what is the best photo printer?

[Burt]

Great post, David. The reality is that all brands of inkjet printers (and
all devices in general) have pros and cons. No device lasts for ever, and
each has its own way of self destructing. Whatever printer one purchases,
it is a good idea to become more educated through reading of newsgroups and
forums to learn about alternate inks and papers, trouble shooting and
simple fixes. For instance, there are ways of clearing head clogs that will
help forestall a new printer purchase when an old one doesn't print well.
The most comprehensive place for finding information on printer maintenance
would be Arthur Entlich for Epson at [email protected] (when
requested, he will email you his instructions on diagnosing and clearing
Epson print head clogs) and Neil Slade's site at
www.neilslade.com/papers/inkjetstuff .

 

[tyranix95]

Sorry to break this to you Bob, but just like how HP paid Spencer Lab
to post "favorable" results for them, here too HP was the only entrant
in all categories except for the 9 inches to 17 inches wide.

 

[Gary Eickmeier]

And Duplex Printing too.

Try Canon OEM ink with either Canon Photo Paper Pro or Costco/Kirkland
Glossy Paper. You made a great choice.

I love the way the ink cartridges snap in so easily, and the software
tells you when they are short and running out. The auto head alignment
is a bonus I didn't even know about.

I have found that the Canons will print on most anything, but the Epson
and Canon papers are particularly compatible, and the best. Fun
experimenting with a lot of different surfaces.

Gary Eickmeier

 

[measekite]

I love the way the ink cartridges snap in so easily, and the software
tells you when they are short and running out. The auto head alignment
is a bonus I didn't even know about.

I have found that the Canons will print on most anything, but the
Epson and Canon papers are particularly compatible, and the best. Fun
experimenting with a lot of different surfaces.

Gary Eickmeier

I have not tried Epson paper but Canon Tech Support does say they will
work well in a Canon. While Canon Photo Paper Pro is the very best I
tried, Costco/Kirkland Glossy paper is so very close. To compare 4x6
prices the Canon is 29 cents and the Costco/Kirkland (cut from an 8.5x11
sheet) is 4 cents. Based on the economics and almost no difference in
quality I am now using the Kirkland paper.

 

[Gary Eickmeier]

I have not tried Epson paper but Canon Tech Support does say they will
work well in a Canon. While Canon Photo Paper Pro is the very best I
tried, Costco/Kirkland Glossy paper is so very close. To compare 4x6
prices the Canon is 29 cents and the Costco/Kirkland (cut from an 8.5x11
sheet) is 4 cents. Based on the economics and almost no difference in
quality I am now using the Kirkland paper.

You mean you're buying 8.5x11 paper and cutting it yourself? What a pain
- what cutter can do this so well?

Gary Eickmeier

 

[measekite]

You mean you're buying 8.5x11 paper and cutting it yourself? What a
pain - what cutter can do this so well?

Gary Eickmeier

I do not mind. I purchased an inexpensive Fiskars Branded rotary paper
cutter that I purchased at Costco for $29.00/ It works very well. I
cut the sheet with the glossy side up. I either get 2 4x6 and a 5x7 or
3 4x6 depending on my needs. I cut 10 sheets at a time that gives me 30
blanks. I never timed myself but it is around 15 minutes. I never cut
more than one sheet at a time even though the cutter specifications
provides for more. Try it and see what you think. The paper is great
and I do not have to worry that it will do any damage to my printer.

 

[Taliesyn]

You mean you're buying 8.5x11 paper and cutting it yourself? What a pain
- what cutter can do this so well?

I use an even more archaic method . . .

I use the same full page size sheets too. Like everything else
associated with printing, you don't need an expensive "OEM" cutter.
I use a mini "exacta" type knife cheap dollar store refill blades.

With a metal ruler and a scrap photo as a template, it takes but a few
seconds to cut a 4x6, or what have you. Tip: Use the small exacta, don't
press hard on the knife, it'll leave a ridge. Don't rush it, make a few
gentle passes with the blade before cutting through.

While the first photo is printing (it takes about 4 minutes on my
iP5000 at 9600 dpi) i've cut up most of the sheets I plan to use. Then
if I'm pressed for time I can use both printers simultaneously to run
off the photos. I get the job done efficiently (assembly line method),
affordably (non OEM inks, paper and blades) and with little wasted time
(two printers). Works great for me.

-Taliesyn

 

[Gary Eickmeier]

I use an even more archaic method . . .

I use the same full page size sheets too. Like everything else
associated with printing, you don't need an expensive "OEM" cutter.
I use a mini "exacta" type knife cheap dollar store refill blades.

With a metal ruler and a scrap photo as a template, it takes but a few
seconds to cut a 4x6, or what have you. Tip: Use the small exacta, don't
press hard on the knife, it'll leave a ridge. Don't rush it, make a few
gentle passes with the blade before cutting through.

While the first photo is printing (it takes about 4 minutes on my
iP5000 at 9600 dpi) i've cut up most of the sheets I plan to use. Then
if I'm pressed for time I can use both printers simultaneously to run
off the photos. I get the job done efficiently (assembly line method),
affordably (non OEM inks, paper and blades) and with little wasted time
(two printers). Works great for me.

-Taliesyn

I just haven't found a good cutter that doesn't turn the paper as it
cuts, making for a curved or angled side rather than ruler straight.
Your method may do it straighter, but seems to be more trouble.

Have you tried printing (a four-shot) first, then cutting?

Gary Eickmeier

 

[measekite]

I use an even more archaic method . . .

I use the same full page size sheets too. Like everything else
associated with printing, you don't need an expensive "OEM" cutter.
I use a mini "exacta" type knife cheap dollar store refill blades.

With a metal ruler and a scrap photo as a template, it takes but a few
seconds to cut a 4x6, or what have you. Tip: Use the small exacta, don't
press hard on the knife, it'll leave a ridge. Don't rush it, make a few
gentle passes with the blade before cutting through.

While the first photo is printing (it takes about 4 minutes on my
iP5000 at 9600 dpi) i've cut up most of the sheets I plan to use. Then
if I'm pressed for time I can use both printers simultaneously to run
off the photos. I get the job done efficiently (assembly line method),
affordably (non OEM inks, paper and blades) and with little wasted time
(two printers). Works great for me.

-Taliesyn

I did that before getting a Fiskars. It was a pain in the ass. $30 is
cheap for a little convenience.

 

[measekite]

I just haven't found a good cutter that doesn't turn the paper as it
cuts, making for a curved or angled side rather than ruler straight.
Your method may do it straighter, but seems to be more trouble.

Have you tried printing (a four-shot) first, then cutting?

Gary Eickmeier

I use the Fiskars to cut single sheets. They make a special model for
Costco with the Fiskars name on it. It is the same mechanical but has a
nicer appearance with an aluminum bed that is ruled in black. After you
place the paper on the bed where you want it close the locking lever.
It is still a good idea to hold with a clean hand but the locking bar
does hold the paper securely.

 

[Taliesyn]

I just haven't found a good cutter that doesn't turn the paper as it
cuts, making for a curved or angled side rather than ruler straight.
Your method may do it straighter, but seems to be more trouble.

Yes, most people won't go for a method that involves a lot of
manipulations. It doesn't bother me the least bit. I like the fact
that I get a new, razor sharp blade every time I use it, simply by
breaking off a blade segment.

Have you tried printing (a four-shot) first, then cutting?

Gary Eickmeier

No, I set up my printer software, Serif PagePlus, for one photo at a
time. I've made three separate setups: 4x6, 5x7, and a shared
8x10/8.5x11. The simple 4x6 setup, for example, has 4 red layout
lines that always stay visible on top - any photo will always be behind
the red layout lines. Then I just bring in a photo and stretch and
compose to fit and suit my fancy. The printed area will only be that
which is within the red layout lines. Any overlapping excess will not
print because the document page size is also set to 4x6. Anyway, that's
the reason I can't print 4 on one page, I'm using a single setup.
Putting 4 on a page would also make them an off-standard size, no? I'm
only paying about 7 cents (Canadian) for a 4x6 sheet using Costco
Kirkland Paper. So I see no real economical gain by cramming 4 photos
on a sheet.

-Taliesyn

 

[Burt]

I have a guillotine type paper cutter left over from my darkroom days. It
must be 40 years old! It has an adjustable paper guide on it that permits
lining up the paper for each cut extremely easily. before I had the canon
i960 which does borderless prints, I experimented with printing three on a
page and then cutting them apart. One had to be much more careful with
aligning the paper on the cutter, and there is no guide that showed the
exact line of the cut. I had to kind of eyeball it. Much easier with the
paper guide set to cut a whole box of paper into 4x6's at one time while
watching some dumb tv or news program. My paper cutter, unfortunately, is
not the most expensive or most accurate, so it doesn't quite cut the most
accurate right angle. It is so close, however, that the prints look great.
You would have to use a drafting triangle or other instrument to see the
inaccuracy. I do use the steel straight edge technique and knife (utility
knife with new blade and cutting against a piece of plywood scrap from my
workshop) for trimming the edges from larger prints.

 

[Ron Cohen]

The Fiskars rotary cutter is quite accurate. It also has the advantage of
using optional wheels for scoring and perforating. I even used one at my
last print shop for low volume perf and score jobs when the setup of my
bigger equipment would take too much time. You can get them at Sam's Club or
Office Depot for less than $50 (12" model) and if you have a Michaels store
nearby, they are even less expensive (especially with the weekly 40% off
coupon). It is just one of many photo trimmers on the market, but is a cost
effective one. I also use an inexpensive Boston guillotine cutter and it
does a good job. The key to getting consistent cuts with either trimmer is
to use a stop block so that each sheet is positioned exactly in the same
spot. A small piece of chipboard taped to the cutter bed works fine. Try
using a couple of sheets of scrap paper to get a better cutting surface and
that will help reduce the problem of paper skew. If I really want to save
time, I'll take a couple of boxes of paper to my old print shop and use the
hydraulic cutter.

 

[measekite]

A rotary paper cutter is the safest and easiest to use. I bought the
Fiskars at Costco for $29.00. At the same price Staples is selling the
Carl. I like the Fiskars sold at Costco because it is black ruled
against an aluminum bed and has a locking bar to hold the paper in place.

I also have and never use guillotine cutter as I felt $29.00 is worth
the accuracy and ease of use.

Of course when I get a wide bed printer I will need to get a much more
expensive one that will do over 20 inches.

 

[measekite]

The Fiskars rotary cutter is quite accurate. It also has the advantage of
using optional wheels for scoring and perforating. I even used one at my
last print shop for low volume perf and score jobs when the setup of my
bigger equipment would take too much time. You can get them at Sam's Club or
Office Depot for less than $50 (12" model)

Costco for $29.00

 

[David Chien]

I do not mind. I purchased an inexpensive Fiskars Branded rotary paper

cutter that I purchased at Costco for $29.00/ It works very well. I
cut the sheet with the glossy side up. I either get 2 4x6 and a 5x7 or

even better was when HP was mailing out their wide-format inkjet
glossy paper samples years ago - take those huge multi-foot square rolls
and cut them up to size! Took forever, but heck, free inkjet paper to
last a lifetime!

 

[David Chien]

speed & pressure are the key to a straighter cut for me on my rotary.

Basically, faster you go, the straighter the cut - paper doesn't have
time to curl back up.
Pressure is key to keeping the paper aligned - so press hard enough to
hold the paper in place.

 

[Pavel Dvorak]

I have not tried Epson paper but Canon Tech Support does say they will
work well in a Canon. While Canon Photo Paper Pro is the very best I
tried, Costco/Kirkland Glossy paper is so very close. To compare 4x6
prices the Canon is 29 cents and the Costco/Kirkland (cut from an 8.5x11
sheet) is 4 cents. Based on the economics and almost no difference in
quality I am now using the Kirkland paper.

The Costco/Kirkland paper works fine also with Epson printers - almost
as good as Epson brands and quite cheaper.

Pavel

 

[Burt]

When Costco sold Epson Glossy photo paper ($20 for 120 sheets), I used it
for all my glossy photo printing in my Canon I960. Costco subsequently
stopped selling it and has their own brand, Kirkland, which produces equally
fine prints with a smoother, glossier surface. The Epson Glossy paper has
one benefit that the Kirkland lacks - you can print or write on the back.
Although the back has a very faint epson logo printed in a repeat pattern, I
have used this paper for two sided printing for holiday greeting cards.
When OfficMax has it on sale as a two-for-one I buy a few packages to keep
on hand for that purpose. No one seems to notice the logo on the back as it
is so faint. Epson double sided Matte paper works extremely well with Canon
printers as well. It is reasonably heavy stock and prints well on both
sides. It is also useful for printing greeting cards on both sides. Photos
have a more vivid appearance on the glossy paper, but both papers perform
well.

BTW, I noticed that the response to your email included a reference to OEM
inks. You will notice several posts on this NG about OEM vs. non-OEM inks
and you will see several people, myself included, who have used non-OEM inks
very successfully in contrast to one person who does not use it but
discourages people from doing so. In my Canon printer selected non-OEM inks
have performed every bit as well as Canon OEM inks with no clogging or any
other problems. It is, however, important to avoid poor quality inks. If
you are interested I would suggest that you read all the posts referring to
this issue in this newsgroup. I don't wish to get back into arguing about
inks on the newsgoup. Everything that could be said HAS been said! If you
would like more information you can take the nospam out of my email address
and send me any questions you have. Just mention "newsgoup response" and I
will be glad to give you some references for more information.