Anybody in the know about a good, high-quality photo printer? I need an inkjet printer (mac compatible) with great quality, professional-looking pics that occasionally can churn out some resumes....

I am looking in the $300 to $400 range that can handle large format prints (13" wide and such)

Any suggestions would be great

 

Well, the best I know of that meets your size needs is a little outside of the price range you listed. It's the Epson 1280 and is $499.

Here's a link with info.

I personally have the Espon 1200, which was replaced by the 1280 and I love it.

 

At 13" wide you're looking at an A3 printer which tends to be a little more expensive than the normal A4 size.
Having said that they are becoming cheaper all the while. There are lots of photo quality printers within your budget though you might struggle to find an A3 size one within your budget. I use an Epson A3 printer which prints at 1440 dots per inch max for photos and it is excellent. I do a great deal of restoration of old or damaged photos for people. I'm also one of the few people I know of who undertakes computer colouring of monochrome (B&W) prints. I have no qualms about outputting my results for customers via my printer. The secret is to print obviously on proper photo quality paper.

Epson are now doing a range of printers which use dyes rather than inks and provided you print on their specialised glossy or matt papers they guarantee the archival life of the print, exposed to Western European sunlight for 100 years and 200 years respectively.This is now far in advance of the life of conventional photographic prints exposed to the same conditions. An A3 size Epson with that technology woud set you back about

 

Thanks for the quick replies keep, them coming...



I heard that Canon has a comparable printer but does not come in an A3 size yet....I would like to have individual ink cartridges as well. What about HP? Are they any good?

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by tmkarab
[B]I heard that Canon has a comparable printer but does not come in an A3 size yet....I would like to have individual ink cartridges as well.

 

canon is probably the best bang for your buck. the cheapest ink $ wise.
i just bought the Canon F30 yesterday and LOVE IT!! it has a built in scanner, copier and prints 17ppm black, 12ppm color at 1200x1200 resolution.

 

Read over this review...

http://www6.tomshardware.com/consumer/01q4...1212/index.html

 

cdelena -

Interesting info - thanks.

Looks like if I use The Epson alot there is less chance it will get a clogged head...

I just ran to the book store and read up on some printers in some digital photo mags - they really liked the Epson Stylus Photo 1280. I don't quite understand the difference between that and the Stylus Photo 2000 which is around 2-3 hundred bucks more but from what I was told an older model....

I wish this was as easy as picking sports cars

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by tmkarab
[B]cdelena -

 

The ink cartridges for the 2000 are also very expensive! I agree that unless the archival life of the prints is of paramout importance, you don't really need to go for this printer and the 1280 would serve you well. The enemies of your prints, and of conventional photos for that matter, are direct sunlight or the UV part of it to be more accurate, which causes fading, and airborn pollutants which will eventually attack them.

The safest way to store your prints is either flat in an album or in a frame with the back sealed properly with tape. Provided it is not hung near a window receiving direct sunlight, you are unlikely to experience any fading of the print.