No more home printers !

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mick m43

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For many years I have used Epson printers. Epson, along with other printer firms, sell paper and ink but it is like dealing with bandits, rip off prices. I put up with this but printers do fail so I bought a new one. Something is wrong, the photos are not sharp. Back to the computer, photos look good on screen, check sharpening level, still poor photos. Printer checked, head cleaned and aligned etc, still no luck.

I did a final check on the computer, cropped the photos, checked screen, exported photos to a memory card. Went to a shop I used some time ago. They still have a Kodak dye sub printer with four screens for customers to use. Prints pop out in a few seconds. What on earth have Kodak done ?, prints are superb, very sharp, correct colours etc etc. The prints look better than I recall from the past.

The shop can offer prints from 6x4 up to 12x8 inches, fine for me. Have spent time trying to calculate cost. Inkjets are difficult to cost with cartridges needing replacement but not all in one go. I am now certain that there is no disadvantage in paying the shop.

I will only use the Epson for printing black & white documents but it is of no use for photos. Have checked the recent Kodak dye sub prints against older prints from Epson printers that did work. I prefer the dye subs ! No more paying for printers, paper and ink. No more printer breakdowns leaving me with cartridges that cannot be used in a new replacement model. Epson are working a real con with that.

This is just my view, yours may well be different.
 
My canon pixma packed up last week and I've come to the same conclusion. I've replaced the canon with a basic brother printer for office docs and photos will go to printers now.
 
I have not printed anything for ages but when I did I used a local printing company.
They could produce a 10*8 print better than me and for less than I was paying for paper
 
Totally agree. When I did have photo printer I didn't print much and when I did I was often frustrated with wasted prints caused by ink issues etc. Home printing is fine if you print often but for me I prefer to pay for best labs for the few prints I require. I now have a fairly basic Canon printer/scanner for printing docs which it does without any fuss and is good on ink usage.
 
I should have added something to my original post. I am pleased with the Kodak dye sub prints from the shop but some time ago I owned a Canon Selphy 6x4 printer. Prints were not as good as the Kodak and the printer fan sucked in dust so all prints had three white spots. This it seems is a common problem. Dye sublimation is fine in the shop but a dye sub printer for large prints can cost £thousands if you want one at home. Owning anything means you are at risk of breakdowns and paying out.

Only joined the site today, hello and thanks for your replies so far.

I think micro 4/3 is the only true religion, any one agree ? !!!!!!
 
Me too, I gave up on home printing a couple of years ago for the same reasons as the OP. Shame, as I would rather print my own work to have that 'beginning' to 'end' satisfaction, printing is the weak link in enthusiast digital photography IMO, and if some manufacturer could come up with some foolproof printing hardware/technique I think they would turn a good profit.
 
Welcome to TP Mick.

Printing at home isn't a financially sensible decision. But then - most of my photo gear isn't a financially sensible decision. I don't know why I spent thousands on equipment over the years to then present my image online (which needs tiny file sizes) or on cheap 8x10s from the local lab. When (if?) my Epson packs up, I'll be getting another one without a shadow of a doubt. I believe that it is possible to print high quality fine art images at home, but I know that it isn't cheap. I'd never get a printer that had small carts though. My 220ml tanks cost around £90 (new) and I need 8. This sounds like a lot, but I've changed 3 in the last 12 months. Price per ml is cheaper than most printers out there.

And there is no feeling quite like seeing a large print roll off the printer knowing that I created that - start to finish. Financially sensible - no. Sense of satisfaction - priceless. better than a lab? By a country mile. And at larger sizes on fine art paper - the prices are comparable.
That's just me though. Your mileage may (and sounds like it does) very well vary. :)

Again - welcome to TP. Hope you enjoy your stay with us.
 
i only use my printer for docs now
far better and cheaper prints from the shops
 
Gave up a long time ago due to my inability to 'get it right'.
Now have a mono wireless laser.
Can't say I miss my colour printer and associated paper....

It does make me choose the pictures I want printed more carefully!
 
mick m43 said:
I should have added something to my original post. I am pleased with the Kodak dye sub prints from the shop but some time ago I owned a Canon Selphy 6x4 printer. Prints were not as good as the Kodak and the printer fan sucked in dust so all prints had three white spots. This it seems is a common problem. Dye sublimation is fine in the shop but a dye sub printer for large prints can cost £thousands if you want one at home. Owning anything means you are at risk of breakdowns and paying out.

Only joined the site today, hello and thanks for your replies so far.

I think micro 4/3 is the only true religion, any one agree ? !!!!!!
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Welcome Mick .... as for "Religion" believe what you like :whistle:
 
That's like saying a carpenter should never make anything because he can buy something similar from IKEA for a fraction of the price.

For me, photography us my hobby and I get great pleasure from creating the end result. I also feel my photography has improved greatly since I've started printing my own work. I take less snapshots and try to in usage the end result before I even get the camera out.

Sure, I could send off digital files to be printed cheaper, but what's the point? I may as well sell all my gear now.
 
ecolema. I printed my own photos for years, enjoyed it, regarded it as a major part of the hobby, cost was not the problem. I would like to carry on but we have to be practical. Printers do not last and the quality has gone. Print quality is not good enough. Why carry on producing prints that are not good enough, and I sold some prints in the past but would not offer them now. My point about cost is that I am not really losing money by using the shop, and the print quality is good. For me there is no other sensible choice. I miss printing but there is no point in turning out rubbish.

I have spent money on cameras (plenty in 50 years !) and feel that I get good value for the money. I have spent a lot on printers paper and ink and feel that I have been robbed by bandits. I have no desire to risk buying another printer. If the printer in the shop breaks then it is of no cost to me !

To be honest how many of us made colour prints from film ? Black and white was easy but I doubt if colour printing was very popular. I one developed a Ferrarnia colour slide film, the colours would have pleased a junkie tripping on LSD !!!!
 
mick m43 said:
ecolema. I printed my own photos for years, enjoyed it, regarded it as a major part of the hobby, cost was not the problem. I would like to carry on but we have to be practical. Printers do not last and the quality has gone. Print quality is not good enough. Why carry on producing prints that are not good enough, and I sold some prints in the past but would not offer them now. My point about cost is that I am not really losing money by using the shop, and the print quality is good. For me there is no other sensible choice. I miss printing but there is no point in turning out rubbish.

I have spent money on cameras (plenty in 50 years !) and feel that I get good value for the money. I have spent a lot on printers paper and ink and feel that I have been robbed by bandits. I have no desire to risk buying another printer. If the printer in the shop breaks then it is of no cost to me !

To be honest how many of us made colour prints from film ? Black and white was easy but I doubt if colour printing was very popular. I one developed a Ferrarnia colour slide film, the colours would have pleased a junkie tripping on LSD !!!!
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Well you never said what printer you had or the quality of paper used. There are inkjet printers and inkjet printers.

Both Epson and Canon make excellent printers but don't expect great print from a home printer costing £69.
I get fantastic results from my Epson SC-P600 but it cost near on £500. Prior to purchasing this printer I got prints from DSCL and they are certainly no better than what I can produce.

Many a pro photographer print their own prints and sell them, so to say you can't get the quality from home printing just tells me you were doing it wrong.
 
ecoleman. I was doing it right in the past and produced quality. but the latest printer is no good. You did not read my comment very well. Your blunt "you were doing it wrong" is not a very pleasant attitude, I thought this would be a nice site devoid of this sort of insulting but clearly not. Read this and I will then delete my comment and membership. I really hate the web at times.......
 
mick m43 said:
ecoleman. I was doing it right in the past and produced quality. but the latest printer is no good. You did not read my comment very well. Your blunt "you were doing it wrong" is not a very pleasant attitude, I thought this would be a nice site devoid of this sort of insulting but clearly not. Read this and I will then delete my comment and membership. I really hate the web at times.......
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I wasn't blunt at all. Grow up.

You stated that printers (plural) didn't last and didn't produce the quality. I merely pointed out that this statememt was incorrect.

Anyway, we'll miss you. Bye!
 
mick m43 said:
ecoleman. I was doing it right in the past and produced quality. but the latest printer is no good. You did not read my comment very well. Your blunt "you were doing it wrong" is not a very pleasant attitude, I thought this would be a nice site devoid of this sort of insulting but clearly not. Read this and I will then delete my comment and membership. I really hate the web at times.......
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Oh dear Mick you didn't last long. You got some folks agreeing with you too. Ah well c'est la vie.
 
mick m43 said:
ecoleman. I was doing it right in the past and produced quality. but the latest printer is no good. You did not read my comment very well. Your blunt "you were doing it wrong" is not a very pleasant attitude, I thought this would be a nice site devoid of this sort of insulting but clearly not. Read this and I will then delete my comment and membership. I really hate the web at times.......
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though it pains me to say it Elliott is probably right. home printing is not easy. I went on an Epson printing course and once I was taught the correct way to do it my print quality was 100% better.home printing is not easy it takes more than just some bull from a sales rep in store to show you what amazing prints you can get from XXX printer but when you get it home its nothing like you expect. is your monitor calibrated have you got an icc file for your paper from the manufacturer etc etc getting it RIGHT can be a long haul jmho cheers Mike.
 
Deleted all his comments - it sounds like he is something that rhymes with his name just because somebody didn't agree with him. Good riddance really, if everyone did that when someone disagreed with them then the forum would be an empty place.
 
Ploddles said:
Deleted all his comments - it sounds like he is something that rhymes with his name just because somebody didn't agree with him. Good riddance really, if everyone did that when someone disagreed with them then the forum would be an empty place.
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if i had to delete all my posts to leave the forum i'd be here for a week LOL
 
Sorry folks, I really wasn't trying to be nasty.

I was just trying to point out that you can get good results from home printing and maybe he was doing something wrong if that wasn't the case for him.

I did think it was a bit of an odd first post though. Did he sign up to the forum just to tell us how crap home printing was? And did he expect everybody to just agree?

Oh well :whistle:
 
A warning has been given for this post
Yesterday I deleted all my comments but today they return. If some Admin is f*****g me about then do not. I am trying to leave the site. I should have the basic f*****g right to delete my comments.

Why is some asshole putting my comments back and preventing me from leaving the site ?
 
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mick m43 said:
Yesterday I deleted all my comments but today they return. If some Admin is f*****g me about then do not. I am trying to leave the site. I should have the basic f*****g right to delete my comments.

Why is some asshole putting my comments back and preventing me from leaving the site ?
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You can delete your account but you can not delete your comments. They will be reinstated again.
See you other thread on how to delete your account, although I wouldn't worry about that, calling the admins c#*"& will get you a free indefinite ban anyway.

I think it's time you leave now and don't come back. We don't want people like you here.
 
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