Digital BW, The Print

It seems as if my Epson printers (1290, 1160), CIS systems, Piezo inks etc 
are all now fit only for the scrapheap. The 1290 needs another new head 
and the G4 inkset is well outclassed now, and the 1160 seems to need 
another cart/CIS set and replacement inks due to age, according to Cone, 
and just isn't worth it. Combined cost was a lot, and they have been 
plenty of trouble.

I am now seriously thinking about replacing both with the HP Z3100GP 
12-ink 24" with onboard profiling. From what I have seen these offer 
extremely good B&W on a wide variety of papers and surfaces with very low 
metamerism, and I have located one at a very good price (scarcely more 
than I spent on the previous printers, even without taking into account 
the vast amounts of wasted paper they achieved).

I find metamerism in B&W inkjet very disturbing and unpleasant and in the 
past this drove me toward Cone products, but the limited paper choice and 
restricted DMax was a problem (and also supplies in UK after the demise of 
Mwords.co.uk)

If anyone is using the Z3100 and living with it, I'd love to hear of any 
downsides that have escaped reviews. I've heard of occasional paper feed 
problems (I am likely to only use sheet feed), but not much else.
-- 
Regards

Tony Sleep
http://tonysleep.co.uk