colinc1 Loc: Goleta, California

I must add my 2 cents worth here. I have used my Canon PRO 100 for years. Always used Canon ink (8 cartridges) Unit has never clogged and always printed even after a month of non-use. I think the new PRO 200, which is the latest version of this printer, is just as good.
It will make the 13X19" prints required.

colinc1 Loc: Goleta, California

I must add my 2 cents worth here. I have used my Canon PRO 100 for years. Always used Canon ink (8 cartridges) Unit has never clogged and always printed even after a month of non-use. I think the new PRO 200, which is the latest version of this printer, is just as good.
It will make the 13X19" prints required.

colinc1 Loc: Goleta, California

Sorry for the double entry.

DaveJ Loc: NE Missouri

Charlie,
I also think the new Epson looks interesting. I would see if you get to the point of selling up to 10 a week and then make your move.
Dave

alberio Loc: Casa Grande AZ

Good suggestion, probably the way I'll go.

Cragzop Loc: NYC

I’ve been waiting to purchase 1 for months. I registered with B&H 4 months ago and get this notification from them every 2 weeks. Just got this one:

Dear Customer

We did not forget about you!

You are receiving this message because you asked to be notified when the Epson EcoTank Photo ET-8550 All-in-One Supertank Printer (B&H # EPET8550) becomes available. We advised you then that we would send you interim updates. We regret the item remains unavailable.

Sidwalkastronomy Loc: New Jersey Shore

Do another search but make sure you hit the recent search button

chasgroh Loc: Buena Park, CA

...yes, because printing is a black hole, IF you want great quality (which means NOT a dye ink printer, amongst many other details). What you want to do also involves shipping; another hole, but not so black. It, however, involves a few steps to insure your quality is retained at the client's doorstep. At your stage of things, I'd stick with Bay Photo and let them do they're great job...just charge enough to outweigh that cost.

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

HP no longer makes a photo quality printer in 13" or narrower width, such as you're wanting. All the HP printers MT_Shooter refers to are large format... 24" wide or wider... and current models sell for $2500 or more.

While the Epson "SuperTank" printer you asked about is marginally okay for photos, it is basically a 4 color printer with added matte (photo) black and gray tanks. This okay, but not ideal for color photographs. Further, it's a dye-based ink type that's not as long lived (archival) as pigment inks. The one key advantage of this printer is that it will be more affordable to use, thanks to it's refillable tanks and reasonably low cost inks in bottles. (However, there are similarly refillable, third party bulk ink sets available for most popular printers.)

The best photo printers have 8 or more inks... a typical setup is cyan, light cyan, magenta, light magenta, yellow, black, gray and then possibly a 2nd gray (best for black & white prints) and/or a "gloss optimizer" (best for printing on semigloss and glossy papers) and/or a 2nd matte black (best for printing on matte papers, which is often preferable for "fine art/museum" quality color prints that will be framed under glass). Some printers add a red or other color, too.

For long term durability and resistance to fading, pigment inks are best.

There really aren't a whole lot of printers that meet these criteria and are the 13" wide format you want.

The only two I find are:

- Canon Pro-300... $899. A 13" wide, pigment ink printer with 10 ink tanks: C, LC, M, LM, Y, black, matte black, gray, red and "chroma optimizer" (note: Canon calls their "light" colors "photo"). A full set of OEM inks costs $122 or can be bought individually for $12 each. These cartridges are relatively small... 14.4ml each... so you'll be buying a lot if you make 10 prints a week! https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1573781-REG/canon_imageprograf_pro_300_13_professional.html

- Epson P700.... $584 (after $200 mail in rebate, reg. price is $784). It's also 13" wide format with 10 pigment inks, but a slightly different set of colors. This Epson has an additional gray and a violet (instead of the red and chroma optimizer that Canon provides). The OEM ink cartridges in the P700 are 25ml each... about 70% larger than in the Canon. However, they are also a lot more expensive. Individual tanks cost $38 and a full set of 10 is $380. https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1558223-REG/epson_c11ch38201_surecolor_p700_standard_edition.html (Note: the current mail in rebate offer ends Jan. 31.)

For sake of ink cost efficiency, the wider 17" printer may be a better option. The Epson P900 uses essentially the same inks as the P700, but the wider printer's cartridges hold twice as much ink: 50ml. They cost a little more... $42 each and $420 for a full set of all ten. But that's double the amount of ink for just 10% higher cost. Of course, the purchase price of the printer is higher, too... The P900 is currently offered for $999 (after a $200 mail in rebate).

Canon similarly offers their Pro-1000 17" wide printer. However, as we'll show, there's no better ink cost efficiency with it. In addition to considerably larger ink tanks, it also adds two more colors (a 2nd gray and a blue). Each tank in this printer is 80ml (more than triple the size of the P700 and 5.5X larger than the Pro-300's). Of course they are also more expensive: $59 each or $699 for a full set. This works out to cost very close to the same per ml as the Pro-300's inks in the small tanks. The Pro-1000 itself also is the most expensive of these four options, at $1299.

Both of those 17" wide printers are fully capable of printing 13x19 etc... plus can print 14x17, 16x20, 16x24 and some other popular sizes. However, these 17" wide printers are also heavier and larger, so will require more work space.

I don't know if there are third party inks and/or refillable tanks available for any of these printers. You might find some info with online searches.

chasgroh Loc: Buena Park, CA

Epson has made it *very* difficult to use 3rd party inks with their recent printers. I *could* do it with my P800 (which I love) but it involves buying gear, and doing hacking gymnastics I'm not into at this time. If you are in Europe, you're golden and can use after-market inks...go figger. Like I said, if your new to it, printing is definitely a black hole.

delder Loc: Maryland

I exhibit 1-2 8/10 photos per year and try to get a deal @ CVS. They do for 3.98 if you download the photo.
On Sale, under $2.00. I can't afford to keep my Office Jet Pro 7740 in ink @ that price.
Of course, I loose control over the finished product, but saves me CAPX, Inventory & Maintenance costs.
[Print Heads etc.]

colinc1 Loc: Goleta, California

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vpeek1947 Loc: Louisville, Ky

I have used my Canon Pro 100 for quite a while - wore one out a couple of years ago.
Shooting Baseball & football - sold MANY 13 x 19 action prints to parents & Grandparents.
Worked well for me.

alberio Loc: Casa Grande AZ

Thank You amfoto1 for your detailed response. The Epson P900 sounds interesting.

hrblaine

My trouble is that I like the looks of dye much better than pigment. So I only give prints away, never sell them.

OTOH, I have a dye print that's been up in my home for probably 10 years. Sealed of course and not in direct sunlight but in direct artificial light (and indirect sunlight). It' a Pacific Ocean scene and looks as good as the day it was printed imho. I know that I printed it on good paper but don't remember what. Harry