Epson Stylus Photo RX595 All-in-One Printer (C11C693201) Review

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(More customer reviews)This is my third printer from this line, and the reason I had to buy it says a lot about what you should expect: the other two up and died after two years for one and nine months for the other.
A quick history: Look for my detailed reviews of the Epson Stylus R200 Photo Printer and the Epson Stylus Photo 260 Inkjet Printer to see some basics about this line. I've owned a couple of other Epson printers prior to buying these for DVD printing -- the ONLY reason to buy one.
Like its predecessors, the RX595 gives very good results on photographs, disappointing results on documents, and exceptional results on discs. The scanner works well, but it's nothing spectacular.
Other than the scanner and ability to handle memory cards, this unit is almost identical to the R260. Because an interface was necessary to print photos from memory cards, there is a little window and a couple of buttons not found on the simpler printers. These are welcome, especially the more sophisticated and less annoying low ink indicator (which tells right in the window which colors are about to run out).
The printer cannot handle SmartMedia, which is a disappointment, but it does have the ability to plug in a generic USB card reader which does serve as a kludgy work-around.
Like the other printers in this line, there are several distinct drawbacks to this model:
1. Ink is expensive and cartridges drain fast. There are new high-capacity cartridges available, but I have found them to last only slightly longer than the standard kind. I haven't measured it, but my gut tells me it's probably not worth the extra money.
2. Ink handling remains crude. For example, you cannot clean the nozzles if even one color is running low. You still cannot print at all if even one color is empty. Colored inks are drained even when you print only in black. Powering on requires a lot of ink. It's better to leave the power on all the time and let it go into sleep mode.
3. The printer is remarkably noisy. It's mostly hollow, and that acts like a big drum, amplifying every little movement inside.
4. Flipping the disc feeder down causes some sort of reset inside the printer which takes 10 seconds or so to clear, during which time you better not try to insert the disc tray or it will get sucked in (and not in a good way)...
5. The software has all of the same quirks of previous models, including seemingly random reset cycles which can run from one to five minutes. This is most annoying. To get the least annoying experience, turn off the print monitor software which is included (and installs automatically). You lose the ability to see ink status, but you also rid yourself of the annoying status window which jumps in front of everything and sits there until the printing is complete.
The only reason I have this is to print on discs. And it does that remarkably well. Unfortunately, the included software is a rather crude tool, and hasn't been upgraded at all for almost three years. This is inexcusable. Still, it works just well enough if you can live with its quirks.
This printer is just OK. Even with all its drawbacks, it's still the best solution around for printing on discs, but for everything else you can do better.
UPDATE 10/20/09
10 months later and this printer is still functioning quite well.
I've discovered one other major drawback which I neglected to mention above. This printer MUST be used regularly (every day is best, at least once a week is the bare minimum) or the nozzles will dry out and be hopelessly clogged. The nozzle cleaning utility will restore partial operation, but it takes quite a few printed pages to get all the nozzles working again.
If you go more than a week between printing (on any type of media), you will be disappointed and frustrated by this printer.

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Set your creativity on the loose with the Epson Stylus Photo RX595 Photo All-in-One printer. Perfect as a personal photo lab or a useful business tool, the Photo RX595 can print text documents at 38 pages per minute and print standard 4 by 6 inch photos in 11 seconds. This efficient photo printer produces a maximum resolution of 5760 by 1440 dpi for crystal-clear photographs printed with smudge, scratch, fade, and water resistant Claria Hi-Definition ink. Your photos will be preserved for up to 200 years in family albums for future generations to enjoy, and the Photo RX595's Auto Photo Correction with advanced face detection corrects overexposed shots and ensures that your images come out red-eye free and beautifully toned.Crop, enlarge, and select images easily with this printer, restore old or faded color photos, and print PC-free using the 2.5-inch color LCD and multipurpose card slot compatible with memory cards, USB flash drives, and digital cameras. In addition, you'll have the freedom and flexibility to archive photos and documents by using the built-in scan-to-PDF feature, transfer files from memory card to computer, and even print images directly onto inkjet printable CDs and DVDs for a professional look with a personal touch. This printer also comes backed by a 1-year limited manufacturer's warranty.
What's in the Box RX595 photo all-in-one, 78 black ink cartridge (T078120), 78 cyan ink cartridge (T078220), 78 magenta ink cartridge (T078320), 78 yellow ink cartridge (T078420), 78 light cyan ink cartridge (T078520), 78 light magenta ink cartridge (T078620), CD/DVD tray and software, power cord, documentation, and CD-ROM (printer drivers and software).

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