How do I get better prints from my Epson Photo 820 printer

[poker]

My printouts never look as good as the demos from the store. Of course the company knows how to sell their product but this user needs help.

I have a Epson Photo 820 inkjet. In trying to print photos off of my Canon G2, I get murky looking photos. What do I mean by that? We'll the human faces on the printout, up close, look like they were painted in oil base paint as if the mosaic filter was used in Photoshop. I waste the print out since it's not worth framing. Also, the skin tone is generally pink even if it's not on the screen.

I'm using real epson Ink, real Epson glossy photo paper (borderless), the latest Epson drivers, and the Epson Photoshop plugin. My digital pictures are recorded at 11x14 size and I reduce it to 8 x 10.

Where can I learn more about setting up the printer for awesome looking photos??

Any tips?

Thanks in advance.

[another view]

I gave up - my 820 was too inconsistent. If I was going to make two prints, the first would be fine and the second would have a clogged nozzle and not have any cyan in it or something. I go to a place with a Fuji Frontier now.

Probably not what you want to hear - but maybe step one is to reduce the variables. The big one here is the file itself. Do you know that the file you're printing is exactly how you want it? I'd guess that this wouldn't be the problem, but go to a lab (or walgreens etc) and get a couple prints made. Then print those same files on your Epson and compare results.

[poker]

I'm starting to feel the same way about going back to photo labs. My sister brought some digi pics to Kinkos and they were printed so well off of her 2 mega pixel Canon. My only experience was bringing some pictures to Target but those pictures came out with high grain. I thought it was strange. I also heard CostCo was good at developing digital pictures.

I found some websites with advice on printing with Epsons:

http://www.photoexpert.epson.co.uk/U..._icc_page1.htm

http://support2.epson.net/manuals/en...tic%20mode%20b

http://www.computer-darkroom.com/eps.../ps6_print.htm

I used the Epson 820 'print space' profile and used ICM in color management. The Epson didn't let me modify anytype of halftoning. I disabled highspeed printing as well. A print out soon after all these setting came out ok but still didn't match my monitor. I need to calibrate my monitor using Adobe Gamma.

I'll keep trying but will check out some labs as well.

Thanks.

[another view]

The price of monitor profiling sets has come down - Monaco Optix had a $50 rebate but that might be done now. I'll have to check out those sites - thanks. Sounds like you know what you're doing with this stuff though.

Kinko's uses Sony Print Stations. They give really nice dye-sub prints that are actually waterproof.