The Digital Darkroom has Arrived - Epson Stylus Photo 2200
Written: Jan 23 '03
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Pros: Archival ink, accurate color, very sharp prints, quiet, separate ink tanks. Well designed.
Cons: Optimal settings not listed in manual.
Doesn't work with 3'rd party RIPs.
The Bottom Line: An incredible printer for use in a digital darkroom, or for desktop publishing. The answer to many experienced digital photographers prayers.
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| epicurian's Full Review: Epson Stylus Photo 2200 Inkjet Printer |
As a professional photographer, I can say that this is truly the printer I have been waiting for.
For years I have dreamt of the features offered in this exceptional printer. The inks are rated at 100 years of fade resistance. The ink droplets are truly microscopic, if your photo is sharp, this printer will reproduce it 100% faithfully and no amount of scrutiny will give away the fact that it is an inkjet print.
The catch is that to achieve the best color you need to install the PIM plug-in module. The manual doesn't mention it, but the color profiles for all of the compatible media only get installed if you install PIM, so users who do not have a PIM enabled camera (including Pro digital SLRs) are not likely to install it. Yet this is the key to achieving perfect color from this printer.
For months I was a little disappointed with the output. Then I found out about the PIM/profile issue, and now it produces the finest prints I have ever seem. Professional photographer colleagues of mine concur. Epson really put effort into creating totally accurate profiles for each media that is compatible with this printer.
Given the quality achieved with this printer it is tempting to use it as a postscript proofer in a desktop publishing environment. Be forewarned that you must use Epson's Stylus RIP for the 2200 ($200) if you intend to do this. The reason is that this printer includes a new color...light black (in fact it is gray) that third party RIPS are not equipped to handle.
The inclusion of Light Black is very significant, though. When an image contains neutral tones this printer uses light black instead of mixing the Cyan, Magenta and Yellow inks. The result is images without any colorcast.
This printer has numerous extras that set it apart from the competition. It prints edge-to-edge on numerous paper sizes. It has a roll feeder that includes a paper cutter. It also has a straight-feed path that allows it to print on cardstock. Simply amazing.
As for the inks, they are pigments, which means that they last at least 5 times longer than the dyes used in most printers. Standard tests show that these inks will last for 100 years. You don't sacrifice any quality, though. Pigments also have the advantage of being water-resistant.
Another nice feature is that it has a firewire connection. You will want to add firewire if your system doesn't have it, because it allows this printer to operate at full speed.
Other notes: No problems with networking, the driver is totally stable and installs with no hassle. Changing inks is a piece of cake, and my unit has NEVER had a clogged nozzle. This printer is as close to perfect as the state-of-the-art allows.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 695.00
Operating System: Windows
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Epinions.com ID:
epicurian
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Reviews written: 7
Trusted by: 1 member
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