# How to print a long image?



## JenniferMurphy (Jun 9, 2012)

I have a photo collage that is 17" x 63". I would like to make a high quality print for framing. I have a friend who has a good ink jet photo printer, but the largest paper he has is only 19" long (13 x 19). If we scale the image to 19" long, it's only 5" high and some of the photos are too small. I'd like to make a print that is more like 36" long. That would make it almost 10" high.

I did a little research and discovered that Epson makes rolls of 13" photo paper:

Amazon.com: Epson Professional Media Premium Photo Paper GLOSSY (13 Inches x 32 Feet, Roll) (S041378): Office Products 13" x 32' glossy
Amazon.com: Epson Professional Media Premium Photo Paper LUSTER (13 Inches x 32.8 Feet, Roll) (S041409): Office Products 13" x 32' luster
Amazon.com: Epson Professional Media Enhanced Paper MATTE (17 Inches x 100 Feet, Roll) (S041725): Office Products 17" x 100' matte
This seems like the way to go. Is there are reason that we can't cut a 36" piece from a roll and make a print 36" wide?

I am familiar with the terms glossy and mat, but not "luster". Which finish would be best for printing a photo collage for framing?

Thanks


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## snowbear (Jun 9, 2012)

Luster has a finish that is between matte and glossy.  Personally, I prefer matte or luster for everything, but I don't take portraits (nor am I a pro).

I don't know if all printers can use roll paper - if can't get a definitive answer here, I'd search for the limitations of specific printer.


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## JenniferMurphy (Jun 9, 2012)

My friends printer does not have a roll feed. Our plan was to cut off a length from the roll and feed it like sheet paper. That should work, right?

Reading the Amazon reviews, it sounds like I will need to roll it backwards to take out most of the heavy curl it has coming off the tight 2" core.


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## snowbear (Jun 9, 2012)

JenniferMurphy said:


> My friends printer does not have a roll feed. Our plan was to cut off a length from the roll and feed it like sheet paper. That should work, right?
> 
> Reading the Amazon reviews, it sounds like I will need to roll it backwards to take out most of the heavy curl it has coming off the tight 2" core.


I was referring to internal or electronic limitations of the printer, not the physical aspects.  I don't know if any printers are "hard coded" to a 14" (legal paper) limit.  Try it and see.  You might be able to do a "dry run" - load the photo and tell the computer to print.  When asked about paper type, etc - try to change the paper size - there may be a choice for "custom" where you can enter your own size.  If it takes, you should be fine.

Good luck.


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## JenniferMurphy (Jun 9, 2012)

A couple of the Amazon reviews said that their printers could do 13x44 for landscapes. I'll get a roll and see what happens.


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## snowbear (Jun 9, 2012)

Let us know how it works out, and what printer it is.


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## Edsport (Jun 10, 2012)

I get my panos printed at ezprints. If you make your photo 19.5 by 63 it will fit a frame that wallmart makes. The frame is like $25 bucks...


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## KmH (Jun 10, 2012)

Are you aware of the different, main photo print types - inkjet, and chromogenic (C-print)?


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## JenniferMurphy (Jun 15, 2012)

snowbear said:


> I was referring to internal or electronic limitations of the printer, not the physical aspects. I don't know if any printers are "hard coded" to a 14" (legal paper) limit. Try it and see. You might be able to do a "dry run" - load the photo and tell the computer to print. When asked about paper type, etc - try to change the paper size - there may be a choice for "custom" where you can enter your own size. If it takes, you should be fine.
> 
> Good luck.



The plan is to make a print that is 10" x 36". As a test run, we scaled the image to that size and tried to print it. The printer printed an 8.5 x 11 image right out of the middle of the image. We tried various settings and always got the same results.

The printer is a Canon Pixma iX6520. The Canon website says that it can handle paper up to 13x19. But I thought inkjet printers could print banners by setting the page size correctly.


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## JenniferMurphy (Jun 15, 2012)

Edsport said:


> I get my panos printed at ezprints. If you make your photo 19.5 by 63 it will fit a frame that wallmart makes. The frame is like $25 bucks...



Hey, that's a nice website. Their panoramas are about $5/sq ft. Kinko's charges $25/sq ft and I have to go into the store and then go back a day later to pick it up.

I ordered a couple of prints. Let's see what I get.

Thanks for the tip.


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## JenniferMurphy (Jun 18, 2012)

KmH said:


> Are you aware of the different, main photo print types - inkjet, and chromogenic (C-print)?



Uh, no. Do I need to? I looked it up on Wikipedia, but I'm not sure what I should do with it. I just want to make one print.


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## JenniferMurphy (Jun 18, 2012)

digitalbuyer said:


> You have to make your image compatible to printer and then fit its margin and then preview it. How is it looking. fit it's side and then print it.


Have you made a very long (30-40") print? If so, which printer?


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## KmH (Jun 18, 2012)

JenniferMurphy said:


> KmH said:
> 
> 
> > Are you aware of the different, main photo print types - inkjet, and chromogenic (C-print)?
> ...


Preparation of the image file could be somewhat different, depending on the machine being used to make the print. Having the ICC profile for the device that will make the print is very useful, because it allows 'soft-proofing' the print.

Plus, the archival properties of the print could be very different, particularly regarding what inks/dyes are used by an inkjet machine.


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## JenniferMurphy (Jun 18, 2012)

Thanks so much for the information, but I fear that this is too technical for what I need to do. I have a couple of prints on order from EZ Prints. If they look good, I'll probably just let them handle my printing needs.


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## JenniferMurphy (Jun 22, 2012)

Edsport said:


> I get my panos printed at ezprints. If you make your photo 19.5 by 63 it will fit a frame that wallmart makes. The frame is like $25 bucks...



Ed,

Thank you so much for the top on EZPrints. I just got my panoramas. They are gorgeous. :thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

Just as a test, I got three sizes: 8x24, 10x30, 12x36. All perfect.

Many thanks...


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## Edsport (Jun 23, 2012)

Glad you're pleased with them. You'll automatically receive emails from them when they have discounts...


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