Photgrav

[bill gervais]

Hello everyone. A question for those who use PhotoGrav. Are the results as good and software as user friendly as I have read? I have been dabbling with photos some lately in Photo Paint and there seems to be quite a learning curve their. Just looking for comments,

Bill

[Steve Clarkson]

Bill,

It would be nice if you put your info (ie. laser & wattage) in your signature line so people don't have to ask.

I have an Epilog and find that their drivers work better on most materials than Photograv. And as good as Photograv is, you still need to clean it up in Paint or Photoshop first.

[Scott Shepherd]

Are the results as good and software as user friendly as I have read?

I found the results less than I expected, not because the software can't do it, but because it's a complex issue, dealing with photos, since everyone is different and has different contrasts.

I fought it, fought it, fought it some more, and never had it produce the results others say come so easy. So for me personally, I'd have to say I didn't find it easy to use at all, and I wasn't able to produce results that would allow me to sell anything produced with it.

That was my personal experience. I'm sure there are those who plug it in and hit the ground running. I wasn't one of those people.

[Steve Chalmers]

quote
" Are the results as good and software as user friendly as I have read?"

While I found it easy to use, I can honestly say I wasn't that blown away with the results. The Gold Method that has been discussed on this forum a number of times gives excellent results.

And some members have developed their own method for working with photographs.

Steve

[Tom Bull]

Works for me, fix the photo properly in Draw, then have PG do it's stuff. I always use cherry as material for both wood and granite.

[Tim Bateson]

I'm with Steve Clarkson & Scott on this one.

However as Steve Clarkson had said... I can't give any more assistance as most of the folks in this thread have failed to identify your laser equipment. This makes it real hard to give qualified advice

[bill gervais]

I believe i have added info in signature line hope that helps.

[Tim Bateson]

OK Bill, If you are using the latest Epilog drivers, adjust in your favorite Photo editor, then just use the built in Epilog dithering and don't waste your money on PhotoGrav.

[bill gervais]

Thanks Tim, I will play around with the Epliog drivers.

[Chris J Drew]

The Stucki dithering in the Epilog driver is pretty good...
But converting to 1-Bit Black & White with Stucki dithering in CorelDraw ( after resizing ) gives you more control (with the slider) and a preview window so you can see what the result will be.
Then when you send it over to your Epilog you'll bypass the driver's dithering, as there's no grayscale in the image for the driver to apply it's dithering to.

[Les Souriceaux]

hello, :cool:
I am looking for a person using the software photograv with a laser machine from Gravograph (LS800 40W) with the software Gravostyle5
I am sorry for not speaking and writing correctly, fortunately there is a translator on the net

See you later

Jean Pierre (France)

[David Harvey]

I have the original 1st version of PhotoGrav....I didn't bother with the upgrade to their latest version...if that helps any.

[Bill Cunningham]

I use ver 2.? and find that if the original picture is good contrast, I can usually get a good engraving image from PG.. Just ignore the settings it tells you to use and develop your own to match 'your' laser.. Photograv is only good for saving time on materials like wood/granite/glass most other materials will etch photos fine just using the laser driver..

[Roy Nicholson]

Les

I'm using the Gravograph L100 with Gravostyle and using Photograv

Can I help at all.

I'm still very new with it though.

Regards


Roy N.

[Les Souriceaux]

Thank you very much, you may have parameters for a laser Gravograph ?:confused:

@+

[Les Souriceaux]

I found on the net 2.xxx version, but before you buy the version 3.xx I'd like to see the possibility of this program. Version 2.xx was huge and lack Beug parameter for the laser Gravograph.

How do I put a picture of my achievement in this forum? :confused:

Note that I am not a professional but a simple amateur passion for the laser.:)
@+

[Les Souriceaux]

;)
thank you for your help, I have a laser LS800 40W (Gravograph) , I use the software only GravoStyle 5 to drive the machine. A very good program indeed.


I am not a professional and I am looking for novelty as the photo.
With the software Photograv 2.xx, I began to reproduce photographs on transparent PMMA. But a lot of software and Beug error. I do not have parameters for the machine Gravograph. Before buying the version 3.xx I'd like to see the possibilities on my machine.
So I search for people using this software with a laser from Gravograph:D

@+ :)

[Darren Null]

People who have been less than impressed with photograv, or found the results were the same may have had their Photograv'd image given a second dithering by Coreldraw or their laser driver. Remember to switch your driver to 'Full manual' or 'leave my bloody image alone' or whatever it may be in your settings.
May help.

What? Me? Nah, OF COURSE I remembered to switch to manual first time. *COUGH*

In answer to the original question, I've not found better dithering for images to be lasered than Photograv. And I've looked.

[Trevor Watson]

I have used Photograv 2 and 3 and yet to produce the results of others too.. Tried the dithering that is built into Xentech Drivers and found them to be better than PG but I have been playing around with Adobe CS3 using the Adromeda Etchtone plugin and gotten some great results.
Hope this helps some :)

Trevor

[Dan Hintz]

I just produce the good results shown as PhotoGrav examples without using it. :)