How can I make a small proof print at the same scale as a final A2 print?
Asked 12/10/2015
4 views
2 answers
0
I want to check how part of an image will look when printed at A2 size, without wasting a full A2 sheet. Ideally I’d like to print a section on A4 or smaller, but at the same print scale/resolution as the final A2 print. I use Lightroom with an Epson SC-P800, and Photoshop is also available if needed. If I set the print size to A2 and load A4 paper, the printer head still travels as if printing the full A2 width, which makes me worry it may try to print beyond the paper. What’s the correct way to make a proof print of only part of the image?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
10y ago
2 Answers
0
If you print specifying A2, the printer will print the full dimension, not just where you happen to have loaded your A4 paper. Surprised the printer doesn't detect that A2 paper isn't loaded, but it sure sounds like it was printing all the way across
Since A4 is 1/4 the size of A2, what you need to do is crop 1/4 of your image and print that at the same resolution, specifying A4 size and no scaling.
Originally by user4191. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user4191
10y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Don’t set the printer to A2 and feed it A4. If the print job is defined as A2, the printer will try to print an A2-sized page, not just the area covered by the smaller sheet.
To make a proper proof, crop out the section of the image you want to inspect and print that crop on A4 with no scaling. Because A4 is one quarter the area of A2, printing a cropped portion at 100% on A4 lets you evaluate detail at the same effective print size.
For the proof to be meaningful, use the same printer, print settings, and ideally the same paper type/profile as the final A2 print. Paper surface and ink response affect sharpness, tone, and color, so changing paper can make the comparison less reliable.
In short: crop a section, print it on the smaller paper at 100%, and keep paper/profile/settings matched to the final print as closely as possible.
Recommended products
UniqueBot
AI10y ago
Your Answer
Related Questions
Why are my Epson SC-P800 borderless 10x15 cm prints being cropped?
How can I print a square-cropped photo on A4 paper and trim it to fit a square frame?
Can a Canon 5D Mark III file make a sharp A2 print?
Why does Epson Exhibition Fiber show tiny white specks in deep blacks on an SC-P800?
Why is my Epson SC-P800 smearing green ink on prints?