Need advice on printer purchase

[romeroom]

I'm suddenly in need of purchasing a new inkjet printer (in the next couple days or so). I woud appreciate your advice.

Here are some guidelines to use in making recommendation:

1. Price range: $90 - $130
2. Multifunction: Scanner, Printer, Copier (No fax needed). Good for photo printing.
3. Brand: HP or Canon...(I'd like to stay away from Epson--I've been a loyal Epson fan for over 5 years, but have been burned many times.)
4. Places to shop: Best Buy, Circuit City, Office Depot, Office Max.

Your prompt response is very much appreciated.

 

[Simon R.]

I'm sure if you look through the forum for half an hour - you'll get a good idea of what you'd like to buy

 

[pharmacist]

An alternative might be a Brother multifunctional printer: these printers don't use chipped cartridges and you can refill those cartridges or buy cheap aftermarket carts. The photoprints are rather good (but not as good as those printed on a Canon) and vivid. For about $100 you should be able to purchase on of those.

 

[InkMon]

My Epson has failed and the cost to repair is not worth it so I am after a printer but it must be refillerble and be able to scan negatives. Any ideas?

 

[fotofreek]

InkMon - I don't know if any of the MultiFunction devices can scan negatives. I use a separate scanner - an Epson 3170 - that does a great job with medium format negatives but not too great a job with 35 mm. negs and slides. Some of the newer scanners have higher resolution and may do a better job. For 35mm film or slides, however, a dedicated film/slide scanner is best. I believe that all the modern scanners also have software that automatically reverses b/w and color negs. There are different reversal schemes for different brand color negs or for the same brand negs that are of different generations of development. Part of the problem occurs due to the color masks that color negs have. Reversing scanned color negs in a program such as Photoshop isn't always as successful. You can do a reversal layer of the color mask, but the corrections isn't necessarily linear.

If you don't have many negs to scan, I have very successfully used closeup lenses on my digital camera with negs or slides on a lightbox. I set the camera on a copy stand and position the camera to fill the frame with the slide or neg. If you have a really even light source in the light box (something like the old contact printers) this can be very successful. The big problem here is dust or scratches. The better dedicated scanners have digital ICE - which inclues both the usual scan plus an infrared surface scan which then subtracts the dust/scratchs from the scanned image. I've used a special brush that doesn't conduct static charges to clean the film surfaces, but this is not as good as Digital ICE. Lots of fun stuff here!

 

[InkMon]

Hmmm! the RX530 does a terrific job scaning all types of negatives and reverses them as well as allowing modificationafter a preview, thats why I got it in the first place. I will have to bite the bullet and get it repaired.

It can even scan negatives from mini cameras and 35 mm is simple does 4 at a time, slides or strip. I think I have convinced myself fix it not bin it.