New printer - Epson ??

[bmikiten]

I'm sure there are some manufacturing variations that cause one thing to last longer/shorter than another of the same model, but my Epson 3880 lasted for only 3 - 4 years before it died. Not a particularly long service life for such an expensive printer, IMO.

I had similar issues with older printers due to head clogs and ink related matters. These new ones don't seem to have those issues even after sitting for a while.

[PatrickMarq]

Alright I have done some home work.
I see the canon Pro-300 has plugins for lightroom and photoshop, this seems interesting. But QTR does not support Canon printers, only Epson.
Anyone here that uses Pictorino transparency film with an Canon ? because this is the most important feature that I need.

[Sal Santamaura]

...The closet I've come to an acceptable (to me) B&W print on the R2880 is with Epson Velvet paper. The blacks on this paper look black and the print doesn't have that anemic look of a lot of matt-type printing papers...

After reading your comment I dug out the Epson sample pack I'd purchased long ago, soon after buying my P600. All paper types were tried except Velvet Fine Art. It is heavily textured, and I'm only interested in smooth surfaces.

...Anyone here that uses Pictorino transparency film with an Canon ? because this is the most important feature that I need.

I tried the transparency film version

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ...ency_Film.html

with my Epson P600 and found it useless for making digital negatives to print on silver gelatin paper. Far too much inherent graininess in the film. Never bothered using it in the Canon PRO-100 for that reason. Today I make digital negatives for silver gelatin using the white film version

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ...oss_White.html

which, although it soaks up a lot of light, has no visible texture. It reportedly was designed for dye inks, and I've never used it in any printer but the PRO-100. Excellent results.

[PatrickMarq]

with my Epson P600 and found it useless for making digital negatives to print on silver gelatin paper. Far too much inherent graininess in the film. Never bothered using it in the Canon PRO-100 for that reason. Today I make digital negatives for silver gelatin using the white film version

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ...oss_White.html

which, although it soaks up a lot of light, has no visible texture. It reportedly was designed for dye inks, and I've never used it in any printer but the PRO-100. Excellent results.

Thank you Sal I have made up my mind, just found a good deal on the Canon pro-200, going to order this evening.
Can’t wait until it’s arrived, need some prints for a e-zine of the facade chapels in my home town.
And also thanks for the other members here.

[Alan9940]

Alright I have done some home work.
I see the canon Pro-300 has plugins for lightroom and photoshop, this seems interesting. But QTR does not support Canon printers, only Epson.
Anyone here that uses Pictorino transparency film with an Canon ? because this is the most important feature that I need.

You might want to check out: http://www.easydigitalnegatives.com/

I've never produced digital negatives with LUTs, but it's my understanding that the techniques described there allow you to produce digital negatives with any printer and inkset.

[bob carnie]

I have used both Canon and Epson, I like both systems. Currently I have downsized to an Epson P7000 and I use it for small prints and digital negatives. It is IMO a fantastic unit which takes a bit of time
figuring out the setup and usage, you do have to switch inks from MK to PK which is not a problem, the Canon I had did this on the fly.
the Epson is lovely but you should do nozzle checks before a printing session , one check usually takes care of it. downside is the changing of the heads requires a tech person to come in and is quite expensive.

But to the OP either Canon or Epson will deliver you an excellent choice

[Michael R]

Is the fact QTR only works on Epson a downside to the Canon or are there other RIPs that do the same?

[bob carnie]

Is the fact QTR only works on Epson a downside to the Canon or are there other RIPs that do the same?

My friend was going to prepare a linearization of my Canon that would indeed allow someone to make digital negs on either printer. but yes quadtone rip has been designed for Epson, but Richard Boutwell or others like him
working on this all the time should be able to make digital negs work on both.

[Alan9940]

My friend was going to prepare a linearization of my Canon that would indeed allow someone to make digital negs on either printer. but yes quadtone rip has been designed for Epson, but Richard Boutwell or others like him
working on this all the time should be able to make digital negs work on both.

Currently, Richard's software only supports those printers and inksets supported by QTR; that is, various versions of Epson OEM ink and Piezography.

[PatrickMarq]

You might want to check out: http://www.easydigitalnegatives.com/

I've never produced digital negatives with LUTs, but it's my understanding that the techniques described there allow you to produce digital negatives with any printer and inkset.

Alan,
Already have this site in my bookmarks, quite useful.
I started digital negatives with QTR because a friend has a Epson A0 and made a photoshop curve for me.