Continuous ink sysyems - any good?

[beanzontoast]

Just contemplating trying a continuous ink system with my epson ip4300 (can buy sets of cartridges cheaply - buying what you don't need along with what you do - but individual cartridges of one colour seem quite expensive) and I wondered if anyone's done something similar and how well it works.

Anyone?

 

[domtyler]

Certainly looks intriguing.

 

[Crackle]

Is this for photo printing? I looked a while ago but it was expensive, needed to be used pretty regularly and only worked with the higher end consumer photo printers or the full out professional ones. It also took a bit of setting up and wasn't worth doing unless you were going to profile your papers as well as your monitor.

If it isn't photo stuff, I dunno

 

[k-dog]

I have an Epson Photo R200 and print quite a few pictures on it. I get the cartridges individually for £1.50 each - obviously not Epson ones but they print really well.

 

[domtyler]

This site seems to cover most printers,even my old HP deskjet.

http://cheapprinterink.co.uk/970CXI...eskjet_970CXI_continuous_ink_system_ciss.html

 

[Crackle]

Ahh! Not photo ones then. Interesting.

 

[beanzontoast]

Crackle - that's interesting. Hmm... the ip4300 is photo quality - that's what we're using it for at the moment, getting some old photos that are turning funny colours scanned, colour corrected and reprinted for going into family albums etc.

I like the idea of the continuous system. As with all things that you haven't tried, it's worth finding someone who has!

 

[Crackle]

My research is 18 months old and things move on so fast there's probably better cheaper systems on the market. I know paper profile systems used to cost £400/£500 but you can get a simple version with a monitor profiler for about £150 now. I'm sure it's the same with the continuous inks. Lyson used to be the name to look for in photo ink systems.

 

[simonali]

You get what you pay for. I remember seeing a test on TV (maybe that Gadget Show) where they tested original cartridges versus cheapies. They put photos they'd printed under a powerful sunlamp to test the UV resistant properties of the inks and after 24 hours the cheapie ones had faded to almost white, while the originals looked the same.

http://www.photographyblog.com/index.php/weblog/comments/refilled_ink_cartridges_fade_rapidly/

 

[domtyler]

You get what you pay for. I remember seeing a test on TV (maybe that Gadget Show) where they tested original cartridges versus cheapies. They put photos they'd printed under a powerful sunlamp to test the UV resistant properties of the inks and after 24 hours the cheapie ones had faded to almost white, while the originals looked the same.

http://www.photographyblog.com/index.php/weblog/comments/refilled_ink_cartridges_fade_rapidly/

Surely this is about the quality of the inks that you use rather than the actual continuous systems?

 

[beanzontoast]

Dom and Sim - some of the retailers of these systems must have caught on to the UV thing, because they make a point of saying the inks are UV stabilised ('don't confuse us with the rest' etc).

 

[Crackle]

Dom and Sim - some of the retailers of these systems must have caught on to the UV thing, because they make a point of saying the inks are UV stabilised ('don't confuse us with the rest' etc).

If you are wanting a long archival period you still have to look higher up the food chain of inks. As far as I know Lyson are still the esteemed ink for that. You also need to start thinking about the paper too, your standard Boots glossy isn't really up to it. All kinds of factors come into keeping prints, including the sheets of paper that are kept against them which themselves leech chemicals over time. You can spend a proper fortune if you want.

 

[beanzontoast]

If you are wanting a long archival period you still have to look higher up the food chain of inks. As far as I know Lyson are still the esteemed ink for that. You also need to start thinking about the paper too, your standard Boots glossy isn't really up to it. All kinds of factors come into keeping prints, including the sheets of paper that are kept against them which themselves leech chemicals over time. You can spend a proper fortune if you want.

Hmm... what I'm thinking is a kind of middle ground. Once I've got the old photos digitised and corrected, a reasonably good print should last a good few years. And at some point, I can always print another off should the quality really fade or a relative want a copy.

I might dig a bit deeper and see if anyone's selling the compatible inks for the ip4300 singly without breaking the bank. The thing that is holding me back on the continuous system (as a cartridge refiller of the old school - "been there, wielded the syringe, mopped up the mess") is that I can't find anyone who's done it. Loads of sellers on ebay. I don't fancy being first if it's going to prove a leak-fest and waste £50 by the time I've bought the inks as well.

 

[Crackle]

OK, bear in mind this stuff is aimed at the high end art photographer but it will start to clue you up and it links to other stuff.

http://luminous-landscape.com/reviews/archival_digital.shtml

Also check the forum, there's mention of continuous ink systems there

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/forum/

 

[beanzontoast]

Cheers for the links, Crackle.