Help on printer suggestion

Jay Reeves wrote:

Hi Craig,

I am very much less experienced than most others on this forum - but here are some thoughts.

I have the R3000 and am very satisfied with the decision to buy this printer. Also am using Cone inks and can't begin to tell you how thrilled I am with the results. http://shopping.netsuite.com/s.nl/c.362672/sc.11/.f I switched inks one at a time as the Epson carts ran out and had no trouble with colors using some OEM and some Cone. It works fine with paper profiles from Epson and other paper suppliers. Am now running all Cone Color inks. Inks for R3000 here http://shopping.netsuite.com/s.nl/c.362672/sc.11/category.53650/.f

And another interesting possibility is InkThrift Inks http://shopping.netsuite.com/s.nl/c.362672/sc.29/category.68511/.f Don't recall any feedback on these, but have some advantages as described in the link.

If you are considering using 3rd party inks it would be best to do research and make that choice first so your printer choice doesn't limit the ink choice. And if you decide to go with 3rd party inks ask on this forum - it is best stick one of the few highly regarded suppliers.

Here is a past thread that is worth reading - what starts as a discussion about choosing papers moves to ink type and cost of printing. http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/thread/2958812 Worth reading. It seems that there are no limits to paper type (gloss or matte) if you choose a pigment ink vs. dye inks that have some limitations as far as paper compatibility? - somebody could check me on that. Also Atlex.com ( think it is Atlex) has a page on the cost to print, but have not been able to find it. Anybody help?

Perhaps the most important thing to think about relates to your original post that "I use int once in awhile but would use a photo printer more if I get really good output at a reasonable cost." I am not sure about 3rd party inks for the 1430, good choices are likely available, and that might be the best choice if the printer sits unattended for a while.

OTOH, I am having a ball with the R3000 - run a nozzle check once a week and try to print at least a 4x6 or 5x7 once a week to avoid clogs. Others have rerported going for longer without using the printer and have no clogging problem. Somebody on this forum (Bryan?) said opertaing a printer is sort of like having a pet - needs attention and care.

For my uses, there is no way I could justify the cost of printing other than the satisfaction I get from the process which includes learning from this forum. The other night I printed several different versions of a photo to see which I liked best - it was a satisfying learning experience. Wouldn't have done that if I was sending out for prints or using OEM inks.

Good luck,

Jay