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New Epson Printers for Contax Images

I use a 1280, and have multiple custom profiles that have decent color fidelity on Colorlife paper, but in all honesty the metamerism and relative lack of brightness makes the prints pale in comparison with Lightjet prints on Fuji Crystal Archive. Epson inkjet prints look like good inkjet prints; Lightjets really look like phots, IMHO. Does anyone have experience to suggest that other Epson printers or papers can rival Lightjets?
 
I'm a little surprised to hear this James - the dye based inks of the 1280 and other similar models provide a higher hue and saturation than the pigment based ink printers . You should also not be seeing metamerism to any really noticeable degree with dye based inks either - its a phenomenon of pigmented inks generally . I'm not quite sure what you mean by a lightjet [ Frontier machine perhaps?] but decent colours and saturation are certainly possible on inkjet prints , as well as great detail/resolution . I have a 2000P , not the best ex&le perhaps , but I get excellent quality the only bugbear is dealing with the metamerism - but even that can be controlled to acceptable levels. Steve
 
I agree, dye-based is more saturated than the longer-lived pigments, but there really is a significant amount of metamerism nonetheless. Lightjet refers to Cymbolic Science's RGB laser-based printers that expose photographic paper. The prints are beautiful, though pricey and have to be outsourced. Send a digital file to one of the places that produce them and you'll be sold (West Coast Imaging, Calypso, and many others). The papers are quite archival, too--even better than Cibachrome.
 
Strange , you're the first one I know of having metamersim problems with the dye based inks!I'd be interested to know what sort of colour shifts you are getting and under what lighting conditions? I'm unfamiliar with the machine you mention but it sounds the same as the Fuji Frontier processor[and others too] which is becoming increasingly common in all sorts of labs in Europe as well as here in South Africa . They accept either digital input or will scan trannies/negs and output optically via laser onto regular photo paper[typically Fuji Crystal archive] - and you're right the results are impressive , I've had quite a few done over the last 2-3 years[ even sold one or two]. They are not at all pricey either , alot of regular labs use them for their regular consumer stuff - you should look into it as it sounds like you may well be paying over the odds. Steve
 
Incandescent light at 30-45deg viewing angle gives significant metamerism to darker shades of green, black, and purple. As far as cost: for files requiring no correction by the lab, 16x20 is $25 and 30x40in is around $80. It is not expensive compared to other outsourced processes--only more than any in-house inkjet, to clarify my description.
 
James, where are you getting the 16x20 prints for $25? This is a much better deal then I am getting here locally. Thanks!

Bob Kramer
 
Hi Bob:

West Coast Imaging is where I get all of my Lightjet prints (http://www.westcoastimaging.com/). Here are the prices for fully prepared files (i.e. you have done all necessary work on color correction, applying their embedded profiles, sharpened, etc.). Prices are considerably higher if they have to do anything other than send the file to the printer.

8x10 $15; 11x14 $18; 12x18 $21; 16x20 $24; 16x24 $26; 18x22 $27; 20x24 $37; 22x26 $42; 20x30 $42; 24x30 $59; 24x32 $60; 24x36 $63; 26x32 $61; 30x40 $84; 32x40 $84; 30x50 $124; 40x40 $110; 40x50 $135; 50x50 $155; 50x60 $208; 50x72 $240; 50x84 $299; 50x96 $339; 50x120 $450.

I should note I don't work for them or have any stake whatsoever in their business. Since the above info is on the net, I don't think they'll mind my quoting it. You can ftp files or send by CD, and the turnaround is roughly 2wk. I have had great and consistent results with them.
 
> Incandescent light at 30-45deg viewing angle gives significant> metamerism to darker shades of green, black, and purple. As far as> cost: for files requiring no correction by the lab, 16x20 is $25 and> 30x40in is around $80. It is not expensive compared to other > outsourced processes--only more than any in-house inkjet, to clarify> my description.

James , sorry to be so dense , but I'm not sure I'm following you here - you're seeing "metamerism" mainly in those colours? And what sort of colour shifts are you then seeing? As for the Frontier prints , we pay ALOT less than that for the smaller sizes . HOWEVER , the Frontier's max size was only 15x10inches until recently - I believe a newer model will now do a size larger though . Anyway it sounds like their are significant differences in the two machines at the very least in terms of output sizes , so we may not be comparing apples with apples . Steve
 
Those colors are selectively 'shinier,' in that if you view the print on angle a solidly-colored object appears to be like a piece from a jigsaw puzzle--it will stand out with a sort of glare. Absolutely straight-on you can't see this; under glass is pretty good for avoiding the problem, too. But the metamerism is there (though less than even a short number of years ago).
 
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