Lexmark Z53 Color Inkjet Printer

by Lexmark

Product Details

Product Manual [917kb PDF]

• Product Dimensions: 18.1 x 20.7 x 13 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S. and to APO/FPO addresses. For APO/FPO shipments, please check with the manufacturer regarding warranty and support issues.
• ASIN: B00005IA5Z
• Item model number: Z53
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes
• Date first available at Amazon.com: November 15, 2001

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

The Lexmark Z53 color printer boasts a high 2,400 x 1,200 dpi resolution for photo-quality prints as well as clear, black text. The Z53 provides crispblack text at up to 16 ppm and color prints up to 8 ppm, on awide variety of media, especially plain and photo paper, transparencies,labels, as well as index cards, envelopes, and paper stocks of up to 150pounds.

Lexmark's printing performance is supported by Accu-Feed paper handling technology and a 100-page sheet feeder, for reduced paper jams. Convenient ink-level indicators ensure that you won't be caught without ink in the middle of a project. Designed for use with both Macintosh and PC, theLexmark Z53 color printer is supported by a one-year warranty.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars OK - But no HP, July 16, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Lexmark Z53 Color Inkjet Printer (Office Product)

I was looking to upgrade my three year old Hewlett Packard 722C color printer with a newer version that would produce photo quality resolution. Since I have been very pleased with all my HP printers in the past (I own several for business) I immediately gravitated towards them again, only to take a second look when I realized I would have to spend two to three times the price of a Lexmark with similar specs. The Z-52 was VERY well priced, and though the reviews complained it had a voracious appetite for ink, I figured it was probably still a good value if one didn't print like a fiend. (They were discontinuing it, replacing it with the Z-53, virtually the same model, if only ever so slightly faster, and it was available at (a retail shop) for (a good price) with a cable and choice of three additional software programs to boot) I had never owned a Lexmark, and was a little leary, but decided that, for the price, it was probably still a safe bet. Unfortunately, I was disappointed. The color tones were nowhere near as natural as the HP's. Now, I should say that have a very discerning eye for color,and some may not be as picky. But, if you prefer Kodak film tones to Agfa, or a Sony Trinitron TV to an RCA, you'll know what I am talking about. Just to experiment, I printed a low VGA quality digital photo on my old HP 722C (300 dpi) and then ran it on the lexmark at a higher resolution (1200x1200 dpi). I then showed it to two not so discerning people who did not know which was which, and each chose the old HP 722C hands down. There was no doubt in my mind that the tones on the older HP were still superior, and the resolution was virtually non-distinguishable. All in all, it's an OK printer I suppose, but sorry to say I will be sending mine back and shelling out for a new HP.

16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Four stars, some restrictions apply, September 14, 2001

By 

Timothy Walker (Orlando, Florida USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Lexmark Z53 Color Inkjet Printer (Office Product)

It is extremely difficult to rate a Lexmark printer on a five-star scale, as they have always provided a mixed bag of features, benefits, and aggravations. Since I have used this one quite a bit, I'll chip in my two cents.

THE GOOD: The Z53 puts black text onto paper at high speed and high quality, so it works well as a draft printer. Also, Lexmark should be commended for providing driver support for Linux and the Macintosh.

THE BAD: Many printers of this type rattle at high speeds or jam because of paper curl. The Z53 does not seem to have these problems - perhaps because of its large footprint - but only time will tell. Additionally, I think color prints from an HP just look better, resolution aside.

THE INDIFFERENT: All ink cartridges are overpriced, period.

THE UGLY: To put it politely, some Lexmark inkjets have had a reliability problem. Despite the next day exchange policy, I can not recommend using this printer in a mission-critical environment.

THE BOTTOM LINE: If you use this printer to print letters and monochrome drafts, then it's a good product at a great price. If you run Linux, then the Z53 is probably the best inkjet for you on the market. Otherwise, caveat emptor.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Extremely satisfied, March 24, 2002

By 

"aleobul" (Research Triangle Park, NC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lexmark Z53 Color Inkjet Printer (Office Product)

This printer was very easy to set up in Windows 98se, NT and 2000. It produces very good quality on documents right out of the box. To get the best photo output you'll need to invest in the photo ink cartridges. Photos that I've printed with the standard color cartridge have a blue tint. The photo ink resolves this issue and produces outstanding results with photo paper. One other note, when switching the inks you must use the printer's setup utility to ensure that the unit knows which type of ink is installed. Results of a mismatch are blurred photos and double printed documents with colors out of place.

While the price of the unit itself is very competitive, the ink cartridges are somewhat expensive. Unlike some other printers, the Lexmark does not have a separate printhead, it's part of the ink cartridge which is the reason for the higher price. Since I've had trouble with printheads on other inkjet printers, the printhead integration in the cartridge was appealing - even at a premium. Print heads can be more costly than a new printer.

This unit has been installed for about 4 months and is used daily by up to four people in a networked environment. Thus far there have been no problems and I continue to be extremely satisfied with the purchase.