Home printer advice needed

[doubledan]

I'm looking to buy two moderately priced printers for home use -- one strictly for black-and-white documents, and the other mostly for decent photo prints up to 8 x 10.

Looks as if a Brother laser printer will serve well enough for the documents.

But I would appreciate recommendations on an inkjet photo printer. I definitely do not want an all-in-one model -- that's what I'm getting rid of. I don't need scan or copy functions. Nor do I need (or have space for) a unit that can print up to 13 x 19 -- for anything that big I use a pro lab.

Other considerations are color print quality good enough for 5 x 7s to keep in family albums; and compatibility with Mac computers.

All suggestions welcome.

Dan

 

[kxl]

B&W LASER PRINTER - I own and recommend the Brother HL-5170DN, which is network ready and is capable of double-sided prints.

PHOTO PRINTER - I know you don't need to print up to 13x19, if I were buying a photo printer today, I'd take a long hard look at the Canon PIXMA PRO-100 Wireless Professional Inkjet Photo Printer - Excellent printer and a good value, considering the current $250 rebate (until end f this month) - so your cost after rebate is $150.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/con...ap=y&m=Y&c3api=1876,92051678882,&A=details&Q=

 

[marcr1230]

Ctien ( the master printer) reviewed and recommended the Epson P800 recently

http://theonlinephotographer.typepa...duct-review-epson-surecolor-p800-printer.html

 

[doubledan]

Home printer advice needed

Many thanks for your thoughts, Keith. You confirm my likely choice of a Brother printer. As for the big Canon photo printer, I have indeed taken a long hard look. It's all but irresistible, whether or not you need 13 x 19. And there aren't many other options when it comes to single-purpose units. I would have to find space for it in an apartment filling up with the art work, toys and construction projects of a 4-year-old. Not to mention guitars, cellos, violins and a piano. I'd also have to resign myself to the ongoing expense of all that ink. But odds are it will come to that.

 

[giganova]

I think the coolest kids on the block for B&W printers are the Canon PIXMA printers. They have multiple gray and b&w cartridges for true monochrome prints.

Pro-100 ($399.-, currently $150.- after rebate),
Pro-10 ($699.-, currently $450.- after rebate), and
Pro-1 ($999.-, currently $750.- after rebate).

 

[SaveKodak]

I print with the Epson R3000, and can recommend it and it's replacement. They are the industry standard for fine art printing, without a doubt.

The Canon's are good too I hear, but haven't penetrated the market share so that's why you see them at give-away prices. I had the previous generation model of their pro 13x19 printer. I was not impressed. First it would not enable you to allow photoshop to manage colors when printing, and it responded poorly to various fine-art papers. Really bad matamerism. If they've fixed these issues then, all the better.

If you're looking to NOT get into fine-art pigment printing, which can be a real PITA for the casual user, I can recommend the Epson Artisan 1430. Your inks will be cheaper by A LOT, and it will essentially match IQ with the higher end brands. You won't have access to as many fine-art papers though, and in theory the prints may not last quite as long. However, they will last longer than most of us will.

 

[agfa100]

I have a Canon 100 now for 18 months, great printer. I don't trust Epson I had three all had clog issues. Went to HP photosmart they were great but they got out of the photo print end, first the paper was killed then the photo ink... The Canon is a bit overkill for me as I do mostly 9x13 great b&w and color....
wbill

 

[giganova]

I print with the Epson R3000, and can recommend it and it's replacement.

Except that the Epson R3000 has been discontinued. What's the replacement?

 

[Jockos]

I used to work for Canon, and they had two kinds of "pro" printers, the 9500 and the 9000.
The 9000 had dye based inks and worked pretty well on all papers, the 9500 had pigment ink and only worked on matte and semi-matte, gloss paper prints were unusable (yep, that bad).
If you can decide which paper is for you (I prefer matte), then pick the printer of the right technology (pigment or dye), and choose the best one you can afford. Generally in the Canon pro range, more money equals better prints, whereas in the "home" range, more money can equal more convenience, features or better prints.

I have not tried Epson printers, and for HP only MFP lasers, I don't work for canon since 6 years or so, and I don't get paid for saying this, but I think both the 9000 and the 9500 were great, their successors should be even better.

Papers make a huge difference, a big boon with Canon printers is that you get good profiles for all their papers when you buy a printer!

 

[Dogman]

Except that the Epson R3000 has been discontinued. What's the replacement?

I think the P800 mentioned above is the replacement for the r3000. I use the r3000 and I've been very happy with it.

 

[SaveKodak]

Except that the Epson R3000 has been discontinued. What's the replacement?

Except that the Epson R3000 is still available refurbished from Epson directly, or used elsewhere. The replacement is the P600.

 

[YouAreHere]

In the 8x10 printer class, I've had an ip100 for many years now with no problems. Very small footprint (not so the 13x9 models!) and connect only as needed. It's downside is that, unlike every other Canon printer I've owned over the years, it uses a combo color cartridge. Does have dedicated black though.

All the inkjets over time you'll spend more on ink cartridges than the printer. Sometimes it's cheaper to just buy a new printer and donate the old one.

 

[doubledan]

Home printer advice needed

Thanks one and all for your thoughts. Of the color printers under discussion, I was really attracted to the Epson P600 but had to admit I would be taking myself too seriously if I paid that much. I will go with the Canon pro 100, just $150 with the current rebate and more than adequate for my purposes. As to where to put it, I will face that problem when the darn thing arrives.

Best to you all,
Dan

 

[lukitas]

If you don't need your prints to be that large, Epson has a smaller version of the P800 : the P600 uses the same set of inks, if in smaller cartridges.
I'm wildly enthusiastic about the prints I get from that machine, mostly in black and white.

cheers

 

[mfogiel]

For B&W documents get an HP laser printer, for photography Epson SC 600P.

 

[Trius]

For B&W documents get an HP laser printer, for photography Epson SC 600P.

FWIW, I would choose Brother over HP, any day of the week. I used to sell a lot of HP hardware, but over the years their software has become so bloated and buggy it makes Microsoft look lean.