I printed a couple of photos on my old and reliable HP 960c today and the colour was pretty bad. In fact, ordinary b & w documents have been looking blurred, despite my efforts to clean the print nozzles. Cartridges are expensive, too.
A pity. In the past this machine has produced good quality stuff. I do realise that one of my problems is that I actually don't print very much at all and colour only very occasionally, so cartridges probably dry out and get clogged.
However, there are times when I want to produce good quality photos as well as general documents. I don't want an all-in-one as I have a perfectly good scanner, thank you. I'm not bothered about card-readers, display screens and editing facilitites on the printer - I do all of that on the PC. Not interested in wireless - the printer sits next to the PC on my worktop. I'm prepared to spend £100 - £200.
The Epson Stylus Photo P50 (Amazon - £110) looks good. Any comments or alternative recommendations?
|
>> The Epson Stylus Photo P50 (Amazon - £110) looks good. Any comments or alternative recommendations?
>> I do realise that one of my problems is that I actually don't print very much at all
>> and colour only very occasionally, so cartridges probably dry out and get clogged.
Get a cheap printer for day to day printing, and use either on-line, or a specialist to print the quality stuff for you, from a USB drive.
|
If you were originally happy with the printer then get a new cartridge. On this printer the cartridge includes a new print head.
I found the 960c expensive to run so gave it away and got a Canon years ago.
|
RTJ - good point.
However, I'm still wondering if there is some problem with the paper feed synchronising with the print heads. And of course the cost of new cartridges does rather put one off buying them before they're used up. Also, when I look inside the "parking area" for the cartridges it's covered with crud which I cannot get at to clean and I wonder if new cartridges will just get mucky straight away.
Oh well.
|
|
ST, I thought of this and in many ways it's a good idea. However, there are a few times when I want to make custom-sized prints (as today). You may still have a point, though.
|
"Get a cheap printer for day to day printing,"
It's not the cost of the printing but the cartridges that make printing expensive. I have a Pixma IP5200 which produces great prints and has been not trouble. It cost me £55 A set of cartridges however costs me £65. I probably spend £200 per year on cartridges
It is my only printer. Is there such a thing as a reasonably priced printer with cheap cartridges that I could use for everyday printing - Doesn't need to be particularly good quality or even in colour. Just cheap to run
|
>> It is my only printer. Is there such a thing as a reasonably priced printer
>> with cheap cartridges that I could use for everyday printing - Doesn't need to be
>> particularly good quality or even in colour. Just cheap to run
www8.hp.com/uk/en/products/printers/product-detail.html?oid=4110411
www.amazon.co.uk/P1102W-LaserJet-Wireless-Printer-AirPrint/dp/B003ANMPTI/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1322388376&sr=8-1-spell
Here ya go, an HP laserjet LASER printer, A toner cart will print 2100 pages, normal cost per cart £79, but £45 from amazon.
www.amazon.co.uk/Hewlett-Packard-CE278A-HP-Toner/dp/B003BFXFHG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1322388322&sr=8-1
Last edited by: Zero on Sun 27 Nov 11 at 10:07
|
>>
>> It is my only printer. Is there such a thing as a reasonably priced printer
>> with cheap cartridges that I could use for everyday printing - Doesn't need to be
>> particularly good quality or even in colour. Just cheap to run
>>
If you want to use OEM ink then HP claim lowest running costs, if you are happy (like me) with random 3rd party ink then Epsons tend to have widely available cheap ink, although always check cheap ink availability before buying the printer.
|
|
I'd suggest Canon ip4950. We've has the predecessor to this printer (ip4600) for two years now and it's been fantastic. www.pcpro.co.uk/reviews/printers/369511/canon-pixma-ip4950
|
Agree re Canon though it is usually cheaper to get photos printed on the high st or via an online service than to DIY.
|
I've been using one of these Epson SX218s with a variety of cheapo inks for 18 months+ with no hassle:-
tinyurl.com/cnf8x7f
Makes a respectable job of photos, although like others I mainly use online printing services.
I too have a proper scanner, but the availability of a high resolution colour ohotocopier function without booting a PC is convenient, and worth a few extra quid IMHO. The Epson bundled scanning software is more sophisticated than that supplied with my proper Canon scanner as well.
Replacement ink carts are around a quid each, typical example:-
www.kingcart.co.uk/epson-stylus-sx218-ink-cartridges.php?gclid=CLqZ3o3_1qwCFYENfAodhjAWuA
|
I use a P50 for colour and photos, but for day to day printing, I use a laser Brother that has a scanner and photo-copier built in.
Don't really do enough in colour, but the convenience is nice.
|
|
Whoops, my Epson is an SX215 not a 218, doesn't seem to be much difference though.
|
Photo-printer recommendations? - swiss tony
