Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 11

Thread: Semi-budget printer recommendations for printing transparencies?

  1. #1

    Join Date
    Jun 2016
    Posts
    166

    Semi-budget printer recommendations for printing transparencies?

    I'd like to get a printer for making transparencies so I can start making my own cyanotype prints. I'm looking for something that will give me fair results and have reasonable cartridge economy when printing large negatives. Currently I'm deliberating between the Epson Artisan 1430 and the Epson P600. The 1430 would be much easier on my pocketbook, but I'm wondering whether I would regret it in terms of IQ. I'm looking to make 8x10 and 11x14 cyanotypes.

  2. #2

    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Grand Junction,CO
    Posts
    1,064

    Re: Semi-budget printer recommendations for printing transparencies?

    Either one should work fine for you. The 600 with OEM inks and the 1430 with the cone inks or their piezoDN system for diginegs. I can only speak to the 600 but I believe the 1430 is used and recommended by many.

  3. #3

    Join Date
    Oct 2012
    Location
    Boulder, co
    Posts
    627

    Re: Semi-budget printer recommendations for printing transparencies?

    also consider your old BW laser printer.
    ~nicholas
    lifeofstawa
    stawastawa at gmail

  4. #4

    Join Date
    Jun 2016
    Posts
    166

    Re: Semi-budget printer recommendations for printing transparencies?

    Quote Originally Posted by Erik Larsen View Post
    Either one should work fine for you. The 600 with OEM inks and the 1430 with the cone inks or their piezoDN system for diginegs. I can only speak to the 600 but I believe the 1430 is used and recommended by many.
    Interesting, I've never heard of piezoDN before. From what I just found, it looks like they're pretty expensive - the stock inks won't cut it for monochrome inkjet transparencies?

  5. #5

    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Grand Junction,CO
    Posts
    1,064

    Re: Semi-budget printer recommendations for printing transparencies?

    Quote Originally Posted by bobbotron View Post
    Interesting, I've never heard of piezoDN before. From what I just found, it looks like they're pretty expensive - the stock inks won't cut it for monochrome inkjet transparencies?
    Im not sure if the oem dye inkset is capable of blocking UV light enough to make digital negs. The 600 with oem pigments inks is fine though. You might try browsing the cone inks forum for better answers http://www.inkjetmall.com/tech/forum.php

  6. #6

    Join Date
    Jun 2016
    Posts
    166

    Re: Semi-budget printer recommendations for printing transparencies?

    Ah, that's interesting, I hadn't thought about whether it would block UV. I sort of assumed it would, UV seems to be relatively easy to block. Looks like I need to do more investigating... thanks!

  7. #7

    Join Date
    Jun 2016
    Posts
    166

    Re: Semi-budget printer recommendations for printing transparencies?

    Quote Originally Posted by stawastawa View Post
    also consider your old BW laser printer.
    I have done them successfully with transfers made from a friend's laser printer. I might go this route, though from what I've read you can get better quality from an inkjet.

  8. #8
    jp's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    Maine
    Posts
    5,628

    Re: Semi-budget printer recommendations for printing transparencies?

    An inkjet will do better than a laser (which will only print on mylar) as lasers tend to be limited to halftones for making images.
    Do not just run anything through a laser for overhead material. It may turn into a smelly molten mess.

  9. #9

    Join Date
    Jun 2016
    Posts
    166

    Re: Semi-budget printer recommendations for printing transparencies?

    Quote Originally Posted by jp View Post
    An inkjet will do better than a laser (which will only print on mylar) as lasers tend to be limited to halftones for making images.
    Do not just run anything through a laser for overhead material. It may turn into a smelly molten mess.
    Yeah, I've made a few test prints from a laser this week, I feel like they're 60% of the way to something I'd be happy with, definitely looking to buy an inkjet printer to do this.

  10. #10

    Join Date
    Sep 2003
    Location
    South Carolina
    Posts
    5,505

    Re: Semi-budget printer recommendations for printing transparencies?

    Quote Originally Posted by bobbotron View Post
    Ah, that's interesting, I hadn't thought about whether it would block UV. I sort of assumed it would, UV seems to be relatively easy to block. Looks like I need to do more investigating... thanks!
    The Epson 1430 is capable of very high quality digital negatives because of the resolution and small picoliter size. I don't have one and am not sure how well it does in UV blocking with the Epson driver, but you would have the option to use the QuadToneRIP driver which would allow you to use only the inks in the set that block UV, the black and yellow. If you are working with a Mac you will also need the Print Tool. QuadToneRIP and the Print Tool are both superb software and I believe you should be able to make good digital negatives with QTR and the 1430 ink set. If not, you can always go the PiezoDN route for really superb digital negatives, but my suggestion would be to first try QTR with the native ink set.

    Sandy
    For discussion and information about carbon transfer please visit the carbon group at groups.io
    [url]https://groups.io/g/carbon

Similar Threads

  1. Budget Digital Negative Printer
    By Sylvester Graham in forum Digital Hardware
    Replies: 16
    Last Post: 17-Apr-2020, 01:39
  2. printing from transparencies
    By el pescador in forum Digital Hardware
    Replies: 17
    Last Post: 3-Aug-2014, 18:48
  3. Budget Printer Recommendation
    By Peter York in forum Digital Hardware
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 16-Dec-2009, 15:35
  4. Looking for Fine art printing for 4x5 transparencies
    By appel3 in forum Darkroom: Film, Processing & Printing
    Replies: 9
    Last Post: 6-Nov-2007, 21:19

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •