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New Epson Printers for Contax Images

> As a newcomer to this computer printing lark I have not got a clue as> yet as to what is the difference between dye based and pigmented inks. > Have you time to expand quickly?

Well , they both have their strengths and weaknesses so you need to decide which is important and live with whatever trade-off that may entail .The more common dye-based inks do not have anything like the longevity of the pigments , but they tend to be slightly less fussy about the paper you use . Typically dye-based inks tend to print brighter and with more saturation colour-wise . On the other hand , the pigments generally need a coated paper as the inks are not absorbed like the dye ones . The new Ultrachrome inks [as per Epson 2100/2200], and some of the third party stuff are an improvement in terms of colour and are less prone to the infamous colour shifts[known as Metamerism] when viewed in different lighting situations . However , if you need a decent lifespan for your prints , or are going to sell them , you should probably be looking at pigment based inks . Unfortuantely their are still trade-offs whichever way you go..... Steve
 
This is a slightly off topic tip. Some of you may already do this. I have an epson 1520 that I've had since 1997. At one point when the heads got clogged badly after using some very bad quality ink cartridges, I called a repair shop. Instead of them taking it in and charging me to fix it, they told me how to do it myself. This has become standard practice for me since then. I go to the local Radio Shack (electronics store) and buy a bottle of Professional Tape Head Cleaner. With the ink cartridges out of the printer, I take q-tips (cotton swabs) dipped in the solution and clean where the cartrige was seated until the cotton swabs come out clean. (can take a 6-8 double ended swabs sometimes). I let this dry out, and then place the new cartridges in, run a cleaning twice and everything is good as new. While I have tried the cleaning cartridges (3rd party brand) they don't do as good of a job as when I do it by hand this way. Hope this might be of value to someone. (as a matter of fact I just cleaned mine 5 minutes ago) Best, Lynn
 
Hi Steve,
I just wondered what you thought of Kodak dye sub printing. I have heard very good reports of it.
Sorry if this is a little off topic.
John
 
> I just wondered what you thought of Kodak dye sub printing. I have> heard very good reports of it.

Sorry John this is an area I know nothing about , and I must say , something I hear increasingly scarcely mentioned on other news groups etc...... Steve
 
Thanks Steve. It was just that I had read a pretty glowing report in a UK magazine although I think that it's a fair bit more expensive than inkjet.
John
 
Claus, I hope you didn't throw out your Epsons that had clogged print heads. They are often very easily fixed. I clean mine all the time. I posted this on another thread some weeks ago - but all I do is take a bottle of tape head cleaner from the electronics store. (Used to clean the heads of cassette tape decks for stereo equipment) It is basically a mix of strong alcohols. I take a cotton swab dipped in the solution and clean the spot where the ink cartridges are seated until it comes out clean. If it is very clogged I will sometimes let a few drops of the solution sit there (replenishing if it evaporates) until it eats through the sludge. It is a bit tedious if yours if very dirty and clogged, but it has never failed me. And best of all, it is cheap.
happy.gif
If you want to get rid of these printers that you feel are useless - and are local to the USA - I'd gladly take them off your hands and try to revive them. Good luck! -Lynn
 
>> I don't think that the speed of my computer is the problem.

Hi Paul,

I wasn't implying that your computer is not fast enough. My point was that your computer, software and printer work together as a system, and you need to look at the whole system if something is not right - a hardware or software problem on the computer side is as likely to be the problem as the printer is. There are also a number of preference settings that can affect speed.

Once the printer starts printing, your computer keeps feeding it image data until the page is about 90% complete. Does the print head keep moving at a constant pace, or does the printer do lots of little pauses? The pauses could mean that the printer is slow because it's not getting data as fast as it needs it.

I think I read that some Epson printers are very sensitive to USB problems - too long a cable, the wrong type of cable, a defective or damaged cable. You might look at this carefully (if this is how you connect your printer), as this could seriously compromise data transfer speed.

- Paul
 
>Andreas, >I have been using the 2200 for several months. I recommend that you start >with the Enhanced Matt paper and use the matt black ink. I agree with Guy, >the velvet paper is great. But get your experience on a cheaper paper. And >until you get experienced, stick with the Epson paper and inks. There are >enough little gotchas without introducing unnecessary options. I find a $$ >savings by buying at atlex.com.

Fred
 
Speaking of the Epson 2200 printer, does anyone have any expierence with the Gretag Macbeth Eye-One color calibration system? Is it worth the $1300.00 investment for a pro photogragher?
 
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