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Issue #0525/2 - New inkjet printers from Hewlett-Packard are accompanied by a new naming structure to help differentiate between device types.

Because A4 inkjet printers are now all capable of printing photographs to a standard that challenges silver halide prints, Hewlett-Packard has decided that it is time to restructure its inkjet nomenclature.

When the original Photosmart printer was launched, it represented a significant leap in print quality that amply justified a distinctive model range with name of its own. That range has grown over the years, maintaining a cutting edge in inkjet photographic printing technology.

However, along with the improving print quality achievable with six or more inks, has come an equally significant improvement in the print quality achievable with four inks. Indeed, psychometric testing has shown that viewers can experience great difficulty in discerning the difference between the two.

Indeed, for many users, 4-ink photo printing has become the preferred solution to 6-ink printing simply because the cost of ink is correspondingly lower with negligible reduction in print quality.

In the new scheme of things, DeskJet and Photosmart both still exist but their meaning is slightly different.

Photosmart printers experience the smallest change but now include AiO variants. These are still the photo-specialist products, with six or more inks and will generally have a direct memory card printing capability and PictBridge interface. They also have an integral LCD screen to enhance standalone photo printing. These products are designed for the professional photographer and photo-enthusiast that require the ultimate in photo quality or the demanding office where the highest quality of photo printing is required in addition to A4 office printing.

Historically, the DeskJet line has been the office printer, designed for text printing and business graphics, originally because the drop size was not small enough to print satisfactory photographs. Once printhead manufacturing technology allowed the firing of smaller ink drops, both Photosmart and DeskJet printers benefited. The difference was that DeskJets were restricted to the 4-ink configuration.

Now, however, Hewlett-Packard’s Scalable Printing Technology (SPT) has resulted in further technology developments that grey the distinction further.

So, as indicated, the Photosmart range retains its position as the specialist photo printer while the DeskJet range splits into two variants – DeskJet and DeskJet Photo. These are the ranges that are aimed at the general consumer market with DeskJet being targeted mostly at the office, text/business graphics environment (with no card slots or PictBridge), while the DeskJet Photo is the general purpose printer for home and office users who require both text/business graphics printing and high quality photo printing.

Note that not all new inkjet printers from Hewlett-Packard utilise the SPT technology yet but all photo designated printers feature Hewlett-Packard’s new Vivera inks.

Current Photosmart models in the newly named printer range are the Photosmart 8250 (SPT) and newly launched Photosmart 8050 (tricolour cartridges). An indication of the importance placed on the AiO market by Hewlett-Packard is that three new Photosmart AiOs have just been launched – Photosmart 2575 AiO, Photosmart 3210 AiO and Photosmart 3310 AiO, two of which are SPT models.

New models launched in July and August are as follows:

DeskJet 3940

Entry level general purpose printer for printing of text, business graphics and occasional photographs utilising PhotoRET III technology.

Print speeds are 16ppm in black and 12ppm in colour using black and tricolour cartridges.

Although the printer has a low purchase price (£42 / €52), the Cost Per Page over three years when printing 250 pages per month is a high 8.85 pence.

DeskJet 5440 Photo Printer

4-ink printer, with 6-ink capability designed for home and office, where high quality photo printing is a requirement in addition to business/administrative printing. 4-ink printing utilised PhotoRET III while the optional 6-ink printing (using the No.348 cartridge) utilises PhotoRET IV technology.

Although the DeskJet 5440 Photo does not have memory card slots, it is fitted with a PictBridge interface for direct printing from a PictBridge digital camera.

Print speed is 22ppm in black and 21ppm in colour with a 10×15 colour photograph printing in ‘as little as 27 seconds’ in draft and fast normal modes.

This printer uses two new print cartridges in the 13x/33x/34x series for which insufficient pricing is available at this point for calculating a CPP.

DeskJet 5940 Photo Printer

Faster printing is available from the DeskJet 5940 Photo, at 30ppm in black and 24ppm in colour while print speed for 10×15 photos is the same as the DeskJet 5440, at 27 seconds.

This printer uses the higher capacity cartridges in the 13x/33x/34x series. Although it ships as a 4-ink printer, with the high capacity black cartridge and low capacity tricolour cartridge, a high capacity tricolour cartridge is available and a photo cartridge for six-colour printing is available as an option.

Photosmart 8050

Featuring preview screen, card slots and PictBridge port, the Photosmart 8050 is a 6-ink printer, again using the 13x/33x/34x series of cartridges. The No.100 photo-grey cartridge is available for true-grey black and white photo printing. PhotoRET Pro does not appear to be available even though the grey cartridge can be used.

Photosmart 8250

Claiming to be the fastest printer on the market, this is a 6-ink (PhotoRET IV) printer for home photo-enthusiasts that can print a 10×15 photograph in just 14 seconds (draft mode!). It is fitted with preview screen, card slots and PictBridge port.

A4 print speeds are quoted as 32ppm for black and 31ppm for colour.

Photosmart 2575 AiO

On the All-in-One side, the Photosmart 2575 AiO is the multifunction version of the DeskJet 5940 Photo Printer but it is capable of taking the entire range of cartridges including the No.100 photo-grey cartridge.

This machine is comprehensively equipped with memory card slots, PictBridge interface and wired network interface.

Photosmart 3210 AiO

Based on the same engine as the Photosmart 8250, this is the first of the two new AiOs that feature Hewlett-Packard’s SPT in a multifunction device for photo-enthusiasts and demanding offices.

Again featuring built-in networking, this is a 6-ink device with full complement of preview screen, card readers and PictBridge interface to allow versatile standalone use in addition. The device automatically selects 4-colour printing for business graphics and 6-colour printing for photographs.

Also built-in is a slide/negative adapter, allowing users to scan from film originals without the need to swap platen covers or attach external adapters.

Priced at £193 / €261, the Photosmart 3210 AiO has a nominal mono CPP, using the high capacity black cartridge, of 2.13 pence and a nominal colour CPP of 6.74 pence (4-ink office A4 printing). Printing 250 pages a month over three years, the average CPP works out at 5.48 pence.

This is not as competitive, of course, as the Hewlett-Packard Business Inkjet printers but is also not as competitive as the Epson RX series. It is, however, a rather lower CPP than the Canon Pixma models and is similar to the Brother DCP-110C and DCP-110CN.

Photosmart 3310 AiO

Additional to the Photosmart 3210 AiO, the Photosmart 3310 AiO has an integrated fax capability and wireless network interface as well as the wired network interface.

These additional features more than justify the £56 / €84 premium, giving it a price of just £249 / €345 for a sophisticated and advanced 4-function device.

With nominal CPPs being the same as the 3210, a three-year average CPP at 250 A4 office pages per day would be 6.1 pence.

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This entry was posted on Friday, August 26th, 2005 at 12:03 am and is filed under Print Technology, Hardware, New Products, News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.