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July 25, 2008
[REVIEW—KODAK ESP 5 all-in-one printer]
Price: $200
You press the button, Kodak does the rest
The low-down: This combined printer/scanner/copier uses Kodak’s unique paper recognition system. The paper has a code printed on the back which is read by the printer and paper type is automatically selected. Print size is up to A4. There are two pigment ink cartridges, a black and a five colour tank. One of the “colours” appears to be a clear layer that gives protection and eliminates annoying “bronzing” which can be a problem with pigment printers. Kodak claim low running costs – 20 cents for a 10 by 15cm print. The scanner is an average quality domestic unit. There are slots for printing from most memory cards and there is a Bluetooth option. There is a small LCD and some image enhancements can be done in the printer.
Like: The output from the printer is a revelation. The prints are sharp, accurately coloured and long lasting. Wilhelm Imaging Research says prints set new standards for longevity with permanence ratings of more than 125 years. Even prints on refrigerator doors withstand the ravages of kitchen gases better than any other. The ease of use of the ESP 5 makes all other printers seem antediluvian in their finicky and unpredictable behaviour.
Dislike: There is no provision for printing on CD/DVD blanks. The setup process demands that the computer be set to “small fonts” – ridiculous! The scanner lid doesn’t work well with books.
Verdict: This printer is the latest implementation of technology that Kodak first showed in the 5000 series all-in-ones. Here’s the unbelievable bit – if your monitor is properly calibrated then every print you make will look exactly like the picture on the screen. No fiddling with mysterious parameters in Photoshop. No need to choose paper type or ICC profile or colour management – the Kodak driver doesn’t even know about these things. Just choose paper size and output quality from draft, normal or best and press the print button and what you see on the screen is what you get. Consistently. In our experience this is without precedent in domestic printers. We love it!
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Posted by terry at July 25, 2008 04:53 AM
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