Datacolor User to User Support Group.

--- In datacolor_group@yahoogroups.com, Bob Petruska <petruska@...> wrote:
> I'm just best guessing at what to buy.  I do like the 9500 pigment 
> inks, but reviews say that the photos lack the vivid colors and punch.
> 
> Do you have any suggestions for what printer I should look at?  I 
> have a bad taste with Epson with all the clogging in the past, maybe 
> that has changed?

I was rereading this thread again and noticed the above entry.  I print on a matte paper from Hawk Mountain that is archival and contains no brightners.  My printer is an Epson SP4000 and I use the Epson pigment inks.  I also have an Epson PictureMate printer for snapshots and use the Epson ink/paper packs for it.

First, I agree that the clogging on the Epson printers is a royal pain in the rear! I recently reached the point that I had to run a power clean cycle (which DRINKS ink) to get it back.  That was the first time I had to do that but I do make sure I print a nozzle check every day and print a color block pattern if I see even the hint of a nozzle drop out.  For all the aggrevation, I do like the Epson pigment inks for their longivity and the SP4000 does produce a nice print.

When I print on the PictureMate, I find that I have to do almost nothing to the image as I see it on the screen (color managed Eizo CG222W) to account for the paper/ink combination.  Basically, what I see is what I get.  

However, when printing on the Hawk Mountain Merlin paper using the SP4000, I do have to do extra work to get prints that have the "punch" that I want.  I have built a custom profile using the PrintFix Pro package.  My normal approach is to get the image to look like I want it on the screen and then make adjustments for the printer/paper.  Usually, I end up playing with contrast, brightness, and/or saturation adjustments to get the print to be what I "saw" on the screen.  I softproof the image using saturation intent with black point compensation off and simulate paper white on. I have used other papers where I did not have to do much of anything to get the visual/printed images to be close but I want to make my prints on an archival, matte paper that does not contain the brightners to make the paper "white" and has a reasonable price.  I use Photoshop to do all of my work.  

I guess it all boils down to one's personal preferences as to the output desires - black and white or color, paper surface, archival characteristics, etc.

Rollin