[KevinD103]

(02-08-2012, 05:11 PM)Bobb42 Wrote: I have 2 Epson Photo Printers and recently have seen the same results. The quality that was there 6 months ago is no longer good. I took some photos to WalMart for printing and they were of exceptional quality and color. I have contacted the manufacturer, but so far nothing has changed.

I don't have much to add regarding the Walmart type photo printing. It's a crap shoot as to quality. If you want top notch prints then a specialty processor can be found through your local camera/photography store, they tend to take pride in their recommendations.

By printing your own you can control the quality/price balance and come very close to what the pro shops produce and yet reduce your cost. williamting is right on target with his summation of the photo process....printer, ink, & paper being the just the tail end. I've owned over thirty printers over the last 18 years and the newest batch of high end inkjets are as good as they get. HP, Canon, and Epson all make outstanding printers for the photo market although they are not all the same quality as far as reliability and economy.

HP can produce some of the best prints. The drawbacks are poor reliability and expensive ink (I traded printers with HP about five times before I gave up, every one had a different problem due to either poor quality parts or defective software). HP software is, in my opinion, little better than a virus and is very difficult to remove.

Canons top end printers have probably the best print quality and decent reliability. Ink can get expensive though the result is worth the extra cost. Their software is good and shouldn't give you problems.

I am currently using an Epson 1400 that is set up for bulk printing, not really something that you would consider for top end photo prints. It will do a decent job, just not the best. I borrow a friends Epson Stylus Photo R3000 occasionally and am considering upgrading to this model, the prints are outstanding.

The point that williamting made regarding paper quality is very important. Give Red River Paper a try regardless of the printer you use. For $12 you can get their Photographer's Choice Sample Kit that will give you a clear idea of what papers will meet your needs. It will make a huge difference!