Choosing the right printer for your photography can be a daunting task, especially with so many options on the market. Here's the right one for you.
Coming to you from Keith Cooper, this informative video discusses the best printer options for serious photography printing. Cooper, who has extensive experience in printer reviews, emphasizes that while there is no one-size-fits-all solution, some printers stand out. This video highlights what to consider when choosing a printer, focusing on key factors such as ink type, paper handling, and cost.
Cooper starts by discussing the Canon Pro 200 and Pro 300. These printers are excellent choices for those who prioritize quality. The Pro 200 uses dye-based inks, while the Pro 300 uses pigment-based inks. If you're particular about inks, the Pro 300 might be the better option. Both models offer good paper handling and are suitable for high-quality photo prints. However, they have small ink cartridges, which can be a cost factor.
The Epson P5000 and its newer counterpart, the P5370, are also highlighted. These printers are ideal for those who need a robust printer capable of handling roll paper. The P5370, although expensive, offers bulk ink cartridges that reduce the cost per print over time. This printer is perfect for those who print frequently and require high-volume capabilities. It's a substantial investment but pays off in the long run with lower ink costs.
Another notable mention is the Epson ET-8550. Cooper considers this model the best option for those starting to take printing seriously. It features a hybrid ink set with both pigment and dye inks. This combination allows for versatile printing options and excellent results. The ET-8550 is praised for its cost-effective ink system. The lower ink costs make it an attractive choice for those who want to print without worrying about expenses.
Cooper also touches on larger format printers like the Epson P8500. While these printers are excellent for extensive printing needs, their size and cost may not be practical for everyone. For most, starting with a smaller yet capable printer like the ET-8550 or Pro 300 is more sensible.
One important aspect Cooper emphasizes is the role of paper choice and profiling in achieving the best print quality. Regardless of the printer, understanding how to choose and profile your paper can make a significant difference. Cooper's experience shows that even a printer with a hybrid ink system can produce outstanding results with the right paper and settings. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Cooper.
My choice for a good desktop printer is the 13x19 Canon Pro-300. At a list price of US$849 presently at B&H, it's a little on the pricey side for consumer use but there are a few reasons why I prefer this printer over the Canon-Pro 200, or Epson Eco-tank printers, or Epson anything for that matter. The main reason for my dislike of Epson products is that I've had terrible experience with their technical support department. Granted, consumer grade printers probably won't be worth the cost of repairing, so technical support may be immaterial. But on my 44" printers costing close to $5K, I expect answers when there's a hardware problem. My last Epson required a print head replacement after about three years of service. It needed another replacement again four years after that, and it's not a user-replacement part like they are on Canon printers. The last straw for me was that it took three days to get to speak with a human at Epson, and get enough information in order to decide whether to repair or replace the printer.
After 20 years of Epson printers, I made the switch to Canon earlier this year... the Pro-4100 to be exact. It's been replaced by the 4600 so I got a great deal on it. I couldn't be happier with the Canon product. The paper feeding system is much better than my previous Epson. I have yet to have a clogged ink channel ruin a print, which happened too many times on the Epson. Granted, I live in a very dry climate, but the Epson could print perfectly through 90% of a 40x60 print and then lose a color. Makes a guy want to scream. For good measure I called the Canon tech-support phone number a few days ago to ask a question about the impact on the printer of having so many power outages recently. I had a real person on the other end of the line in a matter of a few minutes. No shuffling from one person or department to another. No I'll get back to you. Just a knowledgeable person with answers right away. That's important to me.
As far as Epson Eco-tank printers are concerned, I've not owned one, but one of our camera club members brought a few Eco-tank prints to a meeting along with the same photo printed on a Canon-200 and asked us all to identify which was which. The Eco-tank print was not bad. It would certainly suffice for a hobbyist just wanting to make nice family photo prints. But I could spot the difference immediately... there just aren't the smooth transition of tones as there are in the Canon printers. Looked just a slight bit pixelated which could have been a function of print resolution; I'm not sure since I didn't see the printer settings. It just didn't appeal to me for having the same quality as the Canon 100/200/300 printers. I'd definitely be cautious with purchasing an Eco-tank printer for black and white photography. I just can't believe it should be classified as a "serious" photo printer.
Regarding the cost of ink, yes, it's expensive stuff... but if the difference of a dollar or two for a small print is that big of a deal for you, you might reconsider buying a printer in the first place. I'd either take the whole endeavor seriously enough to buy a really good printer, or take your images to Walmart for printing.
Regarding Canon's 200/300 options, the Pro-200 makes fine prints, although I seem to notice a magenta cast in a few prints. Probably depends on which areas of the print or colors are most impacted. Some places you don't notice it at all. In black and white it's more of an issue. Third party inks especially can cause unpleasing color shifts. I don't own the Canon 300 but a couple of our camera club members do, and because it's a pigment based ink rather than dye ink, I think the colors are slightly more consistent. One such user claimed as much after upgrading from the Canon Pro-100. Pigment inks have had the reputation for being more archival (lasting longer) than dye inks, although both will outlive me by a long shot if stored or protected properly, and both will fade if you leave them on the dashboard of your car.
Oh, one more thing... The experts all claim that you absolutely must calibrate your monitor and profile your papers for accurate prints. If you're starting out, I wouldn't lose sleep over either of those issues. I don't do either one and have very few prints which surprise me. That said, printing is like photography... experience helps a lot. Much like I'm familiar enough with my camera to set the aperture and shutter in the dark, I pretty well have the same relationship with my printer. I do have an Apple 27" iMac though, which even the most diehard advocates of monitor calibration will admit is pretty well calibrated out of the box. Naturally no matter what degree of monitor calibration you perform, light is emitted from a monitor and paper reflects light. I don't believe the two can ever match identically.
And the thing I really like about my Canon 4100 is there are so many general categories of papers listed that I've never been disappointed by using one of its internal paper settings. In fact, the only disappointing prints I've made were from using the paper manufacturer's profile instead of a generic Adobe RGB 98 profile. I used a manufacturer's profile for a natural (slightly warm color) matte paper, and it over-reacted by making the print slightly blue. I'd rather just let the printer do its thing and let the color of the paper slightly influence the colors in the print. Nobody has ever asked me to print the same photo on five different papers and make the photo colors look identically the same. Maintaining a consistent color workspace like RGB 98 from the camera through the computer and finally to the print seems to help.
I own the ET-8550, and actually when I bought it, it was on the strength of the very detailed review from Keith Cooper (above). One thing he does note in his testing is that you need to use the right papers to get the best results with black and white printing. I have had good results printing black and white, (with the right papers), and I have sold several from my exhibitions, so I think it can print black and white really well, just with the right paper.
What is considered the right paper? Brand and retailer?
Watch Keith Coopers videos on this topic, as he looks at this extensively. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKI9OSpKrAg
interesting and informative subject, one I have considered for a long time. As for Canon printers, I have heard lots of positive feedback on them. I have an Epson and had lousy customer service. A reply to my problem showed that they didn't even read my email.
Question might be off topic but when printing, is there anything that has to be applied to the photo or just let it dry?
Inkjet prints are generally dry as soon as they come out of the printer. It's generally advised to let them cure for a day or so before framing under glass or laminating. I say generally in both cases because there are exceptions. However, inks are formulated to dry quickly, resist fading, and last several decades. Placing a print in direct sunlight will obviously ruin it in a matter of hours. But today's inkjet prints are quite durable compared to the Kodak prints of our childhood. Here's a good source of information:
https://www.redrivercatalog.com/infocenter/inkjet-print-drying-time-guid...
Regardless of what you think you may know it’s well worth listening to what Keith Cooper has to say about printers and printing as this man certainly knows his stuff. His reviews and helpful advice available on his YouTube channel is a tremendous source of information and well worth a watch.