tcthome Loc: NJ

For most it is not cost effective , But I like printing using a Canon Pro 100. It is an extension of the hobby. Sort of like post processing. It helps me envision the final photo when I am setting up to take a photo. Canon & Epson have come out with printers that do the 13"x19" size prints with less expensive printers that use less inks if cost is a concern for you. Canon TS8320? &Epson XP 15000. I wish I could justify the cost of a much larger printer. Check out this you tube channel ,

https://www.youtube.com/user/cheo1949/featured

Bubbee Loc: Aventura, Florida

Me, too! I love my Epsons, latest is the XP-7100...even though the machine is cheap but the ink and paper are not, and I, too, w aste many in the process!

DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA

I have a color printer. It will do up to 8.5x14 paper. It is an office printer and does a good job on documents. It is designed for volume production of documents. It does a good enough job on full color prints that I have a few on my walls. It doesn't do large prints or documents. I don't produce enough of those to make a large printer economically feasible for me. It's more cost effective for me to send a large print out and have it done by someone with the right tools.

My printer does a pretty good job on greeting and birthday cards so that is probably much of what it gets images pumped through it for.

My printer is a Xerox ColorQube. I don't recommend it for home use because it's big and heavy and takes up a fairly large space. But it uses a solid wax ink which it melts and uses like an ink jet printer. The wax is waterproof, which is one reason I got it. Works great on a farm stand. But the ink fades in sunlight. When I got one in '05 I calculated that it cost me about $0.40 for an 8.5x11 full color print, which I considered reasonable. For monochrome printing a laser printer is cheaper.

Xerox had a deal for businesses. You pay a hundred or two a month for a year or two and you get a printer (cost depends on which model printer). The money you put in can be applied to purchase of supplies (maintenance items and ink). Essentially the printer is free. I don't know if that program is still in place. The first printer I got lasted 12 years with only one repair required. The second one I have had for about 6 years now and has needed no repairs. (Maintenance items can be done by the user).

Charles Whittier

Many or all Costco photo centers are closing. I use to use them for large number of 4x6 prints. Cost was good. Prints were good. Just not enough business to keep them open.

cjc2 Loc: Hellertown PA

I print all photos (for my clients and for myself) on my Epson P800. Anything really special, or larger than 16 x 24, is sent out. Best of luck.

unlucky2 Loc: Hemet Ca.

Home printing opens up a whole new world of possibilities for your photography, if you are so inclined. Cost and quality are yours to command, what type of paper, color control, size, and so many more variables that reflect purpose and intent of use. How long they last is up to you, matt and mount behind glass for years of enjoyment, or maybe just display for short period with the purpose of replacing them with "next". There are great spray products like " Hahnemuhle" that will protect your images from UV, moisture, dust and most other harmful environmental conditions.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

(Disclosure: I'm a former digital portrait lab manager)

Printing your own isn't necessarily economical. There's the printer cost, the ink, the paper, the color calibrator kit that avoids $$$ in paper/ink/lab bills wasted, the opportunity cost of NOT using your own printer (they go bad if not used frequently)...

BUT, there are GREAT reasons to print your own:

CONTROL (If you are technically inclined, capable of true ICC color management, you can control image quality so what-you-see-is-what-you-print — or the lab prints.)

PRIVACY (If your subject matter would be compromising in some way, printing your own makes sense)

QUALITY (Again, if you know what you are doing, you can get the quality YOU want, not just what a lab thinks you want.)

LONGEVITY (Pigment inkjet prints on the right papers can last 200 to 400 years, compared with 20 to 50 years before wet process lab prints fade under similar conditions.)

IMMEDIACY (Print at will, for immediate use)

LOWER BIG PRINT COST (Labs charge a super-premium price per square foot for prints larger than about 8x10. So if you need many VERY large prints, it eventually becomes economical to buy your own wide format (24" to 64" roll paper) printer.)

MORE PAPER OPTIONS (Papers, canvas, vinyl, art boards, and their generic ICC paper profiles are available from quite a number of sources (Moab, Red River, Hahnemuhle, Galerie, Magic, Canon, Epson, HP, Kodak, Lexjet...)

I'm sure there are plenty more reasons to print your own, but COST is not one of them if you're making small prints.

Even as a retired lab guy, I print via a ROES (remote order entry system) application to several different labs. My inkjet is an office all-in-one now. I had a photo printer for years, but did not use it enough to keep it healthy. Ink cartridges have a lifespan of about two years on the shelf, six months in a printer, so it's easy for them to dry up and clog print heads. In the lab, our wide format Epsons ran at least five days a week on one shift, and in certain weeks, we ran them 24 hours a day, six days a week. The only times we had head clogs were when they sat for two weeks, or my lead printer op ordered third party ink that formed a precipitate when it mixed with the Epson ink in the printer.

TreborLow

I have an ancient Epson R2400 (technically on it's third life, but external waste ink system keeps it going) and it will do up to 13x19 inches. What I like is the ability to print non-standard formats. I also cut my own mats to fit standard frames. Yes the ink costs drive me crazy, but I mutter at lot, then still pay the price. Not sure what I will do when it finally stops (hope I will be old enough not to care!).

Cutelouise Loc: New Jersey

I discovered "Walgreens" print services, even though I have a Canon RRO-100 (still in the box unopened). Check out their prices and usually 1/2 off specials. I've found the Techs at my store very helpful, if I didn't like the way it turned out they've reprinted for me 2 to 3 times no charge. If I recall my last 2 Post sized prints 20x30 were 12.00 dollars (after 50% coupon) and they usually have it done in an hour or so. If you factor in your cost of a, printer, maintenance, ink and paper, you may save a few bucks. They use a large format Epson so it probably uses archival inks.

Ednsb Loc: Santa Barbara

Yep missed out on 100. Just watched a Canon presentation on 200 and 300. There are some significant difference with them from 100 but as said no rebates yet. Even then I’m not sure are seeing the $150 range again. I have so many bad experiences with EPSON heads clogging and having to throw away otherwise good printers so I’m stuck. What I’d really like is a tank filled system on them.

With that said as an Amateur in that I don’t sell my work I’ve been using Costco for my glossy prints for a while with good success. They recently closed the in store photo shops but still do online and for free shipping. Btw, if you don’t like what came out you can return them at Costco easily. For me I started doing fine art images which they don’t do so I’m probably going to have to buy a printer or a relatively inexpensive lab

adedeluca Loc: holbrook ny

We have a Canon 100

We are impressed by the quality

Of course practice helps a lot

You will not believe the quality

Ednsb Loc: Santa Barbara

What is a RRO-100?

sennamonster Loc: fort wayne, IN

I also use a Canon Pro 100. Prints up to 13 X 19 inches. Love it.

adedeluca Loc: holbrook ny

It is a canon 8 ink dye printer

Built like a tank and prints like a quill

Ednsb Loc: Santa Barbara

Just realized it was probably a typo. Should have been a pro 100