Photographers have a certain range of activities that they must do on a daily basis. They will take the pictures, they will edit them to enhance their quality, and then they will print out those images for final presentation. Some photographers use digital printers instead of going through the trouble of having prints developed at a store.
Printers can be a significant investment for any photographer, no matter how big or small their budget is. There are several factors to consider when picking out the right printer.
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Picking Out the Right Printer
The first thing to consider is the type of printing that will be done by the printer itself. The two types of printing are inkjet and laser printers. An inkjet printer uses liquid ink cartridges while a laser printer uses toner cartridges that come in dry powder form. Each different type has distinct advantages, but it all boils down to what kind of prints will be made using this machine. Not every photo will look good printed on an inkjet, for example, so it’s important to choose carefully which kind of model you’ll buy. While one printer might be good for images, another might specialize in text.
Next to consider is how much printing will be done on a daily basis. The more prints that are made with this machine, the sooner it will wear out or break down. If it’s going to be used often and regularly, then it’s best to purchase a model that can handle even high volume printing without bogging down too quickly. This saves money and time because printers need constant cleaning and maintenance when they malfunction frequently, so it can become a huge hassle trying to fix them all of the time. This is especially true if many people use the machine instead of just one person.
Printer Brands
The final thing to think about is which brand of printer is going to be best for the job. It’s always best to stick with the most popular, well known brands because they have a proven track record of making dependable printers that last a long time. This also means better customer service and more options when it comes to having repairs done on the machine itself. It can take quite a bit of time trying to get hold of the company behind an unknown brand, so going with something that’s tried and true is always a good idea.
Best Professional Photo Printers
There are a few different printers on the market today that are ideal for professional photographers. We’ll explore the top selections below:
Canon PIXMA PRO-100 Professional Photo Inkjet Printer
The Canon PIXMA PRO-100 Professional Photo Inkjet Printer is one of the top professional printers today. It delivers high quality prints that are renowned amongst photographers and other professionals in this industry. The printer uses 10 ink tanks that can be easily switched out as needed, such as when replacing light colors with dark ones without having to waste excess ink.
The printer itself is large and bulky, which makes it ideal for photo printing on a regular basis because it doesn’t need to be moved around all of the time. It weighs in at 27 pounds and measures 17.9 x 14.1 x 8.3 inches, so it’s best suited for home use rather than mobile printing jobs . However, all of this heft and bulk comes with a great price. It can print images up to 13 x 19 inches at 300 dpi, making it ideal for large scale printing jobs.
The printer itself has some very useful features such as My Image Garden software that allows the user to manage photos, and AirPrint support for wireless printing straight from an iOS device (iPhone or iPad). There’s also a built-in card slot that allows photographers to preview their images before they’re printed out. This is one of the most reliable printers on the market today and definitely worth looking into if you want something simple yet effective.
Canon PIXMA iP110 Wireless Mobile Inkjet Color Photo Printer
Another printer that’s ideal for professional photographers is Canon PIXMA iP110 Wireless Mobile Inkjet Color Photo Printer. This printer isn’t as large or bulky as the previous model, but it still delivers high quality images. It can print digital photos directly from an iPhone or iPad using wireless printing technology located on the top of this unit. There are also different buttons located on the sides of this machine, which makes it easier to operate without even having to turn the whole thing around.
The design and layout of this printer is very simple and straightforward. Users won’t have any problems navigating through its features and settings without needing a manual to help them out. Of course, they do come in handy just in case there’s something that needs more explanation than what’s provided in the basic instructions.
One of the best things about this printer is that it has a USB port for direct connection to a computer, allowing photographers to plug it directly into their laptop or desktop without needing wireless technology. It also uses only 2 ink tanks, making it even more cost effective than previous models discussed on this list so far. Although some users have reported issues with printing very large images due to the fact that its paper tray can only hold up to 20 sheets at a time.
Epson Expression Photo HD XP-15000 Wireless 13″ x 44″ Wide-Format Inkjet Printer
Epson Expression Photo HD XP-15000 Wide-Format Printer is another great printer for professional photographers thanks to its ability to print high quality images in just about any size thanks to its large paper tray. The printer measures 19 x 12 x 13 inches, so it’s definitely on the larger side compared to other printers on this list. However, this also means that users can fit much more onto a single sheet of paper when printing their digital images.
There are 2 different ink tanks used by the printer, allowing outside colors to be combined with lighter ones for more versatility when printing out photos. These external tanks can hold up to 50 mL of liquid at a time without needing frequent refills every few prints or so. There’s also a USB direct port for those who want to directly connect to their computer without having to rely on wireless technology.
The printer itself is very simple and straightforward, making it easy for anyone to start using as soon as they take it out of the box. There’s also a large touchscreen included that makes adjusting settings much easier than manually going through menus or trying to decide where the buttons are located at. There have been reports from users that this model may give them problems when printing extra-large images because it can’t handle heavy paper stock easily without jamming up the machine.
Epson Expression Premium XP-7100 Wireless Color All-In-One Inkjet Printer
Epson Expression Premium XP-7100 Wireless All-In-One Printer is a mid-range unit for professional photographers who need something with a little more oomph in its features and functions. Like most printers on this list the Epson Expression Premium XP-7100 uses 2 ink tanks. One can hold up to 20 mL of liquid while the other holds up to 50 mL. This helps cut back on expenses by making sure that users won’t have to replace their ink as often, especially if they’re only printing out digital images using one specific color at a time. However, it’s important to note that this printer doesn’t include any additional color tanks, so anything that needs extra colors will require separate printouts from different ink tanks.
Users won’t need to deal with these separate colors by using the printer’s wireless connection, which allows them to print directly from their laptop without having to plug anything in. This also saves users on buying extra accessories, like USB cords or SD cards for transferring images over to the printer wirelessly.
There are 6 different ink cartridges used by this model, including Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black like most printers on this list. However it does include a separate Red cartridge that can be used when printing full color reds into any image, giving photos more vibrant colors than ever before. The 8-inch touchscreen is great for choosing settings or changing modes depending on what kind of image they’re trying to get printed out using this model.
The printer itself is a little plasticky in its construction, but it’s also lightweight and portable enough for people to bring with them on the go if they plan on printing out images from their laptop or smartphone while traveling around. One of the biggest complaints about this model is that the paper tray is located at the bottom of the printer so larger sheets can interfere with where it’s being stored, which means users will have to stop what they’re doing every now and again just to clear out any jams that might happen thanks to excess paper sticking out of the machine.
DNP DS620A Dye Sub Professional Photo Printer
While not in the same league in terms of quality as the printers listed in the top section, DNP DS620A Dye Sub Professional Photo Printer is still one of the best options for users who are serious about getting high-quality photos that will be displayed around their home or office. There are 5 separate cartridges for this printer, including Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black like most models on this list. But it also includes an additional Light Cyan cartridge that can be used when printing lighter colors into images instead of darker ones like its counterparts.
Like many other printers on this list there’s a 7-inch touchscreen included with this model so users can choose settings or switch between modes without having to dig through menus every time they want to change something. The only problem with this touchscreen is that many users have complained about it not being as responsive as they might like, which can make the process of choosing settings a little more frustrating than necessary.
The printer itself uses dye sublimation technology to create images through heating up special types of paper using a cartridge full of dye instead of ink. This printer has the lowest dpi on this list at just 300 dpi but it also has no trouble creating images as large as 13″ x 19″. There’s an SD card slot included so users can upload images directly into the machine without having to use their computer or connect any wires in order to transfer files over.
This model is slightly more than many other printers on this list, but it can print high-quality images wirelessly without any issues. The only downside is that the printer itself feels like a little bit of an afterthought, with some reports saying they felt like basic materials were used to keep costs down rather than quality.
HP ENVY Photo 7855 All-in-One Inkjet Printer
The cheapest model on this list is also one of the highest in terms of quality and detail. There are 7 individual cartridges in HP ENVY Photo 7855 All-in-One Inkjet Printer, making it slightly more expensive than other options that don’t include color but it also makes printing images faster and easier to get right when they’re finished.
All 7 colors included with this printer are used for creating black & white prints so there’s no need to worry about mixing up shades or getting them wrong when printing from a smartphone or tablet. This machine has a small touchscreen display at the top so users can choose which image they want to print out before beginning the process instead of needing to rely on buttons or menus. It doesn’t have any USB ports making it unable to connect directly to a computer, which means users will have to rely on wireless connections or other types of cables in order to get images into the machine.
Even though there are 7 separate cartridges for this model, including Black and Light Gray like every other printer on this list makes printing out black & white photos fast and easy. The only downside is that each cartridge can be kind of expensive depending on where they’re bought from which might make it more difficult for beginner photographers who don’t want to spend a ton of money on equipment and supplies.
This model has the highest dpi range out of every option listed here at 9600 x 2400. Like most printers with dye-sub technology, heating up special types of paper is used instead of ink to create detailed photographs. The only downside is that there are 9 cartridges in total, making it more time-consuming and expensive to replace every color when they run out.
The Epson WorkForce WF-7710 Wireless 13″ x 19″ Wide-Format All-In-One Inkjet Printer has the widest range of options available when it comes to paper size, including 11×14 and 13×19 inches. The only downside is that this printer uses ink instead of dye sub technology to create images, which means lighter colors might not be as bright or vibrant as what’s seen on other models here.
There are 5 separate cartridges included with this model so replacing everything at once isn’t required unless every color runs out. The touchscreen display for choosing settings or uploading images can be hard to use at times since it doesn’t always respond well to touch, but the machine itself prints out detailed photos quickly and efficiently without wasting too much paper.
They also included an Ethernet port for faster internet speeds and a memory card reader that can be accessed from the front, making it easy to upload images without having to connect a computer or rely on waiting for wireless connections in order to get images into the machine. The only downside is that this printer isn’t great when printing out black & white photos so professional photographers might have issues getting their final products looking exactly right depending on what they need.
This machine is slightly more expensive than the other options on this list but it also has a little bit of everything, including Ethernet connections and double-sided printing. There are only 2 cartridges that need to be replaced at once instead of 5 or 7 though there’s no color on the Mitsubishi CP-D70DW Pro-Performance Dye-Sub Photo Printer so black & white printing isn’t as accurate or detailed as what can be seen on printers with separate tanks for each ink color.
Even though the touchscreen interface is kind of basic, there are multiple settings available depending on what type of paper is being used which makes this printer great for professional photographers who might not know exactly what will look best when they start taking pictures. This printer might have the highest price tag out of every option on this list but it’s also one of the most versatile so it could be worth taking a look at if what’s seen here seems interesting.
Top Things to Consider When Buying a Photo Printer
There are many different printers available so it’s important to think about what will be needed when making a purchase. Here are some of the most important factors that should be considered before buying any printer.
Functionality
There are some printers that only function as scanners, some that don’t have touchscreen interfaces, and others that can’t do double-sided prints. It’s important to look at what types of functions the machine has before buying it so there aren’t any surprises after spending money on something that won’t be useful or doesn’t work well with certain equipment.
Price
The price range for printers is pretty wide which means every type of budget is accounted for. This article looked at several options under $1,000 but even within this section there were different prices depending on what was included with the printer itself. Before making a decision, research all available models and compare prices in order to get the best deal possible for whatever will be needed.
Print Speed
Some of the printers on this list are faster than others at printing individual photos, which makes them great for photographers who need to be able to print out pictures quick enough that they can sell or display them. Most of these printers were designed with photography in mind so buying one that prints quickly shouldn’t be too difficult even if speed isn’t a major concern when using devices like scanners.
Durability
Due to the fact that some types of printers only allow printed pages to be removed from the front, durability is often an issue unless extra care is taken each time something needs to printed out. Since most people don’t want their desktops littered with paper after every few clicks, it’s important to look at how thick and sturdy each printer is before making a purchase.
Print Resolution
The resolution on photo printers is different than what’s seen with standard and draft modes because it’s used to determine how much detail goes into printing an image. The higher the resolution of a print, the higher quality will be seen when looking at pictures right after they’ve been printed out. Since this usually applies to professional photographers who need their final products to look exactly right, buying a printer that has high resolutions might not be necessary depending on what’s being printed.
Portability
Many printers come with trays and other removable parts so they can be used to scan pictures or create photo albums. Unfortunately, the larger the machine is, the less portable it will be for photographers who need to take their printers along when checking out different locations. It’s important to look at how large each printer is as well as what comes included before making a purchase in order to ensure that everything will fit into an area that can still be used by artists on-location.
Company Reputation
A company that has been around long enough might have built up enough of a reputation for its products and services that buying something from them would make sense even if there aren’t any reviews written about the device itself. This makes manufacturers like Epson and Canon popular because of their dedicated customers who have been satisfied with everything from printers to flatbed scanners.
Conclusion
Printer technology has come a long way and continues to advance which means buying something that can be used by photographers should be simple. By understanding the specs and features of each printer, it’s easy find the perfect product for whatever will be needed. From large photo albums to quick prints, there is something available for every type of person who wants to use this equipment soon after making a purchase.
