Best Digital Negative workflow for Epson 7600

Davec101 · Feb 25, 2009

I am attempting to print some 24" digital negatives on the Epson 7600 and was wondering what the best digital negative approach would be i.e PDN, QTR etc... If anyone can offer some advice it would be very much appriciated. many thanks

nze · Feb 25, 2009

I use a 7800 with the HSB array method and classic epson driver.
Depending on OHP you have enough control on these printer to get good result.

sanking · Feb 25, 2009

For the 7500 I would recommend The PDN system, or the MKS color array system (though not a complete package as is PDN). You could use QTR but it is not necessary as the ink set of that machine gives plenty of UV blocking density with PDN or color array.

Sandy

Davec said:
I am attempting to print some 24" digital negatives on the Epson 7600 and was wondering what the best digital negative approach would be i.e PDN, QTR etc... If anyone can offer some advice it would be very much appriciated. many thanks

Ben Altman · Feb 26, 2009

I have a 7600 but it needs fixing... my plan is to use K3 inks, but only LLK, LK,
blended LK/PK and PK in after-market or refilled cartridges. And QTR. I'll maybe put in one Cyan or LC channel so I have some control of toning for printing B&W positives. But it'll be a while before I get this plan. People have struggled with the 4000 for diginegs, so I don't know how well the 7600 will work.

Ben

sanking · Feb 26, 2009

Many Epson printers of this generation (2200, 4000, 7600 and 9600) give Venetian blinds, which are lines of uneven density in the direction of the print head movement. They do not show up on positive prints, and they are usually not a problem with digital negatives except for prints that have large area of even high tonal values. There is no cure all remedy for this so far as I know, though procedures like head cleaning, alignment, etc. may help in some cases.

Venetian blinds is not a problem with most of the current generation printers.

Sandy King

Davec101 · Feb 26, 2009

sanking said:
Many Epson printers of this generation (2200, 4000, 7600 and 9600) give Venetian blinds, which are lines of uneven density in the direction of the print head movement. They do not show up on positive prints, and they are usually not a problem with digital negatives except for prints that have large area of even high tonal values. There is no cure all remedy for this so far as I know, though procedures like head cleaning, alignment, etc. may help in some cases.

Venetian blinds is not a problem with most of the current generation printers.

Sandy King

Thanks Sandy for this info, i am having a day tommorow trying to calibrate the 7600 to prints that i have been producing on my 3800 and 1290, this could be an uphill battle, the only other option is the buy or use a 9800 or 9880, I cannot justify this sort of expense at the moment, although i think they have just bought a 9880 at my old university, so I might just pay them a visit too

sanking · Feb 26, 2009

Just be careful with the kind of image you chose to make a digital negative with. You will have no problem with most subjects but avoid those that have a lot of large areas of high key tonalities.

I made a lot of nice carbon prints from digital negatives printed on my Epson 2200, but over time I learned that some images would just not work with this printer because of banding.

Sandy

Davec said:
Thanks Sandy for this info, i am having a day tommorow trying to calibrate the 7600 to prints that i have been producing on my 3800 and 1290, this could be an uphill battle, the only other option is the buy or use a 9800 or 9880, I cannot justify this sort of expense at the moment, although i think they have just bought a 9880 at my old university, so I might just pay them a visit too

Davec101 · Feb 26, 2009

sanking said:
Just be careful with the kind of image you chose to make a digital negative with. You will have no problem with most subjects but avoid those that have a lot of large areas of high key tonalities.

I made a lot of nice carbon prints from digital negatives printed on my Epson 2200, but over time I learned that some images would just not work with this printer because of banding.

Sandy

I will heed your advice thanks. What printers and workflow are you using at the moment Sandy? I have followed your articles in silvershotz on carbon printing, it looks like a really beautiful process, although rather complicated compared to platinum/palladium techniques.

sanking · Feb 26, 2009

I am currently using an Epson 3800 with QTR. Absolutely no banding or venetian blinds so far.

Carbon transfer is indeed a rather complicated process compared to pt/pd. I have also done a lot of pt/pd and kallitype printing but am concentrating now just on carbon.

Sandy

Davec said:
I will heed your advice thanks. What printers and workflow are you using at the moment Sandy? I have followed your articles in silvershotz on carbon printing, it looks like a really beautiful process, although rather complicated compared to platinum/palladium techniques.

Best Digital Negative workflow for Epson 7600

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