Digital BW, The Print

"Mel" <chilterns@...> wrote:
>
> ...
> "When resizing an image for printing purposes, it is of great importance to make sure that the print size you specify in PhotoZoom Pro 4 corresponds with your printer settings.

I agree, though I think some printer drivers do a fairly good job of resizing for smaller amounts.   

Different printers will have different native resolutions.  I believe modern Epsons use 720, at least for the desktop.  

The older wide format used 360, which is all I can imagine a large print needs.  

On the other hand, the high-gloss Epson-Noritsu B&W dyes (see http://www.paulroark.com/BW-Info/BW-Dye.pdf ) on Red River Metallic paper seem to benefit from the full 720.  (I'm finding cards made this way result in an excellent first proofing medium.  It's very different from a large format contact print, but the sensation of high resolution and detail is there.  The positive feedback from these cards is having a very positive impact on my B&W productivity.  I would encourage Epson to get a K3 Claria printer out there soon.)


> I asked BenVista to explain this and this was their answer.
> 
> "For optimum quality, it is best to set the resolution to 1440 DPI in PhotoZoom Pro 4 if you print at 1440 DPI.


It sounds like then may have looked at the wrong resolution figures.  My understanding is that the resolution of the print head and stepper are not the same as what the driver can utilize in calculating the dithering pattern.  The print head, in laying down the ink to render the image, uses much higher dpi's than we need in our file sizes.

 
...
> Incidentally I use QTR and Epson 1290 for printing and set the resolution to 1440 super.


On my modern printers I crank it up to 2880 Uni-directional, but a 720 pixel per inch input file is all the software is going to use, as I understand it.


Paul
www.PaulRoark.com