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| Inking memories | |
| Priyanka Joshi / Mumbai April 13, 2009, 0:21 IST | |
Epson Stylus Photo R1900 is a wide-format photo printer that offers a visibly improved output, thanks to an improved gloss optimizer and a new, advanced variety of ink. Ergo, you have an incredible print quality and speed to help you make lab-quality photos in your office or home.
R1900 includes a PictBridge connection for printing directly from a camera or portable device and also has two USB 2.0 ports that can connect multiple printers at one time. Also included with the R1900 are roll-feed adapters, supporting panorama printing of dimensions of up to 13x44*, a tray for printing directly on to inkjet compatible CD and DVD media, and a rear feed adapter for printing with thicker media.
The biggest complaint we had with the Epson Stylus Photo R1900 was the size of the ink cartridges included, which is same size as a standard 8.5x11 printer sports. Result, the R1900 needs a new ink cartridge after printing only about 24 large photos.
Another annoyance with the design of the R1900 is the lack of a built-in card reader. Arguably, every serious photographer who buys this printer will already have an external or a built-in card reader. However, photographers who use laptop computers could use a card reader built into the R1900 so they don’t have to clutter their desk with external Compact Flash readers.
Priced at Rs 39,999, Epson Stylus Photo R1900 most likely will be bought by those who really don’t mind paying for some outstanding picture quality. It's clearly a printer aimed at the gloss and lustre enthusiasts.
The compact-looking Canon iP100 is almost identical to its predecessor, the Canon iP90v. The most visible upgrade in iP100 is the fact that the input tray of iP100 can hold up to 50 sheets of paper, which is a 20-page jump from the iP90v. Adding to the printer’s versatility is an infrared port for connecting to compatible mobile phones, a USB 2.0 port and a PictBridge port for direct printing from compatible digicams. The PictBridge port is actually a boon for a portable printer like iP100 as it allows the users the option to print photographs from a compatible digital camera or DV camcorder without using a computer.
Measuring just 12.7x2.4 x7.2 cubic inches, the print quality from the single, pigmented-ink cartridge is almost laser-quality clean. This makes the printer suitable for immediate documentation on the move. Colour graphics are also particularly good for a portable printer.
During tests, a 4x6 borderless photo was printed in under 60 seconds, which is satisfactory for a portable printer. Despite retailing at Rs 20,995, the Canon iP100 printer (with battery) misses out on bells and whistles, like a multimedia card reader or an optional Wi-Fi connectivity. The iP100 may not delight a photography enthusiast, but it sure will make an average consumer happy.
*All dimensions are in inches
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