On Wednesday, Oct 30, 2002, at 23:43 Europe/London, Marten van de Kraats wrote:
Utter pishaw (I did change that word too!). Name me ONE £50 (Euro70?? - I'm not gonna ask any of you guys in the US as everything is much cheaper there!! ;) ) inkjet that can produce a decent photo quality print. That's how much my Lexmark cost (admittedly second hand but it's only 1 year old this Xmas). OK if you buy a NEW £80 inkjet printer you expect photo printing as standard, at 1200dpi, but a cheap @$$ printer is not expected to do stuff like that. I also think some people do buy inkjets as small-time document printers only, as low cost laser printers are too expensive and only do black and white.The whole point of using modern inkjets is their ability to print high quality photo prints. If it is just for printing small docs, you might as well use some old hp deskjet/deskwriter or keep a fabled LW IIg around like I do. A modern inkjet printer that is only a 'great small-time document printer' just isn't good enough.
When I said they were not too good at photos I didn't meant the output is atrociously unacceptable, it's just not on a par with Epson's photo printing engine (because Lexmark printers use a lot less ink buy using a clever system for dithering, but it's optimised for document colour not photo printing). The average unknowing person can't tell the difference. From 'sitting on the mantle piece above the fire' distance it looks really good on gloss paper, it's just a little flimsy when scrutinised. And by 'small time document printer' I meant small business, shoulda made that clear I think.
I wouldn't have bought a Lexmark if I'd needed a photo printer, I'd have bought an Epson. The fact is my dad has an Epson Photo Stylus that is only 9 months old and produces professional quality photos, I can use that if I need to. I do a lot of printing of text files, resumes and Illustrator drafts as well as other stuff like that that needs colour but not photo quality output. My z52 is a great printer for that kind of thing and produces black document print and block colour that is on a par for sharpness with a low cost laser printer.
The inherent flexibility of digital photography allows you to cut costs by discarding the pictures you don't want before the developing stage. This cuts costs all round. Also home users can view pictures on TV or the computer meaning you only really have to print them out when you want to frame on and stick it over the fireplace or send it to a relative or friend.I have my doubts about this being true. Considering the costs of both the ink cartridges and glossy photo paper, having your photo's developed and printed by some photo shop doesn't seem to be that bad a deal...
3 megapixel cameras, such as the Olympus Camedia C-300 Zoom my mum got for here birthday, come in well below £300 for the camera themselves. She got the package which included 2 sets of NiMH batteries, 2 64MB Memory cards and a case for £350. The picture quality is exquisite and sharp as a pin. Need I got any further?Besides high quality digital cameras aren't exactly a bargain either.
Erm, it's a perfectly good printer thanks, and the drivers are very good, as I said. And on the subject of drivers I only have to utter the word Epson on OS X lists and see people flee in all directions screaming. I think they have gotten it sorted out now but the nightmares surrounding support for Epson USB printers with the dawn of OS X 10.1 still bring tears to the eyes of grown men...Good driver, bad driver, what is the point when the printer in question isn't good enough...
I'd cull this thread for being off-topic, being the list nanny and all, but there are no Mac printing lists (that I know of) so I guess we have to talk this over somewhere!
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Mark Benson
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