Printer suggestions for home use

I'm contemplating upgrading my printer to something that can do at least 11 x 17 prints to display at home. I don't need a 'professional' printer, just want to show off some of my photos at home and maybe share a few with friends. (I'm purposely not mentioning budget as I'm somewhat open on that, but would like to keep the cost down as much as feasible). What do you guys like?

thanks

Pixma pro 100. You can buy it for $100 after rebates and it includes 50 sheets of 13x19 paper . I have one and I love it.

http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …Pro_100_Photo_I​nkjet.html

It is a dye printer, so the prints will not last as long as a pigment printer, however, my prints are lasting quite a long time with no issues . If you did want pigment ink, you will be sacrificing the vibrancy of dye and spending quite a bit more.

I don't know that printer off hand, but yes, I suspect something like that is what you are looking for. Either that or the pigment version - I have only used pigment inks, but is sounds like the newer dye inks are good. EDIT I just looked at it and it still has 8 ink tanks, I thought the dye inks were just 3-4 tanks. Anyway, looks good to me.

I don't think you can get a 'bad' 13" printer. You'll end up spending a lot more on paper and ink than the printer, but you can control that expense somewhat - that's why they essentially give away the printer. I have a 9500II (kind of an older version of the pro100) and also a 17" Epsom 3880 which is a $1200 printer and honestly the print quality is very similar. I would expect the pro100 to produce excellent looking prints.

Epson R3000 or 3880

ejenner wrote in post #16861829
I don't think you can get a 'bad' 13" printer. You'll end up spending a lot more on paper and ink than the printer, but you can control that expense somewhat - that's why they essentially give away the printer. I have a 9500II (kind of an older version of the pro100) and also a 17" Epsom 3880 which is a $1200 printer and honestly the print quality is very similar. I would expect the pro100 to produce excellent looking prints.

If one looks around for deals or discounts, the 3880 can be sometimes had for as little as $900.

Also, looking at stats online, it shows that the 3880 has 80ml ink cartridges, while the Pro100 uses small 13ml carts, so...
An 8-pack of pro100 inks is $120, while an 8-pack for the 3880 is $405, however if you multiply by the difference in ink volume, the pro100 inks actually cost $738 for 8x80ml, not counting the bits of ink lost over ~6 cartridge changes.

This means that even if you did buy the 3880 for $1200, after about 200ml worth of inks it will have cost the same as the Pro100, and the operating cost will get less from then on.

The Pixma pro-100 is an awesome printer! The ink is 100 year ink too. Colors are amazing. Yes, ink is expensive but it is for most printers. Also keep in mind you will not be replacing all tanks at once.. more like one or 2 will run out first. Red River Paper has a great review and ink cost calculator for this and other printers too. Go find it and read it before you buy a wide format printer. I see Ratjack says "my prints are lasting quite a long time with no issues". The printer has only been around for 18 months and 18 months does not qualify as "quite a long time"!

Shane W wrote in post #16862648
Also keep in mind you will not be replacing all tanks at once.. more like one or 2 will run out first.

Same can be said for any printer, so it still evens out in the end, but that said, the printer will be going through the light colors, especially light magenta, like it's gonna rot. With an under-20ml printer you're NEVER going to see the low ink warning go away, ever.

I myself have a 44" Epson 9800 pro and the Epson K3 inks almost never clog and don't expire, I still have some "new" inks under my feet right now that are dated April 2008, and I know they'll work just fine when I pop 'em in. I have many prints that are at least 5 years old now that look just fine. Just yesterday I had my 4th clog in 2 years, which did ruin the print that was coming out at the time, but a power clean solved it right away. Epson printers are hard as nails.

Here is a link to some info on a few printers and cost of ink per print for each. There are also printer reviews if you follow the links. http://www.redrivercat​alog.com/cost-of-inkjet-printing.html

RIHAC do good CIS systems for a range of printers. I like Epson printers.

Generally, the cheaper the printer, the more expensive the OEM ink.

Kolor-Pikker wrote in post #16862057
If one looks around for deals or discounts, the 3880 can be sometimes had for as little as $900.

Also, looking at stats online, it shows that the 3880 has 80ml ink cartridges, while the Pro100 uses small 13ml carts, so...
An 8-pack of pro100 inks is $120, while an 8-pack for the 3880 is $405, however if you multiply by the difference in ink volume, the pro100 inks actually cost $738 for 8x80ml, not counting the bits of ink lost over ~6 cartridge changes.

This means that even if you did buy the 3880 for $1200, after about 200ml worth of inks it will have cost the same as the Pro100, and the operating cost will get less from then on.

That is IF you purchase the Canon ink. I personally think it is better to get ink refills through Precision Colors. The ink is from Image Specialists which is VERY good ink and lasts a long time. Each bottle of ink will refill a cartridge a few times and it is not very expensive at all, especially when compared to the Canon ink.

Ratjack wrote in post #16863304
That is IF you purchase the Canon ink. I personally think it is better to get ink refills through Precision Colors. The ink is from Image Specialists which is VERY good ink and lasts a long time. Each bottle of ink will refill a cartridge a few times and it is not very expensive at all, especially when compared to the Canon ink.

Then you have to make your own profiles. And since there is always the longevity question with dye, keeping the chromalife 100 system in tact seems a useful precaution.

rgs wrote in post #16863398
Then you have to make your own profiles. And since there is always the longevity question with dye, keeping the chromalife 100 system in tact seems a useful precaution.

The inks match the Canon ink. Only difference is the darks are a little bit darker. You do not have to make your own profiles, they are provided with the ink.

It's a good list of profiles and nice that there are varieties for different viewing lights. Nothing for Canson Infinity or some of the other nice papers that now publish profiles for the PRO 100 though.

But, for me, it still doesn't address the issue of fade resistance compared to Canon OEM inks.

Kolor-Pikker wrote in post #16862057
If one looks around for deals or discounts, the 3880 can be sometimes had for as little as $900.

Also, looking at stats online, it shows that the 3880 has 80ml ink cartridges, while the Pro100 uses small 13ml carts, so...
An 8-pack of pro100 inks is $120, while an 8-pack for the 3880 is $405, however if you multiply by the difference in ink volume, the pro100 inks actually cost $738 for 8x80ml, not counting the bits of ink lost over ~6 cartridge changes.

This means that even if you did buy the 3880 for $1200, after about 200ml worth of inks it will have cost the same as the Pro100, and the operating cost will get less from then on.

Agree with all this. Yes, I paid ~$900 after rebate (which I haven't gotten back yet)

Yes, if you buy a larger printer and pay more up front, the ink is cheaper in the long run. The 3880 also comes with about 70% ink tanks after getting it started (~$300 worth), so the printer itself is only costing ~$600. And also in retrospect I should have gotten the 3880 (or the model below at the time) instead of the 9500II. I do print a reasonable amount though and have been through over $1000 in ink since getting the 9500II, but when I got that printer I honestly wasn't sure how much I would print.

The 3880 is also not that big or heavy for a 17" printer. It's a good printer for sure. If you're not going to print a lot though and you'd prefer not to have as much of an outlay, the Pro100 is going to produce quality prints. My point above was simply that the Pro100 will print similar quality as a much more expensive printer (although I didn't say that 'expensive' printer might well be cheaper in the long run, which is true).

While I think the 3880 is great and I would love to have it, I do not think it is worth it unless you have a business that is pretty high volume with prints. Otherwise, it is going to take a long long long time for the cost of the 3880 to be worth it.

For a low volume business or personal use, I think the 3880 is a bit overkill. Plus, I would not like losing out on wifi lol. Right now, the OP can get a very good printer for $100. Then after quite a few prints, he will finally need new ink. Now with it being for personal use, that could be quite a long time.

On a side note... those of you that have the 3880.... feel free to ship it to me when you decide you don't want it anymore XD.