[ZOM 77]

Hi,


im looking to buy a high end printer . . .
but im not sure which to get

what id like to do with it is print high color
flyers, in different sizes - large format is good.
and be able to print stickers . . .

id also like to print my own photography in high quality.

at first i was thinking a low end color laser printer . . .

but then i realized that the cost was indeed great ,
though lower $ per page . . . it was still a good amount
everytime i had to purchase toner and such for it . . .
that and color lasers dont print the highest quality
(well not the 500$ color lasers i was looking at )


so i started looking a inkjets,
and its just so confusing . . .
and not many stores even have these in stock
for me to look at in person. . .

i was looking at the canon i9900 (499$)
and the epson 2200 (699$)

but then i looked at HP's site - even though
i hear they have terrible drivers . . .
and they have so many large scale printers,
and at all different prices,
and i cant find many differences between them

they are all the same dpi and such . . .

i just need opinions . . .


i would rather spend less on a printer then 500$
2-300$ would be better . . .
free would be even better : )

but i need high quality and a range of formats . . .


any help would be appreciated . . .

thanks in advance . . .


- motech

[ZOM 77]

i definitely like that the canon has 8 inks . . .

any thought ?

[davidflas]

I have been an HP user for the past few years. They seem to have the worst drivers, but their printers do a great job with both text and photos. I am the current owner of a Deskjet 1220c (4 colors) and a Photosmart 7550 (7 colors). I am currently in the market for a new printer and have decided on a Canon i9900 based on the reviews that I've read. I will be using this printer mainly for photo printing and will retain my Photosmart 7550 in case I don't like the text quality on the Canon. I hope this info helps you

PS I will be printing images from my Nikon D70 and am very picky about the quality of my photo printouts.

[ZOM 77]

hhmmm

thank you very much,

i was hoping for something cheaper,
but looks like i might be getting the i9900

- mo

[davidflas]

I would recommend buying it from newegg.com, they have the printer for $425 with free shipping. http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProduc...142&depa=0

[Socially Awkward Solo]

Why is your question written like a poem?

[CatOne]

The pro photographers I've talked to, in general, prefer the Epson printers.

The real reason is because you can buy color profiles with them, which means you're not "locked in" to one particular brand of paper (this is the case with Canon and HP -- use their papers or get inaccurate colors).

The 1280 produces the best quality prints, period. However, it uses dye based ink, which means the prints are only "colorfast" for something like 20 years. This may seem like a long time, but if you put the prints in the sun, they will fade substantially faster (i.e. 3 months in direct sunlight and you'll definitely notice fade/bleach). The prints are not considered "archival quality" for this reason.

The 2200 uses pigment based inks (i.e. ground up shells, etc.) The prints are colorfast for 100 years -- I deliberately put a print in a south facing window and covered half of it, for a few months. I noticed no fading whatsoever. So they seem pretty resiliant to sunlight. The colors are a "bit" less bright (i.e. that photo of the fall colors you took in new hampshire won't be *quite* as colorful), but they're very good, and they are "archival quality."

I think the 9000 series Canon printers are also very good (and integration with their digital cameras is good as well), but the paper issue is a bit of a hangup, plus the folks I talked to at the photo workshop I attended all pretty much said "go with Epson, period."