I am 76 years old so have been in the photo business for a "few years". I did a lot of 2 1/4" square and 4"x5" black and white and color photography but finally switched over to mostly digital about 18 years ago. I had a few of the Epson printers like the 3800, 3380, etc. but found them to be more likely to clog and spit ink even with frequent use. I decided to switch to the Canon Pro 1000 about 1 1/2 years ago. It is a superior printer with some serious engineering in it. It does require doing some tricks to save ink and ensure consistent work. Ignore the people who say a 1000 uses a lot of ink. When it is new it draws ink from the cartridges into the feeder tubes so once they are filled the cartridges will be about 50% used.... but that doesn't mean all that ink is dumped into the dump tank. Also.... the next cartridges will not need to fill the tubes again so will show a more realistic amount of ink left. If you turn off the machine each day it will go through a full purge, etc. cycle the next day and waste ink. There is an option in the setup to NOT auto shut off after so many hours of non-use. I also got a small Uninterruptable power supply that ran about $100 that I plug the printer into. It won't handle the print operation itself although haven't tested that.... it is solely to keep the power on in the event of a power failure. To keep the heads perfectly clean and unclogged I print a very small print every day. To ensure this when away for a few days I use QImage which has a utility to auto print a test print once a day. The QImage print can be reduced to to half of a 4"x5" print and uses a tiny amount of ink through all the nozzles. I also MUCH prefer to print using QImage which seems to yield better prints than through Photo Shop directly although Qimage can be run from within PS or externally. I am also an astrophotographer so print a lot of 16"x20" prints. That Pro 1000 yields prints that are spectacular. Most of my work from photowork but the printer is terrific with art reproduction. I love that I can switch from glossy or semi gloss to fine art paper and never have traces of the photo black polluting the matt black ink parts. That was a major issue with my Epsons. Recommendation...... make sure you get the latest Firmware update so you can have access to new features such as the maximum pano width now which is around 44" as I recall. I am not sure but it seems the latest firmware also improved the ink handling so wastes less than before. If you want to get all the ink out of your cartridges I recommend getting a digital weight scale.... mine was only around $25 and very accurate. You can remove and replace any cartridge so what I do i after the low ink warning comes on.....remove the tank and weigh it. I replace when it gets down to 45 grams. If it is above that you just put it back in the machine and it will show you the remaining ink left and not reset to a high number.
It takes me 3 tries to get a good 4 x6 print on my home computer. I can't imaging handing off a 16 x 20 print to someone I can't supervise. What's the answer?
Same age here & got into digital since the very beginning. I still have my Canon Pro 9000 but hardly ever use if. Finally the print head clogged to a point where I don't think I can unclog it. I admire your dedication and hope you enjoy it as looking up an Ink set they run around $350 to $400! I'm thinking of getting back into printing but will either use my Epson eco tank which makes prints about 90% as good for one tenth the cost, ( & I use it daily anyway) or using an online service. The cost might be a little more, but to amortize the cost of a printer & inks may take years depending on how much you print. For most amateurs I doubt it will be worth it.
Pro tip: roll your graphics so the print is on the outside of the roll. This allows the curl to go towards the wall or mounting surface for better adhesion rather than pulling away from it.
The one thing we can all be certain of, when Nick does a review, he is thorough, a perfectionist, and his endorsements are pretty much on point. A photographer friend of mine has this Canon printer. It's used for almost exclusively B&W and are astoundingly good.
Great presentation!!! Accurately portrayed what it takes to professional take on printing your own works and maintaining quality control of your products. Its a total investment of money, time, patience, pride and a huge attention to detail to get it right!!!
Printing your own work is insane isn't it :) I love it. I started with the PRO2000 and now with the PRO4100. I think the thing I like most is when you sell locally and go to the persons house to hang it and chat with them about the passion behind the photo for a moment. That is such a good feeling
I've gone down the same rabbit hole. One thing I'd recommend experimenting with is sharpening, for I often see better results when applying more sharpening than what normally looks good on screen. You have to overdo it a bit because the printer is working with ink and paper, so some of that clarity and sharpness will be lost in the process. An effective tool I've found is the Smart Sharpen filter in PS, for you can save presets with different sharpening settings and re-use them later. Recommend giving that a try with your test prints if you haven't already!
You don't even need to do that at all. What you really need to do is simply resize the image to match the actual resolution needed at the DPI/size you're printing at. For example, for a 4x6 print, you would resize an image to 1800x1200 before sending it off to the printer. When resizing in photoshop, you would use "bicubic sharper" resample setting. From there you shouldn't need to do any kind of extra sharpening unless the image was extremely soft to begin with. Images are tack sharp when done this way. Never let a printer resize an image for you, always prepare an image with the exact dimensions that will be printed.
To save on paper & ink when working on a satisfactory print in a shadow or highlight area, I select just that area in Photoshop's printing Print Selected Area. Then I can print several variations on the same sheet of paper by selecting adjacent areas using the Position in the printing panel. This way multiple tests can be on one sheet of paper with room for notes on printer and Photoshop settings.
Great video, Nick! I've been using this printer for just over three years now and couldn't be more pleased with the output quality and reliability. It does like to print every day, so dividing out your orders throughout the week as you mentioned is a good idea. On the days you don't have a job, just print out a test pattern to keep things moving without initiating additional cleaning cycles. The Media Configuration Tool is fantastic for setting up third party papers to perform their best. Keeping the paper as flat as possible through the machine will really help to prevent nasty head strikes. For those long panos, I use a section of 3" core tube with some kraft paper to reverse roll heavier media (such as RedRiver's PaloDuro Etching) for an hour or so prior to printing. Supporting these longer sheets both on the feed side and at the exit is also very important. When not printing, keep the unit covered to minimize dust and dirt infiltration and periodically check the paper path for any bits of paper debris that has a tendency to collect over time. Like you pointed out, the printing process is very addictive and the PRO-1000 will definitely feed that addiction with results that will keep you hanging on the edge of your seat waiting for that next spectacular print! Look forward to seeing additional videos showing how you bring more of your wonderful images to life with your new Canon printer.
This video is right up my alley! I am the proud owner of an Epson SC-P900 and I feel exactly the same when I print one of my own favorite images. Best wishes for your continued success! ... and thanks for the video.
I have had this printer for years and totally missed that the latest firmware now gives us panorama printing possibilities!🥳 Thank you! 👏🏾👍🏾🙏🏾. 🏴🇸🇪🇹🇹
I've been doing photography as a hobby for a few years now but really starting to get serious with it. All I have now is a 4x6 printer from Canon and have learned a lot about my compositions as well as other aspects you mentioned through printing. It's a good teacher. I hope to one day get a large printer like that if I do make a business out of it.
I absolutely love my Pro 1000 - Having the ability to print high quality prints at decently large sizes is a power that every photographer should have at their fingerprints.
Congrats! Be sure to print something EVERY day... even if it is only a nozzle check. This will help the printer avoid excessive "cleaning cycles" which dump much expensive ink into the maintenance tank.
Great video and I am excited you are printing your own stuff now. I can't wait for all of the color management rabbit holes we are going to dive into in future videos! You may want to look into a D-Roller. It will save you the unwanted accidental creases in your papers when reverse rolling to remove curl. They are not cheap but are quite effective and will save money lost damaging paper. ItSupplies has about the best price but you can find it a lot of different places.
It is really nice to know that a home sized printer can output work that meets your standards. I mean, camera sensors are so good today, Lightroom Classic, Capture One Pro, Phocus, are so good today, a printer, inks, and papers this good seem to complete the cycle for what we can do ourselves. Visual arts are unique in that they are usually a single person's work, in contrast to most other arts that benefit from collaboration, so this makes so much sense to me.
Nice video! I've been wanting to get back into printing. I used to print back in OS 9 using Colorsync, which actually worked pretty well with certain printers.
Nick, it is refreshing to see that I am not the only one who wears gloves when handling prints. I have been running a Canon printer for 10+ years with never a clogged print head and none of those costly head cleaning cycles even though I print infrequently. I connected a cheap Windows 10 mico-computer running QImage. It prints a half page test print every other day. This tells the printer not to run the wasteful purging routine and cost very little in ink. I use cheap copier paper for this and reuse the same stack of paper over and over.
Welcome to the world of printing yourself! One bit of advice... try not to judge a print as soon as it comes out of the printer. You need to give it some time to allow the inks to really soak into the paper and dry. You'll notice differences, especially in the shadows, between a fresh print and one that you came back to an hour later. Also, to keep costs down, I've found Precision Colors refillable inks are identical to Canon's. They have ink for the ImageProGraf 1000 and it'll work out to literally pennies on the dollar compared to Canon ink cartidges.
I agree with letting the print sit at least a few hours prior to review. I usually print and then just review the next morning. Once the ink is fully dry the print does look slightly different than when it came out of the printer. Typically looks lighter especially in the shadows.
@@LarryManicciathey recommend 24 hours for the ink to cure completely. I would absolutely not ship them or roll them or do anything to them before then. Not even crop them, as I've found that smaller images tend to curl easier from drying than larger ones.
I bought the canon -Pro 300 last year. Printing has re energized my passion for photography. ICC profiles, paper types, having a physical photograph to hang on a wall or my cube at work has been missing since I got into photography in the early 1980’s.
I've left my Canon printer of a similar model out in the garage for a couple years, assuming I wouldn't print in house anymore... but after this video, It's been dusted off, and placed back on my desk. I'm also ordering that pen. What a great look into a great process.
I started this hobby like 5 years ago. My photography got way better. The way I see things to photograph became more critical. I broke two printers now but still, I'm addicted and currently saving for my third one. I recommend reading books about printing.
Oh Nick, oh Nick, why do you do this to me.... My wife and I have been going on-and-off about getting a Pro-1000 for ages... I guess I better start making room for it...
Haha those pens. I had to stop the video to laugh, then rewind it and watch that whole section again to laugh some more. Prime Time Nick Carver does not disappoint. Congrats on that beauty of a printer and those gorgeous prints! (And yes YES! you can fit a darkroom in there =) )
Hope you enjoy the printer! I’ve worked with it for years and it’s been great. Keep it powered on, it’ll help to keep the ink ready and the printer head in great shape.
I have this printer too and I love it! Sometimes I do select the 'black point compensation' box in PS (when using photo rag) and it helps it become closer to what I imagined without going in and making adjustments to the image. It's probably taboo but it works for me (on some prints). However, I didn't use the printer for a few months and wasted $$$ when it flushed so much ink out. A savvy business move indeed..
This was great. Kept my attention throughout the while video. Got a Canon Pro 300 arriving today. Can't wait to fanboy over it like you did with your 1000!
Regarding printing cost, it is important to keep in mind that most printers including the Pro-1000 will use quite a bit of ink running cleaning cycles if you don’t print a lot. I’m very happy with the cost per print when I’m printing a lot, but per print costs tend to skyrocket during periods when I’m producing fewer prints.
Your caveat “cost per print” is spot on but doesn’t exactly express what happens with this printer. It waste a LOT of ink and printing a lot just cost averages down. Printing a little will result in wasting 8-10 times the ink put on paper. Printing a lot just averages this same waste over more prints.
We are saying the exact same thing. You can amortize waste over few prints or a lot of prints. Fewer prints = a higher pre print cost. More prints = a lower per print cost. It is not a difficult concept.@@mabehall7667
@@mabehall7667 We are saying the exact same thing. If you amortize the same total ink use over fewer prints, the cost per print increases. If you amortize it over more prints, the cost per print decreases.
Great video, and thanks for posting! I've been printing on this printer for almost a year now and I absolutely love it. Selling prints has never been so convinient for me.
Great video as always. It was interesting to see your process of developing exactly how you will get your prints to be where you need them to be. The best part though was the writing of your script. The call and response to yourself, the mini lecture on finding the right pen to sign, and last but not least jam jams!
Finally, people are talking about print on a slightly deeper level. I myself have sat and looked at an Epson printer that can take rolls. doc can't afford to buy a printer right now. right now I'm on the lookout for a wide-angle lens. prime for low light.
I love the pen sequence. The video is entertaining throughout, and inspiring. I hope one day to be making enough prints where owning a printer is a worthwhile investment, thanks for sharing your experience and success
Well done, Nick. Always enjoy watching your videos. I've been using the pro1000 since 2016, and using Canon's printing utilities rather than printing from Lightroom. Lately been printing on Canson papers with their ICC profiles. I don't keep a big supply of inks on hand, just order a replacement as soon as I get the alert (!) when printing. Usually can go for several more days before actually running out. B&H or Amazon can typically deliver next day. As for feeding the curled paper into the printer, after letting it sit flat overnight, I hang the paper over a towel bar mounted on the wall behind the printer, and then feed it into the printer, as I'm pretty limited on space. But I still hover over the printer making sure it goes through the printer smoothly.
I started doing my own prints about 5 years ago on an Epson P800 with the roll adapter. Incredibly liberating as well satisfying, especially black and white prints. My favorite paper is Canson Plantine Fiber Rag. Hope to upgrade to a 24 inch printer in the not too distant future.
Yes frequent use a must with these printers. Years ago I had a 13 inch roll inket in which I got some nice 12x36 inch panos that are on the wall today. However the jets did dry up. Oh well, probably would have been cheaper just to outsource it but did save money putting my frames, matts and glass together.
So they don't have some kind of 'storage' cycle that you can run? I would think they could make special ink cartridges that are filled with cleaner, or something... swap them out, and print a special image to clean the jets.
Back then you could run a clean cycle but it goes through a ton of ink. Tried that several times and never worked. You can't let these thinks sit for long. I heard if you priced the ink by the gallon it would be over $1000. @@hxhdfjifzirstc894
I’m just so happy I am using the same printer as the Great Nick! I would say, this printer is the really good thing I have in my photography hobby. I got another Pro 4100 as well, for all the small sheet prints I will use the 1000, and large format rolls on the 4100
At last you have seen the light. Oh man you have hit the ball right out of the park. Brilliant work. you were made to do this. Now you are a complete photographer.
Theres such great satisfaction being able to control the end to end process and do your own prints! Well done, and love your little B-roll clips, ha. Look forward to the darkroom ;)
The Pro-1000 is nice! I got a Pro-100 a few years ago and it has been pretty fun (I don't sell my prints, so prob couldn't justify a more expensive Pro-1000 or Epson at the time). I just have to make sure to leave the printer on so the heads don't clog and print something at least once a month, which has worked out. Getting sampler packs of paper from Moab, Hahnemühle, etc. is pretty fun to test out all the various paper types. And testing out the various ICC profiles and workflows in Photoshop. I typically have Photoshop manage the ICC profiles.
I have the Pro-1000. A bit too ambitious when I bought it. Not selling prints either so yeah, bad choice. However I have left it off for 1 1/2 year twice and it printed just fine when starting her up again. It probably wastes a ton of ink when it cleans it self though.
There's no point in doing test prints, because exposure and editing will be different on all photo's, which means you'd have to dial in each print. There's no formula that works for all prints, because all photos are different in the time of day taken, mood expressed, etc. All a person really needs to keep in mind is that shadows will need to be raised a little, and highlights will need to be lowered a little, with maybe a bit of contrast added to give it punch. A better way to edit would be to go by RGB min-max values. For example, highlights can be blown a bit more in print than they are on screen, while at the same time shadows are darker than on screen. So you find the safe zone for highlights and shadows so they don't clip, then adjust the dynamic range based on that. It's also extremely important to scale your print to actual dimensions you'll be printing at, and sharpening it at the actual DPI dimensions it will print at, and printing in the highest quality format you can, like TIFF instead of JPG. So if you're at 300dpi and you want to print an 8x10, the image should be scaled to 2400x3000 before sending it off to the printer. Never let a printer scale it itself, they always use the cheaper blurrier method of downscaling, which ruins sharpness and detail.
I saw your video in the suggestions. I do not intend to buy a printer whatsoever. But I was curious. And oh boy these were 15 minutes well spent because I genuinely laughed watching your video, not the 'blowing air through my nose laugh' but rather 'hehe' laugh. You kept me interested in something I was not interested about in the first place. That's a lot of quality work, you're doing here. I am now going to explore your channel a bit more !
I switched from PK to MK ink and oh what an eye opener. The Fuji film simultion recipes have the muted and pastel look and feel of my Fotomat 4x6 prints. Love em! Your prints have me feeling the print. Old art school trick, see with your hands. My pro 1000 is a good bud.
Come for the printing, stay for the epic macro b-roll love letter to a beautiful pen. Great stuff, and makes me want to get back into printing (and sign some stuff).
I’ve researched incessantly this last year, and finally came to realize that for my needs, this delivered the highest quality for the buck. It’s not chump change, but it is what it is. 🤷🏽♂️ It was good to catch this video. Nick Took a different approach than most who have reviewed the 1000, and that’s a welcome thing. Definitely reinforced my decision. Thanks for the quality look into not only the details, but the actual DETAIL this printer is capable of. And you’re corny. As usual. Don’t go changin.’ ~ Rawhide
I've always been fascinated by printing on paper since the days of analogue photography where I used enlargers and chemicals to print. With digital, I stopped printing at home and started printing through specialised labs. I miss the pleasure of printing, thanks for this video!
Did you find that when soft proofing your images looked like shit ? I am so frustrated with this process because what is the point in spending hours editing a photo to look perfectly on a screen to then find out you basically have to start all over again from the start if you want to print the photo ….or am I missing something ?
I had an Epson 17" wide body printer that was also capable of printing on rolled paper...the prints out of that machine were incredibly detailed, even the panos. Unfortunately, the print head clogged and all but one of the channels couldn't be cleared...even the local Epson-certified repair center couldn't clear it. The cost for a new print head was almost as much as a new printer and that ended that. From what I understand, the Canon printers are user-serviceable, where the Epsons are not. If I decide to get another printer, it'll be this one by Canon. By the way...I'm sure you can come up with sort of jig to keep your home-made rolled paper holder square to the printer. As long as the unrolling friction is minor, this would save you the trouble of measuring and cutting. Don't know why Canon doesn't offer this option on their wide body printers.
Love this video thanks Nick. I've had this printer for 4 years now & am still amazed to this day what comes out of the beast. I've done the upgrade to the firmware but never had the guts to go big with a roll print - this has been the impetus for me to go for it.
clicked on this for the printer review, didn't expect to be so entertained along the way! This coming wet weekend will allow me to work thru your back catalogue. Also, love your photography.
Superb. I must admit to having a love hate relationship with my printer. When it’s right it’s brilliant and I’ve had a lot of fun with different paper types
I will recommend photo rag baryta, although it has a bit shine to it but the color reproduction and the contrast just so beautiful. Another one to recommend is photo rag satin, gives a bit semi gloss but a bit warmer tone
back when I use to shoot regularly, I came close to picking up a 19" printer but the running cost of irregular use made me see sense. prints look great 👌
I first discovered this channel from your video on the bed platform you built for your 4Runner (and you better believe I built my own using the template you provided, lol). I wasn't even a photographer back then...was just looking for ideas to convert my Xterra for overland camping. Fast forward a few years, and I'm now a (very) amateur photographer watching your videos to learn about all the fun I can have in that world, too. I expect I'll eventually have an original idea or two of my own, someday...until then, I guess I'll just keep borrowing yours, lol.
Sharpies are not permanent. After 10 -15 years it fades to a faint tan color. (I've got a fiber suitcase used by Robert Rauschenberg to carry his Hoar Frost series to Los Angeles on his lap on a plane in the 1970s. Along all the edges were his name and studio address... alas all gone. ) And I've got prints that I signed with a Sharpie and ones from the same year signed in a pigmented marker. The pigmented marker hasn't changed. Your prints look great. Epson gave me one of their first Photo Printers. It was serial number 520 or thereabouts. Worked for years, kept filling up the cartridges. It finally died and taking it apart discovered the reason why. Deep inside was a 2532 'watch battery'. I've still got prints hanging on my walls that are almost 30 years old. I used Arches water color paper, art store Fixative to prepare the paper and then on top, and as far as I know they're all framed behind OP1 UV plex. Still look about the same. (The biggest problem with prints from those years was the paper, not the inks. Still can't believe that.) The printers just got fussier and fussier. The whole cartridges scam nonsense just sucked us dry. The super wide format Epson printers? I never knew anyone to actually get a print from them. They'd run about half the print, pause and then the color changed. I was in a print shop for a couple of hours while they fiddled trying to get the thing to work. Total nightmare. I got a free or $120 ink jet printer when I bought a MacBook Pro in 2006 and used it until the cartridges ran out. I always intended to get an archival printer with a large ink reserve... but wasn't sure I could actually trust spending all that money. Eventually I just bought a laser printer (still working) and stopped making prints. (I'd also spent a lot of time in the darkroom for almost 20 years making B&W prints. They're still in great condition.)
Nick, man you are the best, so freaking entertaining. You make this old guy out here in Oklahoma's day when I see a new post from you. Prints are amazing. It was awesome to see your excitement in completing the process. Well done sir, well done.
Well commiserations. I have just bought another one after 5 years of service. They are a blessing and a curse . The blessing is seeing your work instantly in print after negotiating the various pitfalls printer profiles,paper sizing, magenta hues etc.. But the cost ? This is not for the beginner. Ink is consumed by the half pint after 60 hours on its maintenance cycle . I spend about £1000 a year on ink ! That is why my new replacement Pro - 1000 is still sitting in the box by the side of me here as I type ! 🤔
A few years ago, i had pixma 8700 and will always have motor issues , i had it fixed once, and it's expensive. along with hard to find ink, and it broke down if you dont print monthly. It's not really ideal for a hobbyist. but good for business , But the joy of seeing your own large format prints is good :)
Welcome to the self-printing world! Have the Pro-1000 myself and also used a lot of years to decide 😅 I dont actually sell that much prints, and dont relly on that. But for me the cost is worth it either way. But it have changed my total workflow taking photos. One tip; use Lightroom to soft-proof the image before print. Then you tailor the settings to match the type of paper and can see how that will look like om screen and dont need to print so many samples (though that is fun in itself).Also calibrate your screen (if tou havent already). Another tip; buy sample packs. Hahnemuhle have it, Canson have it, Ilford have it and even Canon. Tip #3; the printer have a ink deposit, so even when the printer tells you that it runs low on ink, you should have a lot of ink left. So dont throw them away too soon :)
Congrats Nick and welcome to the world of home printing! The Pro 1000 is a great printer. I agree printing your own work at home is addictive. Video was hilarious btw.
I tried the black Pentel Arts Hybrid Technica pen you suggested but I will continue using the Copic Multiliner Cool Gray 0.5 or 0.3 mm inking pens for my non-matte prints. I find a black ink distracts from the printed image while the Cool Gray is similar to the less distracting traditional graphite pencil used on non-photographic prints. Also the Pentel gel ink does not really dry over several days; it will smear if rubbed. The pigment based, acid-free "archival" ink in the Copic does not do this. The Copic is also available in Neutral Gray and Warm Gray, so if you wanted to you could select the shade that best fits the print. For prints on matte paper I keep with the tradition for non-photographic prints and use pencil.
I am 76 years old so have been in the photo business for a "few years". I did a lot of 2 1/4" square and 4"x5" black and white and color photography but finally switched over to mostly digital about 18 years ago. I had a few of the Epson printers like the 3800, 3380, etc. but found them to be more likely to clog and spit ink even with frequent use. I decided to switch to the Canon Pro 1000 about 1 1/2 years ago. It is a superior printer with some serious engineering in it. It does require doing some tricks to save ink and ensure consistent work. Ignore the people who say a 1000 uses a lot of ink. When it is new it draws ink from the cartridges into the feeder tubes so once they are filled the cartridges will be about 50% used.... but that doesn't mean all that ink is dumped into the dump tank. Also.... the next cartridges will not need to fill the tubes again so will show a more realistic amount of ink left. If you turn off the machine each day it will go through a full purge, etc. cycle the next day and waste ink. There is an option in the setup to NOT auto shut off after so many hours of non-use. I also got a small Uninterruptable power supply that ran about $100 that I plug the printer into. It won't handle the print operation itself although haven't tested that.... it is solely to keep the power on in the event of a power failure.
To keep the heads perfectly clean and unclogged I print a very small print every day. To ensure this when away for a few days I use QImage which has a utility to auto print a test print once a day. The QImage print can be reduced to to half of a 4"x5" print and uses a tiny amount of ink through all the nozzles. I also MUCH prefer to print using QImage which seems to yield better prints than through Photo Shop directly although Qimage can be run from within PS or externally. I am also an astrophotographer so print a lot of 16"x20" prints. That Pro 1000 yields prints that are spectacular. Most of my work from photowork but the printer is terrific with art reproduction. I love that I can switch from glossy or semi gloss to fine art paper and never have traces of the photo black polluting the matt black ink parts. That was a major issue with my Epsons.
Recommendation...... make sure you get the latest Firmware update so you can have access to new features such as the maximum pano width now which is around 44" as I recall. I am not sure but it seems the latest firmware also improved the ink handling so wastes less than before.
If you want to get all the ink out of your cartridges I recommend getting a digital weight scale.... mine was only around $25 and very accurate. You can remove and replace any cartridge so what I do i after the low ink warning comes on.....remove the tank and weigh it. I replace when it gets down to 45 grams. If it is above that you just put it back in the machine and it will show you the remaining ink left and not reset to a high number.
That seems to be a whole lot of work for a printer.
@@lr8621 Not if you want to save money and not waste lots of $$$ ink.
It takes me 3 tries to get a good 4 x6 print on my home computer. I can't imaging handing off a 16 x 20 print to someone I can't supervise. What's the answer?
Same age here & got into digital since the very beginning. I still have my Canon Pro 9000 but hardly ever use if. Finally the print head clogged to a point where I don't think I can unclog it.
I admire your dedication and hope you enjoy it as looking up an Ink set they run around $350 to $400! I'm thinking of getting back into printing but will either use my Epson eco tank which makes prints about 90% as good for one tenth the cost, ( & I use it daily anyway) or using an online service. The cost might be a little more, but to amortize the cost of a printer & inks may take years depending on how much you print. For most amateurs I doubt it will be worth it.
Mr. Berta, anyone who has tangled with an inkjet...knows. I love your "insider knowledge" post and will save it should I ever get this printer.
You've kept my absolute attention for 15 minutes on printing. You're a genius and I love the passion. Thank you.
Right, I enjoyed it also
8:26 don't forget to let the print dry for at least 24 hours before you roll it! This is very important!
I’ve been using this printer for a little over a year now and have been super happy with it. I’m sure you’ll make great use of it!
Pro tip: roll your graphics so the print is on the outside of the roll. This allows the curl to go towards the wall or mounting surface for better adhesion rather than pulling away from it.
The one thing we can all be certain of, when Nick does a review, he is thorough, a perfectionist, and his endorsements are pretty much on point.
A photographer friend of mine has this Canon printer. It's used for almost exclusively B&W and are astoundingly good.
"Alright. Just let me do another twenty minutes on this ballpoint pen and then we'll get back to it." The Nick Carverism I was waiting for!
Great presentation!!! Accurately portrayed what it takes to professional take on printing your own works and maintaining quality control of your products. Its a total investment of money, time, patience, pride and a huge attention to detail to get it right!!!
Printing your own work is insane isn't it :) I love it. I started with the PRO2000 and now with the PRO4100. I think the thing I like most is when you sell locally and go to the persons house to hang it and chat with them about the passion behind the photo for a moment. That is such a good feeling
You do the matting, framing and hanging too? That sounds stressful!
@@effarI find it completes the photography experience. So I definitely shoot, print, mount and frame.
@@markthompsonmediaI can understand that, pretty cool
I've gone down the same rabbit hole. One thing I'd recommend experimenting with is sharpening, for I often see better results when applying more sharpening than what normally looks good on screen. You have to overdo it a bit because the printer is working with ink and paper, so some of that clarity and sharpness will be lost in the process. An effective tool I've found is the Smart Sharpen filter in PS, for you can save presets with different sharpening settings and re-use them later. Recommend giving that a try with your test prints if you haven't already!
You don't even need to do that at all. What you really need to do is simply resize the image to match the actual resolution needed at the DPI/size you're printing at. For example, for a 4x6 print, you would resize an image to 1800x1200 before sending it off to the printer. When resizing in photoshop, you would use "bicubic sharper" resample setting. From there you shouldn't need to do any kind of extra sharpening unless the image was extremely soft to begin with. Images are tack sharp when done this way. Never let a printer resize an image for you, always prepare an image with the exact dimensions that will be printed.
To save on paper & ink when working on a satisfactory print in a shadow or highlight area, I select just that area in Photoshop's printing Print Selected Area. Then I can print several variations on the same sheet of paper by selecting adjacent areas using the Position in the printing panel. This way multiple tests can be on one sheet of paper with room for notes on printer and Photoshop settings.
Great video, Nick! I've been using this printer for just over three years now and couldn't be more pleased with the output quality and reliability. It does like to print every day, so dividing out your orders throughout the week as you mentioned is a good idea. On the days you don't have a job, just print out a test pattern to keep things moving without initiating additional cleaning cycles. The Media Configuration Tool is fantastic for setting up third party papers to perform their best. Keeping the paper as flat as possible through the machine will really help to prevent nasty head strikes. For those long panos, I use a section of 3" core tube with some kraft paper to reverse roll heavier media (such as RedRiver's PaloDuro Etching) for an hour or so prior to printing. Supporting these longer sheets both on the feed side and at the exit is also very important. When not printing, keep the unit covered to minimize dust and dirt infiltration and periodically check the paper path for any bits of paper debris that has a tendency to collect over time. Like you pointed out, the printing process is very addictive and the PRO-1000 will definitely feed that addiction with results that will keep you hanging on the edge of your seat waiting for that next spectacular print! Look forward to seeing additional videos showing how you bring more of your wonderful images to life with your new Canon printer.
This video is right up my alley! I am the proud owner of an Epson SC-P900 and I feel exactly the same when I print one of my own favorite images. Best wishes for your continued success! ... and thanks for the video.
I have had this printer for years and totally missed that the latest firmware now gives us panorama printing possibilities!🥳 Thank you! 👏🏾👍🏾🙏🏾. 🏴🇸🇪🇹🇹
I've been doing photography as a hobby for a few years now but really starting to get serious with it. All I have now is a 4x6 printer from Canon and have learned a lot about my compositions as well as other aspects you mentioned through printing. It's a good teacher.
I hope to one day get a large printer like that if I do make a business out of it.
I absolutely love my Pro 1000 - Having the ability to print high quality prints at decently large sizes is a power that every photographer should have at their fingerprints.
GJ someone who finally gets it that printing feeling you get when you go from photo taking to the final product, you did it all, it's your baby.
What a way to start the weekend and it’s time to place an order for some art! :D
Congrats! Be sure to print something EVERY day... even if it is only a nozzle check. This will help the printer avoid excessive "cleaning cycles" which dump much expensive ink into the maintenance tank.
Great video and I am excited you are printing your own stuff now. I can't wait for all of the color management rabbit holes we are going to dive into in future videos! You may want to look into a D-Roller. It will save you the unwanted accidental creases in your papers when reverse rolling to remove curl. They are not cheap but are quite effective and will save money lost damaging paper. ItSupplies has about the best price but you can find it a lot of different places.
It is really nice to know that a home sized printer can output work that meets your standards. I mean, camera sensors are so good today, Lightroom Classic, Capture One Pro, Phocus, are so good today, a printer, inks, and papers this good seem to complete the cycle for what we can do ourselves. Visual arts are unique in that they are usually a single person's work, in contrast to most other arts that benefit from collaboration, so this makes so much sense to me.
Nice video! I've been wanting to get back into printing. I used to print back in OS 9 using Colorsync, which actually worked pretty well with certain printers.
Nick, it is refreshing to see that I am not the only one who wears gloves when handling prints.
I have been running a Canon printer for 10+ years with never a clogged print head and none of those costly head cleaning cycles even though I print infrequently. I connected a cheap Windows 10 mico-computer running QImage. It prints a half page test print every other day. This tells the printer not to run the wasteful purging routine and cost very little in ink. I use cheap copier paper for this and reuse the same stack of paper over and over.
Been using this printer for several years. Was wandering when you was going to take the step. Can't go wrong with this printer. Have fun.
Welcome to the world of printing yourself! One bit of advice... try not to judge a print as soon as it comes out of the printer. You need to give it some time to allow the inks to really soak into the paper and dry. You'll notice differences, especially in the shadows, between a fresh print and one that you came back to an hour later. Also, to keep costs down, I've found Precision Colors refillable inks are identical to Canon's. They have ink for the ImageProGraf 1000 and it'll work out to literally pennies on the dollar compared to Canon ink cartidges.
When they make this printer in a Ecotank format, THEN I might sell a body part to get one.......
I agree with letting the print sit at least a few hours prior to review. I usually print and then just review the next morning. Once the ink is fully dry the print does look slightly different than when it came out of the printer. Typically looks lighter especially in the shadows.
@@LarryManicciathey recommend 24 hours for the ink to cure completely. I would absolutely not ship them or roll them or do anything to them before then. Not even crop them, as I've found that smaller images tend to curl easier from drying than larger ones.
Your sense of humour is absolutly brilliant! Love watching your vids.
OH MY GOD> THE PEN AD @ 7:20 killed me.. so so good 🤣🤣 love the enthusiasm and content as always!!!
I bought the canon -Pro 300 last year. Printing has re energized my passion for photography. ICC profiles, paper types, having a physical photograph to hang on a wall or my cube at work has been missing since I got into photography in the early 1980’s.
I bought a pro-4100 earlier this year and it's just so fun to see prints so quickly and so big. Such a fun investment.
I've left my Canon printer of a similar model out in the garage for a couple years, assuming I wouldn't print in house anymore... but after this video, It's been dusted off, and placed back on my desk. I'm also ordering that pen. What a great look into a great process.
I started this hobby like 5 years ago. My photography got way better. The way I see things to photograph became more critical. I broke two printers now but still, I'm addicted and currently saving for my third one. I recommend reading books about printing.
Oh Nick, oh Nick, why do you do this to me.... My wife and I have been going on-and-off about getting a Pro-1000 for ages... I guess I better start making room for it...
Nick geeking out over learning new things is why I love this channel
Haha those pens. I had to stop the video to laugh, then rewind it and watch that whole section again to laugh some more. Prime Time Nick Carver does not disappoint. Congrats on that beauty of a printer and those gorgeous prints! (And yes YES! you can fit a darkroom in there =) )
Hope you enjoy the printer! I’ve worked with it for years and it’s been great. Keep it powered on, it’ll help to keep the ink ready and the printer head in great shape.
I have this printer too and I love it! Sometimes I do select the 'black point compensation' box in PS (when using photo rag) and it helps it become closer to what I imagined without going in and making adjustments to the image. It's probably taboo but it works for me (on some prints). However, I didn't use the printer for a few months and wasted $$$ when it flushed so much ink out. A savvy business move indeed..
This was great. Kept my attention throughout the while video. Got a Canon Pro 300 arriving today. Can't wait to fanboy over it like you did with your 1000!
Regarding printing cost, it is important to keep in mind that most printers including the Pro-1000 will use quite a bit of ink running cleaning cycles if you don’t print a lot. I’m very happy with the cost per print when I’m printing a lot, but per print costs tend to skyrocket during periods when I’m producing fewer prints.
Your caveat “cost per print” is spot on but doesn’t exactly express what happens with this printer. It waste a LOT of ink and printing a lot just cost averages down. Printing a little will result in wasting 8-10 times the ink put on paper. Printing a lot just averages this same waste over more prints.
We are saying the exact same thing. You can amortize waste over few prints or a lot of prints. Fewer prints = a higher pre print cost. More prints = a lower per print cost. It is not a difficult concept.@@mabehall7667
@@mabehall7667 We are saying the exact same thing. If you amortize the same total ink use over fewer prints, the cost per print increases. If you amortize it over more prints, the cost per print decreases.
Great video, and thanks for posting! I've been printing on this printer for almost a year now and I absolutely love it. Selling prints has never been so convinient for me.
Hey Nick, I f'ing enjoy your videos so much! You bring joy to your processes and to the rest of us.
Printing pictures is addictive! I couldn't agree more.
Great video as always. It was interesting to see your process of developing exactly how you will get your prints to be where you need them to be.
The best part though was the writing of your script. The call and response to yourself, the mini lecture on finding the right pen to sign, and last but not least jam jams!
Finally, people are talking about print on a slightly deeper level. I myself have sat and looked at an Epson printer that can take rolls. doc can't afford to buy a printer right now. right now I'm on the lookout for a wide-angle lens. prime for low light.
I love the pen sequence. The video is entertaining throughout, and inspiring. I hope one day to be making enough prints where owning a printer is a worthwhile investment, thanks for sharing your experience and success
Well done, Nick. Always enjoy watching your videos. I've been using the pro1000 since 2016, and using Canon's printing utilities rather than printing from Lightroom. Lately been printing on Canson papers with their ICC profiles. I don't keep a big supply of inks on hand, just order a replacement as soon as I get the alert (!) when printing. Usually can go for several more days before actually running out. B&H or Amazon can typically deliver next day. As for feeding the curled paper into the printer, after letting it sit flat overnight, I hang the paper over a towel bar mounted on the wall behind the printer, and then feed it into the printer, as I'm pretty limited on space. But I still hover over the printer making sure it goes through the printer smoothly.
I started doing my own prints about 5 years ago on an Epson P800 with the roll adapter. Incredibly liberating as well satisfying, especially black and white prints. My favorite paper is Canson Plantine Fiber Rag. Hope to upgrade to a 24 inch printer in the not too distant future.
I just got this printer delivered today! Thank you! I think I made a good choice!
Yes frequent use a must with these printers. Years ago I had a 13 inch roll inket in which I got some nice 12x36 inch panos that are on the wall today. However the jets did dry up. Oh well, probably would have been cheaper just to outsource it but did save money putting my frames, matts and glass together.
So they don't have some kind of 'storage' cycle that you can run? I would think they could make special ink cartridges that are filled with cleaner, or something... swap them out, and print a special image to clean the jets.
Back then you could run a clean cycle but it goes through a ton of ink. Tried that several times and never worked. You can't let these thinks sit for long. I heard if you priced the ink by the gallon it would be over $1000. @@hxhdfjifzirstc894
I’m just so happy I am using the same printer as the Great Nick! I would say, this printer is the really good thing I have in my photography hobby. I got another Pro 4100 as well, for all the small sheet prints I will use the 1000, and large format rolls on the 4100
At last you have seen the light. Oh man you have hit the ball right out of the park. Brilliant work. you were made to do this. Now you are a complete photographer.
I did not think that a fun video about printing could exist but you did it! Congrats on your new printing baby and keep those videos rolling!
The attention to detail is mind blowing
Theres such great satisfaction being able to control the end to end process and do your own prints!
Well done, and love your little B-roll clips, ha. Look forward to the darkroom ;)
The Pro-1000 is nice! I got a Pro-100 a few years ago and it has been pretty fun (I don't sell my prints, so prob couldn't justify a more expensive Pro-1000 or Epson at the time). I just have to make sure to leave the printer on so the heads don't clog and print something at least once a month, which has worked out. Getting sampler packs of paper from Moab, Hahnemühle, etc. is pretty fun to test out all the various paper types. And testing out the various ICC profiles and workflows in Photoshop. I typically have Photoshop manage the ICC profiles.
I have the Pro-1000. A bit too ambitious when I bought it. Not selling prints either so yeah, bad choice. However I have left it off for 1 1/2 year twice and it printed just fine when starting her up again. It probably wastes a ton of ink when it cleans it self though.
There's no point in doing test prints, because exposure and editing will be different on all photo's, which means you'd have to dial in each print. There's no formula that works for all prints, because all photos are different in the time of day taken, mood expressed, etc. All a person really needs to keep in mind is that shadows will need to be raised a little, and highlights will need to be lowered a little, with maybe a bit of contrast added to give it punch. A better way to edit would be to go by RGB min-max values. For example, highlights can be blown a bit more in print than they are on screen, while at the same time shadows are darker than on screen. So you find the safe zone for highlights and shadows so they don't clip, then adjust the dynamic range based on that. It's also extremely important to scale your print to actual dimensions you'll be printing at, and sharpening it at the actual DPI dimensions it will print at, and printing in the highest quality format you can, like TIFF instead of JPG. So if you're at 300dpi and you want to print an 8x10, the image should be scaled to 2400x3000 before sending it off to the printer. Never let a printer scale it itself, they always use the cheaper blurrier method of downscaling, which ruins sharpness and detail.
What a whimsical, informative & captivating video! This is the first I've seen of your vids, and I'm already a fan. You had me at Pentel Technica!😅
Suggestion: a printing course to add to your catalog. Can’t wait.
I saw your video in the suggestions. I do not intend to buy a printer whatsoever. But I was curious. And oh boy these were 15 minutes well spent because I genuinely laughed watching your video, not the 'blowing air through my nose laugh' but rather 'hehe' laugh. You kept me interested in something I was not interested about in the first place. That's a lot of quality work, you're doing here. I am now going to explore your channel a bit more !
I have Canon imagePROGRAF Pro 4100, a 44-inch large format printer. Absolutely awesome
I switched from PK to MK ink and oh what an eye opener. The Fuji film simultion recipes have the muted and pastel look and feel of my Fotomat 4x6 prints. Love em! Your prints have me feeling the print. Old art school trick, see with your hands.
My pro 1000 is a good bud.
Come for the printing, stay for the epic macro b-roll love letter to a beautiful pen. Great stuff, and makes me want to get back into printing (and sign some stuff).
You talking about pens reminds me how Bateman spoke of pop music in American Psycho i watched last night...
I loved the video! It's fun watching the evolution of your craft, the dedication to quality and your passion for photography.
Damn dude, you are so stoked and happy. Super enjoyed the video!
I’ve researched incessantly this last year, and finally came to realize that for my needs, this delivered the highest quality for the buck. It’s not chump change, but it is what it is. 🤷🏽♂️ It was good to catch this video. Nick Took a different approach than most who have reviewed the 1000, and that’s a welcome thing. Definitely reinforced my decision. Thanks for the quality look into not only the details, but the actual DETAIL this printer is capable of. And you’re corny. As usual. Don’t go changin.’ ~ Rawhide
My god, I've enjoyed every second of this.
It's addicting to see the thought and excitement that you put on your prints :D
A true craftsman and perfectionist. 👍
Can't wait to hear more about those pens, Nick!
I've always been fascinated by printing on paper since the days of analogue photography where I used enlargers and chemicals to print. With digital, I stopped printing at home and started printing through specialised labs. I miss the pleasure of printing, thanks for this video!
Did you find that when soft proofing your images looked like shit ? I am so frustrated with this process because what is the point in spending hours editing a photo to look perfectly on a screen to then find out you basically have to start all over again from the start if you want to print the photo ….or am I missing something ?
I had an Epson 17" wide body printer that was also capable of printing on rolled paper...the prints out of that machine were incredibly detailed, even the panos. Unfortunately, the print head clogged and all but one of the channels couldn't be cleared...even the local Epson-certified repair center couldn't clear it. The cost for a new print head was almost as much as a new printer and that ended that. From what I understand, the Canon printers are user-serviceable, where the Epsons are not. If I decide to get another printer, it'll be this one by Canon.
By the way...I'm sure you can come up with sort of jig to keep your home-made rolled paper holder square to the printer. As long as the unrolling friction is minor, this would save you the trouble of measuring and cutting. Don't know why Canon doesn't offer this option on their wide body printers.
A Wes Anderson style production on printing, with the same level of meticulousness... so good 😁
Love this video thanks Nick. I've had this printer for 4 years now & am still amazed to this day what comes out of the beast. I've done the upgrade to the firmware but never had the guts to go big with a roll print - this has been the impetus for me to go for it.
This guy is a detail hyperfixating mad man and god i love watching it / feel completely seen and understood by it
clicked on this for the printer review, didn't expect to be so entertained along the way! This coming wet weekend will allow me to work thru your back catalogue. Also, love your photography.
Start back on the Liquor Store shoot..that's what hooked a BUNCH of us.....they're all gold, but that's the one that got me.
I have a little small printer for myself that does 4x6 prints. It’s dope and works well for me and my family.
That's.. oddly satisfying to watch. Also inspiring! Thanks for sharing your process 👍
Man I love your content. It's been nice following you over the years.
Superb. I must admit to having a love hate relationship with my printer. When it’s right it’s brilliant and I’ve had a lot of fun with different paper types
I will recommend photo rag baryta, although it has a bit shine to it but the color reproduction and the contrast just so beautiful. Another one to recommend is photo rag satin, gives a bit semi gloss but a bit warmer tone
Love your comic timing - the ballpoint pen cameo got me! Superb and compelling as always. Cheers mate!
Very entertaining video to watch & great job on the prints!
back when I use to shoot regularly, I came close to picking up a 19" printer but the running cost of irregular use made me see sense. prints look great 👌
Great video! Wonderful attention to detail, and an admirable pursuit of quality control. Well done.
I bought it last year. I love it
I first discovered this channel from your video on the bed platform you built for your 4Runner (and you better believe I built my own using the template you provided, lol). I wasn't even a photographer back then...was just looking for ideas to convert my Xterra for overland camping. Fast forward a few years, and I'm now a (very) amateur photographer watching your videos to learn about all the fun I can have in that world, too. I expect I'll eventually have an original idea or two of my own, someday...until then, I guess I'll just keep borrowing yours, lol.
Yes Nick, you can fit a darkroom in there! 🤩
Fun and entertaining as always. I don't use my 13" Canon printer nearly often enough but I sure enjoy it when I do! Time to go print something.
Sharpies are not permanent. After 10 -15 years it fades to a faint tan color. (I've got a fiber suitcase used by Robert Rauschenberg to carry his Hoar Frost series to Los Angeles on his lap on a plane in the 1970s. Along all the edges were his name and studio address... alas all gone. ) And I've got prints that I signed with a Sharpie and ones from the same year signed in a pigmented marker. The pigmented marker hasn't changed.
Your prints look great. Epson gave me one of their first Photo Printers. It was serial number 520 or thereabouts. Worked for years, kept filling up the cartridges. It finally died and taking it apart discovered the reason why. Deep inside was a 2532 'watch battery'. I've still got prints hanging on my walls that are almost 30 years old. I used Arches water color paper, art store Fixative to prepare the paper and then on top, and as far as I know they're all framed behind OP1 UV plex. Still look about the same. (The biggest problem with prints from those years was the paper, not the inks. Still can't believe that.)
The printers just got fussier and fussier. The whole cartridges scam nonsense just sucked us dry. The super wide format Epson printers? I never knew anyone to actually get a print from them. They'd run about half the print, pause and then the color changed. I was in a print shop for a couple of hours while they fiddled trying to get the thing to work. Total nightmare. I got a free or $120 ink jet printer when I bought a MacBook Pro in 2006 and used it until the cartridges ran out. I always intended to get an archival printer with a large ink reserve... but wasn't sure I could actually trust spending all that money. Eventually I just bought a laser printer (still working) and stopped making prints. (I'd also spent a lot of time in the darkroom for almost 20 years making B&W prints. They're still in great condition.)
Nick, man you are the best, so freaking entertaining. You make this old guy out here in Oklahoma's day when I see a new post from you. Prints are amazing. It was awesome to see your excitement in completing the process. Well done sir, well done.
Tomorrow I'll buy a pro1000 thanks to you Nick.
Well commiserations. I have just bought another one after 5 years of service. They are a blessing and a curse . The blessing is seeing your work instantly in print after negotiating the various pitfalls printer profiles,paper sizing, magenta hues etc.. But the cost ? This is not for the beginner. Ink is consumed by the half pint after 60 hours on its maintenance cycle . I spend about £1000 a year on ink ! That is why my new replacement Pro - 1000 is still sitting in the box by the side of me here as I type ! 🤔
Love your sense of humor. Great video
A few years ago, i had pixma 8700 and will always have motor issues , i had it fixed once, and it's expensive. along with hard to find ink, and it broke down if you dont print monthly. It's not really ideal for a hobbyist. but good for business , But the joy of seeing your own large format prints is good :)
Highly recommended the Hahnemuhle 310 Satin paper. Its like a beautiful cross between their 308 and 315.
Welcome to the self-printing world! Have the Pro-1000 myself and also used a lot of years to decide 😅 I dont actually sell that much prints, and dont relly on that. But for me the cost is worth it either way. But it have changed my total workflow taking photos. One tip; use Lightroom to soft-proof the image before print. Then you tailor the settings to match the type of paper and can see how that will look like om screen and dont need to print so many samples (though that is fun in itself).Also calibrate your screen (if tou havent already). Another tip; buy sample packs. Hahnemuhle have it, Canson have it, Ilford have it and even Canon. Tip #3; the printer have a ink deposit, so even when the printer tells you that it runs low on ink, you should have a lot of ink left. So dont throw them away too soon :)
Great video. I've done color profiling on this printer for paper companies. Great printer, love the egg beater noise at startup!
Congrats Nick and welcome to the world of home printing! The Pro 1000 is a great printer. I agree printing your own work at home is addictive. Video was hilarious btw.
👍🏾👏🏾📸Great work. Bruh, you a trip. I love your sense of humor. Phelix
Thank you, my friend! 🙏🏼
I tried the black Pentel Arts Hybrid Technica pen you suggested but I will continue using the Copic Multiliner Cool Gray 0.5 or 0.3 mm inking pens for my non-matte prints. I find a black ink distracts from the printed image while the Cool Gray is similar to the less distracting traditional graphite pencil used on non-photographic prints. Also the Pentel gel ink does not really dry over several days; it will smear if rubbed. The pigment based, acid-free "archival" ink in the Copic does not do this. The Copic is also available in Neutral Gray and Warm Gray, so if you wanted to you could select the shade that best fits the print. For prints on matte paper I keep with the tradition for non-photographic prints and use pencil.