Well, there is a reason why HP gives you new nozzles each time.
:( I don't think you'll be any better off there.
I do recommend the Canon printers for the following reasons:
1. The nozzles don't clog easily.
2. The ink tanks are passive (more on that later)
3. FAST!!!!
4. Quiet(er)
5. Bulk inks
6. Ilford Galerie Classic Glossy/Pearl papers
I've got an S9000 that continues to pump out page after page,
print after print without too much grousing. Clogged nostrils
are easy to deal with and they don't cost you $10 each time you
run the cleaning cycle. It's not without its issues, but it has
been quite faithful. I shudder to think of all of the ink I've
shoved through that thing--it was costing me up to $400 per year
in ink costs. Until I started using MIS bulk inks. Now, I'm
spending about $40 per year!
The Canon tanks are passive and the print head is designed to
essentially last the life of the printer, but is replaceable.
Mine could stand to be replaced and I'm just looking for a
bargain basement S900 to scanvage the head out of. There are no
print counters or chipped ink tanks that need to be fooled.
As to matte papers, unless you plan on glassed framing, I'm a
little leary of using dye inks on matte paper. Ilford Galerie
Classic is an outstanding paper that comes in pearl and glossy
surfaces. I REALLY like this paper and when printed on the Canon
printer, takes on the Cibachrome look. The surface is a
"swellable" emulsion which takes in the dye and when it dries
(overnight or so) the dyes are sealed inside the surface to
prevent outgas fading and ozone problems. This combination is
remarkably fade-resistant and my test-prints have only lost a
little density--mostly in magenta and black when exposed to
direct outdoor sunlight or florescent lighting (test prints
inside a light fixture) for an entire year. My florescent test
is actually going on two years now (daily exposure--1/2 inch
from bulb) and compared to the control sample, it's lost some
punch but that's about all. The wedges all show every step and
my max-black is still max-black. Probably the best combination
would be OEM Magentas and Cyans and MIS for the rest. The MIS
Yellow completely solves the Canon yellow fade problem.
My next printer is almost certainly going to be the new Canon
pigment printer. I won't touch their cameras, but Canon has
definitely figured out how to make a printer. ;) With the Epsons
you have to work really hard at getting the colors which come
out natively with the Canon.
AG
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