-
The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is available! Price is $250 ea (shipped within CONUS).
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/
Photo Printer
- Thread starter akivory
- Start date
- Joined
- Jun 14, 2000
- Messages
- 15,401
A few questions need to be answered first before I can make a recommendation.
1. What type of camera does she have?
2. What is the largest size you wish to print? 3x5? 4x6? 5x7? 8x10?
3. Do you want a stand alone photo printer or a printer that will also print text documents?
1. What type of camera does she have?
2. What is the largest size you wish to print? 3x5? 4x6? 5x7? 8x10?
3. Do you want a stand alone photo printer or a printer that will also print text documents?
akivory said:
My personal advice... and that's from someone who takes a LOT of photographs -
is DON'T.
Printing at home is very expensive compared to the typical in-store printing of 6x4 at between 19-29cents - the use/cost of ink alone for a printer is more expensive than that!
Even 10x8 is marginal - for example I've seen prices as low as $1.96-2.84 which is less expensive than printing at home.
Most in-store prints are from professional machines like the Fuji Frontier - their prints are longer lasting and are real photos.
If you have to buy a printer - then the best of breed printers are from Epson and Canon.
They both make printers that cater for only 6x4 prints - or have more versatile ones that print up to letter/A4 size.
For true/good photo quality - get one that is designated by them as a Photo printer preferably using 6-color inks or more..... and probably get one that can print direct from the camera or memory card.
Epson Stylus R320 Printer ~$132
Canon PIXMA iP6220D Photo Printer ~$132
--
Vincent
http://UnknownVT2005.cjb.net/
http://UnknownVT.cjb.net/
http://UnknownVincent.cjb.net/
- Joined
- Jan 15, 2003
- Messages
- 1,690
UnknownVT said:
Agree with most of your points but Epson and Canon make professional printers. They DO last a long time with the new ultrachrome inks and they ARE real photos. Photos are just stuff with pictures on it.
I'd say that for casual snaps sending it to shops will still be cheapest but you don't have the versatility of just printing it straight away and giving pictures to friends or stuff like that.
If you want a good printer get any of the Epson photo printers.
But at your price point there's a bit of a dillema. For about $100 you get an Epson R340 which is a reasonably good printer but for $299 you get the Epson R800 with the new inks and 8 ink tanks. This is the cheapest printer you can get for professional archival quality prints.
If you just want one for 6x4 prints then get one of the epson picture mates. I've heard of professional photographers being quite satisfied with these prints.
- Joined
- May 18, 2005
- Messages
- 23,094
I used to hate HP printers, but their higher end- Design jet? inkjets seem to be real nice. I dont know prices though. 
It has been crapping out lately, but I got a few years of good use out of an Epson photoprinter I got for $150. I think it was an Epson 825?:thumbup:
It has been crapping out lately, but I got a few years of good use out of an Epson photoprinter I got for $150. I think it was an Epson 825?:thumbup:
I tend to agree with Vincent, It's hard to justify a good quality photo printer for personal use, if she really wants one, OK, but IMHO she will most likely not use it much and/or in the long run it will turn out to be more expensive that having prints made out.
I hardly make or order prints any more, I classify my pictures in folders in the PC and burn CDs, I give picture CDs as presents to relatives rather than giving them a print.
When I want a print, for a simple 4x6 or so I use the self service printing machine at the local department store, it's inexpensive, good quality and has some editing capabilities (crop, contrast/brightness, etc.). For a better quality print or for volume I go to a small local photo place where they know me and I get good service and price.
Then again.... My sister likes to travel and makes photo albums from her trips, she uses Microsoft Word and mixes text and pictures like telling the story. They do turn out very nice and of course a good printer helps, I don't know what she uses but it is a regular three color printer.
Good presents for a photographer could be memory cards or a battery charger, I know I would like something like the Sony 8mm CD burner (which I believe should be around $200 US street price).
Luis
I hardly make or order prints any more, I classify my pictures in folders in the PC and burn CDs, I give picture CDs as presents to relatives rather than giving them a print.
When I want a print, for a simple 4x6 or so I use the self service printing machine at the local department store, it's inexpensive, good quality and has some editing capabilities (crop, contrast/brightness, etc.). For a better quality print or for volume I go to a small local photo place where they know me and I get good service and price.
Then again.... My sister likes to travel and makes photo albums from her trips, she uses Microsoft Word and mixes text and pictures like telling the story. They do turn out very nice and of course a good printer helps, I don't know what she uses but it is a regular three color printer.
Good presents for a photographer could be memory cards or a battery charger, I know I would like something like the Sony 8mm CD burner (which I believe should be around $200 US street price).
Luis
GG_Blaisdell
Gold Member
- Joined
- Nov 21, 2004
- Messages
- 289
I have the Canon Pixma MP780, which is a multifunction unit. Good deal at around $215. I recommend this only if you need a computer printer or copier/fax that can produce photo quality prints.
Thank you all!This is exactly the information I was looking for.Two years ago as a gift I was given a Kodak camera with a printer dock and it is worthless.
My daughter has a new Fuji camera but I do no know which model it is.She is not doing any thing artsy with it.I is mostly used for taking photos of the family.I have checked it out and that cheaper Epson looks good.
My daughter has a new Fuji camera but I do no know which model it is.She is not doing any thing artsy with it.I is mostly used for taking photos of the family.I have checked it out and that cheaper Epson looks good.
I would agree that using a home photo printer for doing many prints on a regular basis would not be worth it from a purely financial standpoint. The prints are also not truly photo prints in the same sense as a print from a photo machine, and they do tend to degrade over time more quickly.
However it is great to have if you will sometimes have photos that you want prints of NOW. Lets say you have some family over for Christmas and want to give everyone a family photo before they leave, it works great for that. I got my dad a Canon model that is probably now discontinued last year and it does a good enough job.
However it is great to have if you will sometimes have photos that you want prints of NOW. Lets say you have some family over for Christmas and want to give everyone a family photo before they leave, it works great for that. I got my dad a Canon model that is probably now discontinued last year and it does a good enough job.
ErikD said:
Like I said I do a LOT of photography and I DO own a photo printer - I only use it when I really want to produce special prints - and only 10x8 these days because it is too easy to get 6x4 done at one's local WalGreens, CVS and WalMarts etc.
One should know that places like WalGreens.com will allow uploading of one's photos and pick-up from a local store of one's designation - the last time I did this I got an email notifying me my prints were ready within minutes - I didn't time it - but was pleasently surprised by the quickness. It is supposed to be in about an hour unless one does it out of hours and the photo processing dept is closed...
Often I drop in to my local WalGreens on my way somewhere else for a few 6x4 and even 10x8 that I have editted and put on a flashcard. Normally they print them for me within about 5 minutes, and I'm on my way.
Just a thought.
--
Vincent
http://UnknownVT2005.cjb.net/
http://UnknownVT.cjb.net/
http://UnknownVincent.cjb.net/