Digital BW, The Print

Hello to everyone here. I'm a newbie on the site but not to photography.

I have been playing with cameras for 25 years now and want to get really
good at making prints digitally now.

 

I have an inexpensive Epson R300 that I hijacked from my wife and can make
some really nice clean color photos up to 8x10 w/o any issues.

 

So, wanting to print bigger, I bought a used Epson 1280 from a local
professional water color artist. I was told it was still in fine working
order.

For $40 I thought it was a steal. No offense to her, but this printer has
given me nightmares trying to get it to print a consistent color image. I
mean first 

It printed posterized and then  I got that to stop.then it printed wrong
colors..read up on profiles and tried a dozen or so combinations printing.

A few printed good but then went south on the next prints. U have had
banding,  magenta traces in B&W prints.drizzled ink at the edge of paper
(NOT borderless)..you name it.

I have gone through many head cleanings, nozzle checks, cleaning underside
of head..you name it.

I am using non OEM inks as well. I just came from the Professional
Photographers (Pro Photo) store in Portland and spoke with the inkjet guru.
I started

telling him my issues and he started smiling really big. Seems as though I
am not alone with this issue.new or used. He said that he has seen so many
of these

printers fail to print consistently for a variety of uncontrollable reasons.
OEM or Non OEM inks made no difference.

 

Is anyone just using theirs for B&W images and if so, what are you using for
inks? Does anyone have better luck with the MIS QUAD TOME inksets? I have
used them in my Epson C84 with

remarkable results.

 

I just printed a B&W using only Black ink and it seems to print out a nice
warm tone using Epson Black.now to try to replicate this with after-market
black cartridge and ink. 

Seems to print B&W fairly well...enough to fine tune easily I think..

My options are to sell it for parts, sell it as is or try to use it for B&W
only. 

 

I have read most of the articles about cleaning and printing with this
printer.

 

Regards,

Dave Stranahan



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