Leon S Loc: Minnesota

I have been having problems getting ink for my Canon ip 4200 printer. The printer has served me well for over four years, but if I order a new set of ink cartridges for it it will cost me almost as much as buying a new Canon six cartridge printer loaded with ink. My question is the Canon I am looking at prints 9600 dpi. Most other printer print 4800 dpi. A good Epson will print 5600 dpi. I shoot a d700 12 mp Nikon. Will the 9600 dpi print more detail for me than my 4800 dpi present Canon or for that matter the 5600 dpi Epson? Secondly the 9600 dpi Canon also uses a gray ink. Will that mean I will get better color and black and white out of it than a printer without the gray cartridge? This question is not about Canon vs Epson vs anything else, only what I have asked. Thanks.

Apaflo Loc: Anchorage, Alaska

You've done a very good job of finding the significant questions to ask!

First, Gray ink (and other odd colors too). The various shades of black will mostly provide better BW prints. But they'll also help with the dynamic range of color prints. Other colors add slightly to the "colorspace" the printer can attain. A simple CMYK printer cannot generate some of the colors within sRGB or aRGB as well as a printer with two or more added shades. Different manufacturers have made printers with different added colors. (They are all very good too.)

Printer resolution is hard to understand. I do commercial printing, with Epson printers, and will use those as examples. Canon and HP printers vary in the exact numbers, but it works the same.

Between manufacturers the biggest difference is how many pixels from the image will be printed on a horizontal line. Epson uses 360 PPI, Canon and HP use 300 PPI. Be advised that various commercial printers from Fuji, Noritsu, Durst and so on use values from 300 to 406. Also note that Canon and Epson both have high resolution modes that manage 600 and 720 PPI respectfully.

For images, you can ignore the high resolution specifications. The only Epson printers that can do 5670 DPI are consumer grade printers. Resolutions higher than 400 DPI are great for text and line drawings, but are not for photography.

The Epson 4xxx, 7xxx, and 9xxx commercial grade printers are all intended for photography (the 7xxx and 9xxx cannot autofeed sheet paper and are actually only useful for roll paper). The maximum resolution they print at is 2880 DPI. They have 8 ink colors and 2880 DPI is 360 PPI (each pixel is an 8x8 matrix with as many as 64 individual dots of ink).

If you buy a printer for photographs only, 2880 DPI (or 2400 from Canon and HP) is all you need or want. Even then, to get greater speed you'll probably end up printing all but the most critical work at half that! Only if you print text, line drawings, graphic arts do you have a need for 600/720 PPI that requires 4800/5670 DPI.

billybob40

I keep on saying go with the CISS systems, go on ebay and find the one you in search. And how to use it on youtube.
I SAVE $1000s a year on ink.
www.snapANprint.com and www.noveltyPHOTObooth.com
We print over 10,000 8 x 10s a year.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Unfortunately, that's not unusual, and the ink cartridges you get with a new printer are not usually full - just a starter set.

It could actually be cheaper to keep buying new printers. CIS is the way to go if your model is supported.

dsmeltz Loc: Philadelphia

:thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

joer Loc: Colorado/Illinois

We have been doing just that for my wife's printer. The ink cartridges alone cost more than the printer with ink.

I buy third part ink cartridges at 1/2 the cost for my Canon 13" photo printer which see sporadic use.

Since I don't use it often more ink is consumed by cleaning than by printing. And Yes, the Canon cartridges were no different.

Apaflo Loc: Anchorage, Alaska

With a print volume that high, and assuming you are doing quality photographs as opposed to brochures, posters, menus, and other work with a relatively short life expectancy, a consumer grade printer with a CISS system is not sensible!

For archival print quality use OEM inks. The way to lower the cost is just as you are doing, but buying in large cartridges instead. For Epson printers the ink for an Epson 3000 costs $1.17 per milliliter. The low end commercial grade 3880 uses ink that costs $0.74/ml. The 4880 uses $0.51 ink, and the 4900, 79xx and 99xx printers can use either 350ml cartridges that cost $0.45/ml or 700ml carts that are $0.40/ml.

The commercial grade printers have a much better build quality, and above the 3880 low end model they can use roll paper and have vacuum assisted transport.

At something like 300 prints per year the reduced cost of ink literally pays for a high end printer.

The difference between using something like an Epson 4900, 7980 or 9980 compared to any consumer grade printer is easily worth what it takes. At 10,000 prints a year, the difference in time alone is worth any cost difference.

dsmeltz Loc: Philadelphia

And the printer company you work for is....?

Apaflo Loc: Anchorage, Alaska

If you'd like a laundry list of things I wish Epson would do differently, I can easily provide one.

The same economies are available with printers from other companies, but as you'll no doubt notice most serious commercial inkjet printing is done with Epson printers. We choose Epson because of the quality.

Printing 10000 8x10's a year using a consumer grade printer, even with a CIS, is a self inflicted hardship! Personally I am not even interested in an Epson 3880 because it doesn't do rolls and has no vacuum assisted paper transport. A lot of people put up with that because is is smaller and weighs less. It is more trouble to use and cost more in the long run.

billybob40

The best printers I've is an Epson 1400 with the CISS used 8 oz each color. 1000s prints some 13 x 19s, over 2 years service. Epson no longer makes the 1400 I get the Epson 1100 same service from it as the 1400. I only paid $200. each with the CISS with ink. This is why I shop ebay ever day. You might think I'm fill of it, look it my ebay feedback (otxjcom) ID.
www.snapshots2010.com www.snapANprint.com www.noveltyPHOTObooth.com

Leon S Loc: Minnesota

Thanks for the information. I've already learned that if I ask my wife a question, than I shouldn't ask anyone else, but here I go again. She stated that I would be better off with a Canon printer than an Epson because I don't print enough pictures. She states that the Epson heads will dry up faster than the Canon if not used regularly. I don't print on a regular basis. To your knowledge is that a valid concern. If it is any different than the Canon how long can I go without using the Epson. So far, I have not had a dry up problem with the Canon 4200.

Apaflo Loc: Anchorage, Alaska

All inkjet printers suffer from clogged nozzles. Which are the worst is hard to say! I've heard a lot of folks saying they have fewer problems with Canon printers than with Epson. Unfortunately some of the most reliable sounding comments say the opposite. I really do not have the answer.

I choose Epson because they make the best prints. And of the Epson printers it seems the 3880 has the fewest problems with clogged nozzles. But as I mentioned before, I have no interest in a printer that can't do rolls and has no vacuum assisted paper transport. Hence I'm not really able to provide you with solid advice.

Leon S Loc: Minnesota

Thanks, I'll keep reading before I choose which way to go.

Photographer Jim Loc: Rio Vista, CA

I agree with Apaflo on this. All printers can suffer from clogging if they sit unused over time. I believe that is a general problem rather than brand specific. In the absence of any hard data by independent testers, this sound more like someone not your wife - the person who told your wife. :-). ) using word of mouth comments they have heard in order to justify their own preference ( or past purchase).

That said, I went the other direction from Apaflo and continue to use Canon printers because they make great prints and have been exceptionally reliable. I am using the 9500 Mk ii 13" and a large 6400 24" with 300ml cartridges. Most people would not have need of the 6400, but the new Canon Pro series should definitely be considered when looking for a good home photo printer. Under their current rebate program you can buy one very good printer at a price that blows away spending the same amount on printers with a regular price in the same range as the final rebated price.

Michael Hartley Loc: Deer Capital of Georgia

Have to agree with Apaflo.