*NEWBIE* Stratitec Ink

[LinkinParkIM14]

Back in december i bought a EPSON RX500 for photo printer and multi-functional uses, which ate ink like a pig. The heads on it kept clogging, and then i got a critical error. I wonder if it was due to me reffiling the ink with this Stratitec ink but others have had the same problem with manufactured ink. Anyways, now it's not working so we had to buy a CANON MP780. IT works wonder, ALOT faster printer. It may have SLIGHTLY, and i mean SLIGHTLY less quality, but only in certain color blends. Anyways, i wanted to know if anyone had use the ink out of the stratitec ink refill kit which i bought from Sams club. I dont wat to ruin this new printer. Although, i figure the worst thing that could happen is the head could clog and i have to buy a new one. Although, it is made ALOT easier to replace than the RX500.


If anyone thinks this ink is bad, please tell me. And recomend what i should buy to refill the BCI6 catridges with. I dont really want prefilled catridges, just bottles of ink.

Thanks for everyone's help in advance!!

PS( here's the ink refill kit's website: http://secure.stratitec.com/product_info.php?cPath=192_209&products_id=811 )

 

[drc023]

I've seen this ink at Sam's Club and a close friend tried it on his Canon s820. It appears to be universal type ink. The one size fits all concept doesn't apply well to inkjet printers. Too many variables involved - viscosity, chemical formulations, pigment vs. non pigment, ph balance, etc... the list could go on and on. The ink didn't match original colors very well, but in the short time he used it, no apparant damage was done to the print head. If you were using it to refill HP or Lexmark printers, I wouldn't see it as a problem since those are throw away cartridges, but on a Canon or Epson printer I would definately stay away from universal ink. Don't throw the kit away however, it does have some handy refill tools and plugs so the little bit the kit cost isn't all wasted. Order from a known vendor of quality bulk ink and you shouldn't have a problem. My personal recommendation is Sensient-Formulabs ink and it is available from www.alotofthings.com. They also have an eBay site where the prices are a little bit lower. http://search.stores.ebay.com/search/search.dll?GetResult&sid=8015426 If you don't see the MP780 listed, that isn't a problem. It uses the same set of supplies as does the I860, iP4000 or iP5000. You may also want to order an extra set of compatible cartridges from them at the same time so that you can keep one set in the printer and have a freshly refilled set ready to go when the first low ink warning pops up. Alotofthings isn't the only online vendor you can trust, but they are one of the best. Search google and look back through this forum to confirm this. Another quality vendor is www.inksupply.com. Hint: replace and refill all the cartridges at the same time regardless of how little ink has been used in some of them.

Ron

 

[LinkinParkIM14]

I've looked over the forum a bit, and i think i may want to use either, OPC, or MIS. I'm not exactly sure which one would be better for photo prints. I'm trying to be very cautious before i order some crummy ink.

according to this test: http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1003&message=9349926 , OPC is almost the same on photo paper. . Although, the black is no good on regular paper. So i'll use the stratitec kit's black ink, as it looks the same on both plain paper and photo.

 

[cjm]

I have been using the Stratitec ink for about 5 years in a Canon s9000. No clogs or other damage to the printer but you do need to profile it for the best color on photos. I used Profile Prism from Digital Domain, www.ddisoftware.com, for profiling. This is very important; without the profile, ICM, the color is terrible! The printer driver is internally setup for the Canon OEM ink. I have color bar samples printed on various papers in my office with Canon OEM and Stratitec ink that I made when I first switched. They are not coated and have not faded noticably. The only way I can tell which is which is by the writing on the back. Of course, YMMV but this has been my experience.

 

[JV]

cjm,

Thanks for your post.

I would also like to use Profile Prism to profile my printer, but I am just learning about scanners.
What scanner did you use and with what settings? How good a scan did you need for your profile?

JV

 

[fotofreek]

I use MIS inks in my Canon i960 to refill oem carts and MIS virgin carts. Side-by-side print comparisons on glossy photo paper (I use Costco's Kirkland glossy photo paper) with OEM and with MIS inks look so much alike that I would be hard pressed to tell the difference. I use the canon glossy photo paper profile and sometimes tweak it to slightly lower the intensity if the flesh tones warrant it. I also do not set the color adjustment to automatic but leave it on manual, even if I do no manual adjustments. Some people have reported that the MIS ink set leans slightly to the Magenta. On some pictures I do notice a slightly more intense red or magenta, but I have also seen that with the Canon OEM ink as well. I have read that OPC ink is the most popular aftermarket ink in Europe and that It works well, but I've never tried it.

 

[cjm]

JV,

I use an Epson Perfection 2450 Photo scanner. Profile Prism can also profile your scanner and digital camera.

cjm