Best color printer (photo printer) for a reasonable price

I am looking for a printer, that can be used to do hard copies of digital
photos.

What is a good choice (when also looking at price/performance)? I have an
old HP inkjet printer and an old laserjet. The laserjet (B/W) makes terribel
photo hard copies (but really good B/W), and the HP is to old. I imagine
that you get better prints from consumer printers nowadays.

Regards, Lars.

 

Epson R200 or R300 is a good compromise. R800 is even better.

David

 

There is NO best. Depending on your needs there are many good photo printers
on the market. Do you want ink jet or dye sub. Will you print only 4x6,
8x10 or 24 x 36.
What is reasonable? $100.00 or $500.00.
Look at http://www.imaging-resource.com/ or other sources for reviews.

 

To be honest, I actually don't know the difference, allthough I do work
with computers. What I would do, preferably, is to print on ordinary A4
paper and to get resonable prints.

I don't do hardcopy very much. I prefer to have the pictures electronically,
but from time to time, I is a good thing to do a hard copy.

My HP printer has run out on color ink, and I am thinking that I won't
change the cartridge. I will rather get a new printer. The printer shall
then take over where the the HP color printer did the job.

A4 - A5

A3 would be nice, but will probably raise the price a lot?

Well, I am living in Denmark, so it is hard to currency conversion because
of difference in VAT and so on. But max $300 is probably what I originally
inteded to pay. The range Epson R300-R800 is ok.

But I am not only thinking on the price on the hardware as the only thing -
I am more thinking on TCO.

I will. Thanks to both of you.

Regards, Lars.

 

If (like most people I know) you are content with 4 x 6 in (10 x 15 cm)
prints, you cannot beat store-made prints. they are at least 60% cheaper,
much less fuss and bother, and, unless you are an expert, also much better
quality.
on the comparatively rare occasions when you need a bigger format (such as
A4 or letter size), or when you have special demands as to picture
manipulation, it's wiser to enlist the help of a friend who does this more
often (of course, offer to pay for paper and ink!).

On the other hand, if you have a secret yearning to fool around with
printing techniques - the sky is the limit ...

 

There is no best because they all suck! Until you spend enough to get
archival and more than 4 colors you can't beat the price of the internet
photoprinters. Even then it costs more...but it's worth it.

Suck is no very specific...so...

The prints fade
the consumables are expensive

 

HP makes a great printer. And the new ones are rated to last 113+ years.
That should be enough for you. If you get a Photosmart printer you should
be fine with the 6 color process. You can get a 8450 with 8 color process
for around $250 or so at Best Buy.
They aren't number 1 for no reason at all you know.

Steve

 

I don't know if others (HP, Epson, et al) are doing this yet (I would
assume not because they never seem to advertise it), but Canon's
ThinkTank system has a tremendous advantage in TCO, by allowing you to
replace individual color tanks as each runs low, instead of having to
replace one cartridge with all the colors when just one color runs low.
In a 6- or 8-color system, this can add up significantly.

 

I too am shopping around for an economical but good color printer to
replace my H-P in the future. I like the idea of replacing of individual
print cartridges that the Canon offers and the relatively low prices of
the printers themselves. My only reservation is the print head life and
cost of replacing it. I have not been able to find either.

Ken Miller

 

I own a 6 color Canon s820. It is cheaper to replace each color. However
when you have to replace all six colors at the same time, its VERY expensive
at $12 a cartridge, plus tax.

Personally there is very little difference between a photo printed with 6
colors and the newer 4 color printers.

I've decided for myself that I'm no longer going to buy printers over $150,
as it isn't worth it. They all break at some point (clogged heads etc). And
then your out all that money. The last printer I paid $300 for, it did last
2 years, but the print head died and is just too expensive to replace.

The Canon printers that use the BCI-6 ink tanks in my opinion are the best
bargains. You don't need the latest and greatest, they are overpriced.
Canons cartridges don't use chips like the Epsons do, and are clear so you
can see how much ink is actually left, and if you use refills, you can see
to fill them much easier since they are clear.

 

The replacement head for my Canon s820 still sells around $75. Enough that
you can buy a brand new printer that comes with ink.

 

Our little ancient Cannon bubblejet200 (b&W) still prints just fine
never a hitch for probably 10 years I'm not sure.

 

Matt Ion wrote:
[]

Yes, that is the case in the Epson R200 and R300, and most likely other
printers as well. You can replace individual colours.

David

 

I now have narrowed my search to:

Epson R300
or
Canon PIXMA iP5000

The Epson uses does 3 pico (5760x1440 dpi), the Canon does 1 pico (9600x2400
dpi). Does this automatically imply that Canon does best photoprint? I don't
care about text mode prints, I have a printer for this purpose.

Does Epson use seperate ink-cartridge and printing heads?

Speed isn't an issue.

What is most costeffective when looking af ink-usage?

The Canon is about 50% more expensive to bye than the Epson.

I like that both of them are able to print on CD's.

I don't need RAM-reader, allthough it is nice to have.

Should I go for Epson or Canon?

Regards, Lars.

 

Lars Bonnesen wrote:
[]

I don't think so (I just have the six ink cartridges, nothing else).

[]

You could go the the Epson R200 which does not have the card reader, and
would be even cheaper than the Canon. In a recent test in the UK's PC Pro
magazine,:

- the winner: Epson Stylus Photo R800
- recommended: HP 8150, Canon iP4000R
- best value: Canon iP3000

http://www.pcpro.co.uk/labs/124/inkjet-printers/products.html

Worth reading.

Cheers,
David

 

The R800 uses pigmented inks and the R300 uses dye inks, so there's a
major diff. between those two Epsons.

You might want to vet this in comp.periphs.printers for some additional
views.

 

I think I am going for the Canon iP5000.

Thank you for your views...

Regards, Lars.