Inkjet Printing TipsTag:

Posted on by Regan Dickinson Posted in Case Studies & Profiles
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Guidelines and Tips for Creating Photo Wall Murals

Download LexJet's latest white paper on creating photo murals for fun and profit.

Want to learn all the ins and outs of creating photo wall murals with inkjet-printable materials? LexJet has released an educational white paper that details all the steps needed to tap into this lucrative market.

The document includes information on how to choose images and materials, as well as tips on resolution, measuring walls properly, printing, wall preparation and installation. To download the white paper, go to http://lexjet.com/WallMuralGuide.

As always, if you have any questions, need additional information or need help with any application, contact a LexJet account specialist at 800-453-9538.

Posted on by Adam Hannig Posted in Tips & Tricks
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Troubleshooting Common Printing Problems

Regardless of the wide-format printing technology used, output problems require a systematic approach that will save time, hassles, and tech calls. Here are some simple steps to help diagnose and fix the problem as quickly as possible.

Having fielded literally thousands of tech support calls for LexJet over the years it’s easy to see how little problems can become big problems rather quickly, particularly when there’s a big deadline to meet.

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Posted on by LexJet Posted in Tips & Tricks
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Tips to Increase Uptime on Your Printer

To increase uptime on your printer it can be helpful to minimize service issues. Here are some important steps you should take that will save you time, hassles, and money down the road:

  1. Have the warranty hotline number and the printer’s serial number accessible: Keep these numbers where they can be easily found.  Write down all details, including the name of the person who helped you.  Document, document, document.
  2. Do I have a manufacturer’s warranty or is my existing warranty through a third party? Surprisingly, you’re likely to get on-site service more quickly through a third party.
  3. How old is my printer, and is it still under warranty? The age of your printer will influence your decision to fix or replace.  If you’ve let your warranty lapse, you may want to spend a little extra on a new piece of technology instead of paying for parts and labor from a service technician.
  4. Are we able to trade in our printer or get a free one somehow? During the course of the year printer manufacturers run regular promotions that give you cash back when you trade in your old printer for a newer model. LexJet is an excellent one-stop source for this information.

These are great alternatives that can help subsidize the cost, keep cash flows in line, and are viable options should your printer suddenly stop working.

Posted on by LexJet Posted in Tips & Tricks
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Printing Tips from the Canon Digital Learning Center

At LexJet, we’re encouraged to see the growing range of educational resources now available for photographers who want to print professional-quality images. We plan to start featuring some of those resources on this blog.  

For example: if it’s been awhile since you visited the Canon Digital Learning Center, check it out! In addition to providing excellent advice on shooting different types of photography, you can learn more about color management and how to print from Canon’s wide-format imagePROGRAF printers and 8- and 10-color PximaPro printers.

You can download a copy of this guide in Canon's Digital Learning Center.

The instructional resources highlight some of the lesser-known features of the printers. For example, the author of an article on how to create Custom Profiles for Canon Printers points out that if you’re printing a bunch of test prints and want to remember which settings you used for each print, you can print a label directly onto your test print.

“You can actually do this right in the Canon Print Plug-In when you export an image to print. Just go up to File>Export>iPF5100 Print PlugIn (for example).  Once exported, click on the Print History tab.” Then, click on Edit Comment to create a custom label that will output directly on top of the test print.

Another useful tip from this article on custom profiles:  Before you scan your printed test charts, let them sit in a dark, dust-free environment for at least 30 minutes after printing.

An article on Basic Color Management explains a profile this way: “Basically, a profile creates a mathematical equation for my monitor to communicate to my printer and produce as close to the same printer as possible. That is why calibrating monitors is so important.”

After briefly discussing the fundamentals of color spaces, the author asks and answers this question: “Which color space should you be working in with Canon printers?” For Canon printers, Adobe RGB is recommended because “You want to capture and work with images that are close to your output device as possible.”  

With Canon’s total input-to-output solution, you can capture images in Adobe RGB on your Canon DSLR and print them in a color space very similar to Adobe RGB on the Canon imagePROGRAF printers.

The Basic Color Management article includes other useful tips, including how to soft proof in Photoshop and see when your printer can’t reproduce some of the colors you see on the screen. This enables you to make the appropriate adjustments on screen before you waste time, money, and materials making multiple test prints.

If you want more information than is presented in the articles, you can download a 21-page Digital Color Management Guidebook for your Canon cameras and printers. Also featured in the Canon Digital Learning Center site is a series of podcasts that you can view on screen or download. The podcasts range from 4 to 15 minutes, and cover topics such as:

  • Basic Color Management
  • Custom Profiling
  • Media Selection
  • Printing from RAW using Digital Photo Professional
  • Setting up Your iPF5100
  • Setting up Your iPF6100
  • Image Optimization and Soft Proofing with Photoshop
  • Using the Photoshop imagePROGRAF Export Plug-In

If you want to learn more about the Canon iPF printers that LexJet sells, or have any specific questions that aren’t answered in Canon’s Digital Learning Center, please feel free to call a friendly LexJet account specialist at 800-453-9538.

Every week, we help dozens of Canon-printer users learn how to get the most from their wide-format imagePROGRAF printers, and we can help you, too!