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which printer for high altitude use
- Thread starter Darby124
- Start date
fotografer
Veteran Member
Hi Darby,
Which HP cheapo are you referring to? Photoret, Photoret II, Photoret III or the new Photoret IV ones?
Thanks.
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Fotografer
Which HP cheapo are you referring to? Photoret, Photoret II, Photoret III or the new Photoret IV ones?
Thanks.
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Fotografer
It was where I used to work (school) and I do not remember the exact model, but it was about $200 new and later could be bought for half that.
fotografer
Veteran Member
Hi Darby,
I am suspecting you are referring to a Photoret enabled (first generation Photoret printer, with horrible photo print quality). With those pens, they are not good indeed with high altitude, but it's not because the ink is dry, but the pressure is not enough to cause the ink mechanism to squirt the ink out through the nozzles.
Now time is rather different. I don't know about your budget, and I presume you will be printing primarily photos from your printer. I also assume you are probably thinking of AS4/letter size printer, and not the large format ones.
Unless your altitude results in your environment being being dry (as opposed to humid), then Epson might not be a good choice, for they don't cap their inks very well, and despite their sales reps claiming clogging of Epson is a thing of the past, I beg to differ. Sales reps can promise the moon in order to sell their goods. Epson remained difficult with their clogging issues.
Canon and HP new varieties may be a better choice. Except Canon has permanent printhead while HP allows you a new printhead everytime you change your empty cartridge for a new one. The present HP has addressed the altitude pressure printing problems since the Photoret II pens (I know this because I worked in HP before, not a sales department, but the engineering/production/research department).
Canon seems to suffer from banding after some time, but if you are living in America, they are presently offering one year warranty to include their printhead, which traditionally gave up rather quickly and was considered a 'wear and tear' items not under coverage in the warranty. Now they do offer at least one year warranty covering printhead, and I think that seems reasonable.
Now all three major inkjet printer companies are giving awesome (comparable) color prints from their offer. HP, as far as I know, has addressed the pressure/altitude issue, Canon, I frankly don't know if they perform differently in high altitude at all. Epson would be the one I may avoid if I am you.
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Fotografer
I am suspecting you are referring to a Photoret enabled (first generation Photoret printer, with horrible photo print quality). With those pens, they are not good indeed with high altitude, but it's not because the ink is dry, but the pressure is not enough to cause the ink mechanism to squirt the ink out through the nozzles.
Now time is rather different. I don't know about your budget, and I presume you will be printing primarily photos from your printer. I also assume you are probably thinking of AS4/letter size printer, and not the large format ones.
Unless your altitude results in your environment being being dry (as opposed to humid), then Epson might not be a good choice, for they don't cap their inks very well, and despite their sales reps claiming clogging of Epson is a thing of the past, I beg to differ. Sales reps can promise the moon in order to sell their goods. Epson remained difficult with their clogging issues.
Canon and HP new varieties may be a better choice. Except Canon has permanent printhead while HP allows you a new printhead everytime you change your empty cartridge for a new one. The present HP has addressed the altitude pressure printing problems since the Photoret II pens (I know this because I worked in HP before, not a sales department, but the engineering/production/research department).
Canon seems to suffer from banding after some time, but if you are living in America, they are presently offering one year warranty to include their printhead, which traditionally gave up rather quickly and was considered a 'wear and tear' items not under coverage in the warranty. Now they do offer at least one year warranty covering printhead, and I think that seems reasonable.
Now all three major inkjet printer companies are giving awesome (comparable) color prints from their offer. HP, as far as I know, has addressed the pressure/altitude issue, Canon, I frankly don't know if they perform differently in high altitude at all. Epson would be the one I may avoid if I am you.
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Fotografer
Wow Fotografer, that's exactly the kind of information I needed to know. I will look at both the HP's and the Canon's and talk to the sale people in Denver about the altitude issues of cncern. I already had a salesman tell me to stear away from the Epson's just like you say. Thanks so much. BTW: which HP model is your recommendation for good sized prints, yes, all photo prints.
Tom DeMita
Well-known member
9500', you better call NASA! I live in Utah @ 4600' and had good luck with Epson 2000P & now 2200. I also had good luck with a HP P1100.
fotografer
Veteran Member
Hi Darby,
I think, the altitude problem occured in some old-technology printers in the past, but since it generated quite a lot of scandal then many would have put things right with their (as far as altitude is concerned) by now.
What is crucial importance is your printing needs. I guess you want photo printer, right? How much time do you want to spend printing one picture, by this I don't just mean choose the printer that prints the quickest, but are you someone who like to tweak and adjust here and there until you get your perfect prints?
For ultimate customization, Epson, followed by Canon top ends (Stylus 2200 and S9000) are the A3+ stalwarts. If you want no-nonsense 'just click and 'viola!' out comes the print' kind of printer, HP present Photosmart (but now they only offer A4/lettersize), 'best' being 7550, because they allow all cartridges to be installed, avoiding your carts exposed to the environment and 'dry out'. To say that HP cap their carts very well is not an exaggeration.
Canon top end seems to suffer from banding after some time, and depending on your luck it seems, that can be between 3 to 12 months after the first printjob. Epson, for whatever that they promise, will have clogging eventually. But note that both these top ends offers individual ink tanks, for people who prints lots of photos, or concentrating on a particular color when they print, like lots of sky, or lots of skins in protraits etc..
HP give you new printhead on every cartridge change, but they are not individual cartridges, so if you plan to make loads of reprints with the emphasis on one color, like the blue sky, then it's not a good choice.
Perhaps you can share your printing needs and your impression of these three brands after reading some threads from this forum?
Share with us, ya?
Fotografer
I think, the altitude problem occured in some old-technology printers in the past, but since it generated quite a lot of scandal then many would have put things right with their (as far as altitude is concerned) by now.
What is crucial importance is your printing needs. I guess you want photo printer, right? How much time do you want to spend printing one picture, by this I don't just mean choose the printer that prints the quickest, but are you someone who like to tweak and adjust here and there until you get your perfect prints?
For ultimate customization, Epson, followed by Canon top ends (Stylus 2200 and S9000) are the A3+ stalwarts. If you want no-nonsense 'just click and 'viola!' out comes the print' kind of printer, HP present Photosmart (but now they only offer A4/lettersize), 'best' being 7550, because they allow all cartridges to be installed, avoiding your carts exposed to the environment and 'dry out'. To say that HP cap their carts very well is not an exaggeration.
Canon top end seems to suffer from banding after some time, and depending on your luck it seems, that can be between 3 to 12 months after the first printjob. Epson, for whatever that they promise, will have clogging eventually. But note that both these top ends offers individual ink tanks, for people who prints lots of photos, or concentrating on a particular color when they print, like lots of sky, or lots of skins in protraits etc..
HP give you new printhead on every cartridge change, but they are not individual cartridges, so if you plan to make loads of reprints with the emphasis on one color, like the blue sky, then it's not a good choice.
Perhaps you can share your printing needs and your impression of these three brands after reading some threads from this forum?
Share with us, ya?
--
Fotografer
eleanor brown
Member
My house is at 9300 feet and i have an epson---1280 and 890 with no problem. eleanor
It is VERY dry here, so Epson 2200 might be a good choice? It's definitely NOT humid.
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