Kevin Raber and his crew at PhotoPXL do a great job of covering printers; I’ve found their reviews and related posts quite good over the years. They just announced a new Print It video series, which will cover a range of topics surrounding printing:
“In our first video, we sit down together to discuss where making prints is as far as today’s photographers. We are is a digital age and while it great we can share our images on many types of devices, we all feel that in the end you really don’t have a photograph until you have a print. We may be a little old school, but there is something to be said about having a tangible and tactile print in your hands. You can enjoy detail, a feel, and enjoy exploring the image itself.”
The initial three videos are quite good; for me, the most interesting video so far to is a 23-minute video discussion about printing with Dan Steinhardt, Epson’s Pro Marketing Manager (famously known as “Dano”). Joined by our old friend Jeff Schewe, Dan answers a slew of questions on topics that are not necessarily specific to Epson printers, including:
- What is the difference between ppi vs. dpi?
- Do you need to print at the printer’s native resolution to get the best prints?
- Should I shake my ink cartridges before installing them?
- Diagnosing the “prints are too dark” issue.
- Is metameric failure still an issue with today’s pigment printers? What about bronzing and gloss differential?
- What is the advantage of variable droplet sizes when printing?
There’s another Print It video where Dan talks about inkjet paper surfaces and how paper is made. While it is focused largely on Epson’s Legacy papers, it is still worth watching if you’re interested in getting basic information on the different types of fine-art media sold today (including the use of optical brighteners in paper making). As a bonus, there’s also a download link to Dan’s own Glossary of Fine Art Related Terms.
For all of PhotoPXL’s printer coverage, use this link.