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Printer advice sought

Doug Earle

New member
If you were going to purchase a new photo printer for both BW and color printing (pro and semi pro use) what would you buy and why?

I'm considering an upgrade from a basic inkjet and need some help deciding
 

Cem_Usakligil

Well-known member
Hi Doug,

There are so many variables which must be answered first. Such as, what are you going to use the printer for (type of prints) and the print sizes, the materials on which you want to print, etc.
Could you please elaborate on such issues before we can help you?
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Hi Doug,

There are so many variables which must be answered first. Such as, what are you going to use the printer for (type of prints) and the print sizes, the materials on which you want to print, etc.
Could you please elaborate on such issues before we can help you?

Cem,

This here shows some of his work. It's often rich in very gradual soft tones.

Asher
 

Doug Earle

New member
In the wet darkroom I seldom print on larger than 11X14 paper; only rarely 16X20 (in which case I'd probably use a custom lab). Want to print on a premium inkjet fiber based paper, as I want to approximate a wet darkroom fibre print. I realize that the technology isn't there yet, but it is close and since my work demands are prohibitive of using the wet darkroom for the foreseeable future, I'm trying to go digital.

For the last 15 years or so most of my serious work has been BW, but with the digital capabilities of conversion, would like to experiment with color also, so need a printer than can do both.
 
In the wet darkroom I seldom print on larger than 11X14 paper; only rarely 16X20 (in which case I'd probably use a custom lab). Want to print on a premium inkjet fiber based paper, as I want to approximate a wet darkroom fibre print. I realize that the technology isn't there yet, but it is close and since my work demands are prohibitive of using the wet darkroom for the foreseeable future, I'm trying to go digital.

For the last 15 years or so most of my serious work has been BW, but with the digital capabilities of conversion, would like to experiment with color also, so need a printer than can do both.

Hi Doug,

Canon, Epson, and HP, offer excellent printers and ink-sets that allow long print life and a good gamut or B/W rendition. The real quest is for the paper that offers a quality that you like. So the actual printer choice soon becomes one of economy, namely ink usage, and ease of use (e.g. roll/sheet feed, and width), followed by a paper brand/type.

Bart
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Hi Doug,

Canon, Epson, and HP, offer excellent printers and ink-sets that allow long print life and a good gamut or B/W rendition. The real quest is for the paper that offers a quality that you like. So the actual printer choice soon becomes one of economy, namely ink usage, and ease of use (e.g. roll/sheet feed, and width), followed by a paper brand/type.
This is rational but can you give your take on it. Do you have papers that only work best in one of the three printers?

Asher
 

Mike Shimwell

New member
As far as I am aware the 13 inch (A3) printers all use small ink cartridges that lead to them being very expensive to run - although this may not be too much of an issue if you only do a small amount of printing. It may be worth checking all the Canon, epson and HP offerings at this sixe (the HP B9180 got some good reviews, but I've not tried it)

The 17 inch printers are all capable of excellent output.

- Canon offers the IPF 5x00 printers that can handle both roll and sheets well, offer excellent ink economy and (in my experience) no clogs that aren't dealt with by the printer automatically. Downside is that the heads are very expensive if they fail. I had one go down inside 2 years, but well wihtin usage expectations. I think this is actually more common on lightly used printers from talking around the issue. That led to me replacing the printer. It will print on glossy or matt surfaces with no ink switch.

- Epson offer the 3800 for sheets only which offers cheap ink switch between glossy and matt black and 4800 for tolls and sheets (1 at a time I think?) which uses a lot of expensive ink if you switch between glossy and matt paper. I'm not sure where they are with the x880 and on versions of the these printers as I've not needed one for a while.

I'm currently using an HPz3100 (24 inch, mow replaced by z3200) which is excellent on roll and large sheets, but doesn't feed A4 very well - usually takes a couple of goes to load straight.

For gloss paper, I use Ilford Gold Fibre Silk as may mainstay now, with some rolls of HP premium instant fry satin as a cheaper alternative. I've also use Hahnemuhle Photorag Baryta and Pearl, which I really like but are expensive. I didn't like the Harman FB Al gloss, finding it too blue bright and the image somehow too 'crispy'.

For Matt paper I like the hahenmuhle Photorag bright white, fotospeed (innova, permajet, James Cropper) High White Smooth 315gsm cottn rag and also have some HP Matt Litho Realistic, which is quite warm but nce for some images.

Hope this helps, mostly don't worry too much about the output for the high end printers so much as the abiulity to feed what paper you like. Also, make sure you can make or can get access to decent profiles.

Mike
 
This is rational but can you give your take on it. Do you have papers that only work best in one of the three printers?

That would require owning all of them, and extensive testing. That's hard to do without being paid for it.

Ilford and Hahnemulle paper are often good choices, but one has to check for a particular printer and consider one's expectations. Personally I don't care for a lookalike of traditional barite paper, there are more beautiful results possible, but it's all down to personal taste.

Bart
 

Kathy Rappaport

pro member
Printing

I am just back from a Lightroom and PS workshop which included lots of printing. We used the HP9180's and the princts on the Hanmuele Fine Art Smooth and Fine Art Watercolor were beautiful. We also used the pritners for HO P 8.5 x 11 size pritns on HAP GLossy or Light bloass and they were all nicely done. If I were buying a 13x19 pritner, I would certianly consider that. I have an older verions 8750 and have been using prolabs for prints - but that will probably change.
 
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