Affordable/Entry level Printer for "Digital Negative" prints

[Bob Michaels]

.................My next printer will either be an Epson Surecolor P-600 (A3) or P-800 (A2) as my experience is that I don't need bigger due to the cost of platinum and the size of my contact frame/lightbox. ............. .

I see where the P600 is available from B&H right now for $702 but has a $150 rebate. My experience with getting rebates from Epson is perfect. Actually that B&H price is better than the Epson refurbished direct from Epson which is what I usually buy.

I have a P600 now. If it quit tomorrow, I would replace it with exactly the same model.

Realize as you move up in price with Epson printers, they print no better, no higher resolution, no faster, just handle large size paper. Since I have never had any need to print bigger than 13x19 the P600 is the sweet spot for me.

 

[defconfunk]

Realize as you move up in price with Epson printers, they print no better, no higher resolution, no faster, just handle large size paper. Since I have never had any need to print bigger than 13x19 the P600 is the sweet spot for me.

They do have better costs for ink though. If I recall correctly, the P800 and up use larger ink cartridges than the P400 and P600; they cost proportionally less per ml of ink.

Depending on how much you print, that may or may not be a factor for you.

There are also rebates for the P800. When I got mine in the spring it was $400Cnd on a retail price of $1500Cnd. It ended up costing very close to the P600 at the time.

That said, the P800 takes up a lot of desk space.

 

[ptpdprinter]

I read a review of the P600/P800 when they first came out, and though the P600 is cheaper to buy, the P800 is cheaper to operate in the long run because of the ink costs.

 

[defconfunk]

I read a review of the P600/P800 when they first came out, and though the P600 is cheaper to buy, the P800 is cheaper to operate in the long run because of the ink costs.

I think this is the article you read. I know it had an effect on which I chose.

http://theonlinephotographer.typepa...09/p800-vs-p600-the-epson-value-equation.html

There's an update at the bottom that anyone considering P600 vs P800 should read, as it talked about the consequence of the larger ink cartridges.

As an aside, I was at the Professional Photographers of Canada conference in May of this year. Epson was really pointed in their sales: The P800. They had one there (in support of a charity gallery), a second unit at the trade show, as well as a session on how to get the most out of inkjet printers (focused on the P800). They were very targeted. If you were a working photographer who makes your own prints, the P800 is the one in the line-up for you.

This was in stark contrast to Canon which had a couple of printers running the gamut from mow end Dye based to massive plotter (plus of course cameras and lenses).