blackest Loc: Ireland

I could buy a new printer up to around $500 (unfortunately I can't get the fantastic prices available in the USA) or I could get a calibration tool like the spyder 5.

I already have a few printers (6 color) which do reasonably well at color prints. I'm thinking the calibration tool could help improve black & white printing. Give me better profiles for different papers.

I'd be happy with A4 true black& white and thrilled with A3 but realistically I haven't the budget for an A3 Printer for black&white.

So which way to jump Printer or Printer Calibration?

ruben_c

Hi there blackest

With the spyder5 you can't create printer profiles, therefore you would need spyderprint.

I would recommend you to calibrate your screen with a spyder5 and to work with the printer profiles of the paper manufacturers (good quality paper manufacturers offer standard printer profiles for free on their homepage)

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

Printer calibration will only help if the printer is capable of true, untinted black and white. Most are not, and use a blend of color, in addition to the black and gray inks to produce good blacks.

Also the paper type has a big impact - many baryta papers produce good to exceptional blacks - deep, dark, dense and detailed. One of my favorites is Canson's Baryta Photographique.

Epson printers are really good at b&w, especially if you use the Quadtone RIP. Canon also has some great printers. This article may be helpful.

http://www.ronmartblog.com/2013/02/which-printer-should-i-buy-epson-or.html

blackest Loc: Ireland

Epson SureColor SC-P600 Inkjet Colour Printer looks like a printer worth looking at its essentially an update on the R3000. The link you gave gene was very useful.

However I've found an interesting place in Cork City, Ireland.
http://www.webworkhouse.com/ It's open 24 hours (outside office hours it is cheaper) and you can print A3 colour for 3 euro! A3 black and white is 30 cents , i bet they don't mean B&W photo printing for that price.

To be honest to pay by print at these prices, makes far more sense than investing in printing at home. There is only one thing to do drive to Cork and investigate further. I think i'm going to love it there :)

There must be places like this in pretty much any city with a large student population so at least on the printing side there is no need to bleed your wallet dry.