Hey, I have a epson p600 printer that last year I converted it over to the PiezoPro ink set. I’m very pleased with the results I have been getting with it. I print mostly for silver gelatin contact printing on Ilford MG Fiber with pictorico OHP and inkjet printing on various papers glossy and matte. 13x19 is a great size but Ive been hunting around for something a little bigger. Lo and behold, I found a epson 3880 for a great price with a low print count. While it is on its way I wanted to ask for suggestions what I do with my current set up? I plan on converting the 3880 over to piezo but I’m not sure what route to go. I’m open to ideas such as switch out the pro inks in the p600 to the 3880 and putting a new inkset in the p600. Or keep the p600 for pictorico only and do just inkjet printing on the 3880? There are so many options I want to see if anyone else has any ideas!
Like I mentioned earlier, I print for silver gelatin and inkjet for gallery work, selling prints, etc.
I have a similar setup and have found that a dedicated printer just for negative output is ideal. Along with being able to fine tune the platen gap and alignment controls for instance, there is less chance of paper fibers statically carrying over onto the UP OHP film or clogging the nozzles.
Thank you, I feel very lucky:) You suggest to use the 3880 for piezopro ink and have it as a dedicated digital negative printer? If I do that I’m wondering if I should do convert my P600 to a carbon or selenium ink set then. Although I’m happy with the negs that my p600 is producing, I feel that a special ink set should be kept in the smaller one.
The Carbon K7 and Selenium K7 ink sets are really very special. The Selenium I produced to honor my University Professor Arnold Gassan shortly before he passed. K7 Selenium, on the right paper, is the quintessential short-bath Selenium print… and on a slightly warm paper it’s divine. Arnold provided the silver print which I used to produce the color tone. Carbon K7 is the longest lasting inkjet ink ever developed by any company. Period. Lovely warm brown, too. In comparison to Piezography Pro, K7 inks require two passes through the printer for non-matte printing (glossy and baryta). Just one pass for matte… So that may be a factor in your choosing.
Right now you’re happy with the P600 and it is a good negative printer. You will need to recalibrate the 3880 negs… perhaps another factor…
Then there is maximum size… The P600 is maximum 13" while the 3880 is 17"