Best quality pigment Epson K3 compatible inkset: which one ?

[pharmacist]

So far so good I have been using my refillabe Epsn Pro 3800 cartridges with Image Specialists K3 compatible pigment ink and I am quite happy with the results. The only setback is the gloss is less on high glossy papers compared to the original Epson K3 inks. Does someone knows another alternative better than IS K4 inks ?

I bought these inks from mikling (precisioncolors.com) and his prices are very reasonable and print quality is very good indeed.

So my requirements are:

-similar or better than Image Specialists K4 inks
-better gloss on glossy papers
-equivalent or better gamut
-archival properties (50 years or better: but how can someone have proof for this ?) and fade resistant
-smudge resistant and waterproof
-miscibility with original K3 inks
-reasonable prices (same or cheaper than Precisioncolors.com).

So NO dye base inks, because it must be pigment to maintain archival properties. If there are no equivalent or better alternatives I will stick to Image Specialists inks from precisoncolors.com.

 

[fortisi876]

Ever find 3rd party pigment ink that compared well to OEM?

 

[lolopr1]

So far so good I have been using my refillabe Epsn Pro 3800 cartridges with Image Specialists K3 compatible pigment ink and I am quite happy with the results. The only setback is the gloss is less on high glossy papers compared to the original Epson K3 inks. Does someone knows another alternative better than IS K4 inks ?

I bought these inks from mikling (precisioncolors.com) and his prices are very reasonable and print quality is very good indeed.

I tried the inks myself (the new IS version) on my Pro 4800 with excellent results, the inks are a perfect color match to the Epson K3 (no need to profile) and like you said the only set back is the gloss results that I will say is very noticeable but still acceptable since no materialism is noticeable on the prints. After trying the inks I went back to OEM inks you just cant beet the K3 inks. I will have to say that Epson did a great job with this inks and I personally love the results so do my clients when they see a print of their favorite wedding picture on luster or canvas paper, they always tell me that is impossible that I made the picture with just a printer, my response always is, is not just a printer I have to say that such quality comes with a price and we both know that. My way around to that is refill still, but I do it with OEM inks. I use a set of refillable cartridges and OEM inks purchased on eBay, What I do is that I buy 220ml cartridges of any K3 inks example 7800/9800 and some times the 4800 220ml but the last are rare to find cheap. Always keeping in mind the expiration date giving by Epson on the cartridges. The savings are tremendous when you are talking that a 220ml cartridge cost around $112.00 retail price and on eBay I've been able to get them for $31.00 and the most expensive for $67.00 both prices are with S.H. included. The light colors and the Photo Black always been the most expensive to get. I use the K4 inks on my R1800 in the colors that I'm able to use with great results, the best thing no materialism but I have to profile on the R1800. Cant be all perfect!!!

Just my two cents.

 

[fortisi876]

lolopr- Sorry if Im misunderstanding you but it looked as if one minute you're saying the IS inks are great and color match OEM K3 inks fine but then say you cant beat the K3 inks???

Is it possible that the lack of gloss is more about the type of paper being used?


I'm asking cuz I just purchased a used 3800 yesterday and I'm trying to learn about the best ink, cart and paper solution for this printer. I thank you for sharing your recycling OEM K3 ink from larger carts idea, will keep an eye out for that.....what is the oldest you'd consider reusing?

Also, if you can recommend a 3rd party refillable cart that would be great!

 

[lolopr1]

lolopr- Sorry if Im misunderstanding you but it looked as if one minute you're saying the IS inks are great and color match OEM K3 inks fine but then say you cant beat the K3 inks???

Is it possible that the lack of gloss is more about the type of paper being used?


I'm asking cuz I just purchased a used 3800 yesterday and I'm trying to learn about the best ink, cart and paper solution for this printer. I thank you for sharing your recycling OEM K3 ink from larger carts idea, will keep an eye out for that.....what is the oldest you'd consider reusing?

Also, if you can recommend a 3rd party refillable cart that would be great!

Yes that's exactly what I said When I said that the IS are great is because after using after market inks (For a long time and different printers Canon/Epson) the IS K4 are the only inks that I can say are a true match when you compare them to the Epson K3 but only in color. What I mean by color is that you don't need to profile them ( I did it any way but I didn't see much difference on Epson Luster paper on the color part), what you see on your screen is what you get on the print (as long your monitor is calibrated) in the gloss part you need to see it with your own eyes to be able to know the difference. I wont say the paper is the problem, I've used cheap photo paper like the staple photo supreme high gloss and when you compare the prints K4 vs K3 the colors are pretty close the gloss difference is noticeable. I'm not saying the the K4 are not a good choice if you are going to use aftermarket inks I definitely will tell you that IS K4 is the way to go. On what type of refillable cartridges I will let pharmacist to answer that question since my printer is a 4800 and for paper I prefer to use Epson paper especially Luster.

 

[pharmacist]

Hi Fortis876,

actually the best paper to deal with pigment ink is semigloss or pearl type of photo paper, which greatly reduces the problems with metamerism and gloss differentials. For high gloss I still use my Canon i9950 printer, but on canvas and semigloss papers I prefer the IM K4 ink, which gives really astonishing good results and one can hardly see any or no difference with the original Epson K3 ink.

If you want to have good set of 3rd party refillable cartridges, you can send me a PM and I will redirect you to a good source refillable cartridges + resetter. Be warned: you'll need the original chip from the Epson cartridges to be transferred onto these refillable cartridges to get them working !!!

I actually tested them thoroughly for several months and the printing results are almost as good as the original Epson ink, but the gloss is a bit less compared to the original Epson K3 ink, but still very acceptable. therefore I prefer to use pearl/semi gloss paper.

You can actually search on this forum my topic about refillable Epson Pro 3800 cartridges.

 

[fortisi876]

Thnx for the replies.....I will most definitely give precisioncolors a holler when I'm ready to buy some inks.
Some of my tanks are at the halfway mark so I thought I'd start looking into it immediately, then I realized unlike the printers Ive had til now, there really isn't an emergency since half full with this beast means I still have 40ml's.

However, I do want to source the carts right away and get that over with, aside from pharm's source I located another in Fl that I'd be interested in learning about. I wish someone made ARC chipped carts instead of this resetting the oem crap.