likely they ‘dumb’ down their driver to make it generic.
I came to the conclusion that it is more a function of the profiles vs. actually having a RIP. ImagePrint is well known for having great profiles for just about every single paper out there. And there is some good value in that.
I think you are basically left with the choice of using ImagePrint and their profiles, creating your own custom ones with a kit like EyeOne Photo, or buying on an as-needed basis a custom one for your own printer. It depends on how much you think you will switch around papers. If only using a couple, it is certainly most economical just to get a few custom profiles done. Of course if you stick with Epson papers, you may not need anything at all as their profiles are pretty good.
Well, serious topic here. I have to set aside my wiseass attitude, if only for a moment.
We have an HP 8700. It is a pretty darn good printer and handles images up to 19″ with very good results. The bundled software has given me what i want, but then maybe I don’t know what is really possible.
The HP software gives a wide variety of qualities from which to choose, and the max dpi setting sucks up ink like a drunken sailor but delivers one heck of a nice looking image. The HP photo inksets are good.
Those prices you had up there in the body would discourage me from going beyond what I have.
Mark: Thanks a lot. I know that you do all of your printing, so hearing it from you makes a big difference, sincerely. I think that I’ll stick with the ‘stock’ drivers and ABW, since I’ll be printing a lot of B&W. I’ve been all over the various threads and reviews my Michael Reichman, et al. Of course, those who use RIPs are all for them and basically say that you cannot live without them if you want unsurpassed print quality, etc. As I will be printing B&W, for the most part, I wasn’t overly concerned about a RIP; however, I did see some cases where they allegedly print better B&W.
I plan to use Epson papers, so I am pretty confident that they will work quite well together. I’ve been really pleased with the output of my HP 7760 and it doesn’t even have profiles or anything, but makes wonderful pictures. The only reason that I am getting a new printer is to print larger images. Mind you, if the 3800 far superior to the 7760, then it may become the new ‘standard’ for me. We’ll see. It will be here tomorrow.
Thanks for your input!
Paul
John: Thanks for setting aside the wise-ass attitude for a moment. I know that it was difficult for you!
I looked at the HP 13 inch printers, namely the HP B9180, as well as the Epson 13 inch printer, R2400; however, I wanted to have an A2, or 17 inch width printer. Price wise, this caused a jump to $1,100. I’ve been very satisfied with my HP 7760, which at the time that I purchased it was in the $200 range, but can be had now for about $130! It’s a great printer, but I wanted something more ‘serious’ for selling prints.
Regarding the max DPI, I know what you mean. I’m going to have to make a test between the HP and the Epson for B&W with Epson’s 3 black inks vs. HP’s photo gray cartridge. The photo gray cartridge rather levels the playing field. Epson has 7 inks, with the tri-color + photo gray, the HP has 6 because the gray cartridge has 3 shades of gray in it.
I’ll post my opinions.
Actually – I inquired to several RIP owners, and many of them told me they use it mostly for the great profiles.
You’re most welcome.
I don’t have the RIP software simply because a photographer that my husband works with who does lots of cemmercial printing, is familiar with it and has used it said it’s more suited to commercial use for things like presentations, advertisements, and such, and said he really didn’t think I’d need it, unless I misunderstood what he said. At any rate he uses EPSON printers, he just got the 9800 or 9880 actually I think and he doesn’t use the RIP software very much even though he has it.
I’ve been printing with Lightroom and I’ve been really happy with the results. Could they be better? Not sure, I guess I’d have to have someone who is more well versed in printing print one of mine out to see a comparison to determine if I’m getting all I can out of it.
I am actually going to see a comparison since I’m trying to get one of my shots blown up on an EPSON 9880 into a poster size for my niece. I will not be doing the printing, someone who has been printing for many years will be doing it for me so I will let you know. I’m just not sure when it will happen…better be before Christmas though!
Hmmm. Not very versed in the conversation of printers and RIP software. However I can provide a very warm and welcome home for your old printer which is about to start collecting dust when this “Big Dog” enters the house=)
Richard: No way, dude! That other printer will be used for the smaller prints. It is a fine printer, indeed! You can get one for yourself for $130!
ImagePrint.
Makes printing easier (essentially one click)
Has a big profile library
Is slightly better on stock Epson media
Is much better at B&W than stock Epson (still, although the gap is narrow than it used to be), but not any better than QTR unless you have an unusual paper requirement. It is easier than QTR though.
Value for Money?
Depends on how many different papers you want to try, and whether you can see the ‘slightly better’ on Epson media. And how much printing you do at different settings and paper sizes.
On older printers (2100, 2200, 2400, Designjet 30 etc) I would say that ImagePrint is more than slightly better than stock and vastly easier and you get the profiles. On the 3800 (my current machine) the results aren’t so clear cut. Try stock, but experiment with QTR as well. Consider ImagePrint as soon as you start thinking about other papers. Which you will