Better photographic prints - which printer to choose and what really counts

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Күн бұрын

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@keithmagee4450 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the useful information. I’ve seen a few of your videos around printers and printing and found them very helpful ( just about understanding digital and RAW processing at long last- previous analogue B&W). Trying to get good understanding before taking the plunge in buying a printer. Your videos are among the best in clarity of information.

@KeithCooper 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks - that's very nice of you to say

@Cliff117 2 ай бұрын

Your comments about printing a test image on each new paper is valuable advice. I take a screenshot of the settings I made in Epson Print and attach that information to the test image. I also take a screenshot of the settings I use editing a photo, and of Epson Print settings when I make a print. All of the paper I ordered in to use with my new ET-8550 has been manufactured by Epson and have a profile already listed in the drop down dialog box in the driver. As a result I am getting fantastic results producing wonderful prints. I used to calibrate my Dell 2713UH monitor every few months, but I haven’t done it for six months … it doesn’t seem necessary. I have a bunch of used Epson and Canon printers which I had been dissatisfied with - mostly because of the insane ink costs. Now I can make prints to my hearts content. It is what I think finalizes making a nice photo, if it’s put on paper. It’s not quite the same viewing experience to me looking on a cell phone or computer screen. Thanks again for sharing your common sense and your years of personal experience in the photographic arena.

@KeithCooper 2 ай бұрын

Thanks for that - glad to have helped you in the process.

@davidbrighten2572 3 жыл бұрын

Really enjoy your videos, the honesty and dare I say professionalism shines through. I like that you don’t employ gimmicks - just straight forward good advice in a conversational format. I would appreciate additional videos on the paper to use for printing and if the size of the print impacts the paper selection. Thank you.

@KeithCooper 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks David, much appreciated. I'll add those suggestions to my 'video ideas' list - I do have one about what you need to think about for larger prints at kzbin.info/www/bejne/r5LChn-Ohbiim80 I also have an article about big prints at: www.northlight-images.co.uk/art-big-photo-print/

@eddyhate88 Жыл бұрын

thinking about buying the xp-15000 after trying a cheap canon tr7620a and the epson xp-6100 (scrapping lots of paper because of smudges) your videos are helping me step into the world of printing my own photographs, i am grateful you are doing them.

@KeithCooper Жыл бұрын

Thanks - If you've not seen them, do check the main [written] reviews as well. The videos are generally supplemental to them. www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-xp-15000-printer-review/

@tomfoord8860 3 жыл бұрын

We're thinking about downsizing, so I've begun wondering whether to keep my Epson 3880 Stylus Pro. I really don't need 17" width and have started looking around. So thanks, Keith, for looking out for people like us. Your videos are great! No need to worry.

@KeithCooper 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for taking the time to comment!

@bbowles3 3 жыл бұрын

Love to see a video on the high level basics of calibration... how does it work? How does room lighting play into it? How can I double check whether calibration is successful? I’ve tried to calibrate with the spyder thing and I am always unsure whether I even did it right

@KeithCooper 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks - I have a new monitor to test/review and will be using it for looking at this.

@genghisbunny 3 жыл бұрын

Love the straight talk. Good advice as always.

@KeithCooper 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks

@majornova8357 3 жыл бұрын

great video, concise and straight to the point :)

@KeithCooper 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks - much appreciated

@765934 3 жыл бұрын

Well done as always. Please keep the videos coming.

@KeithCooper 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks - more on their way...

@johnvaleanbaily246 3 жыл бұрын

Always learn something - thanks Keith

@KeithCooper 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks - glad it was of interest!

@jedoka 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks Keith

@KeithCooper 3 жыл бұрын

Glad it was of interest

@34136TS 3 жыл бұрын

Many thanks Keith, I have enjoyed your videos and your extensive written review for the XP15000. I understand that for B&W you would revert to a pigment ink model, but for many budding photographers on a budget the XP15000 is all we've got available to us. Please, could you give your best B&W setting & paper recommendation, and maybe talk a little about the ABW sub-menu that appears and offers a colour shift option - how would I use that? Much obliged, Steve

@KeithCooper 3 жыл бұрын

I always start with the basic default ABW settings for any paper and work from there. It's difficult to give paper recommendations since what's available varies in different regions. It really depends on what your preference is? For the 15000 it does moderately well on some matte papers and gloss/semi-gloss. However you need to experiment with what you have - use something like my B&W test image. The ABW settings are not something I generally adjust. I'd always suggest getting a sample set of papers, but test them initially with a the test image, not a photo Have a look at this (albeit using the Canon version of ABW) for how to use a photo of a B&W test print to try and correct colour tints www.northlight-images.co.uk/printing-greyscale-images-and-removing-unwanted-colour-tints/ Remember that dye inks are a lot more prone to variable colour tints under different lighting, so experimenting is the key

@34136TS 3 жыл бұрын

@@KeithCooper You're very kind, much obliged 👍🏻

@paulamb246 Жыл бұрын

Hello! I really love that you explain things well! I’m a teen and I want to start a small printing business but I have no idea what print to get. I want my business to be more of photo printing, photo cards, business cards, and sticker printing. Will one of the printers you’ve reviewed so far on your videos be a good fit with the type of business I want to start?

@KeithCooper Жыл бұрын

Glad it's helpful. The answer is only a 'maybe' A lot is related to the business side of things I have an entire playlist devoted to the business side of photography/printing Have a look at my ET-8550 review which addresses some aspects of this and has links to related videos/articles www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-et-8550-printer-review/ See also this about an office type printer www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-wf-c8690-printer-review/ Al the key questions to ask are about business aspects, not printer specs

@MoD_Master_Of_Disaster_ 3 жыл бұрын

I got my Pro 1000 after the PK channel of my 10year old 3880 gave up the ghost. Even though Epson served me well, I never regretted the move to Canon and I don't use roll paper anyway.

@KeithCooper 3 жыл бұрын

The 1000 still has the best basic sheet handling of any printer I've tested, with its vacuum system

@mondujar279 3 жыл бұрын

Hi Keith, I am enjoying your channel and have often read your website articles. I never know what monitor brightness to use with my calibration. What would you advise, it’s in a fairly brightly lit room

@KeithCooper 3 жыл бұрын

I'd suggest 100 cd/m2 for general editing use, although I work at slightly lower. The problem is that if this is too dark for your room, then you are editing in a too brightly lit room. Because of the way we see things, editing in/at higher light levels leads to images being edited to fit, and then when printed coming out too dark. For general editing/work it's not a problem, but photo print editing needs ideally to be done in a relatively dim environment

@mondujar279 3 жыл бұрын

@@KeithCooper Thanks Keith, I will try 100, it’s a shock to start with as the screen looks so dark but I will get used to it

@ianyorke2617 3 жыл бұрын

I hope you can cover soft proofing as this is an area which can confuse and software varies. For example, in C1 by default you are always soft proofing to the icc profile you select in the process recipe. There is a soft proof tool and when you enable it it soft proofs the output and includes the icc profile, size of print and sharpening including any output sharpening applied in the process recipe to exported image.

@KeithCooper 3 жыл бұрын

Sorry, that's something I'd more likely cover in a written article - but I don't have C1. It's good for RAW conversion, but I'd not use it for anything else Basically my opinion is that soft proofing is somewhat over-rated and over used - Personally, I very rarely use it and then only as an extra tool to address specific issues. One reason it has become popular is that it's so much easier to teach than all the work needed to learn to judge prints by eye ;-) ...I might do a video about why I don't use it though! See here for context www.northlight-images.co.uk/better-photography-by-printing-your-work/

@ianyorke2617 3 жыл бұрын

@@KeithCooper Certainly Soft Proofing is not perfect but it does get you closer to what the print will look like. This saves paper and ink which, if you aren't offsetting them against tax, is significant. :-)

@KeithCooper 3 жыл бұрын

@@ianyorke2617 Actually I disagree... It most certainly can be of use, but as the exception, not the rule

@ianyorke2617 3 жыл бұрын

@@KeithCooper I look forward to your article showing this. Should raise some interesting discussions. :-) I hope you will include up to date software like C1 in your piece.

@KeithCooper 3 жыл бұрын

@@ianyorke2617 Not unless C1 gives me a copy I'm afraid - I genuinely have had no significant work for ages, so there is no money to buy stuff like this.

@tyurek 3 жыл бұрын

Aren't monitor calibration and monitor profiling two different things? I understand thee need for calibrating a monitor to bring it close to the intended factory settings as I understand they may shift over time. But isn't generating an ICC profile for your monitor as essential as profiling your printer/ink/paper combination? Wouldn't the entire color management chain be broken if you don't have a monitor profile? All of the various color management software I've used over the years have always given the option to profile my monitor post calibration. The monitor ICC profile generated is then placed in some location specific to the OS which all color management software know where to find.

@KeithCooper 3 жыл бұрын

You're right and this is something I deliberately glossed over in this video. I use the terms calibration and profiling here as much to distinguish the difference between print and screen, which is an important one. I will cover this in due course (I do so in the written articles - my videos are only ever 'overviews').

@stevengoldberg44 3 жыл бұрын

Keith, I use an Epson 3880, calibrated with Spyder, Epson paper profiles, Epson ink. I print from Lr. I keep my Apple monitor brightness about 40%. No matter what I do, my print colors are just slightly off. When viewed away from the monitor they look fine. When checked against the monitor I see the slight variation in color. Any suggestions?

@KeithCooper 3 жыл бұрын

The answer is already in your question ;-) "When viewed away from the monitor they look fine" You should never directly compare prints with a monitor, you'll never get a match. The monitor is not the print. See section 8 in this article www.northlight-images.co.uk/why-prints-look-wrong/ Hope that helps! See also www.northlight-images.co.uk/pdv-3e-desktop-viewing-stand-review/

@stevengoldberg44 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks Keith! Excellent articles. I just find it a bit frustrating that I spend so much time composing the photo, trying to get it right in camera and trying to get the color just right in post processing only to have it look somewhat different than it looks on screen. I understand the colors will never match exactly but, as I said, it is annoying. Thanks again for taking the time to respond and confirming what, I suppose, I already knew.

@KeithCooper 3 жыл бұрын

If you're making prints, I find the key is to appreciate that the final print is the end point and the screen but an intermediate stage. Remember that the best looking print may not come from the best looking screen version of the image.

@stevengoldberg44 3 жыл бұрын

@@KeithCooper Thanks Keith. I appreciate your comments. They make sense and make me feel better about my prints.

@sakthimakeuptipsandreviews6155 3 жыл бұрын

Which printer best for flash card making.

@KeithCooper 3 жыл бұрын

Sorry - no idea what a flash card is other than what I stick in my camera?

@sourdoughhome2571 2 жыл бұрын

Have you done any videos on editing? Many thanks!

@KeithCooper 2 жыл бұрын

Not specifically - my [mac] photoshop based workflow means that I avoid being too specific since it would make any video too much aimed at a narrow audience. Where I do look at processing it is usually to cover concepts and principles - I've never done step by step guides. My emphasis is always more about the why, less the how ;-) See this article and the associated video for a black and white example: www.northlight-images.co.uk/making-a-black-and-white-photograph/ kzbin.info/www/bejne/n3vbh4OqpqZob8U

@martincanning9778 3 жыл бұрын

Hi Keith many thanks for all the advice and reviews, it really helps and always interesting to see your latest thoughts. Just wondering if there is much difference in print quality between current models and those from say 2 generations ago. I have a 10 year old epson R3000 that is mechanically really starting to show it’s age (print quality is still fine). Just wondering if something like the surecolor p 700 or similar current generation model gives a noticeable improvement in quality (for when the r3000 finally dies ).

@KeithCooper 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks - with good profiling, the differences might be far from obvious. I suspect that B&W linearity will be better using ABW. The biggest change is the loss of black switching in the 700/900, and overall usability of the printer. If I was getting good results from the R3000 I might be tempted to keep it until it really needed replacing. I'm afraid 'noticeable' improvements in 'quality' are mostly marketing features, and have been for a while ;-)

@martincanning9778 3 жыл бұрын

@@KeithCooper many thanks - that helps - only a matter of time before the R3000 gives up, but I’ll have fun with it until then 😎

@Dagonator 3 жыл бұрын

Can you explane how to you calibrate your Monitor? That would be interesting! Hat parameters to you choose? Adobe RGB? sRGB or ProPhotoRGB. I here and read diffrent things evrywere. Its hart to find a good source.

@KeithCooper 3 жыл бұрын

I will be addressing this in some upcoming reviews and articles. In the meantime, I have a section of the Northlight site devoted to all my colour management articles/reviews www.northlight-images.co.uk/commercial-photography/training/colour-management/ Here's an example www.northlight-images.co.uk/spyder-x-calibrator-review/

@Dagonator 3 жыл бұрын

@@KeithCooper Thank you! Very good information!

@philindeblanc 3 жыл бұрын

lenovo p32-10u is a solid monitor and on sale for about 600usd. I too dont like LR< but C1 is too buggy too often, so I use it in multiple catalogs so it doesnt crawl too much. still slow

@KeithCooper 3 жыл бұрын

I have a BenQ SW321C to test, which is a nice (if not budget) monitor. It's the enforced use of the catalogue I dislike most in LR - then again I don't want to use LR for printing either. Just my personal preferences - I've use PS for over 20 years ;-) As ever YMMV ;-)

@philindeblanc 3 жыл бұрын

@@KeithCooper YEs...if I could browse through my folders as they are, it would be much faster, and I wouldnt have to worry about knowing where my photos are, or how many versions I have. I have managed to deal with it, but it is super slow, and I have a pretty advanced system. If ACDSee worked with my raw files, and was better at processing, and such...but every year or so they cripple some feature to force upgrades.

@philindeblanc 3 жыл бұрын

@@KeithCooper Yes, me too...a little older than you, so PS is something I have known since Aldus Freehand. Had a computer from a early age. Yes, those BenQ screens are very good. I think the ones with SW prefix is for those you can calibrate to the lookuptable.

@KeithCooper 3 жыл бұрын

@@philindeblanc Yes - hardware calibration is a boon, but not in the economy bracket ;-)

@philindeblanc 3 жыл бұрын

@@KeithCooper All these measures end up being seen by the eye, so that is the bottom line. they are over "forced"

@bf4778 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you for this however, my biggest dilemma is to buy a Canon ImagePrograf pro 1000 now, which most likely to be replaced with something newer like the 300 and 200 last year. Or wait. I really want to be printing larger than what the Canon 300 model is capable of doing. Not too keen on buying the Epson SureColor P900.

@KeithCooper 3 жыл бұрын

As yet all printer supplies are limited :-( Now, whilst I would expect an update for the 1000 perhaps this year, it will be more expensive and in short supply. They might fix roll paper handling, but I'm not expecting huge changes. It depends on how much you need a printer at the moment?

@chza7956 3 жыл бұрын

I very much enjoy your videos. Thanks! I would appreciate a recommendation for an affordable monitor. Any thoughts about the ASUS PA278QV?

@KeithCooper 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks - I'm afraid I've not tested many monitors in detail over the years - they tend to be higher end ones, rather than affordable.

@keithholmes6776 3 жыл бұрын

Apparently the AirPrint driver is flawed as it can't not use colour management which makes calibrating a new Canon TS6350 impossible as it only wants to print via wifi. Having said that the Datacolour test print looks pretty good so maybe I'll just have to live with it...

@KeithCooper 3 жыл бұрын

Yes, it's disappointing that otherwise good printers are limited in this way. It's one reason I tend not to do testing of lower end and 'office' oriented products. That said, if you can get a good version of the test image it's a good sign.

@sajjadal-lawati3133 3 жыл бұрын

can you do some videos on ways to refill the cartages of different printers

@KeithCooper 3 жыл бұрын

Sorry, I'm afraid not. It is not something I do or would ever recommend.

@barrysharoff6537 3 жыл бұрын

Sajjad, here is a link to everything you need to know about refilling cartridges: kzbin.info?search_query=jose+rodriguez+refilling+cartridges. Do not follow the advice of anyone else because you may be talked into using garbage ink. Only use ink from Precision Colors in the U.S. and Canada if you are able to get it or Octoink from the UK.