I've got an ET-7700 that I have been trying to resurrect (Nozzle Cleaning / Power Cleaning) to provide (just) acceptable prints. I thought I was having some luck...but after a couple decent prints it reverted back to ink spray and color problems. Frustrating...

I've been contemplating trading up to an Epson ET-8550. All I read indicates it should be a much stronger photo printer. Does anyone have any experience to share?

Would hope to be able to get to a space where I don't feel like I am always fighting the printer.

Thx in advance.

Doug

I went out on January 28, 2024 to a new area for me at a spot called F.W.R. Dickson Wilderness Area just because the day was so nice for the end of January, it was about 4 degrees Celsius (about 40 Fahrenheit) and the sun even tried poking thru the cloud cover a few times. I had seen that there had been a few Tufted Titmouse seen in this location and since it had been a few years since I had seen any and this area was only about 30 minutes from home I thought why not.

It ended up being one of those fantastic days when you are out birding that it seems like you can do no wrong and even the bird that for the past 8 years I have spent the entire year trying to get a decent photo of showed up and showed off. Everything was shot on my old Nikon d300 using the Sigma 100-400mm, edited in Affinity and Topaz Photo AI

Hope you enjoy the photos and since this is my first post of the new year I wish you all the best in 2024.

Sorry, but this doesn't apply to people. Small dogs with long snouts tend to live longer that flat-faced dogs. That seems to be true in my experience.

Smaller dogs with long noses, like miniature dachshunds and shiba inus, live the longest, according to an analysis of over 580,000 dogs in the UK. After studying data from various sources, including vets, pet insurance companies and animal welfare charities, researchers found that small, long-nosed dogs of both sexes had the highest life expectancy, surviving 13.3 years on average. With an expected lifespan of just 9.1 and 9.6 years old, male and female medium-sized, flat-faced dogs had the worst outcomes, respectively. “Many flat-faced breeds, small or large, don’t do well, for example French bulldogs, St Bernards and presa canarios,” says Kirsten McMillan at Dogs Trust, a welfare charity in the UK.
NewScientist

Two nights ago I did a gig at a Chamber of Commerce event at a very high end community center. I was hired by the chamber, as was a social media guy, and a video guy. There was also an independent person taking photos. What we all had in common (and this has never happened before!) was we were all using Sony equipment. Now I know this will ruffle the gentle feathers of so many on this blog, but the reality is that market share is everything, and I as a Sony shooter am even amazed at how much is changing in the professional sphere. Years ago it was rare to find a pro shooting Sony, and now it seems that we are the majority. For there to be four image makers at an event and all of them using Sony had me pretty shocked. People vote with their feet and their money, and the other brands have to be on notice to up their game.