Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Steve,
If you don't buy it I'm interested, and Joe was also asking for a 3880 replacement (Joe already has a 3880, but might want a dedicated B&W printer). Don't let that 3880 go to someone we don't know. I could always use another big printer. LOL.
Know that if it needs Piezo flushing that I have a complete set of carts that are chipped dedicated for storage and maintenance. Even a 3880 with a clogged head can be restored. Christian bought a used 3880 , borrowed my set of carts. and restored his printer. If you are going B&W you will need to borrow my carts to flush out the color inks anyways.
Understand that the new 3880 replacement has a difficulty for use with Piezography. It seems that Epson has done something that makes the user dedicated to OEM Epson inks where there is not currently a way to use third party inks. Basically you are locked into being gouged into buy only Epson inks exclusively.
The 3880 is a workhorse that has long print head life, and it is the smallest printer I would ever consider for a serious photographer where the only other choices are "Pro" printers like the 7800, 7880. 9800, and 9880 that are all "Jersey Barrier" class commercial duty printers.
I liked your B&W prints using a color inkset. The Quadtone RIP adds a lot of fidelity, but know that eventually the colors in the color inkset that are used to modulate shades of black will eventually shift and fade. The permanence of a color inkset cannot compare to a carbon based inkset like used in Piezography.
Cal
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Pro-Mone,
Back in the day (70's) I hung out with Rastafarians, Gypsies and astrologers. Susan did a chart on me and told me that I would have problems with my blood, that I have the "Ring of Saturn" and this relates to some great tragic event in my life. Most of all the most prophetic prediction is that I would have an interesting life filled with struggle and searching.
Anyways like a mountain goat I climb tall peaks mostly alone. Although I am widely known at heart I'm really a loner.
Cal
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
dshfoto
Well-known
Cal,
I am most likely not going to get the used 3800. I already have too many projects going right now. I can PM you the contact info if you wish. Let me know.
Steve
I am most likely not going to get the used 3800. I already have too many projects going right now. I can PM you the contact info if you wish. Let me know.
Steve
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Steve,
Thanks. I will PM you.
I could use all 8 channels to apply the "Gloss Overcoat" and save time; or I can use the second 3800 to run a different inkset. Basically the difference between a 3800 and a 3880 is that the 3880 uses the newer K3 inkset. Physically they are the same printer.
Cal
Thanks for the tip.
What is the difference between the 3800 and the 3880?
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
John,
Physically they are the same printer and the advancement is that the 3880 uses a newer improved K3 inkset. I added more to the above post for clarity at the same time that you asked a very good question.
In practice with use with Piezography it is transparent. The curves, profiles and set up are all the same. It takes 22 minutes to print a 17x22 unidirectionally for highest quality. Because I'm a lazy slacker I don't fool with the settings to lay down the Gloss Overcoat at a bidirectional rate, and also I think the unidirectional is smoother and more uniform. Having a second printer really speeds up printing a lot.
Also at my rate of printing I have to fill the small 90 ml cart that holds the Gloss Overcoat about once every week and a half to two weeks. Eight nozzles spraying and laying down the Gloss overcoat should reduce the time from 22 minutes to under three.
In a way the 3800/3880 is like the Nikon F3 where its production run was very long and many were made.
I think you will be surprised at the jump in IQ lately with these new prints that I'll be bringing to the Olympics. I've been printing rather steady lately, and now I'm running low on papers for the 3880, just after I bulked up on rolls of paper to feed my Jersey Barrier.
Cal
thambar
Shouldn't it be sharper?
I've already mentioned the January event to several friends who are avid enthusiasts/collectors (including another fellow who shoots with a Leica IIIb/SCNOO combination--which now puts the number at three in the NY/Phila region) Hope it's just as balmy on January 17th.
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
James,
A Philly flash mob is welcomed.
To counter the LTM's I'll be bringing Texas Leica's and my 4 lenses.
I'm still in love with my IIIG though. No new oddball/rare lenses, but I did discover that the VF'er from my 43/1.9 Pentax-L is the ultimate VF'er for LTM that can be used with 43/45, 50mm, and 35mm by using the ful frame. I love that it has a diopter and that between the diopter in the VF'er and the IIIG VF'er's diopter that I can focus accurately without my glasses.
The balmy weather is good for my health. Cold is my kryptonite.
Cal
thambar
Shouldn't it be sharper?
Are we absolutely confirmed on location? I'd like to publicize this for the Philly and Balto Film photographers. Thanks!
dshfoto
Well-known
John,
Cal,
A little more on the 3880 discussion. You use the "native" ink set, i.e., the ink that comes in the printer, and still print with the Quadtone rip program. So . . . you can print B+W with printer, and then switch to color without changing the inks. If you want to print on pearl or glossy you just use the "photo ink" if you are printing matte, you use the "matte ink". I like the look that I get with this. If there is any interest, I can bring a couple of examples to the next meet up of some 17x22 B+W prints on Pearl and Matte.
Steve
Cal,
A little more on the 3880 discussion. You use the "native" ink set, i.e., the ink that comes in the printer, and still print with the Quadtone rip program. So . . . you can print B+W with printer, and then switch to color without changing the inks. If you want to print on pearl or glossy you just use the "photo ink" if you are printing matte, you use the "matte ink". I like the look that I get with this. If there is any interest, I can bring a couple of examples to the next meet up of some 17x22 B+W prints on Pearl and Matte.
Steve
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
James,
The date is firm for the 17th of January. I'll be there at noon to secure the balcony.
Cal
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Steve,
After annexing the one bedroom in our apartment that became a huge closet I spent the past three days setting up a print studio with the intent of having a 3880 as my small printer and the 7800 (Jersey Barrier) as my big printer.
One wall now houses a Juki commercial sewing machine, a print hanging viewing area with D-5000 light, the Jersey Barrier, a large standing desk, and a wall filled with thousands of dollars worth of prints, paper and ink. I had a lot of this ELFA modular furniture parts and added to it. I collapsed the six foot island down to a double sided 4 foot long island to have space to wheel out the Jersey barrier.
Another wall holds the spillover of clothes from a fashion blogger, and there is also a wheeled clothes rack that I have to move out of the way if I need the space. No dogs allowed, especially Beagle-Face.
I hope to have the 7800 loaded up with ink soon. I'm thinking of either running a straight selenium inkset in the 3880, or a crazy carbon, selenium, neutral vast splitone. The 7800 I'll be running warm neutral/selenium split tone.
I framed two 13x19 prints as gifts and the prints look amazing framed with mats. Yesterday in my wanderings I found this ultra modern frame at this Japanese store on Broadway that basically sand-witches the print between two sheets of thin plexiglass via 4 tiny bolts of which two have hangars on the rear. I made prints on Epson Exhibition Fiber and Jon Cone Type 5 to compare. The Epson prints got framed and became the gifts.
Cal
Specifics sir?
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
John,
The store is just north of CB2 on Broadway about 2 blocks north of Canal on the west side of Broadway. These frames are rather slick and the cost is about the price of AI Friedman stock frames (no mat) in the larger sizes. For around $40.00 you get a frame that might accommodate a 17x22 with a large clear border of 3-4 inches and there is no added cost of a mat.
The profile is rather thin and basically the framing is minimalized to the point that there is almost no frame. The bad thing is that the cost is not inexpensive for the smaller sizes, but for 13x19 and larger the costs were good.
For hanging a show spending about $40.00 a print for the frame is a great deal, otherwise you go broke. Forget custom framing...
POSTSCRIPT: A smaller frame that would contain a 5x7 cost almost $10.00, but the largest one which might house a 17x22 only cost $42.00.
Cal
dshfoto
Well-known
Cal,
Wow - sounds like a great printing studio. I bet once you start using the 7800 you won't use the 3880 that much. For smaller prints you just group them up using gimp or photo shop or ImageMagick and then just run out a group of prints. Or, you can load 17" wide paper. by the way, I have some rolls that I most likely won't use so I will get an inventory and we can discuss later. You also might like to check out what rips can do with these larger printers. Example -- https://www.colorbytesoftware.com/Ver10/theBest.shtml
Steve
Wow - sounds like a great printing studio. I bet once you start using the 7800 you won't use the 3880 that much. For smaller prints you just group them up using gimp or photo shop or ImageMagick and then just run out a group of prints. Or, you can load 17" wide paper. by the way, I have some rolls that I most likely won't use so I will get an inventory and we can discuss later. You also might like to check out what rips can do with these larger printers. Example -- https://www.colorbytesoftware.com/Ver10/theBest.shtml
Steve
Particular
a.k.a. CNNY, disassembler
Cal, is that the Muji store? I didn't think their frames would be that big. I think AI Friedman also has frames like that if I understand your description correctly.
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Steve,
I started printing out 8 postcards on a 17x22 sheet using "Print Tool" by the same guy who created the Quadtone RIP. The detail on these small prints is equally amazing as my large prints. I've made myself a small folio of post card street shots that I can fit in a coat pocket. John Chee has a project, and in the spring he needs some promotional materials.
I remember meeting this guy on the subway, and in conversation he was a gallery director... I think the prints look better than any IPAD image.
I have 5 fifty foot 17 inch wide rolls of Jon Cone Type 5 and two 24 inch wide rolls on my wall to feed the 7800. I have a Canson sample pack to do some testing.
I can see using the 3880 with a different inkset.
Cal
Was it Muji? or Pearl River Market? I'm not a fan of mats, so this could be cool for me.