On Mon, 19 Nov 2001 21:22:49 -0500, you wrote: >After reading much about ink-jet "prints" etc here I thought I would try >printing my scans on my DeskJet. Equipment as follows: > >http://mick.maguire.net/
Check for the following potential problems: 1. Maybe it's a low-resolution file. From your original scan, resample to the desired print size at a resolution of 300 ppi. 2. Maybe you have the wrong paper type selected. In the HP Deskjet Properties dialog, select "HP Premium Photo Paper" if you want to print on glossy photo paper. 3. Maybe the Color tab in the HP Deskjet Properties is set to "Manual" and "Dither". For photo-type prints, select "Auto", or select "Manual" - "Scatter". (Auto usually prints the color too intense, Manual - Scatter with the Intensity slider set to midpoint works best for me.) The HP Deskjet Properties dialog settings may have changed a little. I am looking at the dialog box from a two year old Deskjet. I have a new Deskjet at work, and I could check that out after the holiday if you like. I can tell you that if I start with a TIFF file at 300 ppi, and set the Deskjet to Premium Photo Paper and Auto color settings, the print is fine for casual viewing. I don't usually try to go further with my Deskjets, such as enabling ICM profiles. HP Deskjets don't match the photo-realistic output of the Epson and Canon photo-quality inkjets, but mostly because the Deskjets are designed for an office or home-office environment rather than photo-hobbyists. Deskjets are fast and reliable, excellent for office B&W junk, and very good for color work that is non-photographic. Deskjets also print excellent overhead transparencies fairly quickly - and changing the cartridge on a Deskjet gets you a new print head. BTW, I have a dozen or so framed 8x10's around the house. From across the room, I can't tell which ones were printed on a Deskjet at 600 dpi and which ones were printed on a very expensive six-color Epson at 1440 dpi. But up close, the Epson prints are clearly superior - the Epson prints have almost invisible ink droplets and smooth tonal gradations, while the Deskjet droplets are visible and the tonal transitions are more abrupt. -- John Mustarde - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org .
