What is the best current printer in the 199 and lower bracket for printing photo quality pics? Epson, HP, Lexmark?

NICKel

Golden Member
May 7, 2000
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I was in the market for a new printer... And I thought I would draw upon the rich and esteemed peers here at ANandtech for and opinion....

I am coming out of a much beloved Epson Photo 700. Which on glossy paper is damn near closest thing I've seen this side of a Dye-sub pinter.



I was really impressed with this printer at the store..... Has any

Heard anything good about the new Epson 780 Photo 2800 DPI ????
 

IBhacknU

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 1999
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I use the HP932C which I think is around that price range. Output on glossy paper is damn fine using the printing software and all.
 

Deicide

Banned
Mar 5, 2000
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In that price range, Epsons have the best image quality of any printer. Most computer art magazines I read rate the Epson printers higher than HP, Lexmark, etc.
 

iamwiz82

Lifer
Jan 10, 2001
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epson's are noutriously picky though. We have about 20 epson 800's, 850's and 860's in the company i work for, and everyone of them is a pain in the butt to get to work sometimes. We gave up with them and are now moving to xerox printers.
 

SpongeBob

Platinum Member
Jan 16, 2001
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I just got an Epson Stylus Color 760 a few months ago, it does the job for photos very well in my opinion.
 

ArkAoss

Banned
Aug 31, 2000
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I got a lexmark z52, about a year ago and it's great, fast and nice resolution. I've had pictures on photo paper, they look spectacular, some fading. might not fade as much, if I where to use photo ink.

I printed pictures of fireworks, actual fireworks, from my digital camera, and they look really nice. but hey. if I hadn't been a compusa employee, I might not have known. If I ever need to buy another printer, I might give an epson a try. but the lexmark is fine for now. I remember at comp, tons of people who had gotten epsons, would keep coming back, and they'd buy sheets of poster size photo paper, and they loved it.
 

divinemartyr

Platinum Member
Oct 18, 2000
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Epson's ink is alcohol-based and will dry up rather quickly.

Currently, while unknown, the Xerox printers are about the best you can buy. They have good ink, individual cartridges by color (you only pay $12 to replace the one you run out of) and they have great print quality.

dm
 

loup garou

Lifer
Feb 17, 2000
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Yes, Epson's ink fades super-fast, especially the red. We have tons of photos at work that I prinited out that are allow yellow-green now. I still love my 740 though. :)
 

divinemartyr

Platinum Member
Oct 18, 2000
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Depends on if you need a multifunction or just a printer. If you just need a printer, I highly recommend the DocuPrint M760. Here is a review of it if you're interested. You can find it alot lower than they list it at on there now though.

One of the biggest advantages to Xerox printers is the cost of the cartridges and how much each cartridge prints. Easily beats out Lexmark, Canon, or HP, and one thing no one manufacturer offers that I know of, Xerox offers overnight exchange for the first year, no questions asked.

dm
 

SloppyB

Senior member
Dec 6, 2000
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The Epson color fading should be taken care of if you are buying new ink. However, you should frame or store in plastic all of your prints regardless of your printer.

I use my computer almost exclusive for photo work and I have an Epson 1270 (the big brother to the 870) and it produces exceptional prints.
 

divinemartyr

Platinum Member
Oct 18, 2000
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<< The Epson color fading should be taken care of if you are buying new ink. However, you should frame or store in plastic all of your prints regardless of your printer. >>



I personally was not talking about the fading of the prints, when I mentioned their ink is alcohol based and will dry up quickly. I was stating the fact that if you don't use this printer at least a couple of times daily, the life of its ink cartridges is significantly lower compared to HP or Xerox.

dm
 

loup garou

Lifer
Feb 17, 2000
35,132
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Yes, I've noticed the prints we have in frames have not faded. Also, we've started to laminate our prints too...they look really nice that way, plus they're everything-proof! :)
 

SloppyB

Senior member
Dec 6, 2000
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divinemartyr...while you point may be true (don't know...I print daily) Epson did have a problem with either a loss or gain in a blue tint in the print after a few days of being exposed air. Again, I think that it has been fixed.

If I was doing it again I would buy the Epson 2000P for the 200 year print life.