How to tell a good print from a bad print? Educate me.

I've been printing more and more lately. I'm using WHCC and H&H labs, and occasionally a local print service, Minuteman Press. I also have an uncooperative HP all-in-one device, that I've never successfully used to print a photo (though I have wasted hours trying*) and a HP color laser printer that's not really suitable for photos.

How do I know if a print is "right?" How do I know if a print is bad? So often, I read "I got prints from XYZ lab, and I wasn't satisfied with the quality." What didn't you like?

I've been satisfied with everything I have received from both H&H and WHCC, though I honestly don't think I know enough to tell if the results weren't great. I'm looking at two sets of very similar press-printed cards that I received, one from WHCC and one from H&H - I think they both look fine, though they're a little different. If I hold them at normal reading distance, they look great. The H&H card is a little more saturated and contrasty. If I hold them four inches from my face (my minimum focusing distance) then I can start to see the ink dots on the H&H cards. So I guess that's a lower "quality?" I don't know. I realize that press printed cards are going to look different than photo prints, and all the photos that I've gotten from both H&H and WHCC have been just great.

The flyers I got from the local printer, I wasn't particularly happy with. They're much darker than I expected - however, since I wasn't using a calibrated screen, I can't say for certain what caused that error. At the time, I was usually running my MBP with the brightness maxed. Still, one of the images in the flyer is an image that's on the card I got from H&H, and on that card it's not nearly as dark as on the locally-printed flyer.

Last weekend I had a client who needed a print immediately, and I wasn't able to deliver. I put the files on a disc and told him to go to Costco, and he went to Walgreens instead. Walgreens hassled him because I didn't give him a hard copy of a license to print. He eventually got his prints, but it was way more trouble than it should have been.

So I think it's about time to start printing some things myself. I'm thinking about the Pixma 9000, seems like just about the best bang-for-the-buck and will do what I need. If I need more than what that printer can do (more volume, or bigger size) then I can always use the print labs. But if I can't "read" the professional prints to know if they're any good, how will I ever know if my own prints are any good?

*to clarify about the HP all-in-one - IF I can get it to turn on and boot up (good luck), and IF it will connect to the network (yeah right), and IF it will connect to the computer without an error message (only during the waning crescent moon), the magenta and light magenta inks are clogged. So it's not an issue of print quality, it's an issue of getthing the blasted thing to even produce a print.

Another printer you might consider is the Epson 1400, which I use to make excellent prints up to 12"x18", and it retails for just over $200. I've used mine for almost 5 years, and it has worked perfectly. Also, I use Epson Luster paper, and the 1440 has a print profile for it, which helps.

Regarding what makes a good print, the answer is many things: appropriate white balance, appropriate level of color saturation, range of intensities from black to white (unless you are aiming for very low contrast), appropriate sharpening where you want it. The key is that once you get a printer, you can experiment with all of these options and decide what you think makes a good print of your subject matter. Although photography is my hobby, I have always made all of my own prints, because I came to digital from chemical darkroom photography with film. Making my own prints is part of the creative process for me.

I sell a print occasionally and only use pigment printers for my prints. People will tell you that dyes have improved for longevity, but not according to scientific testing. Canon and Epson both have printers that use pigments, not sure about that particular model from Canon. If you have no qualms about selling prints that will fade much more quickly then don't worry about it, maybe you or your customer will be dead by then ! ; )

I've been through the all-in-one drill too with both canon, epson, and hp -- all in vain. I now print on an old Epson R2400 that produces remarkably crisp and clear prints in B&W and color up to 13x19 inches in size. I'm not sure what their replacement model is but any Canon or Epson that has 8 or more colors will be a worthwhile investment.

Qbx wrote in post #14143855
I've been through the all-in-one drill too with both canon, epson, and hp -- all in vain. I now print on an old Epson R2400 that produces remarkably crisp and clear prints in B&W and color up to 13x19 inches in size. I'm not sure what their replacement model is but any Canon or Epson that has 8 or more colors will be a worthwhile investment.

I use the same printer, and have been for several years, bought used. The replacement is the R2880, but looking at its price, I think I'd be tempted to get one of the 3000 series or at the high end, a 3880 if I was buying another printer. But I'd definitely buy an Epson.

Here's a good read: http://outbackprint.ou​tbackphoto.com …insights/pi049/​essay.html

Thanks, good read indeed.