what kind of printer do you have?

[thenimirra]

When I buy my new computer, I was thinking about getting another printer as well for printing photos.

What kind do you have and is it worth it? I'm wondering if it's cheaper to just print things off at 10 cents at a Walgreens, or the like.

[ColoradoSkier]

For small snapshots I have a HP Photosmart 385. This thing is awesome.

For up to 8x10 I have a HP Photosmart 7150 that I have had for some time. Always works great. We have framed several prints from this (5x7 and larger). I haven't needed a print larger than that for a while, but if I did, I would check prices and reviews at http://www.printrates.com/

Also, if you are resizing your images for making prints, you might be interested in http://craigfroehle.com/blog/archives/2004/12/digital_photo_p.html

[Jocko]

I have an Epson Picturemate "Personal Photo lab" for small proof prints, and an Epson R2400 for prints up to 13"s wide and however long. It is not cheaper to print them at home. You will also lose some print quality on a "Personal Photo lab". Even buying paper and cartridges in bulk you will pay .26/print. You can easily get it done for around .19/print. My 4x6 printer still has some digital noise in the prints (you have to look close but I can see it). The r2400 prints beautiful pics but it isn't cost effective to use it for smaller prints. It uses up to 9 cartridges at $15 a piece.

Be careful when taking them to the walgreens, walmart, costco type places. Even though the printing process is the same , they are not equal. Most of those places don't change their chemicals as often as they should and the result is spots on your pics. They also don't evaluate each pic for exposure and color, so you may not be getting the best quality.

I would suggest becoming a member of Wolf/Ritz. They have developed hundreds of rolls (pre-digital) for me and I have never been disappointed. We don't have Moto-Photo in the Springs (that I know of) but I have seen their pics and they are equal to Wolf.

[thenimirra]

I joined Wolf/Ritz this past week. The downtown store is great and I've already made friends since it has become my second home.

I have spent most of my lunches learning how to use their equipment and chatting with the store clerks. And they don't care that some of my recent pics have been kinda naughty! :P

[mrutledge]

I have the Epson R320. It does borderless 4x6, 5x7, 8x10. It'll do 8.5x11, but I think that has borders.

What I like: Great print quality. Individual color cartridges so I can just replace the one that's low. Built in card reader.

What I don't like: Slow. Paper and cartridges add up quick. I gave up trying to make the thing work as an attached printer for my Mac and never bothered trying with the work laptop (windows).

In my mind the print quality is the most important aspect of a printer like this. I'm sending pictures of kids to elderly family members and there is no room for fuzzy or grained pictures. The ability to do 8x10 in my home is neat too. I would buy it again.

-Matt

[Hardcor4x4]

I have a cartridge eating, don't like that cartridge, ink guzzling, ink leaker, ink smearer, ink skipping, invisible ink printing, i'll think about it, tempermental, paperjamming, connection problematic, ask me tomorrow, you wanna print what?, all in one Lexmark printer but the scanner works without issue. :shrug:

[ColoradoSkier]

I hate all in ones. I have a separate scanner that rocks. We have an HP all in one that sits, because I can't connect to it half the time. Really should just toss it, get a networkable b&w laser, and be done with it.

[Snotty]

We have an all in one from HP that has given us zero trouble. But we also have an Oly P-10 Sub Dye that is awsome. I may pop for the 8x10 one here this year.

[Jeffro600]

Walmart... :flipoff2:

No seriously!! You can upload pics to the store from their website and pick em up in about an hour and their leaps and bounds better than anything youll get from any inkjet printer! And cheaper to boot! I got fed up with clearing ink clogs, buying rediculously expensive papers and inks, wasting tons of materials so i just started doing the walmart thing. I think i pay something like 15 or 20 cents for standard sized pics. I printed out 40 somethin 4X6" pictures a few weeks ago and it was less than 10 bucks.

Considering the ease, quality and price, inkjets can go take a walk...bought me a cheap desktop laser printer for documents and other junk...ill leave the photo printing to someone with real photo equipment.

[mrutledge]

Considering the ease, quality and price, inkjets can go take a walk...bought me a cheap desktop laser printer for documents and other junk...ill leave the photo printing to someone with real photo equipment.

No offense, but you're using the wrong printer. My epson prints lab quality pictures in all the sizes I've tried. If you believe the advertisements, the paper and ink will last longer than lab prints and are more UV resistant.

I haven't done the math to figure out if it's cheaper, but it is way more convienient than needing to drive out somewhere and pick up pictures. (I order supplies online and they're delivered.)

Take a good look at the higher end consumer printers. They're not as bad as you seem to think.

-Matt

[Jeffro600]

No offense, but you're using the wrong printer. My epson prints lab quality pictures in all the sizes I've tried. If you believe the advertisements, the paper and ink will last longer than lab prints and are more UV resistant.

I haven't done the math to figure out if it's cheaper, but it is way more convienient than needing to drive out somewhere and pick up pictures. (I order supplies online and they're delivered.)

Take a good look at the higher end consumer printers. They're not as bad as you seem to think.

-Matt

I dont believe the advertisements so i highly doubt some ink sprayed on a peice of paper is going to last longer than lab prints. And pull out a loupe and examine them under GOOD light...the print quality is not quite up to lab par..even on the high dollar printers. Dye sublimation printers are a different story but are even less cost effective than inkjets.

Think about how many thousands of prints you could of bought with all the money you droppped on that "higher end" printer... :rolleyes:

Convenient is not cursing at your printer cuz your out of ink, out of photo paper, have clogged nozzles, jammed paper, jacked up colors, etc.

[ColoradoSkier]

Pixinfo.com did a printer comparison... http://pixinfo.com/en/articles/fade-resistance-test-2007/

[Luv_Jeeps]

I use an Epson R1800 for my photos, and it's an awesome printer.
I can even use roll paper for huge prints if needed.

[MReetz]

Wow, the epson looks like a really good choice.