I have ZERO issues with my 5100cn print quality. Most of the reviews are talking about black image quality magnified many times compared to it's HP $2000.00 cousin. Well most folks don't carry a magnifying glass around with them, so they cant tell the difference..(LOL)
Just my opinion. I have 3 of them now and they all work great....
Ray Cooper
Message Edited by grcooperjr on 05-08-200610:29 AM
Thank you so much for your input. I got my 5100, and I've been doing some print comparison with the 3100. The 5100 is nice, fast, and does have high resolution. I guess it is a mater of what you like. My husband prefers the look of the print from the 5100, I prefer the look of the print from the 3100.
The 3100 prints thinner letters, which look more crisp and clean.
The 5100 prints darker, thicker letters, which my husband thinks are easier to read.
For photos, the print off the 3100 looks smoother, richer...though there is some slight banding in the background.
The print off the 5100 looks more grainy and brighter.
The 3100 also seems to do better on graphics.
If there is text within a picture (like for slides with a picture in the background; words in the foreground), The text is slightly easier to read when printed from the 5100 on the High resolution setting.
I'd say that if a person had nothing to compare with, there would be no complaints about either printer. They are both good...just different.
I'm continuing my testing. If anyone knows of a way to change the settings of the 5100 so that it will print smoother, cleaner photos, let me know. (I've tried a bunch of options - of course selecting "photo" )
okay, i'm so glad i'm not crazy.. i LOVED my 3100cn and was slowly tempted into buying the 5100 by the promise of it's higher resolution. HUGE mistake, i wanted the 3100 back immediately.
i think the 3100 makes much nicer prints which are color balanced and detailed and crisp, out of the box. with MUCH tweaking i'm finally 'almost' happy with the color from the 5100. it's still grainy, grainy grainy. and it cost me almost 3x what the 3100 costs. i don't know what to do. but i'm going nuts.. i was printing photos all day long with the 3100 now it just depresses me. i threw away the box immediately thinking i couldn't be disappointed like this and am kicking myself non-stop..
i came to these forums hoping to find a hidden button set grainy=off but yours is the 2nd post i've read.. gonna continue digging.. but putting my 5100 on ebay this weekend.
Well, according to the date on the packing slip, today is the last day that I can return the 5100 for full credit. I would really like to return it and get a 3100, but the prices of the 3100 are UP this week. The 5100 is a good work horse, but for fine picture printing, it is not that great. My husband is convincing me to keep the 5100 (because I got such a great deal on it when I bought it), but with your post, I'd really like to return it. Thanks for posting. If anyone has a suggestion as to how to get better picture quality from the 5100, let me know. (But, I thnk I've tried just about everything.)
grcooperjr
174 Posts
0
May 8th, 2006 16:00
Just my opinion. I have 3 of them now and they all work great....
Ray Cooper
Message Edited by grcooperjr on 05-08-200610:29 AM
mikejaquish
25 Posts
0
May 13th, 2006 00:00
I have had the 5100cn for a couple of months, and I like the print quality very much.
I do flyers and post cards and have canceled much of my commercial post card order because I think I can do well at home for little expense.
Mike J
siamesecatlover
6 Posts
0
May 15th, 2006 19:00
Thank you so much for your input. I got my 5100, and I've been doing some print comparison with the 3100. The 5100 is nice, fast, and does have high resolution. I guess it is a mater of what you like. My husband prefers the look of the print from the 5100, I prefer the look of the print from the 3100.
The 3100 prints thinner letters, which look more crisp and clean.
The 5100 prints darker, thicker letters, which my husband thinks are easier to read.
For photos, the print off the 3100 looks smoother, richer...though there is some slight banding in the background.
The print off the 5100 looks more grainy and brighter.
The 3100 also seems to do better on graphics.
If there is text within a picture (like for slides with a picture in the background; words in the foreground), The text is slightly easier to read when printed from the 5100 on the High resolution setting.
I'd say that if a person had nothing to compare with, there would be no complaints about either printer. They are both good...just different.
I'm continuing my testing. If anyone knows of a way to change the settings of the 5100 so that it will print smoother, cleaner photos, let me know. (I've tried a bunch of options - of course selecting "photo" )
daMortarMerrier
2 Posts
0
May 25th, 2006 18:00
siamesecatlover
6 Posts
0
May 25th, 2006 19:00