Printing A Digital Negative on Epson 3800/3880

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Ian-Barber

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When printing the negative from either an Epson 3800/3850 can you
  1. Print it from the normal sheet feeder (the one at the top)
  2. Do you need to adjust the Platen Gap?
  3. Do you need to fix the sheet to some other material due to its flimsiness to allow it to feed properly?
 
It’s not flimsy, Top feeder, straight into the printer, no adjustment to platen gap :)
 
Thank you. All my wheels for cutting pizzas have smooth edges, hence my confusion. You learn something new every time you visit here.
 
Back when I used an Epson 3880 for my digital negs, I fed Pictorico via the normal top sheet feeder; don't remember making any adjustments to the platen gap.
 
Alan9940 said:
Back when I used an Epson 3880 for my digital negs, I fed Pictorico via the normal top sheet feeder; don't remember making any adjustments to the platen gap.
Click to expand...

Ok, thats that one sorted then, I shall try platen gap on normal. I was not sure if the head would strike the substrate but we shall see
 
Ian, don't know specifically about the Epson 3800, but the 3880 has an automatic adjusting platen. Theoretically, you should not have to adjust the platen gap for any substrate.
 
Alan9940 said:
Ian, don't know specifically about the Epson 3800, but the 3880 has an automatic adjusting platen. Theoretically, you should not have to adjust the platen gap for any substrate.
Click to expand...

I was not aware the 3880 has an auto platen gap adjuster, I have always selected "Wider" if I am using thicker papers
 
Ian-Barber said:
I was not aware the 3880 has an auto platen gap adjuster, I have always selected "Wider" if I am using thicker papers
Click to expand...

I believe this is from the manual:

Adjusting the Platen Gap for Thick or Thin Paper
When you print on unusually thick or thin paper, you may need to adjust
the platen gap setting. Normally, the STANDARD setting allows the printer
to adjust automatically. However, if print quality is not satisfactory when
using very thin or very thick stock, you may need to change this setting using
the printer’s menu system.

It has been quite awhile since I had a 3880, but I sorta remember that it had an auto setting for platen gap. Maybe this doesn't mean it adjusts automatically for the thickness of the substrate? Based on the above, it looks like the "Standard" setting does do automatic adjustment. Regardless, I never changed the platen gap setting unless specifically directed for some process. I have a vague recollection that Dan Burkholder had you change this setting for printing digital negs; could be wrong on that...the 'ole gray matter ain't what it used to be! ;)
 
Alan,
I know you did some digital negatives for Platinum but did you do any for Regular Silver printing
 
Last edited:
Ian-Barber said:
Alan,
I know you did some digital negatives for Platinum but did you do any for Regular Silver printing
Click to expand...

No, sir, I did not. That said, though, you've got me thinking about it because it would enable a level of control unobtainable printing from an analog negative. And, just like with digital negs for pt/pd printing, it would enable contact printing from smaller format negs. Hmm... Not sure I want to climb another mountain, though... ;)
 
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