G7 with an Epson 4880?

[swcook6]

Just checking to see if anyone has had success calibrating and MAINTAINING G7 with an Epson 4880. We barely were able to make it qualify and now cannot hold it consistently. Yes, doing all the required maintenance, head cleaning, etc and even have to change the ink cartridges WELL before they become empty.

 

[Ian Mackenzie]

An Epson 4880 is more than capable of producing consistent proofs within G7 specs.
However, there are (at least) 3 other factors:

1. What RIP are you using?
2. What profiles are you using? (From where? Who created it/them?)
3. What paper are you using?

There are many vendors in the market that can provide these tools to you and for you.
We are one of them.

 

[Colorblind]

Go to IDEAlliance link for certified proofing systems, you'll see that the Epson 4880 is listed in combination with various rips and paper for Grade 1, 3 and 5 proofing

SWOP | Certification: Certified Systems

 

[swcook6]

Rampage RIP
Profile created from a "color expert" from a vendor
Epson Standard Proofing Paper

 

[tmiller_iluvprinting]

We are a Rampage shop also, but, we opt to use GMG as a front end to our Epson printers. GMG is made to calibrate and color match, Rampage's strength are its RIP once, output many, and trapping features. That's not to say that the G7 Method does not work with Rampage. I just don't think it is Rampage's strength, and better results can be had with GMG.
Regards,
Todd

 

[TerryWyse]

Rampage RIP
Profile created from a "color expert" from a vendor
Epson Standard Proofing Paper

I've done a bunch of Rampage RPD+ICC installs and can say that it's possible (not easy...possible) to get a good match to any of the GRACoL/SWOP data sets/profiles. Just did an Epson 9900 two days on a 3rd party media and got about a 1.10 dE average to the GRACoL data set.

With the 4880 and older Epsons w/ Rampage RPD+ICC, there's a lot of skill involved in determining ink limits, light/dark ink curves and the PROPER way to linearize and set up tone curves for the inks. If the "color expert" that did your work does not routinely work with Rampage's RPD option for driving inkjets, I wouldn't be too hopeful that you got the optimum setup (just my opinion).

Based on what you're telling me (4880 + Epson Standard Proofing Paper) an average dE of <1.5 to GRACoL should be within reach. As Todd mentioned, 3rd party RIPs like GMG can achieve better results (and easier) but there's no reason your config shouldn't be able to achieve good results.

Regards,
Terry

 

[stargate]

Sure, you can get Epson 4880 to be within Gracol tolerances. That's not the case. The problem you will have if your color expert leave your place. Every inkjet drifts away from preset color. What are you going to do to get it back to be within Gracol 2-3 weeks or months later? That's the reason I got tired of Rampage and installed GMG as a front end to drive inkjets. With GMG it's easy to bring the proofer back to whatever you are trying to match.

I have Rampage RIP and Rampage ICC and I switched to GMG and don't use Rampage ICC anymore.

 

[marktonk]

Ian is correct, the 4880 is more than capable with the right paper, profiles and rip combination. You need to look at all variables. We are one of the other vendors he mentioned that have the profiling sw, rip and paper. Actually, we have our own CMM within our rip.

Regards,

Mark

An Epson 4880 is more than capable of producing consistent proofs within G7 specs.
However, there are (at least) 3 other factors:

1. What RIP are you using?
2. What profiles are you using? (From where? Who created it/them?)
3. What paper are you using?

There are many vendors in the market that can provide these tools to you and for you.
We are one of them.