What Printer??

[tommykelso]

Hi Peeps,

Anyone got advice on which printer I should buy for printing my digital photos?? I've heard the PIXMA iX5000 is a good one.  I've not got a huge budget so something mid-range price would be cool.

Hope you guys can help!! 

Tommy

[Analog6]

Pixma are all good, but if you can get an Epson photo printer go for one of those.

[Tim N]

I have  a pixma and its pretty good !
The selphy photobucket is pretty good but the prints are a bit expensive because each time you have to buy the cartridge of photopaper and the new ink so prints come out at 30 - 40c (au) each. but you do then have the option of portability.
Get an A3 printer then you can really print some nice size pics

[tommykelso]

Yeah I like the thought of the PIXMA iX5000 cos it does A3 as well at quality printing.

I want something thats not overly expensive but will print quality prints if I have a paying customer for a portrait or something.... if I get that type of work that is.  Or would you just recommend I just send them off to a professional photo printing company for a customer?? but that means cutting down my profit margin.  HELP??

[Tim N]

I would think it depends on what the customer is paying for ... If I was going to do a wedding or something like that I would get professionally printed goods ! If it was just something for a friend then I wouldnt have a problem printing it out on my printer ... I do it quite often for my friends when I take surfing pics for them.

[Cygnus]

The Epson R1900 is a good consumer printer that prints great pics. The ink can get expensive if doing a lot of printing, but for the occasional printing needs, this is a good one.

I have also heard good things about the HP Photosmart Pro B9180. A tad faster than the Epson and more expensive.

[tommykelso]

Thanks for the advice guys!!

 

[Mike]

I own a Canon pixma pro 9000, an excellent printer which gives me professional results every time I use it.

Mike

[OZZI-BLOKE]

I have been checking out a few printers myself, The Epson 1900 A3 looks the goods but the ink cartridges are a bit small, but they
say that it is more economical than previous models, so if you don't need to do a lot of printing it should be good.

[admin]

Hi all,

I have owned a Canon i9100 A3+ printer for about 3 years and other than a replacement print head it still gives great service.
Canon, Epson and now HP all do some great printers, but the catch is the cost of the consumables (ink & paper).

Printers are like mobile (cell) phones. Compared to the cost of production, they will almost give them away to get you strapped into the paper/ink gravy train.

Despite what you will hear not all papers/inks are cross/compatable. I found that Kodak papers, while undoubtabley high quality did not take the Canon ink well, While Ilford Gallery did.

The most obvious choice - the local consumer printer, is not a great alternative, because they put a huge margin on the base cost.

If you are doing any kind of professional work find a local pro-printer and tell them the truth, that you are just starting out, but will give them all of your work. The honest truth is that if you can forge a relationship with a pro-print company, the benfits are enormous.
For a start printing to say a Fuji Frontier system onto Crystal paper is going to output true archival quality and be a fraction of the cost.
Even if I go to the local camera store and get my 10% discount on papers and inks, the cost per print is double.
Plus you have to keep the printer clean and dust free to get acceptable results.
A pro printer does not even need to be local, they will ship over night.

Just make few calls and see if they will give you a deal. They all want business.
Do the math on a decent A3 photo quality printer, then the cost of those teency weency ink tanks and the paper and a new print head every couple of years - and it is a boat anchor , in technical terms after two years anyway.
The company that I use, provides a fantastic software interface for ordering and proofing. If I send the file to Tasmania (1500km south of here) before 10am, it is processed and forwarded to the printer, 1000 klm s north of here, shipped back to Sydney (100klm south of here) and delivers to my door by 10.30am the next day, for half of what a high street printer will charge, using the  best equipment and consumables.
Put the money into more camera gear, I say.

[tommykelso]

I agree with ya there mark. After doing some research on printers consumeables, i soon realised that it is undoubtably easier, cheaper and wiser to use a good prolab.  I think the cost of ink these days is just short of EXTORTION! Its a money racket!

[aprillove20]

By the way, Pixma are all great.