Up to now, I’ve been busy learning to use PS 7.01 and my Minolta Dimage Scan Dual III scanner. Not owning a photo-printer, I’ve been letting Costco do my printing, and after quite a bit of color-management tweaking (by trial and error), I’ve been pretty satisfied with the results.
Now I want the convenience and satisfaction of doing my own prints, so I’ve been looking at inkjets. I would prefer a printer that can accommodate up to 13 x 19 paper, and the Canon S9000 and Epson 1280 are within my budget. My dilemma is that I’ve heard that banding is commonplace with the Canon and jet-clogging is a frequent problem with the Epson.
So far I haven’t been steered down the wrong path by following the advice from PS forum members, so what sayeth thou?
I have the 890 ( narrow version of the 1280 ) and it has been marvelous. I expect the Canon to be faster, though, from what I’ve heard. I use Monaco EZcolor for profiling various papers and get very good results. I’d expect the same on the 1280 .
I have the Canon i9100 and love it. Great printer and I love being able to swap out the individual ink tanks when they go empty. I haven’t had any banding problems with it. The Epson’s I have had I find waste a lot of ink trying to get the thing unclogged. It is a shame as they are good printers.
Know of any info regarding the permanence of their (regular) inks? While I intend to frame my (better) prints behind glass, they will hang on sun-lit walls!
Photobug, I’ve never had a clogged head with either my 890, 870, Epson Color II, or Epson 1520 ( that is in the way of being a testimonial ). I’m expecting to try out the Generations ProPhoto Archival inkset ( rated at 100 + years ) over the Christmas period. I get such predictable results from the Epson inks that I’m a little nervous about it, but the wheels are already turning.
NO PHOTOS should ever be displayed in sun light if you want them to last for any amount of time. I have been using an Epson 1270 for the last two and a halfyears. I’ve had to clean the heads about 6 times. I print daily, or nearly so. It has been a very reliable printer. For me, it’s Epson.
NO PHOTOS should ever be displayed in sun light if you want them to last for any amount of time. I have been using an Epson 1270 for the last two and a half years. I’ve had to clean the heads about 6 times. I print daily, or nearly so. It has been a very reliable printer. For me, it’s Epson.
If I’m going to display my best work in my home, I have little choice about sun light (in the AM). What if I spend more on the framing and get UV-coated glass?
photobug, Please note that I typed NO PHOTOS in capital letters. However, if you plan to display your photos for only a few weeks, or a couple of months I guess you the UV glass would help. You also will have the option of reprinting the photos whenever you need, once you have your own printer.
There are fewer options for paper choices with the pigment based inks. Not a concern for some, but I like the freedom to choose without many limits. For instance, a paper I plan to use for greeting cards had the warning, "Not compatible with pigment inks including Epson 2200/2000p". I have a Canon i9100 and love it. No banding, either. The 9000 prints awesome also, but I wanted the borderless option. As far as longevity, the paper plays a role in that, too. Thirty years is plenty for me, but they could last even longer under the right conditions. If you ever decided to refill the cartridges yourself, you can’t get easier than the S9000 or i9100(same cartridges). I don’t know about the Epson cartridges, but my old Epson Stylus 600 is near impossible.
I opt’ed for the Canon i9100 instead of the Epson 2200 because:
1. Print much faster 2. Color more brilliant 3. Ink cartridge empty out more, unlike Epson which only half empty 4. Printer price is cheaper 5. Printer is smaller, better looking and print the same size: borderless up to 13×19
As for print longevity, I think Canon claim 20 some years. For me a few years is long enough. Just remember even regular color photos don’t last very long.
If I’m going to display my best work in my home, I have little choice about sun light (in the AM). What if I spend more on the framing and get UV-coated glass?
Back in 1997 when I first got my Epson Stylus Photo printer (which I am still using), I loved it that I could print photos that looked just like photolab prints. I enthusiastically framed and hung some and gave some to family members. Within three months we realized that those dye-based inks were quite fugitive. Photos that received only a few hours of sunlight per day faded quickly and became studies in green — the magentas faded completely.
I also discovered that I couldn’t remove a fingerprint without leaving a noticeable blemish. I experimented with protective sprays, but couldn’t get satisfactory results. Then I took a look at laminating, and for me it was the perfect solution. Since 1997 I have been hot laminating nearly everything I print with ultraviolet inhibiting (UVI) film that incorporates UVA and UVB blockers in the adhesive layer of the film. That film is rated for a 500% increase in print life, but that may be conservative. All of my photoprint laminates still show no signs of fading, including those made in 1997. But in all fairness, most of my prints have since had very limited sun exposure.
There is a special glass (I think it is called museum glass) that incorporates ultraviolet protection, but it is quite expensive. I save a lot of money by making my laminating pouches from roll film rather than buying them readymade. I was driven to that because I make a lot of prints. And roll film offers a wider selection of films. But even if you buy readymade laminating pouches, lamination is much more economical than using museum glass if you make many prints.
Q Photo’s advice to keep your prints out of the sun is prudent. Even Epson recommends that the 2200 prints be mounted behind glass (although they didn’t specify museum glass.) But sometimes you want to display prints on a wall where there is sun exposure, and I say, go for it. Just keep a copy of the computer file, maybe on a CD, and reprint it when it fades. Or you could print an extra copy and store it for when you might need it.
Many of today’s inkjet dyes are much better than the dyes of my Epson Stylus Photo (since it was first it didn’t have a model number) and the Epson 2200 UltraChrome permanent pigment inks are better still. The 2200 inks can have bronzing problems on full glossy paper but on semi-gloss and matte papers I think it would be satisfactory for prints that get sunlight exposure. It might be a good idea to frame them behind ordinary glass.
As Cindy says, some papers are not suitable for the Epson 2200, but Epson offers several and several third party paper makers make papers suitable for the 2200. Since the pigment inks themselves are so permanent, the paper becomes the weak link for longevity, and archival papers are needed to get the full benefit of archival printing.
Cindy, Ana and (especially) Burton… Thanks for your interesting replies.
Seems like inkjet photo-printing has many pitfalls… To start with, clogged jets and banding were my major concerns, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg! I believe my outlook on permanence and longevity, etc. is not untypical. I’m not even thinking of 20+ years of color-retention, but I would like to hang my pictures on my walls (morning sun exposure) and not have the colors fade in just a couple of years. Reprinting and reframing more frequently than that would be a major drag! So if there are any other suggestions, please keep them coming.
I used a 1270 and didn’t have clogged jets AS LONG AS I used it rather frequently (4 13×19 inch prints or equlivlent a week). It did not take well to sitting idle. The remove the cartridge and put it right back for an extra heavy clean trick did help.
I’m now using a 2200 (avoiding the Premium Glossy Photo paper) and even with a 2 week down time have had no banding problems. I just wish the individual pigment cartridges were twice the capacity.
I don’t have any of the 1270 prints where they get direct sunlight, but behind cheap glass in a rather well lit by indirect sunlight and florescent office lighting don’t see any fade after 3 years. (Heavyweight Matte Paper)
The tubes do put out at least some UV as I had to use sun screen indoors under florescent lights when on antibiotics (Lyme Disease prevention measure). Without wearing the screen cream, I sure felt and showed the effects of the UV.
…but I would like to hang my pictures on my walls (morning sun exposure) and not have the colors fade in just a couple of years.
That’s asking quite a lot of dye-based inkjets. I would use pigment-based inks like the Epson 2200 for that. And I probably would laminate them for the extra protection. If you get a big juicy oily fingerprint on an inkjet print you can’t get it off without damaging the print.
Whereas, if it is laminated you can buff it off with a tissue or paper towel or take it to the kitchen sink and wash it with soap and water. Dish washing liquid is very effective. Just dry the laminate with a paper towel and it will be sparkling clean again. Laminates are very worry free.
Burton, where can I find out more about the UV film laminates you use? Are they all glossy finish or can they be had in a soft finish? How difficult are they to apply?
Lots of Q’s but I’m a beginner at this phase of the game…
The ink jet print is not an object of consequence. It’s cheap, quick, and replaceable.
Your original image is the thing of value.
Create ink jet prints till the cows come home. When you create a printed image that you want to be able to share with friends or family, something that requires permanence, have it printed photographically. Film and photographic paper have a history of surviving as evidenced at any flea market or yard sale.
Longevity of current technology is limited by our best guesses. There is no guarantee that what you print today will survive for 5, 10, or 15 years. There are just too many variables and unknown issues. Technology marches on, sometimes building on the knowledge that reveals itself only through the passage of time.
Example: Did you know that when a Teflon coated cooking utensil is used at high heat it emits a vapor that instantly kills birds.
Who knew something so prevalent could be so deadly? Who knows if something similar is happening to our inkjet prints?
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Photobug,
…but I would like to hang my pictures on my walls (morning sun
exposure)
and not have the colors fade in just a couple of years.
That’s asking quite a lot of dye-based inkjets. I would use pigment-based
inks like the Epson 2200 for that. And I probably would laminate them for the extra protection. If you get a big juicy oily fingerprint on an inkjet print you can’t get it off without damaging the print.
Whereas, if it is laminated you can buff it off with a tissue or paper
towel or take it to the kitchen sink and wash it with soap and water. Dish washing liquid is very effective. Just dry the laminate with a paper towel and it will be sparkling clean again. Laminates are very worry free.
…where can I find out more about the UV film laminates you use?
I have probably discussed UVI film laminates elsewhere in this forum, but I don’t mind talking about them again. I got my pouch laminator and most of my laminating supplies from USI. I don’t know what USI stands for, if anything, but they are probably the leading supplier of laminators and laminating supplies on this continent, if not the planet. You can request a catalog from USI Sales at 1-800-243-4565 8am to 6pm EST M-F or you can request one at their website:
They send out seasonal catalogs with interesting product information and special sales and a larger yearly catalog. I have requested their 2004 catalog but I guess I won’t be receiving it for a while. I plan to order a 25" roll of 15-mil UVI DigiSeal on a 2¼" or 3" core (the 1-inch cores wind the film too tight for my liking) because I really like the 10-mil UVI DigiSeal that I have been using and would like to make some even thicker laminates. You can ask laminator questions at USI Technical Assistance at 1-800-752-9131. They gave me a lot of good tips that helped me decide on which laminator I needed.
Are they all glossy finish or can they be had in a soft finish?
Most laminating films are glossy, but they also have satin finish and matte finish films. The matte finish film is so matte that you can write on the laminates with an ordinary lead (graphite) pencil. The matte is great for laminating calendars or anyplace where you might want to write on the laminate. The satin finish is not that matte, and you can’t write on it with a pencil, but it has a nice look and feel and is one of my favorites. I like both the glossy and the satin finish films, and use both. I haven’t purchased any matte finish simply because they didn’t offer it in a UVI version, but I did use a sample of it that came in my laminator’s sampler kit. I don’t know if the satin film is available in readymade pouches, but you can always do as I do and cut pieces off of a roll to make your own pouches.
How difficult are they to apply?
Using a pouch laminator is actually quite easy. (1) Insert the print in the film pouch. (2) Insert the pouch in the carrier. (3) Feed the carrier through the laminator. (4) Remove the finished laminate from the carrier.
You can ask laminator questions at USI Technical Assistance at 1-800-752-9131. They gave me a lot of good tips that helped me decide on which laminator I needed. They are the ones who gave me the idea about making my own pouches from roll film. They seem like nice people. I really enjoy the whole process of laminating.
PB, my Epson 1280 is 2 1/2 yrs old. Still is as consistent as the 1st day. Has never clogged and I have left it unused for up to 3 weeks at a time. The trick I found is to keep it covered (a loose fitting plastic sheet works fine). Rgds, MM
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