Printer for Photos?

[herbu]

Wife got her camera. Having fun with it. Now I want to get her a good printer for photos. We have an all-in-one, but it's only black & white. A printer that only does photos is fine, but willing to get another all-in-one if I have to for top quality photo printing. Will not be carried around, (portable).

Google searches show me a bunch of reviews. But it seems the top pick(s) are often very low rated by users on Amazon. I'm tempted to go w/ the better Amazon ratings.

Any suggestions on a printer for top notch photo printing? Or suggestions for a review site whose top pics aren't paid for by the manufacturers? I think it should print up to 8x10". I'll get her a half dozen cheap 8x10" frames and let her rotate pictures at her whim, and give them away when she wants.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

yes, Costco photo printing. Upload online, pickup in store. 17cent for 4x6 - $1.79 for 8x10
Still beats home ink & glossy paper prices

 

[TheWarrior]

Its so easy to upload pics to several big retailers now and just pick them up at the store. The cost of ink is so absurd that unless you're printing photos regularly, its just not worth it!

 

[herbu]

Thanks guys. May have to rethink my plan. Just thought it would be a cool toy for her, along w/ her camera. I have no shortage of toys. Her, not so much.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

Probably best start with nice big 4k color accurate monitor first if you are after toys

 

[herbu]

All good and practical ideas. But neither adjective describes me or my search.

I know my Mrs.
She won't spend $ for a new printer.
She won't drive 30 minutes round trip to get a picture just for fun.

Our 20th anniversary is coming up. I need to do something. So I figure an impractical toy, just for her, that she would never buy herself, is just the ticket. So I think I'm gonna get her a photo printer.

Just pretend, for a minute, you know somebody who is going to buy a photo printer. Just for fun. Under $1k. Not portable. Fax/Copy not necessary, but not a deal breaker. Any suggestions on reputable review sites, or specific printers? If not, feel free to continue trying to talk me out of it.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

Last attempt: If printer is used not often, the very expensive ink dries out and needs to replaced, unused...
Browse photography forums - most will tell you same thing - Just use commercial printing services.
If you must drive far to nearest one - pay few bucks extra for shipping, but if you still feeling stubborn and want to waste $1000, enjoy these models:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1140436-REG/epson_scp800se_surecolor_p800_inkjet_printer.html

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/827045-REG/Canon_PIXMA_PRO_1_Photo_Printer.html

 

[rojo]

Laser printers print in nicer quality than ink jets I think. But the best consumer printers for printing photos are dye sublimation, like these, for example.

 

[afterlife2]

My Canon prints out great pics. I bought it on sale for 50$ I think. It's a Canon MG7120. I buy those cheap ebay knockoff inks and it works well.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

Laser printers print in nicer quality than ink jets I think. But the best consumer printers for printing photos are dye sublimation, like these, for example.

Lets agree to disagree on use of laser printers for photo prints (they are BEST for text/forms/charts/non-photo graphics etc and I would never buy or recommend anything else but photos)
Dye sub printers I'm not very familiar with, but they seem to have much better color system than ink-jets and much faster too. On the other had they are typically very limited in print size and you'll need to get specialty print paper/media.

 

[rojo]

Just agree to disagree on use of laser printers for photo prints (they are BEST for text/forms/charts/non-photo graphics etc and I would never buy or recommend anything else but photos)
Dye sub printers I'm not very familiar with, but they seem to have much better color system than ink-jets and much faster too. On the other had they are typically very limited in print size and you'll need to get specialty print paper/media.

I guess our mileage has varied. For color prints on plain copy paper, a Dell 5330 can print nearly magazine quality prints with no color bleeding. Occasionally I'll print a photo for someone on my Epson Workforce inkjet, and it looks closer to newspaper quality regardless of the print quality software setting. But yeah, dye sub on photo paper looks professional. I wouldn't use a dye sub printer to print emails though. IIRC the ink is expensive.

 

[herbu]

Last attempt: If printer is used not often, the very expensive ink dries out and needs to replaced, unused...

Hmmm... I may be starting to understand. These are ink refills for the 2 printers you suggested:

That's a lot. I wonder ~ how many pictures you get, and ~ how long it would take one to dry out if not used.

Both printers look great. Wonderfully excessive and frivolous... just right for a 20th anniversary present. As an added benefit, I'd have something to get her for Christmas/birthday/anniversary every year.

I'll have to give it some more thought and reading. Thanks again!

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

I wouldn't use a dye sub printer to print emails though. IIRC the ink is expensive.

You shouldn't be printing emails at the first place

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

as for printer INK waste:
http://www.pcworld.com/article/152953/printer_ink_costs.html

 

[TheWarrior]

+1 for Canon. We have an 8 year old all in one. Everything still works, and it scans, copies etc.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

You shouldn't be printing emails at the first place

Rojo, I'm serious - get an 10" tablet instead. Use outlook categories, tasks and folders as needed to file stuff.