Jarrell Conley
Forum Pro
What is your favorite method for printing 4x6 inch prints on standard (in the states, that is) 8.5x11 inch paper to reduce waste?
Jarrell Conley
Jarrell Conley
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Saving Paper
- Thread starter Jarrell Conley
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KevinBE
Forum Enthusiast
Jarrell,
I use QImage Pro to print most of my shots. You can print 3 4x6 prints on one 8 1/2 x 11 sheet. If you want you can also slip in one 2x3 on the same page also. I rarely print using any other program except when I am doing special 8x10's in photoshop. Right now Qimage's only weakness is working with very large PSD files.--Kevin
I use Photoshop for all of my printing. I create a new transparent image at 8.5 inches by 11 inches at 300 dpi. Then I resize all 3 images (along with any other image adjusting I may do) that I want to print to 4 x 6, 300 dpi using image size in the image menu and then croppping the extra half inch that is generated by the the original image. I rotate 2 of the 3 images 90 degrees using the image menu> rotate canvas and drag them into the blank 8.5 x 11 sheet. Then I drag the 3rd image in. At this point each image will be on its own layer and you can manipulate them on the sheet to fit them. I usually drag guides down from the rulers on the image. I use the snap to guides option to line them up. This lines them up perfectly for when I cut them with a paper cutter. I would embed an image of the layout for you, but I don't know how!
This may be a round-about way of doing it, but it works great for me.
My question for anyone out there that wants to answer is what format should I save adjusted images in to retain quality but not take up the hard drive space of a Tiff. I'm afraid to compress them using the jpg format.
Jarrell Conley
Forum Pro
Thank you both for your answers. Craig, I use pBase.com to store my photos. After you've done that, navigate through it, click on the thumbnail you want to open. When it does, right click on it and a box will open. One of the lines in that box is "properties". Click on that and then hi lite the address, such as http" so and so. Come here, wright your message and right click and paste. Be Sure to click Preview at the bottom to make sure it did like you wanted.
R
Rich Gibson
Guest
Qimage Pro.
JeffB47487
Well-known member
I go to a local print shop and have them cut 8.5 X 11 photo paper into three 4 X 6.25 for my PhotoSmart printer. Much less expensive than buying the 4 X 6 paper directly.
Since 4 X 6.25 is a known paper size to the PhotoSmart I keep the freedom to print using any application.
Since 4 X 6.25 is a known paper size to the PhotoSmart I keep the freedom to print using any application.
--Jeff
Thanks for the advice. Here's my first try...
I resized and compressed it a bit just to give an idea of the layouy.
Does it help at all?
I resized and compressed it a bit just to give an idea of the layouy.
Does it help at all?
Rod Smith
Leading Member
Jarrell;
I guess I'm the "free spirit" here because the only time I print a 4x6 is possibly by accident.
My scheme is to cut most 8.5x11 sheet into two sections, one 8.5x6 and the other 8.5x5; this is a fast, simple cut on a bar cutter using the stop. And when I crop a photo, I crop naturally and not to any set aspect ratio.
I have set these size sheets in the custom section of the print driver.
I print using Photoshop Elements and check the "Scale to fit media" box which maximizes the print size on any given sheet. After printing I trim with a rolling cutter. Since I load paper into the Epson in Portrait orientation, any unusable/trimmed paper is on the long side of the print.
I wind up with prints in various size, but the only person I have to please is myself -- and in this case I'm easy. Or maybe I'm just lazy! But if you treasure uniform print sizes, this will not be your cup of tea.
I guess I'm the "free spirit" here because the only time I print a 4x6 is possibly by accident.
My scheme is to cut most 8.5x11 sheet into two sections, one 8.5x6 and the other 8.5x5; this is a fast, simple cut on a bar cutter using the stop. And when I crop a photo, I crop naturally and not to any set aspect ratio.
I have set these size sheets in the custom section of the print driver.
I print using Photoshop Elements and check the "Scale to fit media" box which maximizes the print size on any given sheet. After printing I trim with a rolling cutter. Since I load paper into the Epson in Portrait orientation, any unusable/trimmed paper is on the long side of the print.
I wind up with prints in various size, but the only person I have to please is myself -- and in this case I'm easy. Or maybe I'm just lazy! But if you treasure uniform print sizes, this will not be your cup of tea.
--Rod SmithNiceville, FL
KevinBE
Forum Enthusiast
That's nice Craig, but way too much trouble. Qimage Pro will allow you to take any image and manipulate it to print at any size your printer can produce with a simple click of the mouse, all without changing the image file itself. You can select the paper size and just fill up the paper with prints arranging them as you see fit. Also Qimage produces prints that are superior to Photoshop because of the method it uses for interpolation. I hate to sound like a commercial for Qimage Pro but it is simply a superior program for printing images. I bought my copy over a year ago and consider it a very good investment. You receive program updates free for life. Mike is constantly improving the program.--Kevin
How are the image adjusting capabilties in Qimage. How about the cost of the software? I'm willing to switch to save some time.
Jarrell Conley
Forum Pro
I appreciate the answers. About all I print 4x6's for is to go in an album to take with me to show my 89 yr old Mom..... she's more fond of prints instead of on cd's or on a monitor. This may sound strange, but actually I've found I print a lot less than when I did film.
R
Rich Gibson
Guest
I believe Qimage Pro costs $35.00 The author releases fixes and improvements about every two weeks. Once your get it, it's free. He has a full-featured free evaluation copy. Try it, you'll like it!
Rich
Rich
Thomas Bauer
Senior Member
Hi All
If you want complete control over picture size shape and positioning on a sheet of paper try PaintShopPro.7 using multiple image printing.
Or if you want a very simple no brainier drag and drop multiple image printing program use the one that comes with your Nikon camera. ArcSoft\Camera Suite\PhotoPrinter.
Thomas
If you want complete control over picture size shape and positioning on a sheet of paper try PaintShopPro.7 using multiple image printing.
Or if you want a very simple no brainier drag and drop multiple image printing program use the one that comes with your Nikon camera. ArcSoft\Camera Suite\PhotoPrinter.
Thomas
KevinBE
Forum Enthusiast
The web site for Qimage is: http://www.ddisoftware.com/qimage/
The cost is $35.00, but you can download the demo of the program and use it for 30 days for free. Mike Chaney, the arthur of Qimage Pro, has a dedicated group on Yahoo for support and does provide message based support from this site.
Mike has been updating Qimage extensively in the past couple of months. He has added "curves" and a host of other editing functions to the program.
I can't imagine processing a group of 50 to 75 images for print without this program. The setup time alone is prohibitive if you are using Photoshop to print 4x6 pictures.
--Kevin
KevinBE
Forum Enthusiast
Hi Thomas, Qimage Pro produces better prints than either of these programs you mentioned. It will produce better prints than Photoshop, unless you are trying to print a 4x6 from a 5 Megapixal image then it might be a close race.--Kevin
Thomas Bauer
Senior Member
Hi Kevin
I really hadn't noticed quality in image was different from program to program.
Except for printer setup options images come from printer and all programs send out the same finished image.
However I’m not the type of person who will be stubborn just to be right.
So I’ll down load a copy and if you are right,
I’ll be as pleased as “peas n carrots”
(for those of you who saw Forest Gump.)
And I’ll certainly post the results.
Thanks
Thomas
p.s. Didn’t you say I could get a free download? I’ll do a search for Qimage.
Bob Morrison
Senior Member
Try this: http://www.ddisoftware.com
If you aren't using Qimage Pro, you're wasting your time and you probably have no real idea of how good your camera is. Qimage translates your camera's image file into language your printer understands better than any other program out there. Only one that MAY compare is Genuine Fractals, and it lacks the image refining features of QImage Pro.
Using QImage Pro, I can print thumbnail proof sheets of my photos with two or three clicks of the mouse--and that includes filenames under the pictures. I can drag images onto different sizes of templates for printing, then click auto-arrange and the software automatically figures out the best image placement to save paper. I am not associated with QImage Pro except as a happy customer. Cheers. ^^^Bob^^^
P.S. Free upgrades are available at the rate ot 3 of more a week, but even with a 56K phone line they are not difficult to download. And I find that a once-a month upgrade just to stay current keeps me happy.
dav
Leading Member
Is there anything wrong with the software that come with printer, epson photo 810?
It is what I have used and seems ok to me.
Dav
It is what I have used and seems ok to me.
Dav
Thomas Bauer
Senior Member
Hi All
just got back from installing and printing.
Well to respond to you statement, That I’m waisting my time and I probably don’t know how good my camera is. I have been known to waist my time, but I know what my cameras are and what they can do . I have all my stuff printed in my friends’ fugifilm lab. He just upgraded to digital printing on fugifilm paper right along side the 35mm film. Have you guys compared side by side prints from psp7 and Qimage. I just did. The program is heavily involving so in all fairness I printed the same image from both programs strait from the camera, no manipulation in any way what so ever. I used the same exact printer settings. Same paper, same print size etc. So I do know the difference between the two.
Thomas
Peter iNova56624
Leading Member
Not exactly an answer to your question, since your question presupposes four by six inches, but you can get 4 decent shots on a single letter page or A4 with the routine in the V3.0 eBook:
http://www.digitalsecrets.net/secrets/FilterHelp3.html
On a letter page, there is no mathematical way of getting more than two 4x6 shots. But if the size drops a bit, you can get four to print like this.
If you open them in the right order, you might never need to cut them apart. A photo comic strip of sorts.
-iNova
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