Best printer?

[AlanL]

i am looking for a new printer for on-site and looked at an hp with a color screen to crop and etc, but the epson had better color??

any suggestions.

[scottbergerphoto]

Are you looking for portability or beautiful pictures? The Epson 2200 is great but will give you a hernia if you plan on carrying it around. In my house we call it the HumVee.
Scott

[KirkM]

I'm waiting for the new Canon i9900 to hit the stores in May so I can check it out !

i9900 (http://www.usa.canon.com/html/conCprProductDetail.jsp?modelid=9870&item=10027&se ction=10214)


Kirk

[chris.bailey]

I love my 2200 (2100 in the UK) but be prepared for some pricey ink cartridges and it does work best on certain papers being dye rather than ink based. It is also large so you need the space. A3's are awesome though.

[Ken Fong]

Seems like Canon is known for its finished look and feel, while Epsons are known for its precise color and longevity (ultrachrome). This new Epson R800 may be worth checking out because it seems to combine both...inks will still be expensive...plus it prints no larger than 8x10. Retails at under $400, so it's not like buying a 2200.

If you are not concerned about finish or longevity, but maybe more on value, look for the combination that offers the least expensive ink refills and paper by the printer manufacturer, and be sure the paper takes the ink well. Avoid comparing with 3rd party ink suppliers for now unless you get a good recommendation.

[BDM]

i am looking for a new printer for on-site and looked at an hp with a color screen to crop and etc, but the epson had better color??

any suggestions.

I got a 2200 last week so I'm still very new at this. But the 8X10 and 11X14 prints have just blown me away. The color and sharp detail are amazing.

Yes, the ink will cost as will the paper. But as a wet darkroom color printer if quite a few years duration, you don't know what cost is until you must buy color printing papers and chemicals. I can get a complete ink set for $72.00 from Calumet Photographic and I'm sure there are a bit better prices to be found elsewhere. I have already confirmed what others have said here that you will use the light colors (light cyan, light magenta and light black) at a faster rate than the rest. Having an extra set of those inks might not be bad idea.

Frankly, unless you are going to make prints in production quantities, I just wouldn't be overly concerned about ink prices. If you are going to turn out prints like hot cakes, perhaps one of the bigger printers which can use the larger cartridges would be an advantage. The larger cartridges are a lot more expensive but the per print cost (for the same size print is less. Of course, you would have a much more expensive and much larger machine to contend with so . . .

There is a system which uses external tanks and a set of tubes for the 2200. The inks come in 4 and 8 oz sizes. But they are not Epson inks. Unless I can be convinced that they are as stable as Epson inks and will not cause head clogs, I would be wary of using them. enjoy the 2200 and go with the flow.

Bruce