[photoprofx]

(02-19-2012, 02:27 PM)vedwardsphotography Wrote: I work at a major retail chain... Simply---it comes down to maintenance!!! That could be the reason you got better results when the equipment was new and not now...
Even at the major retail chains you will see a difference in quality from outlet to outlet in the same chain... cleanliness is the key..

I hope this helps,

Vince

You have to be kidding! You may work for a major retail chain, but it is apparent you don't have a clue what causes the photo to POP when it comes to the end product. It's all about the paper!
Putting the blame on the printer for poor quality because the head are dirty is a valid point... then you clean it, recharge the inks and you still get lousey results is about the paper. (Given the photo is in the ballpark for quality).
Everyone, I am not trying to be rude but this is true. You take an HP printer that has good resolution and lays down the ink in 2 to 3 pico liter drops and you put that on copy paper you are going to get a result that is ... well you just wasted ink. You take and put in HP Premium Gloss, for an examply you are going to get a totally different result.
Paper, Paper, Paper is the answer to getting better results along with a calibrated monitor(s), being in the right color space and having the right ICC profile set up on your printer.
ICC profiles are built into most printers as they ship with the sofware, however, that being said upper end printers want custom ICC printer profiles that tell them how to handle the paper and how to lay the ink down on that specific paper. HP has this built in, it will ask for gloss or matt that sort of thing - these are ICC profiles built in to the printer software.
Just a suggestion, read up on ICC profiles & stop blaming the printer for bad quality... sometimes it is the short behind the keyboard or the wrong paper.
PhotoProFX

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(02-09-2012, 03:01 AM)williamting Wrote: The saying goes... you get what you pay! It would be suicidal for any company to provide same quality for product priced at $100 and those priced at $1000. In the same way, you don't expect a $500 camera to be of the same quality as one that cost $5000 even though it has more pixels. This applies to printers. Specialised store use specialised printer. They probably calibrate their monitor and printer everyday. They have the volume to justify it. Therefore, if you want anything well done, let your trusted professional do it.

By the way I never print my own photo if my customer is going to pay professional market rate.

William.. is right! You do get what you pay for! Me? I was an HP fan for a long time, had bad experiences with EPSON.
Just a couple of months ago I put an EPSON R3000 Ultra Chrome K3 on line and the results are stunning!
Like William, I jobbed my work out to a printer at some fairly high rates, that has stopped. 13x19 is as big as I go, really no need to go larger most of the time.
I don't expect everyone to run out and drop big money on equipment because you simply don't have it. But there are a few area where you can't skimp, a Good DSLR, a fast glass (F2.8) decient studio strobes and the knowlege or the thurst for knowlege to go after quailty.
Taking snaps at the beach is one thing, photgraphing for money is another.
PhotoProFx