I was going to just finish reading this thread and move on...but the quote from bassanova, just stopped me and reminded me of a couple years back, and felt I should share my experience and perhaps relate to those that might have felt or concluded things or on the fence about the same experiences.
anyone running an inkjet should just factor in a realistic amount of wastage and then move on
Thats a problem. While the statement can cover any printer, ...there are other concerns that someone in the market for a new machine should consider.
I don't think the printer should be my first thought when I walks in the studio..."ooh, I better feed it some ink before it makes a mess of thing". I rather forget it is there until I need it, and get a print from it without a hicup. Or go on vacation, leave it on/off, and come back in a week, throw a file at it, get the print. That is a no nonsense printer.
I have the older Desigjet130, and
in almost 2 YEARS I have needed to change ONE printhead cartridge (HP sent 2 for me, due to out of date), with NO nozzle checks or cleanings, PERIOD. ( I can just see now after I said it, a number of problems spring up at me...hahaha). but really, After doing that for years with the Epson, I feel liberated.
I do love the "charactor" of the Epsons print, but I certainly dont miss it with all else that comes in. today i did a testprint for image quality, and it was perfect with no nozzle problems. Thats what I expect from a printer that is at the entry Pro level, specially at the production pro level.
Even the most trouble free users are either always running a clog check or clean cycle, or the printer is running almost nonstop...and that is a great thing in production. But humidity? and not printing daily causing issues? This really should be unacceptable at a pro level. I know it may sound a bit harsh, but come on! why do some companies address areas of a problem and another cannot correct things for YEARS. Unless it makes them more money selling ink...but thats a underhanded business model.
I have used Epsons from the begining...The Epson Stylus Color, I thought the prints were unreal...as if I were dreaming that the photo was coming out of the printer.
Then some 980?, then the 1280, then the 3000, then the Pro5000 with a hardware RIP($$$), stand the full features, then the Pro4000, and when I was working at a company with the 7500, that was the last I used. Since then HP had been improving their print quality. And they had finally caught up...
After these years, I still read the same or related issues on the Epson's newer machines. Its a love and hate relationship, or a acceptance of the daily tuning before things get going, or you change to something reliable. For all I know the HP Z series maybe experiencing its own issues (soon I will be looking at them before getting the Z3200). UV inks can be some of the issue, but I dont think all as before the UV Epson had clog problems. No machine is perfect.
When you add up the cleaning, the clogging, the daily tune to keep things smooth running, the ink wasting and humidity level(?) etc... I come to think that those are the folks that are willing to sacrifice for the beautiful output the Epson deilvers without a doubt. I remember having one of my files printed on the Epson 7600 vs the DJ130 I had access to..... and I thought, wow, the charactor out of the 7600 withOUT a RIP, was just bliss, beautiful, and ACCURATE tones and smooth transitions. Without the RIP on the HP, I cursed it. After the RIP on the HP, I purchased it(DJ130). I was looking for my particular needs in color accuracy, more than anything Fine Art related, But if tone, color and transitions are improved on the HP Z vs the 130, I can't think of a reason Not to get the HP. For those that have been there and done that apples to apples comparison, and still pick the Epson...I applaud you.
