Print at home or use a "professional" service

[KarlosDaJackal]

I was looking at the Canon PIXMA Pro9500 A3+ Photoprinter, 10-ink, 9 ppm, 4800*2400dpi and wondering is its quality at or above most labs? I can read lots of reviews but interested to know how often something like this is used in the real world.

I can see the advantages and dis-advantages of doing your own prints, just wonder what most people do, especially at the "pro" level (in other words if your charging for your services is it good enough to sell home prints)

Also I'm interested how often people need prints bigger than 13x19, I was thinking that a very small portrait studio could probably get away with something like this? Not that I'm in the business or plan to be any time soon (Way, way, way too much to learn first)

Anyway the question is, would this printer have high enough quality to have a quality product to sell, and would 13x19 (inches) cover 80% of what people ask for in prints so when needed you could use a professional printing service for the other 20%, and is it cost effective?

I get that with economies of scale a pro-printer can always do it cheaper, but then people would probably pay more to get their photo instantly from the photographer, which would even things out. Debate...... ;)

[René Damkot]

Quality is as good as a lab, or better, provided you use the right papers and have your color management set up right. Also depends on the lab you compare it to obviously ;)

13x19 is a nice size. If you want to print bigger, IMO in most cases it will be something "special" (like canvas) anyhow. YMMV.

[Quad]

I like to do my own printing as I see it as a very important part of the process of getting what I want. People go to larger format printers also because of ink costs, as well as some of the self calibration features.

[BermyFunk]

I too am looking into printers and this one looks very nice. If you get it let us know how it is.

[KarlosDaJackal]

I too am looking into printers and this one looks very nice. If you get it let us know how it is.

Was about too, then today my car stalled just after i started it and moved it a couple of metres, and when i looked back at my parking spot their is a big puddle of oil under where the gearbox would be. So if you get it, don't tell me how good it is as I might still be crying about the car repair bill :lol:

[BermyFunk]

Was about too, then today my car stalled just after i started it and moved it a couple of metres, and when i looked back at my parking spot their is a big puddle of oil under where the gearbox would be. So if you get it, don't tell me how good it is as I might still be crying about the car repair bill :lol:

damn sorry to hear that....unfortunately it is a future hopeful printer for now.

[Lowner]

Provided you invest the time and energy into printing at home, it will be a lot better than a "professional" printing business, who cannot afford to invest the time you can. But it will always be more expensive doing it yourself.

Be aware that it's not quite as simple as buying a printer, plugging it in and watching superb prints roll off. But with a proberly calibrated printer/paper and monitor, plus a few simple(ish) workflow and housekeeping requirements, modern printers are amazing. Newer pigment inks also have an amazing archive life.

[tim]

I'm a wedding photographer, I find printing a time consuming pain in the butt so I leave it to the specialists - my pro lab. I also trust lab prints for longevity a lot more than inkjet as well.

[yogestee]

I like to do my own printing as I see it as a very important part of the process of getting what I want. People go to larger format printers also because of ink costs, as well as some of the self calibration features.

I agree with Quad,,its all about full control of the finished product..

[tim]

Maybe you guys just need to find a decent lab.

[sapearl]

Yup - could very well be the issue with some of them. :rolleyes:.

The pro labs in my area can do my volume wedding and event work much faster and cheaper than I could with my inkjet printer. There's a fair amount of competition and that keeps their prices quite good, and the service fast.

But I do use my own inkjet for the fineart landscape prints. These tend to be very short runs and it's more convenient, faster and cheaper for me to do my own 13x19 images.

Maybe you guys just need to find a decent lab.