> -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Jim Davis > Nature Photography > Sent: Friday, May 28, 2004 3:48 PM > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: Re: RE: RE: Re: RE: EOS OT: CM questions > > > "Chip Louie" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote/replied to: > > >If you're complaining about the price of media and ink that means is that > >you're wasting too much material trying to get good prints and > wind up with > >too few good prints for the money. It costs about $40 for a single 11x14 > >(and about $140 for 6 of the same image, so about $23 each), > Type C LightJet > >print at A&I. For about $40 I can replace the color and black > ink carts in > >my 1280S, 13x19 Epson PGPP is about a $1.50 per sheet. I can > print a LOT of > >13x19 prints for a lot less than I can get them from A&I Color, about 80% > >less including waste. I can generally get excellent color the first time > >and almost never have to reprint due to color problems. If I > reprint it's > >usually due to something I see in a large, first-time print that > I think I > >can adjust better to improve the print. > > Hi Chip, > > Well, I go to my local minilab which has a Frontier. They can do up to > 10" by 15", and cost is about $5. These of course are Fuji photo paper > prints and last well on the wall, which is where I like to put larger > prints. I put them in frames with glass of course. > > The inkjets I have made and put under glass have lasted pretty well, > those on the wall not under glass have faded badly in a couple of > months, with indirect sunlight. Even though ink is cheap here, the > good paper isn't and when you add it all up, plus the time it takes, > it's hardly worth it. It's certainly not cheaper. And I really like > the Frontier's output. It's not only very accurate but has a more > 'real photo' look to it. And it can make a low res cropped image look > very nice indeed, much better than an inkjet of the same, whether > upsampled or not. > > I don't actually get that many images printed. I have a 4 by 6 > Frontier print made for each decent 'keeper' which I put in a small > portfolio album. I have a 10" by 15" made for anything I want to frame > and hang on the wall. Costs for all this is pretty reasonable, and I > don't have to do anything but prepare the file, which is very easy > with digital. I take my images on CF card instead of buring to CD, so > there is no cost involved there. > > I have told the Frontier operator to make no auto adjustments, and > that's working out very well. I do find highlights blow out easier so > I have lowered contrast a tad. Otherwise, what I see is what I get, > everytime. > > So until the day that inkjets are more perfected as to fading, I'll > keep on sending to the Frontier. My inkjet does mostly text now, and > some proofing and goofing around :-) > > -- > Jim Davis > >
Hi Jim, The Frontier and Noritsu digital output I've had made look more like traditional optical prints than inkjet prints do BUT only if the inkjet prints are over processed and over sharpened. I've noticed that this is popular with images made by owners of small digital cameras. For myself I prefer mine a bit sharper than a custom optical hand print but not SHARP! like most people seem to think is necessary for digital images. Smaller prints need stronger sharpening though to retain detail. Anyway if you have a good relationship with a local printer with a digital minilab and your prints are coming out well matched for color, contrast, sharpness and are reasonably priced as yours seem to be, I'd say go for it and be happy! My local Noritsu based lab only prints up to 8x12 so if I want larger I go into L.A. to A&I Color or print them myself. I'm sure there is someplace around here that can do a good job at a reasonable price but I don't have the time/money or inclination to try finding them. Hey Jim, where is "here"? In the States you can order on-line and get original Epson paper and ink cheaper than even the club stores around here. I shop at Atlex.com and the prices are much more reasonable than at the local computer stores and they have the paper selection that the club type outlets so severely lack. I buy a lot of ink and paper on a single order and the low cost (slowish 5 business days from the east coast), shipping is very low, much lower than the 8.25% taxes here in sunny SoCal so my net cost is very low. If you are concerned about image fading and are just waiting for print lifetimes to come up you should look into the Epson R800. The R800 is based on Epson's new UltraChrome II pigment inkset and the print life tests show R800 prints lasting almost as good as B&W prints. The only downside to the R800 is that it only goes up to 8.5" wide, but print quality and color gamut is comparable to the Epson's 1280S dye printer. I'm waiting for the wide body version of the R800 because it solves most of my inkjet print issues, namely; longevity that's better than traditional wet color prints, equally good quality on matte and PGPP surfaces, excellent, neutral B&W print capability (I have many of my 35 year old B&W negs to print), and wide format all rolled into one printer. Cheers/Chip * **** ******* *********************************************************** * For list instructions, including unsubscribe, see: * http://www.a1.nl/phomepag/markerink/eos_list.htm ***********************************************************
