Print saturation.

photolady95 · 06-26-2019, 02:33 AM

Thanks. I had a print made on dye sub printer once and it looked awful compared to my Epson 6 ink, inkjet. I've always used Epson printers for my photos but don't own one right now because I don't print myself anymore, I send them out to be printed.

**lsimpkins** · 06-26-2019, 05:51 AM

Originally posted by Alex645

P-30 Cibachrome/Ilfochrome, RIP, has always been my gold standard. From a Kodachrome slide or even Velvia, those colors prints were breath-taking.

Yep - hard to reproduce its saturation. Of course it did have a lot of contrast that was occasionally problematic.

TonyW · 06-26-2019, 06:49 AM

Professional printers used for photographic prints generally fall into one of two catagories, dye types where dye is water based and pigment type where fine solids are held in suspension in a solution (not water). It used to be the case that dye printers capable of producing higher saturated prints than pigment. I suspect that this is not the case with recent pigment printers. Dye types gets absorbed into the paper surface whereas pigments tend sit on the surface

Colour gamut of many inkjet printers can exceed even Adobe RGB in certain areas, but is heavily dependent on print surface and substrate. The highest saturation, contrast and Dmax will be had on photo glossy materials and as already mentioned metallic and acrylic type printing may offer the maximum. Generally canvas type inkjet prints lose out in terms of contrast and potential resolving power to glossy surfaces

IF you have a wide gamut monitor AND you are soft proofing correctly on a calibrated monitor AND printing on a suitable substrate there is no reason that you should not get a print to screen match either spot on or very close. How close to the different media of oil or acryllic paints you can get I would not like to say but would suspect that for most purposes you should get quite close - assuming no special brighteners in the paint

texandrews · 06-26-2019, 06:51 AM

Originally posted by photoptimist

Inkjet printers brag how few picoliters each drop contains which makes me wonder how much pigment they apply per square inch. A typical tube of acrylic has 120 trillion picoliters in it and I suspect artists lay on the paint more heavily than does the printer.

Artists also have a lot more colors to choose from which fills out the gamut more completely that any inkjet can.

P.S. Cadmium yellow #37 is cadmium sulfide, the same molecule used in many old light meters including the venerable Spotmatic and K1000.

Where did you find this chart? Would be very helpful to me!

photoptimist · 06-26-2019, 07:51 AM

Originally posted by texandrews

Where did you find this chart? Would be very helpful to me!

handprint : learning color through paints has that chart and a lot more on the issue of color. Enjoy!

texandrews · 06-26-2019, 09:15 AM

Originally posted by photoptimist

handprint : learning color through paints has that chart and a lot more on the issue of color. Enjoy!

Excellent! You remain a credit to these forums!

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06-26-2019, 02:33 AM	#16
photolady95 Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: May 2009 Location: Cruising the forum watching his back Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,712	Thanks. I had a print made on dye sub printer once and it looked awful compared to my Epson 6 ink, inkjet. I've always used Epson printers for my photos but don't own one right now because I don't print myself anymore, I send them out to be printed.

06-26-2019, 05:51 AM	#17
lsimpkins Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: SE Pennsylvania Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 537	Originally posted by Alex645 P-30 Cibachrome/Ilfochrome, RIP, has always been my gold standard. From a Kodachrome slide or even Velvia, those colors prints were breath-taking. Yep - hard to reproduce its saturation. Of course it did have a lot of contrast that was occasionally problematic.

06-26-2019, 06:49 AM	#18
TonyW Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2016 Posts: 706	Professional printers used for photographic prints generally fall into one of two catagories, dye types where dye is water based and pigment type where fine solids are held in suspension in a solution (not water). It used to be the case that dye printers capable of producing higher saturated prints than pigment. I suspect that this is not the case with recent pigment printers. Dye types gets absorbed into the paper surface whereas pigments tend sit on the surface Colour gamut of many inkjet printers can exceed even Adobe RGB in certain areas, but is heavily dependent on print surface and substrate. The highest saturation, contrast and Dmax will be had on photo glossy materials and as already mentioned metallic and acrylic type printing may offer the maximum. Generally canvas type inkjet prints lose out in terms of contrast and potential resolving power to glossy surfaces IF you have a wide gamut monitor AND you are soft proofing correctly on a calibrated monitor AND printing on a suitable substrate there is no reason that you should not get a print to screen match either spot on or very close. How close to the different media of oil or acryllic paints you can get I would not like to say but would suspect that for most purposes you should get quite close - assuming no special brighteners in the paint

06-26-2019, 06:51 AM	#19
texandrews Moderator Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Baltimore Photos: Albums Posts: 3,394	Originally posted by photoptimist Inkjet printers brag how few picoliters each drop contains which makes me wonder how much pigment they apply per square inch. A typical tube of acrylic has 120 trillion picoliters in it and I suspect artists lay on the paint more heavily than does the printer. Artists also have a lot more colors to choose from which fills out the gamut more completely that any inkjet can. P.S. Cadmium yellow #37 is cadmium sulfide, the same molecule used in many old light meters including the venerable Spotmatic and K1000. Where did you find this chart? Would be very helpful to me!

06-26-2019, 07:51 AM	#20
photoptimist Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2016 Photos: Albums Posts: 5,127	Originally posted by texandrews Where did you find this chart? Would be very helpful to me! handprint : learning color through paints has that chart and a lot more on the issue of color. Enjoy!

06-26-2019, 09:15 AM	#21
texandrews Moderator Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Baltimore Photos: Albums Posts: 3,394	Originally posted by photoptimist handprint : learning color through paints has that chart and a lot more on the issue of color. Enjoy! Excellent! You remain a credit to these forums!