I'm sure comp.periphs.printers is a fine place to discuss printers, but I'm
really seeking the opinions (What?  These people opinionated?  ;> ) of the
local denizens that also use cameras with their printers.  FWIW, I already
own or have owned a number of so-called "Photo" printers over the past ten
years, but now I'm looking for something that is a step up from putting a
3-color photo cartridge into my OfficeJet 7410.  Hopefully something that
will print a 13x19 of sufficient quality that I could deliver it with a
wedding formal squirted onto it.  Yeah, I know, Real Professional
Photographers don't use inkjet printers that you can buy at CompUSA.  But I
also use an XTi (with EF-S lenses no less) to do real weddings.

Of course I'll be using CM - how else do you get the picture that you want
out of a printer?

Using Lightroom for RAW processing and PSCS3 for editing.  Currently using
Huey for monitor calibration, systems are two Sony laptops of Very High
Screen Resolution and an ancient Powerbook G4.

BTW, as for color management, I just finished reading the Eddie Tapp
(Oreilly) book on CM - what a totally lovely production piece (must've used
a lot of color management to produce it) that contains totally no useful
information on how to DO color management.  It's fine to tell me what it is,
and even a bit of how it works.  But I already knew that because I used to
write printer drivers back in the 80s.  The question of what to buy and how
to do it with modern systems and software is entirely ignored by that book.

I've been thinking about a 9180.  I'm curious--what's the problem with
the software?

Epson is probably tops right now, but they are waste the most ink. They also
like to play name games with there papers which makes it hard to find what
you want from one paper purchase to another. Canon is ok, but they are not
known for prints with long lives, though they are working on it. They still
don't match Epson or HP. I have the Epson R2400, the HP PhotoSmart B9180 and
the Epson PictureMate Snap. If you just need 4x6 the snap is the way to go.
It is an awesome printer with very fast printing speeds great color and the
prints last. It is also the most affordable paper and ink wise because you
buy them in a package which puts prints at around $0.27 each. If you need
more than 4x6 I would go with the HP. It has larger ink cartridges, it
wastes a lot less ink and the prints in my opinion have much more detail.
The Epson R2400 wastes ink like they are giving the stuff away, Epson did a
horrible job naming all of the paper paths so you are never quick sure which
one the driver is referring too and I don't feel the prints are as good as
the HP. Now the HP will cost you more to replace all of the ink cartridges
but they are much larger with much more ink I get 4 to 1 in the number of
prints per cartridge when I compare the Epson R2400 to the HP, that is for
everyone one print the Epson does I can get 4 from the HP. Also, the HP is a
much better made printer and it has a real paper tray and not a slot in the
back with no cover so dust can get down in it. Also, the Epson tends to clog
up if you don't use it at least once a week the HP todate hasn't clogged
once.

=(8)