![]() The big question you need to answer is this: Will you be using dye-based or pigment-based inks?ĭye-based inks work best when you want glossy photo prints that pack a real punch. If you are a professional photographer, or simply someone wanting prints that match what you can get from a photo lab or what you see on your screen, you’ll need to pay attention to the type of inks each printer uses, along with what type of paper you print on. A good quality photo printer can give you all these options and more, letting you make beautiful colour prints from your photographs. On the other hand, if you plan to use your printer to create large format prints such as posters, canvas artworks, greeting cards, calendars, and the like, you may find yourself looking for something much larger than a desktop inkjet printer. Look for one that makes it easy for you to swap between printing on photo paper and plain paper. You can print good quality text documents too. The big advantage in opting for a standard inkjet printer over a dedicated photo printer is that your printer isn’t limited to printing photos and images and nothing else. Pick up an all-in-one MFC inkjet printer if you also want to scan, copy or fax. If you just want to print family photos and snapshots so that you have your own personal copies or prints to share with family and friends, you will probably be happy with an inkjet printer. The answer to this question will depend on what type of prints you need. Check printer specifications if borderless prints are important to you.ĭo you need a photo printer or will an inkjet printer do? Many, but not all, photo and inkjet printers can produce borderless images (like the photos you get from a photo lab). If you only occasionally need prints this size, the sensible option is to use a photo lab when you do. Large-format photo printers (24" wide and above) don’t just take up a lot of space - they need frequent usage if they are to continue working properly, and require expensive large-capacity ink cartridges. Many large-format photo printers also support roll paper, so that you can output panoramic prints. Professionals will want a photo printer that’s at least 17" wide. You can stick with a standard-sized photo printer that produces prints up to 13" wide, or pick up a pocket-sized portable dye-sublimation printer (sometimes called a snapshot printer) for prints that are up to 4 x 6 in size. Dedicated photo printers (meaning printers that can only print photos) don’t need to be large if you only want to print 4 x 6 and 8 x 10 photos. Naturally enough, the larger the size of photo prints you want, the larger your photo printer will need to be.Īsk yourself what sizes you will be printing most often, and what other sizes you’d like to print. Think carefully about the type of prints you want to make, and what features are important to you, when picking the printer you want. ![]() You need to consider several factors when buying a new photo printer to make sure it is worth the investment. No matter which type of photographer you are, there are many different kinds of photo printers on the market, and it can be difficult to choose which one will best suit your needs. You know that doing your own photo printing will mean you get exhibition-ready prints you’re happy with. Perhaps you’re a serious or professional photographer, wanting more control. After that time frame, if you’re not printing enough pictures for the amount of ink used up by the printer, you’ll probably end up paying more than what you would have spent ordering them from a lab. If you spend a lot of money on a photo printer, you’ll need to do a lot of photo printing before you start seeing any savings.Īs long as you are making at least 10 photo prints per month then you should see some cost savings in the first year or two. If that’s the case, make sure you’ve done your arithmetic. Perhaps it’s the convenience, and knowing that you will save money on ordering prints from a lab.
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