canvas printing equipment?

[Greg Lockrey]

I understand that some folks have to start "in the garage" and build up a business. I still consider myself to be in the garage in many ways. Cheaper printers can really help one get started. That's a business decision, however. When you can, move up to a more stable platform, something you can depend on, and make your life a lot easier.

Sounds like your operation is at where I can only dream of. My primary business is making prints for artists and most printers here don't want that business because it's too demanding. I do get some commercial work to make trade show displays. I get very little signage, there are enough printers locally cutting each others throat for that market. I currently have 3 Epson 9600's (had 5 at one time but it was too hard to fill the line time) I never had the trouble I keep hearing about on the net. If one breaks down, there are two to pick up the slack just in case. Most of what I run is 24" anyway but for an extra $1000.00 I have a 44" capability. I bought my first one when they first came out. As far as I know, I was the first one in Toledo, OH to get one. These machines are cheap enough to be treated like toasters, that is throw them away if they break down. Having started printing businesses before (photography) I took the approach this time to buy when I need to and not buy and try to fill the need. So far this plan has worked well for me. Actually the way the business has been running in the fine art market in these parts, smaller printers like the 4800 do just fine for most of the card market and smaller prints. I perused your site, to get $125 for a 35mm scan, WOW....around here, $2.00 is "robbery". But I do understand where you are coming from, just that no one here does.

[Lenny Eiger]

Sounds like your operation is at where I can only dream of.

Thank you - it's nice to know I have gotten somewhere... sometimes it's hard to tell. I'm still working way too hard...

These machines are cheap enough to be treated like toasters, that is throw them away if they break down.

I know, that's what a lot of people say. I would rather have one good, working machine that prints quickly and efficiently and doesn't break down than three that do. To each his own, however. I do happen to be a tool junky.

I perused your site, to get $125 for a 35mm scan, WOW....around here, $2.00 is "robbery". But I do understand where you are coming from, just that no one here does.

Education is a tough part of this. Do people do the same quality scan for $2 that I do for $100? No, of course not. I'm using an Aztek Premier, arguably the finest scanner ever made, only the later ICG's are even in its class. I deliver 500 mb, or 96 megapixels from a 35mm, and most of my scanning is med format or 4x5, at which point clients get 1.75 Gigs of 16 bit data (over 300 megapixels). It takes a lot to learn how to operate a drum scanner, to pull everything out of a neg or chrome, and if one is interested in quality, its worth every bit. (IMO).

In, San Francisco, the most popular lab charges about double what I charge for full resolution scans - and their scanner is half the sharpness of mine. It's actually a good deal, in my mind to have someone who really knows what they are doing work on your images, with your style, criteria in mind. It takes a while as well. A medium format scan at 8,000 dpi can take some time to mount up the drum and 45 mins to scan. Gotta pay for the scanner somehow....

The $2 scan is usually a flatbed, or other CCD scanner. They can't compare.

I worked into the wee hours last night, so if the above is rambling and unintelligible, I apologize.. I'm not running on all cylinders.

Lenny

[Ted Harris]

I'm using an Aztek Premier, arguably the finest scanner ever made, only the later ICG's are even in its class.

Lenny, You've said this before and we have discussed it but we are just going to have to agree to disagree. There have been tests that show that the best of the high-end flatbeds perform as well or better than any drum scanner. That aside, i totally agree that at the low end what you generally get is someone using, at best an Imacon, and you get no special attention.

I spoke to a lab this afternoon that was asking my advice on handling some scans of old deteriorating film. As we were talking it turned out that they didn't do much in the way of preping individual scans. They were very surprised when I told them I custom set each scan for a client. We all also know how important the operator is in the equation. Lenny is an expert, so am I but that doesn't necessarily hold for all labs. Getting individual attention on your scans is like getting a hand made dodged and burned print custom done in the old days ... takes time and skill.

[Lenny Eiger]

Lenny, You've said this before and we have discussed it but we are just going to have to agree to disagree.

Respectful disagreement is a good thing. However, I will say that on the Scan High End list there is a fellow who has stated this, that there are studies, etc, but he hasn't been able to produce anything. The comparisons on Luminous Landscape have been incompetent, at best, totally off. Scannerforum.com has some independent comparisons I trust. Further, the low end flatbeds and the Imacon do not compare and while the high end flatbeds do have a lawnmower strategy that makes a lot of sense, they are still up against the laws of physics. The PMT's don't have to go thru a lens. Whether this can all be seen is a matter of a few different things, such as size, the type of print, etc.

I spoke to a lab this afternoon that was asking my advice on handling some scans of old deteriorating film. As we were talking it turned out that they didn't do much in the way of preping individual scans. They were very surprised when I told them I custom set each scan for a client. We all also know how important the operator is in the equation. Lenny is an expert, so am I but that doesn't necessarily hold for all labs. Getting individual attention on your scans is like getting a hand made dodged and burned print custom done in the old days ... takes time and skill.

Thank you for your kind words.... I have heard a lot of horror stories about scanner operators at labs. One fellow caught a lab charging him $250 for a drum scan of an 8x10 that was actually done on a flatbed. For some labs, embracing digital has been ok, but I think these are the exceptions. It's hard to compare a lab, which develops rolls of film at low cost, with hopefully high volume, where speed is the key, to a scanner operation where care is necessary for a good result. The lab I mentioned above had some 15 year old kid running a $100,00 scanner. I think the small personal shop is the way to go. Of course, I am biased, as that's the way I run things. Everything's guaranteed, etc. That's why I was up all last night - I was fixing something I messed up. Client was happy today... thankfully...

I have no beef with any great scanner. The only beef I have is when someone tries to tell me its a Maserati and its not even a car, its a jackass. Its true that someone can do some nice work on an Epson scanner that will do a reasonable 8x10 print, after way too much sharpening, etc. But it isn't a professional tool, and it isn't capable of a full rez image at 40 inches. It ain't a Maserati. I don't think an Eversmart can compete, but who knows, really, unless you do the same neg, both are very experienced and the criteria is clear. As soon as you have clear criteria, you are usually in the realm of things like sharpness, which are only a very small part of photography. There are a lot of intangibles. So if some uses a high end flatbed and is successful with it, I say great. I feel very lucky to have this drum scanner. It works like a dream...

Lenny

[Greg Lockrey]

In, San Francisco, the most popular lab charges about double what I charge for full resolution scans - and their scanner is half the sharpness of mine. It's actually a good deal, in my mind to have someone who really knows what they are doing work on your images, with your style, criteria in mind. It takes a while as well. A medium format scan at 8,000 dpi can take some time to mount up the drum and 45 mins to scan. Gotta pay for the scanner somehow....

The $2 scan is usually a flatbed, or other CCD scanner. They can't compare.

The more established printers locally farm out their high resolution scans down to Bowling Green State University (a FLAAR facility). I don't handle that much film to digital scans so I don't know how they handle those but I do get a fair amout of reflective art scans from them that quite frankly leaves a lot questions in my mind as to why they charge so much for a 240 ppi rgb 8 bit scan. I'm just a poor country boy from Michigan but at least I do 720 ppi rgb 16 bit with my junkey little Epson 10000xl. Pieces larger than 12x17" are then stitched together in PS. Very large pieces are done with a digital camera. I'm satisfied with the amount that I charge and they are happy to pay. I know about the concept of paying for the machine. But until my clients can afford and require me to be more high end, I'll just have to make do. So far they are pleased with the results that I give them. As for having multible decent printers verses one really good one, even the best ones break down and with all your eggs in one basket, your'e out of business. If my volume was such that a 400 sqft/hr printer was in fact necessary, I'd buy one in a heart beat. I'm just not near enough to that kind of market unless I want to start making "For Sale" signs for realtors or shrink wrap for busses. Like I said before, that market is dog eat dog. I really don't want to work that hard any way.

[aviationimages]

Hi everyone, New to this and I need some help I take professional aviation images and would like to start offering canvas to my customers but have NO clue what equipment or image enlarging software I need can I ask for help in someone advising what I need to start this facility thanks in advance ian

[ashle123]

Ok friends, I have a picture frame which holds 4x6 pictures vertically. Well, most my 4x6 pictures are horizontal of course. Therefore, I want to make my horizontal 4x6 pictures, vertical to fit in my new frame. I'm sure that I would lose some detail from the sides of these pictures when turned vertically if this is even possible. How do I adjust a picture, from horizontal to vertical? Please help me. Have a nice day.

[Lenny Eiger]

Ok friends, I have a picture frame which holds 4x6 pictures vertically. Well, most my 4x6 pictures are horizontal of course. Therefore, I want to make my horizontal 4x6 pictures, vertical to fit in my new frame. I'm sure that I would lose some detail from the sides of these pictures when turned vertically if this is even possible. How do I adjust a picture, from horizontal to vertical? Please help me. Have a nice day.

The command is called "rotate canvas". In Photoshop its on the Image menu.

Lenny

[roshka177]

Lenny can you please tell me what is the exact model of your Roland printer. I am trying to start canvas printing shop and your description f the Roland printer was amazing so I have decided to get the one you described.

[Sideshow Bob]

This thread is over two years old. You should PM Lenny for a faster response.

Gale