The Next Step - Printer Recommendations?

[Socke]

As shutterflower I have a Canon Pixma, in my case the IP4000. It is nice when you need a print fast and you can't get to a minilab in time. For me it's a 20 minute walk after all and the lab is not open 24/7

For most of my pictures I use an online lab with one of the bigger Fuji Frontier mashines and have a, more or less, calibrated monitor as well as the ICC profiles from the lab.

My preferrence goes from cheap to expensive and slow to fast.
1. home printing - imediate result and good enough as a giveaway to a non photographer
2. Minilab - close to imediate when they are open and realy good in colour, but limited to 13x18cm
3. Online lab- two to three day turnaround, very good for all my purposes.

I used to use Lyson quad black in an Epson Photo 750 printer, but the ink is quite expensive as is the paper and if you don't use it at least twice a week you waste more ink cleaning the print head than you use for actual printing.

 

[T_om]

Hmmm.

Much food for thought. To_m thanks for suggesting the alternative - although my preference is to "roll my own" I do want to think about what you are saying.

Maybe a better way to go is to just use a "cheapie" printer to get an idea of how the final will look but then take the file to a pro lab?
.....

That is a good alternative and it opens up a host of possibilities.

Now, you can take advantage of the excellent quality dye-based printers from Canon. They really have astounding output. They just won't last.

They are cheap to run, refilling yourself is a piece of cake, and they do not clog if left unused as do some Epson models.

However, you will STILL need to have a profile made for each paper/ink combination you use so the output will match what you see on your screen and what you are going to get back from a pro lab. To truly reproduce what you see on your (calibrated) screen, color management MUST be an end-to-end effort or you are tossing money away.

Calibrate your monitor, profile your printer, then order the important stuff from a lab and you should be set. Use the inkjet to proof your stuff.

Tom

PS: It goes without saying the very FIRST thing you need is to calibrate your monitor. Sometimes I overlook the obvious, but you MUST cal your monitor or you will be chasing your tail on color issues until the cows come home (Old Southern Term). I recently upgraded from the older PhotoCal stuff to the new Monaco Optix and it is a great unit. Reasonably priced too.

 

[T_om]

Shutterflower, what method are you usin for B&W prints from the Canon? I've used the ip6000D and the i9900 and although great for colour, can't get good B&W prints to save my life. I'm using the Monaco Optix XR profiling system.

When you say "profiling system" to what are you referring? The Monaco Optix XR will calibrate your monitor but will not profile a paper/ink set. Monitor calibration is just one step (albeit the first and most important) in the process.

Standardize on a paper/ink combination and have a profile made. It is MUCH cheaper than continuing to waste paper trying to get good black and white.

Tom