A4 Photo Printer - Recommendations Please!

[Moglet]

Hi all,

My Epson Stylus R200 is starting to whinge about some of its parts coming to the end of their useful life.

From experience, I think it will probably be cheaper to buy a new printer than foot the repair bill. Also, I've never been happy with the sheet feeder on the R200, especially when using heavier stock (unlike my much-missed Stylus 850 which would probably have made a decent stab at feeding paving stones, given the opportunity!). Therefore, I am looking for some recommendations from our printing experts and enthusiasts about a replacement.

I'd prefer to go for a pigment ink printer, but with my 2 Epsons, I find that the photoglossy output from the 2100 (pigment) is dull* compared to the output from the R200 (dye).

Specific queries are:

- Has anyone tried both Canon and Epson photo printers, and if so, which brand do you prefer, and could you recommend a particular model? Is colour management easier on the Canon range?

- Are there any pigment printers on the market that produce very high gloss prints?

Thanks in anticipation!


* Using photo black cartridge

[The Crofter]

I have used Epson for a long as I can remember. Currently using an R2400 (A3) for all my quality prints. Most important thing about any printer is getting a good profile for the paper in use. I would doubt there are many differences between machines from different manufacturers at the same price point so it probably comes down to previous experience. I believe that dye will give longer light fastness than pigment.

All my colour management is done through photoshop, colour correction is disabled in the printer. I still have 1500, P200 and 950 printers that get used on an occasional basis. The 1500 has to be 10 years old now but still grinds away on low quality paper when needed. Not sure I would buy another A4 printer but I do print a lot of larger pics for the gallery so the 2400 was justified and has paid for itself.

[Moglet]

I believe that dye will give longer light fastness than pigment.

Unless I'm very much mistaken, Pat, it's the other way round.

I'm looking for an A4 printer specifically because I already have two A3 printers, and because an A4 printer is cheaper!

Using the existing printers isn't an option because, as I mentioned in my first post, they don't produce really high-gloss output.

[Spit]

Could you cold laminate them after printing? That hotpress cold roller demo at the spring fair was impressive.

[John]

If your printer is giving you good results, and the only reason that you are considering a change is because of the message thrown up by an internal counter in your printer, you can reset the counter to give you another go using special software.

I have recently reset the counter on my Epson for the second time in its life. The output is still as good as ever. Had I heeded this warning from Epson, I would now be on my third printer in 4½ years.

[Moglet]

Could you cold laminate them after printing? That hotpress cold roller demo at the spring fair was impressive.

I suppose that I could achieve a shine off the image that way, Steve, but overall the colours on gloss prints are 'deadened' on the pigment ink printers (and they're more prone to bronzing, IMO), so no amount of laminate is going to correct that. Solid black areas on prints from the R200 are, by comparison, like looking into deep, inky pools!

If your printer is giving you good results ... you can reset the counter to give you another go using special software.

That's a real gem of information, John! The output from the printer is still class A. Where might I find this wondrous software of which you speak?

[The Crofter]

Áine, You are of course correct regarding dye vs pigment. It is worth pointing out that the Epson K3 inks and latest printers use a pigment formulation that has a gamut approaching dye ink so performance is far better than older printers. Probably why I am so pleased with the ouput from my 2400. If you want me to print one of your pics on my machine for comparison then pm for details. However you can probably find someone closer

[John]

I might have the one for your printer, I'll check in the morning when back at work. Otherwise you will have to do a search for your model's.

[Moglet]

Epson K3 pigment inks ..gamut approaching dye inks... If you want me to print one of your pics on my machine for comparison then pm for details.

That's an encouraging development, Pat! I might very well take you up on your kind 2400 print sample offer at some stage, Pat.

I might have the one for your printer, I'll check in the morning when back at work. Otherwise you will have to do a search for your model's.

Thanks, J. You're a star!

[John]

Unfortunately the resetting utility that I have is for the R220.

However this site describes a minual method for resetting the protection counter on your machine as well as providing a link for a software solution.

[markw]

resetting printers seems to be one of those things that printer manufacturers dont want you to know. I have a Oki colour laser printer that having gone through its first black toner cartridge lasted only a few months on its second cartridge before it was telling me that the cartridge needed replacing. Doubting that it had gobbled up all the toner from a high capacity cartridge I did a bit of research on the net only to find that obsolescence is more than built into these machines - they are designed to make sure that you spend your hard earned cash on consumables as often as possible.

The research came up with a procedure where you press button combinations to reset the internal counter to 0 - annoying message disappeared and printer works as new.

[Moglet]

Yay! Another Forum success story.

I've found a little utility that actually gives the current and maximum protection counter values, and all that will need changing is the cleaning pad. Apparently the existing one is good to go for another 15,000 (ahem!! ) pages. And there was me thinking I was neurotic... )

Thanks for the leads and advice, chaps!

Even though I've got a work-around for my immediate problem, I'd still very much welcome any comments on developments in inkjet technology if anyone has a mind to offer, especially with regard to getting really glossy prints from pigment printers.