Minolta magicolor laser printer...

[pn.md]

Has anyone used this printer: Minolta-QMS magicolor 2350 EN .
I'm looking to get a printer to print out photos from my new Canon EOS 300D. I've always wanted a laser printer for print speed and not smearing like inkjets.

I am looking at the the 2350 particularly because it Mac compatible. Minolta does make other models that are little cheaper with similar print qualities but it's not Mac compatible. :(

PC magazine states :"The photo output (on good-quality laser paper and laser glossy paper) qualifies as near-photo quality. It trails the best photo output from a dedicated photo ink jet but should prove more than sufficient for brochures and the like. " (How SUFFICIENT is the photo print outs?)

I realize that color laser printers around this price range are still bested by high end inkjets. But the print speed and more durable laser paper and ink would be wonderful to have. :)

I didn't realize that they made "glossy laser paper" for photo printing. Well, this Minolta can accept this paper also.

So anyone seen photo print outs on glossy paper from the 2350 EN?

Worth the price? around $1000 with $100 rebate now.

I'm sure there are other people out there who can't stand waiting forever for their inkjet print outs. And a little drop of water or wetness will ruin your inkjet print outs. It's inkjet revolution time!...;) :D

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,1217172,00.asp


http://common.ziffdavisinternet.com/util_get_image/2/0,1311,sz=1&i=27084,00.jpg

[pn.md]

Specs from Minolta:

http://www.minolta-qms.com/products/color/mc2350/index.asp

"The magicolor 2350 prints on plain paper, thick stock, transparencies, envelopes, and glossy media. Add a duplexer for two-sided printing or a 500-sheet feeder for more paper input. For more flexibility, install a hard disk to access Proof then Print, electronic collation, Job Accounting, and other helpful features. With its modest size, the magicolor 2350 is at home in an executive office, corporate office—even a small home office.

Colorful Results
With the magicolor 2350’s Photo ART technology, you can enjoy 9600 x 600 dpi-class resolution for amazing photorealistic image quality. Enhanced Automatic Image Density Control (eAIDC) means consistent color throughout the life of the printer.

Easy Network Color Printing
Producing a colorful business document can increase sales, persuade your audience, and improve your image. Now, thanks to themagicolor 2350 EN, it can also save you money. This user-friendly, compact color laser printer delivers photorealistic image quality for detailed, vivid color at a price that can’t be beat. "

How does the Minolta's's 9600x600 dpi compare to a 4800x1200 dpi inkjet (eg- Canon i900 series)?
BTW- the Minolta can be found on Ebay for $850 new. Then subtract $100 with current rebate offer. :D

[CyberDyneSystems]

I was seriously considering the Minolta as well.. my experiences with Ink Jets had been so poor,. and owning a B&W Laser at home,. where you feed it a toner cartridge in 2001 and just keep printing (still on fis\rst toner in 2004) really made me want a Color Laser.

The truth is though,. (at least when I looked at them) that Color laser does not even approach the results that a good ink jet offers for photo printing. :(

I really wish it did,. if so I would own a Color Laser. But with the results I am getting from the Canon ink jets,. I could not sacrifice that quality for the efficincy and simplicity of the laser.

[pn.md]

CDS, thanks for the reply. I'm sure as the moderator you definitely have more experience with color laser printers and photo printing in general, than me. I essentially have none, except for the very fast, efficient and extremely reliable lasers we use in our hospital ER's.

Of course as you stated, that's with black and white text. Whole other ballgame when it comes to printing COLOR photo quality images. It's amazing with all the computer technology we have nowadays that we're unable to produce a color laser that can do what we want. At a REASONABLE price of course! ;)

Oh well looks like I too will be investing in a nice top of the line inkjet. It's just that they're so INexpensive nowadays that you really can't believe that it'll give you quality print outs. Eg- Canon i900 series. :) :D

[Ikinaa]

I was seriously considering the Minolta as well.. my experiences with Ink Jets had been so poor,. and owning a B&W Laser at home,. where you feed it a toner cartridge in 2001 and just keep printing (still on fis\rst toner in 2004) really made me want a Color Laser.



Don't forget, that when using a BWLaser, you normally print text, which make about 5% or less coverage of the page.
For printing pictures, your coverage will be a lot more, approaching the 100%, so you can print 20 times less pages when printing pictures than when printing text.

so you need perhaps to change cartridges more often than every 5 years...

But a color-laser is an option I've considered myself, because prices down at $1000, often haven a NIC installed, but the resolution of 600x600 dpi don't make them good for printing pictures.
those with 1200x1200 have better quality but prices are higher.

[CyberDyneSystems]

CDS, thanks for the reply. I'm sure as the moderator you definitely have more experience with color laser printers and photo printing in general, than me.

Well, thanks for the vote of confidence! :)

But I must be a much better con artist than I thought :mrgreen:

I was looking at a Minolta QMS Color (about $800.00 if I remember correctly, can't remeber the model) about 8 months ago...

The best bet would be to get a sample print at the highest quality on the glossy paper of a challenging high quality image .. (something which can be VERY difficult to get, for either a LAser or an Inkjet) So that you can see for your self. It may be that things have improved,. it may be that the laser will meet your needs,. and it may even be that the test prints that I have seen were not good representations of the lasers art there best.... in which case,. i would not really know anything more about color lasers than you or anybody,. I'd just THINK I did.. and be misled.. :wink:

[pn.md]

CDS. you've done enough, by providing this wonderful website for Canon Digital Rebel owners like myself. :D

[chris.bailey]

I have one of those at work and tried it with photos. No way does it come close to photorealistic. Its a bit like colour pics in the newspaper, ok from a distance. It also bands. Running costs for the three colour and one black toner cartridge plus new image roller...... its not a cheap guy to run. At least when one cartidge runs out on the Epson 2200 its $18. A new set for the Minolta is 25% of its cost.