Home Photo Printer

manu1959 · #1 (**permalink**) 07-24-2006, 03:03 PM

Anyone have any recomendations?

thinking of buying a photo printer for my home?

d? blue?

dmp · #2 (**permalink**) 07-24-2006, 03:53 PM

I'd suggest you didn't, honestly. If you have a costco around your area, you can get 4x6's for less than $.20 each. No idea how much toner would cost, but with Costco one gets a 'real' picture. Try running water over one printed at home vs one printed at a place like costco.

misterblu · #3 (**permalink**) 07-24-2006, 05:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by manu1959

Anyone have any recomendations?

thinking of buying a photo printer for my home?

d? blue?

The cheapest per print price I've seen advertised is around $0.27/print, using an Epson photo printer, for 4X6 IIRC. That's pro'lly optimistically the best you can do with a home printer.

As D said, you can get your digital photos printed onto real photo paper for less than that. Much, much less if you have a Costco or Sam's Club nearby.

Ink jet cartridges and photo paper get expensive very quickly.

Abbey Normal · #4 (**permalink**) 07-24-2006, 09:42 PM

Do what we did- ask for one for Christmas from your in-laws or other generous relative. :halo:

sitarro · #5 (**permalink**) 07-25-2006, 04:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by manu1959

Anyone have any recomendations?

thinking of buying a photo printer for my home?

d? blue?

I know this wasn't addressed to me but i do know a little about photography and dealing with labs.

I have always used Epson. The newer ones are available with archival ink but besides using the inks made by Epson be sure to get the best paper Epson makes. Their inks are formulated to work with the coatings that are on their paper. I use the Premium Glossy Photo Paper and I am still using my old Epson 820. It was less than 80 dollars and puts out lab quality prints if the best paper is used along with Photoshop color correction and sharpening.

If you find a lab that will actually print each shot rather than run the batch through an all in one unit you will get much better prints obviously than the minimum wage pimple face who is talking on the cell phone while the machine is pumping out your prints will give you.

All depends on what you want. Photographs are moments in time captured by you and can easily be priceless down the road. The same is true with motion pictures. My brother made my Father sit down and talk about his life, his recollections of WWII, some of his flying memories with the Air Force and later my Mother joined him and they spoke about the 57 years they had spent together. My dad was gone 6 months later, that film is priceless stuff. If you still have your parents around I can't recommend it enough to do the same.

I wouldn't get the printers that you just put a card in unless you don't have a program like Photoshop(seems to me my printer came with a version of Photoshop Elements). Those printers will make all the decisions you would make, for you, like the quick print photo labs. If you want to print 8x10s I think you will find that the cost is a lot closer to the regular lab cost. At any rate, you will learn a lot more about photography by printing them yourself even on a cheap desktop printer like my Epson.

Another option is available, I'm not sure where you need to go for a PC but with iphoto that comes with OSX on MACs you can get a variety of photo books custom made for relatively cheap. With Apple you have numerous templates available to insert your photos into, you add whatever text to each page, choose the size and cover material and send it to their sight. They have a deal with Kodak. For 30 dollars they print 10 pages both sides and put it in a 9x12 hard backed book, extra pages are .99 each. I would guess there would be something like it for PCs maybe through Kodak. They are very nice and make a great personalized gift to grandparents, parents, a potfolio with some class, etc. There are smaller books available including some with soft covers. Go into an Apple store and ask to see one, they usually have samples of the sizes available.

The ClayTaurus · #6 (**permalink**) 07-25-2006, 08:50 AM

Are you going to use it to print pics of the new porsche that you've been holding out on us? :poke:

JOKER96BRAVO · #7 (**permalink**) 07-25-2006, 09:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sitarro

I know this wasn't addressed to me but i do know a little about photography and dealing with labs.

I have always used Epson. The newer ones are available with archival ink but besides using the inks made by Epson be sure to get the best paper Epson makes. Their inks are formulated to work with the coatings that are on their paper. I use the Premium Glossy Photo Paper and I am still using my old Epson 820. It was less than 80 dollars and puts out lab quality prints if the best paper is used along with Photoshop color correction and sharpening.

If you find a lab that will actually print each shot rather than run the batch through an all in one unit you will get much better prints obviously than the minimum wage pimple face who is talking on the cell phone while the machine is pumping out your prints will give you.

All depends on what you want. Photographs are moments in time captured by you and can easily be priceless down the road. The same is true with motion pictures. My brother made my Father sit down and talk about his life, his recollections of WWII, some of his flying memories with the Air Force and later my Mother joined him and they spoke about the 57 years they had spent together. My dad was gone 6 months later, that film is priceless stuff. If you still have your parents around I can't recommend it enough to do the same.

I wouldn't get the printers that you just put a card in unless you don't have a program like Photoshop(seems to me my printer came with a version of Photoshop Elements). Those printers will make all the decisions you would make, for you, like the quick print photo labs. If you want to print 8x10s I think you will find that the cost is a lot closer to the regular lab cost. At any rate, you will learn a lot more about photography by printing them yourself even on a cheap desktop printer like my Epson.

Another option is available, I'm not sure where you need to go for a PC but with iphoto that comes with OSX on MACs you can get a variety of photo books custom made for relatively cheap. With Apple you have numerous templates available to insert your photos into, you add whatever text to each page, choose the size and cover material and send it to their sight. They have a deal with Kodak. For 30 dollars they print 10 pages both sides and put it in a 9x12 hard backed book, extra pages are .99 each. I would guess there would be something like it for PCs maybe through Kodak. They are very nice and make a great personalized gift to grandparents, parents, a potfolio with some class, etc. There are smaller books available including some with soft covers. Go into an Apple store and ask to see one, they usually have samples of the sizes available.

I dunno...
Sounds automatic to me.:teeth:

The ClayTaurus · #8 (**permalink**) 07-25-2006, 09:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sitarro

Another option is available, I'm not sure where you need to go for a PC but with iphoto that comes with OSX on MACs you can get a variety of photo books custom made for relatively cheap. With Apple you have numerous templates available to insert your photos into, you add whatever text to each page, choose the size and cover material and send it to their sight. They have a deal with Kodak. For 30 dollars they print 10 pages both sides and put it in a 9x12 hard backed book, extra pages are .99 each. I would guess there would be something like it for PCs maybe through Kodak. They are very nice and make a great personalized gift to grandparents, parents, a potfolio with some class, etc. There are smaller books available including some with soft covers. Go into an Apple store and ask to see one, they usually have samples of the sizes available.

OH THE POOR SCRAPBOOKER! YOU ASSHOLE!

sitarro · #9 (**permalink**) 07-25-2006, 01:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The ClayTaurus

OH THE POOR SCRAPBOOKER! YOU ASSHOLE!

Ebonics wasn't around when I was in school, could you translate what the fuck this is suppose to mean... please?

The ClayTaurus · #10 (**permalink**) 07-25-2006, 01:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sitarro

Ebonics wasn't around when I was in school, could you translate what the fuck this is suppose to mean... please?

Ebonics?

There was no ebonics in that post. Would you like a dictionary recommendation?

sitarro · #11 (**permalink**) 07-25-2006, 01:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The ClayTaurus

Ebonics?

There was no ebonics in that post. Would you like a dictionary recommendation?

A quality printed hard bound book filled with photography that means something to someone would hardly qualify as a scrapbook.

Mr. P · #12 (**permalink**) 07-25-2006, 02:05 PM

Since the first digital we purchased a few years ago, I’ve been pretty much paperless. I have a cheap Canon inkjet with a photo cartridge, seldom used. I do copy all photos to CD so they could be printed at some outside source if wanted. A CD in the DVD lets everyone see the same pic at the same time too, instead of passing it around.

The ClayTaurus · #13 (**permalink**) 07-25-2006, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sitarro

A quality printed hard bound book filled with photography that means something to someone would hardly qualify as a scrapbook.

It's amusing how in two threads at almost the the same time you contradict yourself so drastically. Just think of all the photographers who would have put together a quality printed hard bound book FOR you are now being kicked to the streets because you're able to do it for yourself! They've already lost their ability to make a living taking pics, don't take away the books from them too! What's next? Cheap, cheesy office supplies like mousepads and coffee mugs? IS THERE NO SHAME?

sitarro · #14 (**permalink**) 07-25-2006, 02:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The ClayTaurus

It's amusing how in two threads at almost the the same time you contradict yourself so drastically. Just think of all the photographers who would have put together a quality printed hard bound book FOR you are now being kicked to the streets because you're able to do it for yourself! They've already lost their ability to make a living taking pics, don't take away the books from them too! What's next? Cheap, cheesy office supplies like mousepads and coffee mugs? IS THERE NO SHAME?

Your lack of understanding even the most simplistic thought is only outdone by your arrogant flaunting of that very lack of brainpower you possess, go take some snapshots of that homely ass car of yours and pretend you have accomplished something by adding clear lenses to your turn signals. You are just the type of talentless hack that I am talking about....you buy a do it all camera, shoot a snapshot out of the window of your car, pat yourself on the back and demand that everyone be impressed that you are now a photographer. Be sure to document in snapshots the installation of the giant wing on the back of your rice fart. Don't forget to check the mailbox for your subscriptions to Maxxim and FHM, they might be in and you can get a few cheap thrills from staring at poorly designed page layout.:poke: :fu2: :poke:

dmp · #15 (**permalink**) 07-25-2006, 02:44 PM

Why are you insulting ME, sitarro? What the HELL has crawled up your ass lately? First, you accuse me, indirectly, of being a 'fully-auto-camera-snapshot-hack', then you insult my car? Relax dude.