From: ad@...
Date: Wed, 2 Feb 2011 14:32:20 -0500
Subject: Re: [Digital BW] Borderless printing question
Hi Globe Trotteur:
I think it depends upon how accurate your want the edges of your prints to be. Cropping in some cases changes the look and feel of an image. Because of that, I like the "print then crop" approach, but I agree it is more work, and the cost of paper will probably be higher overall. Also, I have experienced less than ideal results (banding, softening of the image, etc) at the very edges of some papers with Epson printers when printing borderless or very close to the edge. However, a quick test or two will determine whether that's an issue on your 2200.
In my opinion, you can save yourself headaches by using 13x19 paper and either drawing your own crop marks in Photoshop, or have Photoshop or Lightroom (or other app) make them for you. In Photoshop, you can just create an 11x14 document of your photo, and a 13x19 page size. Then set the cut marks by choosing Output (it toggles with Color Management in the drop down menu in the top right), then click on "Corner Crop Marks." You'll need to make your own crop marks if you want to make the live area a bit larger, such as 11.25x14.25 inches. That makes trimming without any white edge a bit easier.
If you do choose the larger-size paper and crop marks, you will lose one set of crop marks as you start cutting, so you might want to use a light pencil to make your cut lines (if your images don't all have a distinct edge). I would use a high quality cutter, like a Rotatrim Mastercut II. I wrote an article all about cutters here:
http://www.apogeephoto.com/june2008/adarlow62008.shtml It's a few years old but the technology is not moving so fast!
I've been using Rotatrims for more than 20 years and recently used a new Rotatrim Professional 18 (manufacturer's model number: RCRCM18) on papers as thick as 300gsm, and I was very impressed by how it performed. They claim it can cut up to 3mm, which is just a bit thinner than a 4 ply mat. I don't think I'd put more than a 2ply mat in one though. That's similar to thick cardboard.
Hope that helps,
Andrew
Andrew Darlow
Editor, The Imaging Buffet
http://www.imagingbuffet.com
Author, 301 Inkjet Tips and Techniques:
An Essential Printing Resource for Photographers - http://www.inkjettips.com
and
Pet Photography 101:
Tips for Taking Better Photos of Your Dog or Cat - http://www.PhotoPetTips.com
On Feb 2, 2011, at 10:27 AM, Alan Scharf wrote:
> Note that you may have to adjust the up/down offset slightly when printing borderless on 11x14. Try it and see.
>
> Alan Scharf
> Saskatoon
> ascharf@...
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Mike Kirwan
> To: DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com
> Sent: Wednesday, February 02, 2011 8:48 AM
> Subject: RE: [Digital BW] Borderless printing question
>
> I would go with the 11x14 option, save wasting paper and the effort to trim. My mantra is the less I have to touch a finished print the better
>
> Mike
>
> _____
>
> From: DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com [mailto:DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Globe Trotteur
> Sent: Wednesday, February 02, 2011 6:46 AM
> To: Digital Blackandwhite
> Subject: [Digital BW] Borderless printing question
>
> i have an epson 2200 and I think i can do borderless printing. Now that I found out that Costco has 11x14 and 13x19 paper, i would like to try that.
> I really want to do 11x14. Is it better to do borderless printing to have a full 11x14 image or go with 13x19 paper and print an 11x14 image on it. After that, i would trim the paper.
> Thanks.
> P
>
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