22.08.10
Printers Under £400
If you’re looking to print your work there are vast numbers of printers available on the market today. So we spoke to Canon printer product manager Jon Penney to find out what buyers need to look out for.
Q What should people consider when buying a printer today?
A The first decision most people face is output size. Do they need A3? In the past the cost of a printer this size would have been prohibitive and the camera they had might not have justified that size. Printers are now more cost-effective and image quality on DSLRs has improved. The next thing to consider is that you need at least six inks to get a decent photo print. Six inks give you a broader colour space; meaning you can paint with a broader colour palette. Four inks give you CMYK which provides a broad palette, but if you want to do more photographic work such as skin tone or skies, adding a light cyan and a light magenta strengthens your regular ink, giving more colour capability in those areas. Dye is known and loved by many photographers for having the broadest, most vibrant colour space. In addition to the six inks there is a red and green, which boosts colour reproduction in those areas considerably, giving foliage or autumnal shots that extra punch. If you are thinking about longevity, pigment ink gives unrivalled archivability, so someone thinking about selling their work can have absolute peace of mind that their printer will stand the test of time. This is the ink set in our Canon Pro 9500 MkII, which has got 10 inks with the addition of matte black and grey. The matte black is designed to work with fine art media types. It also produces a high-quality black and adds significant mid tones to prints as well as nice neutrality when you are printing. With a typical inkjet one colour might predominate in an ordinary view of the colour cast because it has to use colour to produce the mid tones. However, using the grey ink tank will fill mid tones with grey, leaving a neutral print. Something else to consider is that using a Canon printer means it will recognise Canon RAW files so you can print directly from the camera or by using the Canon management software.
Q What are some of the more common mistakes people make when printing?
A Most people have experienced times when what they have printed doesn’t match what they had in mind or what is on the screen, and the printer is blamed. But in our experience it is the other way around and the monitor is at fault. So we advise having a colour-managed work flow, which means calibrating your monitor so what you see on your screen is a true representation of the colours you are working with. Also use the appropriate print profile for the paper type you are using. We provide a profile for every single type of paper we manufacture. Most paper manufacturers do the same. This is to tell the printer how to represent the colours on the page.
Q How can you get the most from your printer?
A Use genuine ink and genuine paper. They are designed to work together and you’ll be able to find the type of paper in the printer driver. You can make a number of changes to the driver to optimise the settings for the output you have in mind. You also are able to save those settings. So if, for example, you are printing a series of monochrome portraits, you can save that setting and have it available the next time you do that.
Q Which would be the best printer for serious enthusiast photographers looking to make money from their hobby?
A Of course I’m going to recommend a Canon printer! And the one that I would choose is the Pixma Pro 9500 MkII. It gives incredible ability in monochrome in particular but also brilliant colour out put on to a wide variety of media, from glossy through to matte and also some ofthe fine-art canvas type media. You can pass paper up to 1.2mm thick, so from fairly stiff board type papers youcan make 14in x17in prints. www.canon.co.uk
A3 Printers:
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HP Officejet 7000 Wide Format Printer
This affordable wide-format printer provides professional-quality colour prints up to A3+ for in-house solutions for images or even marketing material, ranging from postcards to posters. Printing up to 33ppm mono and 32ppm colour, the 7000 also reduces its impact on the environment by using 40% less energy than lasers.It is economical too, with four individual HP Officejet inks, so each can be replaced as and when required. If there is more than one person wanting to use the printer, you needn’t worry, you can share fast performance with the built-in Ethernet networking for up to five users. This printer also includesHP Easy Printer Care Software and easy installation so you can get started quickly and efficiently. www.hp.com £229
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Canon PIXMA iX4000
This A3+ printer is designed for fast and high-quality photo documents. The PIXMA iX4000 delivers A4 documents at up to 18ppm in mono and 14ppm in colour and prints on a range of sizes up to A3+. It is able to print photo lab quality print in approximately 166 seconds in standard mode and you can also get fast borderless photo printing. The PIXMA iX4000 provides detailed colour output for photos and gives a 4800x1200 dpi print resolution through Canon’s FINE technology with 2pl ink droplets. The Canon ChromaLife100 system of print head, inks and genuine Canon photo papers produces beautiful photos that will last a lifetime. Photos can quickly and easily be printed directly from all PictBridge compatible digital cameras and camcorders, without the use of a computer. www.canon.co.uk £279
Splurge
Epson Stylus Photo 1400
Featuring Claria Photographic Ink for long-lasting, borderless premium quality photo prints, the Stylus Photo 1400 is the successor to the renowned Epson Stylus Photo 1290S. Its six individual ink cartridges mean that only the colour that is used needs to be replaced, resulting in even more detail where light colour and softer tones are required. The drivers also support Adobe RGB for a wide colour gamut. Additional colour output modes include Epson Vivid, for presentations and graphs, and Epson Standard to reproduce sRGB images. In addition, the Epson Stylus Photo 1400 allows advanced colour management with International Colour Consortium (ICC) profiles for the Epson media range. The connectivity support includes PictBridge, USB 2.0 and an optional wireless Ethernet Print server. www.epson.co.uk £319.99
A4 Printers:
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Canon PIXMA iP4700
This A4 photo printer offers superior photo quality and fast document printing with extra features such as printing straight on to a DVD or using auto duplex print to make professional-looking double-sided prints. The PIXMA iP4700 offers ISO ESAT speeds of 9.2ipm for mono documents and 8.1ipm for colour. Canon’s FINEprint head with 1pl ink droplets delivers 9600x2400dpi resolution and produces fine detail with eye-catching clarity. Auto Photo Fix II software corrects a range of image faults, including underexposure. Using Scene Analysis and Face Detection technology, red eye is eliminated. We have one printer to give away. Visit www.photographymonthly.com for more details.www.canon.co.uk £99.99
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KODAK ESP 5
This all-in-one printer offers quality and savings of upto 50% on everything you print, compared with similar consumer inkjet printers. Printing up to 30ppm monoand 29ppm colour, this all-in-one printer also featuresa convenient, large 7.6cm (3in) colour LCD display plus memory card and USB slots so users can view, edit and print with or without a computer. The ESP 5 has a two-cartridge, six-ink system and an intelligent paper sensor which automatically adjusts settings based on the paper type, to banish any worries about the technical aspect of printing. The image enhancement software and editing tools offer a variety of features at the touch of a button, such as brightening pictures, bringing old photos back to life withKodak Colour Restoration or reducing the appearance of skin blemishes to enhance facial features.www.kodak.com £99
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Epson Stylus Photo P50
Take control of the creative and printing process with the P50 while maintaining high-quality prints of images. The Stylus Photo P50 uses Epson’s Micro Piezo print head technology which, combined with Epson Claria photographic ink, produces Hi-Definition images that last up to 98 years in a frame or more than 200 years in an album. Users also benefit from the ability to print borderless photos up to A4 size and even CDs and DVDs can be given a personal touch when printed directly on to suitable discs. Epson’s Easy Photo Print software comes as standard, allowing for the easy optimisation of any photo, such as backlight correction and red-eye removal. With its premium finish the P50 includes a fingerprint-resistant top surface which drastically reduces the amount of cleaning required to keep your printer looking sleek and smart. www.epson.co.uk £89.99
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Canon PIXMA MP640
This premium Wi-Fi all-in-one printer delivers superb photo quality and speed. With Wi-Fi and an Ethernet port, the PIXMA MP640 integrates into home networks, offering ISO ESAT speeds of 9.2ipm for mono documents and 8.1ipm for colour. Canon’s FINE print head, with 1pl size ink droplets, delivers 9600x2400dpi print resolution, free from grain and with smooth gradations of colour. It can print a 10x15cm borderless photo in approximately 20 seconds using default settings. Two paper paths mean different media – plain and photo paper – can beloaded at the same time, while the auto duplex feature produces double-sided documents with ease. DVDs and CDs can be personalised by printing directly on to disc.www.canon.co.uk £185
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Epson Stylus Photo PX710W
This wireless, all-in-one, Hi-Definition photo printer produces photos that exceed lab quality and is capable of printing quality photos in approximately 10 seconds. Features include integrated wireless and Ethernet, enabling shared printing and scanning. Auto-selecting A4 and photo-sized paper trays mean both plain and photo paper is always ready for use and the PX710W also has the capacity to print directly on to suitable CDsand DVDs. Other features include the ability to view and print photos directly from a memory card using the 6.3cm LCD viewer, printing directly from PictBridge compatible digital cameras and optical character recognition (OCR) software for text scanning. The PX710W uses Epson’s Micro Piezo print head technology which, combined with Epson Claria photographic ink, ensures images are sharp, vibrant and rich in colour.www.epson.co.uk £199.99
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HP Officejet H470 Mobile Printer
This compact and rugged model is the world’s fastest mobile printer and weighs just 2.09 kg without the battery. It is ideal for those who want to print around the home and not be confined to the office or who are producing images while on the road at an event. Printing up to 22ppm mono and 18ppm colour, this inkjet printer uses HP’s specially formulated inks, designed for efficiency and saving money while maintaining professional results. Featuring a sleek design and a multitude of features, including optional wireless connectivity, the HP Officejet H470 Mobile Printer series is a complete answer to mobile printing.www.hp.com £169
Splurge
Canon PIXMA MP990
Canon claims its flagship Wi-Fi all-in-one offers the ultimate in photolab-quality printing to creative digital and film photographers. Canon’s FINE technology, with 1pl ink droplets, delivers 9600x2400dpi print resolution for finely detailed colour photos and grain-free monochrome images. With six single inks, a separate grey ink is included to ensure high-quality, neutral monochrome prints as well as improved tonal gradations in colour printing. Innovative features include Multi-Zone Exposure Correction, improvements in face detection, scene analysis, plus brightness and saturation correction. The MP990 utilises Auto Photo Fix II to help correct photo errors, such as underexposed images. www.canon.co.uk £329
Splurge
Epson Stylus Photo PX810FW
The PX810FW is Epson’s flagship Wi-Fi, all-in-one printer for the home user and integrates fax capability with Hi-Definition photo printing, scanning and copying. You can save paper by double-sided printing with the duplexer; the auto-selecting A4 and photo-sized paper trays mean that both plain and photo paper are always ready for use; and the PX810FW can print directly on to suitable CDs and DVDs. This four-in-one photo printer has the capacity to view, edit and print photos directly from a memory card using the touch panel, direct printing from PictBridge compatible cameras and optical character recognition (OCR) software for text scanning. The PX810FW uses Epson’s Micro Piezo print head technology which, combined with Epson Claria photographic ink, ensures images are life-like, colours are sharp and vivid and that photos exceed lab quality. www.epson.co.uk £299.99
Splurge
Canon PIXMA MX860 Multifunction Printer
The MX860 gives lab-quality printing coupled with great speed and convenience as well as a 35-sheet duplexauto document feeder, plus Wi-Fi and Ethernet connectivity. This is the perfect solution for those looking for more than just a printer for their creative needs. With the ability to scan, copy and print, the creative possibilities are endless. Canon’s FINE print head technology with tiny 1pl ink droplets and 9600dpi print resolution allows you to achieve photo-lab quality prints and to produce text and graphics with pinpoint accuracy. Save time by printing directly from any Bluetooth-enabled device with the optional Bluetooth Unit (BU-30), by connecting any compatible camera via the PictBridge or by using the built-in memory card slots. Images can be scanned up to 2400x4800dpi optical resolution so that all images are copied in exacting detail and evenold photographs can be digitally stored. www.jessops.com £279.99
Jon Penney's secrets to successful printing:
- Avoid touching the surface of the print, keep the media secured and stored away until you are ready to print.
- Think about where you are going to display the work. If it is behind glass, then avoid using glossy media. Using a matte or satin finish will avoid double reflections and give the best results.
- If you are going to frame it, leave the print to dry for at least 24 hours.
- Think about where you are going to display your work – the lighting conditions havea huge impact. If the light sources are very different between where the work was printed and where it is to be displayed it can look very different. Canon’s Ambient Lighting Correction tool allows you to tell the driver the lighting conditions in which you are going to be displaying the print. You can take a light reading at the venue, get the colour temperature and print with those settings in mind.
- Printers benefit from being used regularly. Roller cleaning is also important, especially if you use a fibrous paper. This can rub off on to some of the rollers,which can lead to feed problems. Use this tab also to align your print head to ensure best quality output.
- To get the best results experiment with different paper types. There are so many available and it’s worth while taking a look at the choice and testing different weights, finishes and textures as well as price points.
- I use our own free software for ultimate colour accuracy which allows you to create your own profile for a Canon printer by using CMTP (Colour ManagementTool Pro). This software allows you to create your own bespoke ICC (International Colour Consortium) profile. You could find out if other manufacturers offer similar software.
- Experiment with the driver settings until you achieve your perfect print and then save the combination of settings. Next time you want the same look, just call up the settings that you have saved.
Round Up: Best Papers
We asked Ian Windebank, UK operations manager for The Imaging Warehouse, what paper you should use for the best results.
Q Is it important that papers and canvases are suitable for pigment and dye-based ink sets?
A Yes. Make sure that all the media you consider have been tried and tested for their archival properties and suitability with pigment and dye-based inks and that they are all 100% compatible with test certificates. These are often listed on websites and are on ours.
Q How do you personally combat the issues of colour management?
A We offer a bespoke ICC (International Colour Consortium) profiling service alongside our generic profiles to help customers through the first stage. It begins with a download from our website; follow the instructions, then we can build the successful profile. The service is free on PermaJet media and there is a small charge for other manufacturers’ papers. Profiles are the only way to manage your colour output. Without them you are prone to inconsistent colours and to wasting expensive paper and ink. Profiles regulate all colours back to LAB Colour, the industry standard of colour management.
Q Can the majority of printers today handle the thicker fine-papers that a lotof pro photographers like to use?
A In 99% of cases the answer is ‘yes’. Many printers now have dedicated thick media feeds, either mounted as a separate holder feeding into the back or through a front feed. More than 80% of papers will load through the standard ‘sheet’ feeder.
Q WHAT ARE Baryta papers andwhy would I use them?
A The Baryta or fibre-based paper range replicates those papers still treasured by monochrome darkroom users. Each of the papers (FB Royal, FB Gloss, FB Warmtone and Delta Matt Fibre) replicates the original appearance of silver halide papers, supporting vast black-and-white tonal ranges. A test pack costs less than £15. www.theimagingwarehouse.co.uk
1. Canson Baryta Photographique 310gsm
This alpha-cellulose, acid-free, pure white paper is coated with barium sulphate – the same coating as for traditional silver halide – and has a premium inkjet colour receiver layer. While maintaining the look and aesthetic of the original darkroom baryta print, Baryta Photographique shows excellent black density and great image sharpness. Available in cut sheets (A4, A3, A3+, A2) and rolls (43cm, 61cm, 91cm, 111cm wide). A4 25 sheets, £29.28.www.fotospeed.com
2.Hahnemühle FineArt Pearl 285gsm
This bright white, 100%-cellulose paper guarantees archival standards for years. With its premium pearl inkjet coating, FineArt Pearl meets the highest industry standards regarding density, colour gamut, colour gradation and image sharpness while preserving the touch and feel of genuine art paper. Compatible with pigmented and dye inkjet systems, FineArt Pearl enables impressive contrasts and pictorial depth in black and white or colour photography. A4 50 sheets, £53.99. www.hahnemuehle.com
3. Ilford GALERIE Smooth Lustre Duo 280gsm
A true double-sided resin-coated media witha professional lustre finish. The media hasa natural photographic white tint to produce printswith excellent colour gamut that is perfectfor skin tones. The media is suitable for creatingtailor-made wedding albums, portfoliosor even premium quality invitations. GalerieSmooth Lustre Duo is compatible with both dye and pigment printers. A4 25 sheets, £16.99.www.ilfordphoto.com
4. Permajet Fine Art Semi-Gloss Canvas 360gsm
This single-sided semi-gloss canvas has a pronounced textured natural white base. The beautiful uneven glossy surface lends itself particularly to full colour landscape, portraiture and wildlife reproductions, creating movement, depth and shadow. The material is both water and scuff-resistant. Applying Perma-Seal adds saturation and will increase the colour intensity but always remember to test first. A4 10 sheets, £21.95 www.permajet.com
5. EPSON Premium Glossy Photo Paper 255gsm
A resin-coated based photo paper with a smooth, bright white and high-gloss surface which dries instantly. Smudge-proof and water-resistant, this paper’s surface is quick to dry, making it perfect when prints are required quickly. A great all-rounder for advance-level amateur photographers for home printing of traditional photographs. A4 15 sheets, £12. www.jessops.com
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