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DPChallenge Forums >> Hardware and Software >> Print at home or at the printers?
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03/12/2013 01:43:06 AM · #1
I have a cheap, Canon wifi printer that I bought for 50 dollars, which is what it would have cost to replace the ink in my older printer which was showing signs of wear and tear. I also wanted to go wifi so we could all use the printer and not worry about being tied to it.

I haven't printed much as far as photography goes. I did in the beginning but now it's just easier to share with friends online. If I wanted to print something BIG for the apartment, my printer won't do it and I go to a printers. But I'm wondering, which is better when you do want to print for home in a 'normal' size? Does a printer (Or the printers out there now) do a good enough job and cheap enough that going to the printers isn't really necessary? What do you look for in a printer?
03/12/2013 02:24:46 AM · #2
Originally posted by heavyj:

I have a cheap, Canon wifi printer that I bought for 50 dollars, which is what it would have cost to replace the ink in my older printer which was showing signs of wear and tear. I also wanted to go wifi so we could all use the printer and not worry about being tied to it.

I haven't printed much as far as photography goes. I did in the beginning but now it's just easier to share with friends online. If I wanted to print something BIG for the apartment, my printer won't do it and I go to a printers. But I'm wondering, which is better when you do want to print for home in a 'normal' size? Does a printer (Or the printers out there now) do a good enough job and cheap enough that going to the printers isn't really necessary? What do you look for in a printer?


Ah a good question. I do my own printing at home and use a pigment based printer. Epson r2200 Old yes but still does a good job. Down side is if you do not do much printing your ink heads will become clogged and the ink will dry out. Dye based inks are getting better but I personally "IMHO" use only Epson or Canon Pigment based printers for photographs. I want them to first produce the best image and second last. Now your other option is a print shop. I would look locally and find one that does archival based printiing for a fair price. NOT WALMART!!!!
For all other jobs that can wait use an online service like Mpix. Ink is the largest cost of home printing second comes paper. I use mostly cotton rag and a few other types from hamemule, ilford and epson. For my Epson printer I get around 50 prints ranging in size from 8.5 x 11 to 13 x 19. Set of ink cost $120 paper well Some range from $2 a sheet up to $5 a sheet.
03/12/2013 03:43:45 AM · #3
For work I sell at the gallery, I use a lovely Canon i9500 MarkII the renamed latest model is here I also use Canon inks with it.
It's expensive ink, but I get complete control over the results. I usually use matte paper, museum quality, in this printer.

For regular stuff, including a monthly newsletter that I print in color, I have an inexpensive CANON I6500 model, which also prints up to 13 x 19 paper, and I use cheap Sofia inks in it.

It's fast and the quality isn't bad. This works fine with plain paper, glossy or matte.

Message edited by author 2013-03-12 03:48:43.
03/12/2013 05:44:21 AM · #4
For me I will print personal stuff for kids projects ec at home as well as running off a proff before sending anything off but if it is getting framed or hung I usually use whcc.
03/12/2013 07:08:29 AM · #5
The differences between photo printing processes and methods. This pretty much sums it up.
03/12/2013 07:13:13 AM · #6
I print at the printers. Every time. Hands down. They have all the right paper and ink and guillotines. I can print cheaply if I want by asking them to print on one kind of paper, or for a special shot, I can ask them to print on another kind of paper and pay a bit extra. They can also print to canvas, etc. I like being able to pay for my printing in small payments as I need, rather than having to fork out a lot to buy all the equipment up front, and then pay for its maintenance.
03/12/2013 10:46:05 AM · #7
I also print 100% at the lab. I have good local resources that I trust. It would cost me far more per print for my very limited volume to do it in-home.
03/12/2013 12:48:29 PM · #8
I suspect you'll get better results from sending prints out than you will with those little printers, and by the time you buy the ink and paper, it will be cheaper to send it out.

I have a Epson 3800, which is a 17x22" professional quality printer. Prints from it completely blow anything I can get elsewhere out of the water. They're really that good. But the printer takes up a fair bit of space, and there isn't any scenario under which printing it myself is cheaper than sending it out. 8 1/2x11" paper is $1/sheet. Then there's the ink, which is cheaper than the ink for the small printers, but still not cheap.
03/12/2013 01:03:59 PM · #9
Originally posted by Ann:

Then there's the ink, which is cheaper than the ink for the small printers, but still not cheap.

Printer ink costs betweem $3-5000/gallon ...

I do at least 90% of my printing at Costco -- they get printed on the same Fuji photo paper as if I was getting prints from film negatives -- and most of the rest I do mail-order. I occasionally print "contact" sheets on a laser printer at work, but those are only for purposes of selecting images to edit.

I can upload and order the prints online and pick them up within 1-2 hours (except during holidays), and they are very inexpensive; printer profiles are available for those into that sort of thing.
03/12/2013 01:26:39 PM · #10
Originally posted by sfalice:

For work I sell at the gallery, I use a lovely Canon i9500 MarkII the renamed latest model is here


That has got to be the worst product description ever. I finally figured out that it was a 13x19" printer because that's the biggest paper they were selling for it, not because of anything written in the product description.

It *is* a 13x19" printer, right?
03/12/2013 01:42:00 PM · #11
Originally posted by GeneralE:

Originally posted by Ann:

Then there's the ink, which is cheaper than the ink for the small printers, but still not cheap.

Printer ink costs betweem $3-5000/gallon ...



Ink for the 3800 is $2600/gallon at Amazon. Or $55/80ml, whichever measurement you prefer. Cartridges last me a couple of years, but there are 8 of them in the printer.

Ink for the smaller Epson printers is about $12/12ml, or $3700/gallon at Amazon. This was actually part of why I bought the $1000 3800 instead of a smaller printer. It came with $600 worth of ink. When I took that into consideration, the bigger printer was actually cheaper than the next size smaller (print quality was similar).
03/12/2013 02:45:22 PM · #12
Really printing at home is more for the conveniance. Though I would never use any printing service that uses the old film printiing technology. The prints and paper just does not last under normal circumstances compaired to Pigment based printing. If the life of the photo does not matter and price is more important then by all means use the cheapest print service you can find. I have seen the Fuji chemical printed photos from Walmart and a few other labs fade to nothing in a no window enviroment in less than 6 years. Granted if you still had the digistal image or negative you could always reprint the photo 5 times and equal the price of 200 year archive grade printing but only get ome 30 years out of it. So ask yourself how long do you want it to last and how much are you willing to spend. There are many good local print shops in most medium to large towns that print archival grade and are usually less expensive than doing it yourself. It's just the convenience factor of not having to leave my home that keeps me printing here.
03/12/2013 04:07:29 PM · #13
Originally posted by Ann:

Originally posted by sfalice:

For work I sell at the gallery, I use a lovely Canon i9500 MarkII the renamed latest model is here


That has got to be the worst product description ever. I finally figured out that it was a 13x19" printer because that's the biggest paper they were selling for it, not because of anything written in the product description.

It *is* a 13x19" printer, right?

LOL - I confess to not having read the description.
I went by the reference that it replaced my model, looked at the picture, noted that it looked the same - and posted it!
ER, yes, it DOES accept 13" x 19" paper.
----------
after a little checking, I find that Office Max has the i9500 (NOT the MARK II) at the highly inflated price of $850, while back at the Amazon ranch, that new Canon model referenced above can be had for $669 on one screen, and apparently $388 on another, and $288 after rebates. WHAT is Canon/Amazon thinking!

Message edited by author 2013-03-12 16:30:46.
03/12/2013 04:48:05 PM · #14
Originally posted by sfalice:

Originally posted by Ann:

Originally posted by sfalice:

For work I sell at the gallery, I use a lovely Canon i9500 MarkII the renamed latest model is here


That has got to be the worst product description ever. I finally figured out that it was a 13x19" printer because that's the biggest paper they were selling for it, not because of anything written in the product description.

It *is* a 13x19" printer, right?

LOL - I confess to not having read the description.
I went by the reference that it replaced my model, looked at the picture, noted that it looked the same - and posted it!
ER, yes, it DOES accept 13" x 19" paper.


I just went to the Canon website, and the text is exactly the same there...it's not possible to tell what size paper each printer takes there, either.
03/12/2013 06:29:32 PM · #15
I print at a local shop by someone I trust. No need to worry about maintaining a printer.
03/12/2013 11:47:58 PM · #16
Originally posted by DrAchoo:

I print at a local shop by someone I trust. No need to worry about maintaining a printer.


Sneezy has the best advice I say I say! If you have a local shop that is trustworthy and price competative.

NOT
Wal-mart
Costco
Sams-Club
CVS
Walgreens
Wolf - they do offer pigment based printing in some stores that have large format Epson printing systems
You can use these companies if you do not care about quality or life of photo.
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