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Hi all, just bought this critter-in-a-box. I already have an Epson 830
but my aunt needed a printer and she has an old PC with no USB port
and a USB PCI card would mean additional cost. Initially I wasn't
planning on buying another Epson since my 830 is an ink guzzler and
performs constant head cleaning cycles (although the quality of output
is just soooo good).
But all the other budget cheapo makes by HP and Canon and Lexmark are
USB-only printers. I had no choice but to go for another Epson. That's
the good thing about them, they have not negelected the legacy
parallel port users.
Anyways, I set the printer up in a jiffy but I really do not like
Canon's setup process which includes cartridge installation. For the
uninitiated, this can be a daunting task, even with a color quick
start guide, it's still quite intimidating. You must remember to
switch the printer off or the whole process will be jerky.
I printed text and it looked the exact quality as from my 830 on both
plain and coated paper. I printed photos and colors are just as
vibrant and alive as from the 830 but now, as expected, you can see
the ink dots on larger and darker patches of color, not surprising
given it is an 4 color printer with 6 picoliter inks droplets (the 830
has a minimum of 4 picoliter ink drop sizes and is a 6 color photo
printer). But still gorgeous print outs nevertheless and will print
color graphics wonderfully. I printed at both "R.P.M" mode which gives
the maximum resolution of 2880 x 720 dpi whenever possible and also
the lower "Photo" mode for photos and on plain, coated and photo
paper.
I printed an 8x10 (it does not do borderless photos) photo and it was
very vibrant, colors all accurate (on Epson Photo paper) and details
sharp. The photo was taken with a Canon PowerShot digital camera at
1600x1200 resolution.
Speed is horrendously slow for RPM mode however. It takes just as long
as the 830 to churn out an 8x10 (the 830 takes the same amount of time
for a borderless A4) - 28 - 30 minutes! Painfully slow but beautiful
results.
The C43's photo is of course quite noticeably "dithery" as you can see
the tiny dots when viewed closely. It appears noisy somewhat but the
colors really jump out at you and is a very "alive" picture. I know
I've said that over and over again but that's what really strikes me
of its photo quality.
I also tried super glossy photo paper and, like the 830, this didn't
work. The whole print process became a messy job of wasted ink (ink,
particularly black ink didn't stick, like rain on an oily surface).
perhaps it's because of the super glossy photo paper or it could be
that the Epson's inks, especially the black ink, is not meant for
super high gloss papers. On normal glossy paper it is gorgeous! I
suspect the black ink is pigmented ink and not dye based? Can anyone
confirm this?
Out speeds at "Photo" mode is more bearable, about 10 or so minutes
for an 8x10 and much faster at normal modes.
Overall, I do recommend this printer if you want a super budget
plastic throwaway printer with a parallel (total cartridge cost for
black and color is more than twice the cost of a new printer) that
prints acceptable text and beautiful vibrant and sharp photos (on
Epson Photo paper) and you don't mind the wait.
I am glad that the only super budget printer line with a parallel port
(as fars as I know) doesn't skimp on photo quality (just remember,
it's a 4 color so subtle color gradations are not going to be smooth).
Price paid: US$49.47
Approx. ink prices: black - US$12 (a measly 300+ pages only, too
expensive!). Color - US$17. (a mere 180 pages, same as Canon's i470).
Currently, the C43 AFAIK, is marketted in the Asia Pacific/Oceanic
regions only?
Oh BTW, if you have a C41 or C40, I would think this review may apply
as well. The C43 only has a new "R.P.M" photo mode now that yields the
2880 x 720 dpi resolution but perhaps a software driver update may
offer this resolution for the older C40 line printers? I am not sure
of the print head mechanism, they may just be the same, capable of
the high resolution? Try it yourself.
Hope this review helps! Cheers!
but my aunt needed a printer and she has an old PC with no USB port
and a USB PCI card would mean additional cost. Initially I wasn't
planning on buying another Epson since my 830 is an ink guzzler and
performs constant head cleaning cycles (although the quality of output
is just soooo good).
But all the other budget cheapo makes by HP and Canon and Lexmark are
USB-only printers. I had no choice but to go for another Epson. That's
the good thing about them, they have not negelected the legacy
parallel port users.
Anyways, I set the printer up in a jiffy but I really do not like
Canon's setup process which includes cartridge installation. For the
uninitiated, this can be a daunting task, even with a color quick
start guide, it's still quite intimidating. You must remember to
switch the printer off or the whole process will be jerky.
I printed text and it looked the exact quality as from my 830 on both
plain and coated paper. I printed photos and colors are just as
vibrant and alive as from the 830 but now, as expected, you can see
the ink dots on larger and darker patches of color, not surprising
given it is an 4 color printer with 6 picoliter inks droplets (the 830
has a minimum of 4 picoliter ink drop sizes and is a 6 color photo
printer). But still gorgeous print outs nevertheless and will print
color graphics wonderfully. I printed at both "R.P.M" mode which gives
the maximum resolution of 2880 x 720 dpi whenever possible and also
the lower "Photo" mode for photos and on plain, coated and photo
paper.
I printed an 8x10 (it does not do borderless photos) photo and it was
very vibrant, colors all accurate (on Epson Photo paper) and details
sharp. The photo was taken with a Canon PowerShot digital camera at
1600x1200 resolution.
Speed is horrendously slow for RPM mode however. It takes just as long
as the 830 to churn out an 8x10 (the 830 takes the same amount of time
for a borderless A4) - 28 - 30 minutes! Painfully slow but beautiful
results.
The C43's photo is of course quite noticeably "dithery" as you can see
the tiny dots when viewed closely. It appears noisy somewhat but the
colors really jump out at you and is a very "alive" picture. I know
I've said that over and over again but that's what really strikes me
of its photo quality.
I also tried super glossy photo paper and, like the 830, this didn't
work. The whole print process became a messy job of wasted ink (ink,
particularly black ink didn't stick, like rain on an oily surface).
perhaps it's because of the super glossy photo paper or it could be
that the Epson's inks, especially the black ink, is not meant for
super high gloss papers. On normal glossy paper it is gorgeous! I
suspect the black ink is pigmented ink and not dye based? Can anyone
confirm this?
Out speeds at "Photo" mode is more bearable, about 10 or so minutes
for an 8x10 and much faster at normal modes.
Overall, I do recommend this printer if you want a super budget
plastic throwaway printer with a parallel (total cartridge cost for
black and color is more than twice the cost of a new printer) that
prints acceptable text and beautiful vibrant and sharp photos (on
Epson Photo paper) and you don't mind the wait.
I am glad that the only super budget printer line with a parallel port
(as fars as I know) doesn't skimp on photo quality (just remember,
it's a 4 color so subtle color gradations are not going to be smooth).
Price paid: US$49.47
Approx. ink prices: black - US$12 (a measly 300+ pages only, too
expensive!). Color - US$17. (a mere 180 pages, same as Canon's i470).
Currently, the C43 AFAIK, is marketted in the Asia Pacific/Oceanic
regions only?
Oh BTW, if you have a C41 or C40, I would think this review may apply
as well. The C43 only has a new "R.P.M" photo mode now that yields the
2880 x 720 dpi resolution but perhaps a software driver update may
offer this resolution for the older C40 line printers? I am not sure
of the print head mechanism, they may just be the same, capable of
the high resolution? Try it yourself.
Hope this review helps! Cheers!