Ruthlessrider

I’ve been shooting for a number of years now, and occasionally I actually find a picture I like enough to print. I’ve used Bayphoto to print most of the things I like enough to print, but, of course, as I go up in size the price also does. Just wondering how other print photos they want to make hard copies of? Do you bite the bullet and pay the price, do you print your own (and if that is the case, what kind of printers are used), etc?

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

I have a large Canon printer for large prints - Pro-100. they used to be available for around $150 after the rebate.

it looks like it morphed into the Pro-200, with no rebates - yet.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/replacement_for/893738-REG/Canon_6228b002_Pixma_Pro_100_Photo_Inkjet.html

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

I depends...
Most times I have Costco print on wet paper. (saves my ink.)
Sometimes I print on my Canon TR8520 (up to 8x12).

PhotogHobbyist Loc: Bradford, PA

Depending on the size you wish to print. I personally use a HP all-in-one printer/scanner for photos up to 8X10 size. For larger prints, I suggest you check out the professional print stores online. Simply Google online printers and see which ones look good. They often have sales for different sizes.

Picture Taker Loc: Michigan Thumb

I use my Canon Pro 100 not cheep but it is your final product.

Rick from NY Loc: Sarasota FL

I used to print at home using an Epson photo printer. I found I had to print, reprint and then reprint some more until I got it right. Ended up costing me more in ink and paper than it would have using a pro lab. And of course Bay and other pro services charge more for larger prints for precisely that same reason. The larger the print, the more the paper sheet and ink costs. And Bay always produced a better print than I did.

I like Costco for the better pricing, but it often takes a couple of tries to get it to my liking, which they always did at no additional cost, no matter how many times it was reprinted. Unfortunately, Costco stopped doing in house printing which means one can no longer deal face to face with the print tech. I could stand there while she printed and reprinted until it was right. With the current on line processing, such redos are much more difficult and it takes days to good back and forth in the mail.

Bay, WHCC or Miller’s for me now with Bay my first choice, especially when it runs its frequent sales.

Wanderer2 Loc: Colorado Rocky Mountains

I recently purchased an Epson Expression Photo HD 15000 printer that does up to 13 X 19 inch prints. It was very reasonably priced from an online seller ($350) and I am very happy with the quality of the prints. I find the convenience of being able to immediately have a print of a file I have just processed to be very important.

Ruthlessrider

Thank you to everyone that has replied so far. For those of you who print your own, how old is your oldest print, and how has the color survived over time?

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

My oldest print ink jet print is about 10 years old. It came from the Canon Pro-100 when it was a "new model" and had rebate big enough to make it free to buy. The print does not appear to be faded. It was printed on a Canon Pro-100 that uses dye inks. You can't buy that printer anymore. It has been replaced by the Canon Pro-200. Epson's currant comparable dye ink printer is the Expression Photo XP-15000.

It is hard to find, but Canon suggest that their dye ink prints are good for about 100 years. Epson suggests the same.

Canon and Epson suggest that their printers using pigment inks can be good for 300 years. Those printers cost more than the Pro-200 and XP-15000.

The only thing that will really kill a dye (or pigment) ink print is UV radiation from sunlight and maybe fluorescent light. That can change those longevity figures.

Since my best guess is that my remaining longevity is around 15 or 20 years, the printing system I use does not matter much.

The real question is if DIY printing is more fun than ordering them. As near as I can tell, the cost of a DIY print from a quality inkjet photo printer costs about the same as ordering quality prints.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

UV will also kill a chemical (wet) print over time.

Ruthlessrider

Thank you for your more than thorough response. I appreciate the help.

Jrhoffman75 Loc: Conway, New Hampshire

Don’t get into self-printing of your images if you are looking to save money. Consider it as the final step in your photographic hobby.

As some of the folks above I currently have a Canon Pixma Pro-100. Previously I had a Canon Pixma Pro-9000. Both are dye ink printers. I have only ever used OEM Canon inks. One of my prints is still hanging after 20 years. No noticeable fading.

donphotog

For many years I have used Shutterfly (www.shutterfly.com). They store unlimited photos without charge and guarantee satisfaction. To me it is worth the price. They recently did some 30X40 canvas prints which are superb. Just a suggestion.

Sidwalkastronomy Loc: New Jersey Shore

I print some small size prints at home but any "wall hangets" I send out to a great lab called Merridan Pro. I get 16x20 on metallic paper and they mount them on double thick board. The have sales too. I love their final product.

StevenG Loc: Long Island, NY

I do my own printing on an Epson 3880 (now replaced by a newer model). The ink is expensive and there is waste trying to get the colors just right. However, I enjoy process. I print many photos I would not otherwise send to a lab. And, I get immediate gratification. However, for me, there is the satisfaction I get by seeing my work from start to finish, and holding the final product in my hands. It’s usually something I can be be very proud of.