How to make the Epson 4800 print real dark?

[jsheridan]

Rips and programs only control what is printed on the film. If you want dark images.. get ink with a high Dmax value and UV resistance.

https://www.chromaline.com/product/accuink/

Another option.
http://www.ink2image.com/screenseparation.html

[willy35]

I think a RIP do more, it take control of the printhead parameters that the standard epson driver can not make.

[ABuffington]

Wasatch RIP is a very good RIP.  It has many more controls than I have found in other rips.  To get darker images you can modifiy the pico liter dots that the inkjets print with.  So if you have a 7.0pl dot, going up to 12 will darken your image nicely. I can also pre-curve the film output so tonal values read correctly, or linearize it with common transmissive densitometers, so that I can get the tonals correct.  It also has a second curve function after the intitial to modify tonal output for dot gain on press (an elusive target due to different squeegees and set up, but none the less you can modify within Wasatch RIP and save unique curves. For example the press curves for a low priced open end could be totally different than a 24 singles fine face shirt.  It also has a multitude of dot shapes, line out put, etc.  It can power 4 film printers at once with good CPU and memory.  It allows for nesting of images to maximize film usage.  You can set up multiple printers with their own curves and dot shapes.  You could have 4 4800's and each will have it's own quirks of output that need to be controlled to get accurate tonal values.  You can save each printer set up with curves, dot shape, resolution, image darkness etc.  That way all printers can be linearized uniquely and outputs will match. (However use same printer for replacing film on a previously output job.  Registration can be affected depending on age of printer and roll tension.)   In the curve function there are unique curve functions already built in like 'more contrast' and other curves that can improve the printed images.  Especially useful on darks. One of the really unique features I like is Hybrid output of Stochaistic and halftones on the same film.  You can roll off halftones below 20 or a percentage of your choosing and convert to stochaistic dots, helps with Vignette moire.  Nothing wrong with other RIP's mentioned here, but if you are after a RIP with tons of control over film output, Wasatch is a great choice. 

Al

[Sbrem]

Wasatch RIP is a very good RIP.  It has many more controls than I have found in other rips.  To get darker images you can modifiy the pico liter dots that the inkjets print with.  So if you have a 7.0pl dot, going up to 12 will darken your image nicely. I can also pre-curve the film output so tonal values read correctly, or linearize it with common transmissive densitometers, so that I can get the tonals correct.  It also has a second curve function after the intitial to modify tonal output for dot gain on press (an elusive target due to different squeegees and set up, but none the less you can modify within Wasatch RIP and save unique curves. For example the press curves for a low priced open end could be totally different than a 24 singles fine face shirt.  It also has a multitude of dot shapes, line out put, etc.  It can power 4 film printers at once with good CPU and memory.  It allows for nesting of images to maximize film usage.  You can set up multiple printers with their own curves and dot shapes.  You could have 4 4800's and each will have it's own quirks of output that need to be controlled to get accurate tonal values.  You can save each printer set up with curves, dot shape, resolution, image darkness etc.  That way all printers can be linearized uniquely and outputs will match. (However use same printer for replacing film on a previously output job.  Registration can be affected depending on age of printer and roll tension.)   In the curve function there are unique curve functions already built in like 'more contrast' and other curves that can improve the printed images.  Especially useful on darks. One of the really unique features I like is Hybrid output of Stochaistic and halftones on the same film.  You can roll off halftones below 20 or a percentage of your choosing and convert to stochaistic dots, helps with Vignette moire.  Nothing wrong with other RIP's mentioned here, but if you are after a RIP with tons of control over film output, Wasatch is a great choice. 

Al

And that should straighten us all out, thank you Al. I think a lot of folks who are newer can get misled when talking about RIP's (that control the printer) vs. Photoshop RIPping a Grayscale image to a Bitmap half-tone. Once an image is converted to a bitmap halftone, it's a spot color, and the printer prints it just like it's a line of black text, it doesn't do anything other than map out where the ink goes of the film, as opposed to processing the grayscale and applying linearization.

Steve

[cbjamel]

The cadlink RIP i have used since re-branded of Scott Fressners since 4.5 version or their abouts.
It has where its ask you to print a sample and tell it which 1 is darker. I have always used 2 blacks and rest cleaning fluids. I got 12 years out of my 4800. I am using it on my T3270 with the XL version.  The XL and the std versions has curves and which locations has the black. I have little problems with with it all. Usually it art.  Either Scotts version of cadlink or cadlink is one of the best in my opinion. Not a fan of accurip. I use http://www.filmdirectonline.com/ for my ink and have good density. Pierre can attest to that. I had him help me linearize my setup. Just a lot cheaper than Wasatch.

Shane

[photoscreenprint]

 I have been using the open source Gutenprint / CUPS driver for my Epson 7600, which allows you to control the ink deposit very well. Best part is it is free, downside is it only runs on a Mac. You do have to generate your own halftones. It also seemed to take a lot of fiddling at first to get the results I was looking for, which is typical for open source.
 I actually ended up going that route when my Photoscript Rip petered out on my old epson 3000. The word was that it was the print heads and you just had to get a new printer, but the Gutenprint driver didn't have this issue. Just have to be careful not to dump too much ink on the film.
 http://gimp-print.sourceforge.net/