musiclovingpicturetaker Loc: Queensbury NY

Hi all! I am looking to purchase a new photo printer. I want one that prints up to 11x20. Any suggestions?
Thanks!

Michael Hartley Loc: Deer Capital of Georgia

Epson, or Canon, or HP.

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

There are only a few "table top" printers optimized for photo printing in current production. They print on up to 13" wide paper. All are “inkjet”. Two use dye ink and are the Canon Pixma Pro-100 and Epson Artisan 1430. Three that use pigment ink are the Canon Pixma Pro-10, Epson Stylus Photo R2000 and Epson SureColor P600. The P600, the first in a new line of 10, is believed to be a little better than the R2000 with higher density blacks and may be better for B&W prints. Two more photo optimized printers have huge and pricy ink tanks and are aimed at high volume printers. They are the Canon Pro-1 and Epson 3880.

Dye ink printers are less expensive, believed to be less likely to clog and the prints are assumed to resist fading for a few decades. Pigment ink printers cost more, are believed to be more likely to clog when used infrequently and the prints are expected to resist fading for several decades.

People that print for galleries and exhibitions tend to believe that pigment inks are a necessity. People that print for personal use often find the dye ink printers perfectly suitable. Owners of each of these seven printers will endorse their print quality. They are all capable of making stunning prints. None make poor prints. Ink cost per print can be argued, but it is nearly impossible to accurately measure. Unless you are a high volume printer, the marginal ink cost differences may not be significant.

In the end, choosing between these seven printers may come down to what's on sale, what is bundled with it and how big is the rebate. Places like B&H have all off them, price them competitively, ship for free and normally don't charge sales tax.

Two years ago I bought the cheapest one I could find at the time. It was the Canon Pixma Pro-100. Prints are wonderful, they will outlast me, it has not clogged (even with months of being turned off) and I think the cost per print is about the same or slightly less than "quality priced" commercial printing.

musiclovingpicturetaker Loc: Queensbury NY

Thank you for your feedback and advise. I am looking at the Canon PIXMA PRO-100 so I really appreciate you sharing your experience and recommendations.

doduce Loc: Holly Springs NC

I have it. Love it. It's big, so have a place picked out.

Don Fischer Loc: Antelope, Ore

I have the Pro 9000 MKII. does a great job! It's a 13" printer but they claim I can do up to 14 wide and 26" long by using the back feed. I printed a canvas through the back feed just to try it out, works great. They didn't have the Pro 100 when I got my 9000 or I may have got it. This is my third canon printer and haven't had a bit of trouble with any of them.

cj7 Loc: Idaho

Look at Epson Stylus Pro 3800 series. It can print up to 16x20. I have been very happy with the one I have. Check with amazon. Good luck!

flamenkio Loc: Progreso, TX

Pixma pro-10....I used it last night for the first time and I was amazed by the prints! For the first time, I actually felt proud of my work, haha!

rustfarmer

I have the pixma pro-100 and love it. Now if I can just learn how to mount prints to foam board and hang them I can get them off my desk and enjoy them, lol

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

Great analysis here...

I'd add that there are third party companies who offer add-on ink tanks for printers such as the Epson 1430, so you can do printing with dye OR pigment inks, in high volume, at lower cost.

I put EPSON high end 44" wide inkjets into a lab I worked at, years ago, and found them to be better than any other technology we used. The cost of ink and paper was the highest per square foot, but for archival quality output of large sizes, it is worth it. We made such better prints on the Epsons that we had to "dumb down" their output with simulation profiles to make them look like our mini-lab prints.

Don Fischer Loc: Antelope, Ore

Well, what happened to the 100+ years life spans of inkjet photo's? If it's still true, put after market ink in a Epson and it Voids your warantee. Might be the same with Canon, don't know.

Don Fischer Loc: Antelope, Ore

Well, what happened to the 100+ years life spans of inkjet photo's? If it's still true, put after market ink in a Epson and it Voids your warantee. Might be the same with Canon, don't know.

WNC Ralf Loc: Candler NC, in the mountains!

Actually it does not void your warranty, been using Cone Inks in my 3880 for over two years. Check out John Cones web site. Also check out the Red River Paper site for info on the true costs of printing for ink costs per printer.

Don Fischer Loc: Antelope, Ore

The lab that did my film had their's break down and were using after market ink in it. Voided their warrante. Maybe that has changed. That article on Red River is a good one. Just shows how inexpensive ink really is.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

Third party ink won't void your warranty, but it will make communication with EPSON service a bit weird.

The key to printer longevity is USAGE. Use it often. Don't let the ink sit on the shelf more than six months. Run the printer at least weekly.

The keys to print life are proper outgassing after printing, then display under glass, or preservation in dark storage at controlled temperature and humidity. Pigmented inks can last 85 to 110 years or so under glass, and 200 to 300 years in dark storage. Canvas prints can be sprayed with UV protectant (after outgassing) if they are not protected under glass.

Outgassing is achieved by covering the print with blank newsprint paper for 24 to 48 hours, so the solvents leach out of the print... EPSON and other mfrs. have instructions on their web sites regarding this procedure.

Wilhelm Research at http://www.wilhelm-research.com/ has estimated the life of many printer/paper/ink combinations. Check 'em out!