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June 11, 2009
[REVIEW—KODAK ESP7 all-in-one printer]
.jpg "ESP7 Front View (with accessories)")
Price: $299
We bought it!
The low-down: This printer/copier/scanner unit is an evolutionary upgrade of the ESP5. The big difference between the units is that the ESP7 has in-built wireless networking connectivity as well as USB and direct input from memory cards. There are now two paper trays rather than one, and this is an added convenience because A4 and postcard photo paper can both be loaded and ready. There are two ink cartridges, one black and one cyan/magenta/yellow plus an additional black. Inks are pigment and there is a final clear layer to eliminate “bronzing” – the colour shift effect that comes with pigment inks when held at a certain angle to the light. The scan and copy functions are useful but of ordinary speed and quality.
Like: The ESP7 uses the brilliant Kodak system of print adjustment based on bar codes printed on the backs of the different paper types and read by the printer. Output is consistently good to excellent, the variation in print quality being related to paper quality. Best results, which are outstanding, are achieved with Kodak's Ultra Premium High Gloss paper. Prints from this unit have been rated highly for fade resistance by Wilhelm Research laboratories.
Dislike: Paper handling is not always precise. We needed to tighten up the paper guides fairly often to stop the paper pulling through at an angle. And setup is finicky – read the instructions carefully and do not deviate from them one iota.
Verdict: The wireless networking capability makes this an ideal all-in-one unit for a home with a number of networked computers. We have now been able to set up the printer driver on a computer at the other end of the house and print at a distance. We like the whole system so much that we have bought one, and commendation does not come any higher.
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Posted by terry at June 11, 2009 10:03 AM
Worth Checking Out
Digital Cameras SydneyComments
Why in 2009 would anybody buy a printer where CMY are all included in a single print cartridge?
If wireless is your thing Canon make two all in one devices that are the same price or cheaper (at RRP) and include not only wireless but also wired Ethernet as well as individual ink cartridges and reliable paper handling. We have been using a wireless Pixma printer on a mixed Mac / Windows network for over four years and it's never once failed to produce a perfect result from any computer.
Posted by: RichardR at June 12, 2009 07:37 PM