Re: The 1270-Bad news cheap printer AND cheap ink/paper

["Charlie" <cjh@iquest.net>]

>It is very unlikely that you will ever get it both
> ways: a very cheap printer, and very cheap ink.

  Well, we have cheap VCRs and tape.  We have cheap CD-RWs and CDs.  It is
possible to have both.  Whether we will remains to be seen.  If the market
is there, and Epson wants to play, it will happen in order to compete in
that market.


The archival ink only needs to be cheap enough to compete with the photo
market (i.e.  Kodak film +paper cost (including processing) = inkjet
cost+paper cost)  for both their digital camera AND printer sales (and
resulting ink sales) to explode.  Most home amateur photographers don't
really see the difference in quality between inkjet printers and they don't
really care that much if the quality of the picture is not up to "real"
photos.  They are photographing moments in time, trying to capture memories,
not win photo contests.  I will be amazed if Epson doesn't REALLY go after
this market soon.  To do so, they must have both cheap printers and archival
consumables that can compete in price with Kodak or Fuji, or whomever.  And
they must be easy to use.  I have printed some lower res images on my Epson
700 and can tell you that for most people, they are good enough (if they
were only as archival.)   But those same people think the consumables cost
too much compared to having Kodak process and print their films.  Many of
them limit their output because of the consumables costs.  I think Epson
knocks out the archival question this next year, then makes a MAJOR push
into that market.  But people aren't stupid.  If they can make 4x6 photos
using Kodak cheaper, they will.  I do.  But then Epson has never been all
that good at marketing, IMHO.   We shall see.   I'd love to have a digital
camera, but it doesn't make all that much sense today.   Maybe tomorrow.

Charlie

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