New printer

[banarama]

I bought a new photo printer (epson R220) strictly for fun use at home. I was happy with the test scan I did at the store. However, I feel something is getting lost in translation at home. I scan in photos at 300 dpi (24-bit color, auto exposure "photo", "unsharp mask filter" selected). My settings on my printer seem correct (media type selected, "advanced" mode, "best photo" selected). The printed photos are still grainy. Thanks.

[Carbone]

What kind of paper? Did you set the paper profile in the print dialog ?

Have a look at the four images beginning with this one, this is my workflow for the Epson R340 and it's working fine for me :)

http://www.pbase.com/carbone/image/53637853

Ray

[banarama]

Thanks, Ray -- the pix of the kittens are adorable! I saw one difference in my settings from yours -- in the print dialog box you have "automatic" selected. I have been selecting "advanced" and "best quality photo". It seems like my settings would be more conducive to a better quality photo, but maybe not? Also, I'm printing on glossy photo paper, which I have selected in my media type.

[Carbone]

Ok.. glossy from Epson or from another brand? I set it to automatic but you're right, a better setting would provide better results.

Thanks for my little cat :)

Ray

[banarama]

It's Epson glossy paper.

[Carbone]

Jodi has been using Epson for much longer than me, so she should provide more information (I hope she could)

Ray

[Jodi Frye]

The original post had me thinking it was an 'all in one' printer/scanner etc...looking at the Epson site I see it is a stand alone photo printer.

Have you tried printing an image that wasn't from a scan...like a digital photo from your camera ? I don't know what scanner you are using but unsharp mask filter is not something that should be used to scan every image..it tends to add hot spots and grain...and I wouldn't mess with auto exposure either..they aren't reliable and are meant for users who don't own Photoshop or Elements.

[banarama]

I strictly do scanning (Epson Perfection 1670) at this point, no digital camera. I'm probably beyond help. :o

[Edmund]

Banarama,check this site out on scanning tips. http://www.scantips.com/
Hope this helps.

[Jodi Frye]

just one more thing before we step further into this...can you explain what you meant when you said ' I was happy with the test scan I did at the store '. What did you do at the store ?

[Carbone]

Thanks for helping with the Epson, Jodi :)

Ray

[Jodi Frye]

Ray, well i haven't done much yet...just trying to get some of the junk out of the way before i proceed any further. :)

[banarama]

Jodi -- when I went to the store, I was all set to buy the Canon Pixma MP500 all in one. The salesperson did a test scan for me on the Canon and I was very unhappy with the color -- it was very washed out compared to the original photo he scanned. When he did the same test on the Epson, the color match was much better and the clarity was the same as the Canon. Plus, not having a digital camera, and already having a scanner, I went with the stand alone Epson. I can't say exactly what the salesperson did as far as the scan settings. I am going to scantips.com next. Thanks for your time and help.

[Jodi Frye]

Well let us know how you get along with that. As I mentioned in an earlier thread...I think if you turn off the unsharp mask and auto exposure setting on your scanner I think you'll get a better scan and therefor a better print. Have you calibrated your monitor for proper color rendition yet ?