Digital BW, The Print

Some comments: 

1. The new printers come with new inks (except matte).  So if you are OEM
ink inclined then the 4800 brings you the new inks that are not available to
your 2200 (short of buying the larger cartridges and refilling 2200 carts).
The new K3 inks include a LLK and also have significantly improved photo
paper output and some say better saturation on matte paper.

2.  The 4800 can print larger than the 2200 - but is itself substantially
bigger.

3.  The 4800 is likely to be more robustly built and "optimised" than the
consumer 2200.  Having said that my paper tray feeder has just broken.  At
least in the UK, your 4800 warranty is for on-site repair/inspection - no
shipping to Epson unless it is really toast in which case I would assume the
technician would take it away.

4.  The 4800 is expensive re swapping inks but the cost of OEM ink for the
4800 is comparatively cheaper than a 2100.  (£45+Vat for a 220ml cartridge.)

5.  The 4800 Adv B&W driver definitely uses LM, LC and Y ink for its
"neutral" profile.  The only surprise is the yellow ink.  How bad is yellow?
Who knows.  If your were to use QTR, or perhaps even IP, yellow would get
used in a sepia print anyway.  At worst one can abandon the convenience of
the Epson tint picker driver and use QTR with the 4800.  I suspect IP for
the 4800 will as absurdly priced as with the 4000.

I think your starting point should simply be considering whether or not you
have reached the point where you would like a larger printer....


> From: Stephen M Martin <steve@...>
> Reply-To: <DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com>
> Date: Sat, 13 Aug 2005 10:35:29 -0400
> To: <DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com>
> Subject: [Digital BW] The 4800-What Does Everyone-or Some Anyway-Think
> 
> As I reach for my credit card to buy a 4800, I read criticisms of it that are
> a bit unsettling. For instance, that the Epson drivers still are no
> replacement for IP with the older printers, in my case the 2200. I read that
> there is a problem with magenta showing up in the black areas of color photos.
> It had all the appearance of being an excellent upgrade but I wonder what the
> consensus is now that a number of you have used them.