Consumer grade color laser jet vs. Commercial printing

Is there any way I can get close to a professional print quality with a
HP 1500L color laser jet printer?

I'm scanning a photo-quality, glossy cd cover and trying to reproduce
it using glossy cd paper.
But all of my prints look nowhere near the quality of a photograph.

I've heard about Descreening the image when scanning, and I've been
saving it as a TIFF using RGB color and it still is not up to snuff.

Am I just kidding myself thinking I'm going to get a professional
quality print using a conusmer grade printer?

Any suggestions welcome!

Mike

Of course, you already asked permission of the copyright owner of the CD
cover to make this copy, haven't you?

"consumer grade printers" in the right hands, can produce absolutely
stunning results.

Maybe it is just karma? ;-)

Art


wrote:

Is there any way I can get close to a professional print quality with a
HP 1500L color laser jet printer?

I'm scanning a photo-quality, glossy cd cover and trying to reproduce
it using glossy cd paper.
But all of my prints look nowhere near the quality of a photograph.

I've heard about Descreening the image when scanning, and I've been
saving it as a TIFF using RGB color and it still is not up to snuff.

Am I just kidding myself thinking I'm going to get a professional
quality print using a conusmer grade printer?

Any suggestions welcome!

Mike

I couldn't disagree more. I have seen (and produced myself) absolutely
knock your socks off results from "consumer" grade printers.

The same head technology used in consumer printer is also used in
professional printers.

Although the software used can make a difference, the biggest 'defect'
in the work flow is usually the operator ;-)

Art

PS: It also helps to know how to use a scanner properly in this case.



Elmo P. Shagnasty wrote:

In article .com,
wrote:


Am I just kidding myself thinking I'm going to get a professional
quality print using a conusmer grade printer?


By and large, yes

On 17 Jul 2006 06:52:37 -0700, wrote:

Is there any way I can get close to a professional print quality with a
HP 1500L color laser jet printer?

I'm scanning a photo-quality, glossy cd cover and trying to reproduce
it using glossy cd paper.
But all of my prints look nowhere near the quality of a photograph.

I've heard about Descreening the image when scanning, and I've been
saving it as a TIFF using RGB color and it still is not up to snuff.

Am I just kidding myself thinking I'm going to get a professional
quality print using a conusmer grade printer?

Any suggestions welcome!

Mike


Various questions:

What model scanner. What's the DPI?

Does the cover really need to be descreened? If you look at it under a
magnifying glass, I've found that while most of them do need to be
descreened (i.e. look like a newspaper print - visible dots), some
covers these days do /not/ need to be descreened, and are actually
high photo quality.

What kind of paper? When you say 'glossy CD paper', are you using
inkjet template cards? This will definitely not produce good results.
Your best bet is to use a glossy laser paper, such as Hammermill's
Color Laser Gloss or HP's laser brochure or laser photo paper.

Consumer lasers these days can do an excellent job, however, for truly
outstanding, high gloss photo prints, an inkjet is probably a better
bet. Spray the print afterwards with a UV coat to increase durability
and fade resistance.

--

http://www.FenrirOnline.com

Computer services, custom metal etching,
arts, crafts, and much more.

Arthur Entlich wrote:

I couldn't disagree more. I have seen (and produced myself) absolutely
knock your socks off results from "consumer" grade printers.

The same head technology used in consumer printer is also used in
professional printers.

That should have read: The same heads and drum technologies used in
consumer printers is also used in professional printers.

I have used color laser and photocopier output to produce limited
edition art prints. Not all laser printers produce the same quality,
however. Maximum DPI can determine gradient levels. Toner quality can
effect tonal range. Use of a RIP can alter the output.

Use of proper paper can make a big difference, but understanding how to
scan a screened image and the type of scanner used can also be critical
in this type of translation.

Can you get access to the original artwork rather than an offset printed
version of the work?


Art

Although the software used can make a difference, the biggest 'defect'
in the work flow is usually the operator ;-)

Art

PS: It also helps to know how to use a scanner properly in this case.



Elmo P. Shagnasty wrote:

In article .com,
wrote:


Am I just kidding myself thinking I'm going to get a professional
quality print using a conusmer grade printer?



By and large, yes

In message .com,
writes
Is there any way I can get close to a professional print quality with a
HP 1500L color laser jet printer?

I'm scanning a photo-quality, glossy cd cover and trying to reproduce
it using glossy cd paper.
But all of my prints look nowhere near the quality of a photograph.
I've heard about Descreening the image when scanning, and I've been
saving it as a TIFF using RGB color and it still is not up to snuff.
Am I just kidding myself thinking I'm going to get a professional
quality print using a conusmer grade printer?
Any suggestions welcome!

Glossy CD paper? For a laser? I haven't heard of such a beast.

How big (pixels) is your scan of the image? How similar to the original
does it look on screen? How big are you trying to print it.

5Star do quite a decent glossy laser paper. I've used quite a bit of
Hp's soft glossy which is a bit thicker but slightly creamier than the
5Star. If you can get Data Copy papers where you are they have a very
nice laser glossy paper at 160gsm. The other paper to recommend is
Xerox - they have glossy options in their colortech range - I've used
their 130/135 gsm paper successfully.



--
Timothy

Really?

How do you think printers create color gradients? Do you think they
have every color mixed up in the toner cartridges... maybe 16 million
little color toner cartridges, all this unique colors...

Try creating 8 shades of green within a one inch square with a 1 dpi
machine.

Art




Elmo P. Shagnasty wrote:

In article qU_ug.206007$Mn5.1389@pd7tw3no,
Arthur Entlich wrote:


Maximum DPI can determine gradient levels.


Sure, in one bit machines.

Don't use a one bit machine.

The paper surface is always covered by toner and the glossy is
determined by toner not glossy paper. You may try HP CLJ 1600 or 2605
corresponding to their new type toner, ColorSphere. HP says it is
possible to improve 40% but I think it is not so remarkable.

The paper surface used can alter the appearance of the toner surface,
since the toner coating is rather thin. Glossy, coated surfaces trend
to be quite flat, while matte papers may have a fairly obvious surface
texture.

Also, some color laser printers use different fuser temperature (by
changing the speed the paper is sent through the fuser) or quantity of
fuser oil, depending on the paper surface or thickness.

As you mention the formula and type of plastic and pigment used in the
toner can also cause a variation of the surface of the applied toner.
However, one problem with glossy paper with lustre or matte toner is
that since toner distribution is not even on a laser printer image
(white areas contain no toner, or very minimal amounts, while very dark
areas may be have 100 per cent coverage) the paper surface may in some
areas be uncovered by toner. With a different paper surface than toner
surface, if you look at the image at anything other than directly on,
and in certain lighting, even then, you will see the surface
differential fairly obviously.

Since I mainly print on matte surface papers and card stocks I prefer
toners that are equally matte so the surface intermingle well.

Art

kolorwell wrote:

The paper surface is always covered by toner and the glossy is
determined by toner not glossy paper. You may try HP CLJ 1600 or 2605
corresponding to their new type toner, ColorSphere. HP says it is
possible to improve 40% but I think it is not so remarkable.

On 7/20/06 2:45 AM, Elmo P. Shagnasty wrote:
In article qcDvg.209988$iF6.36328@pd7tw2no,
Arthur Entlich wrote:

I always suggest people ultimately use their eyes when at
all possible to determine the quality of a printer's output, but the
specs can help to narrow down the process,

The map is not the terrain, and the specs are not the be-all and
end-all. Yet people will say they insist on a 2400dpi printer, because
all they know is black and white where the number of dots does, in and
of itself, directly determine the quality of the print.

Stupid people extrapolate that to color printing without doing any other
research, and end up buying crappy printers.

Those would be "ignorant people", shaggy.

--
lsmft