I need a good photo quality printer

[pigletwillie]

At present I use an Epson R300 photo stylus printer. Its ok but not top drawer.

What I need is a quality printer that can print A4 photos (if needed to) but also print onto card as Kazzi is a big card making fan and needs to print out A4 sheets of backgrounds etc on very heavyweight paper.

Any peeps with practical advice who has personal experience of a good printer please recommend.

[Flummery]

I've used a Canon Pixma (ip4200) for a couple of years - I'm sure the model has been superceded by now. Recommended by Which. The inks are available separately - very useful as I print pics of my granddaughter who's besotted with pink and wears little else. I buy more magenta then any other!

[zazen999]

I also have a pixma 4200 and it has been superceded - it is super - the best printer I have eve had [I am doing photography at college and even last night people thought that a lab had printed them].

It's the one, when you look at the pixels quality, it has 9600 in one direction [think it is 4800 in the other], brilliant quality.

[Two_Sheds]

we use an Epson DX 5000 EPSON Durabrite All-in-One Printers - Epson Stylus DX5000 Key features
It's good, fast, great quality. We've started buying generic ink, not Epson ink so that might beggar it up!
Never tried printing card ...I imagine it would bend as it goes through, if it goes through (the website doesn't mention card, only paper)

I just googled this one:HP Photosmart C4380 WiFi Multifunction Printer £75. It mentions printing card...this review gave it 9 out of 10 HP PHOTOSMART C4380 WIFI MULTIFUNCTION review cheap prices HP C4380 WIFI MULTIFUNCTION best buy discount online uk shop

[rustylady]

I use an HP PSC 1610 All-in-one (printer, scanner, fax). Good enough quality for me, although I don't buy the special photo quality ink cartridges. It will take 160 gsm card no problem.

[Paul Wagland]

I'd never buy another Epson - had two and both were full of faults.

I use an HP all-in-one now (HP3110 I think) and it's fantastic. I bought it 'end of line' from PC World, but I'm sure they introduced a similar replacement. One of the guys in another office where I work does reprographics and he couldn't believe how sharp it was for the money... though I can't say I often print photos.

The good thing about HP is that (I think) the print heads are mounted on the cartridges, so each time you change the ink you also get a fresh head. On other printers the print heads are often the first thing to go. The downside is that the cartridges are more expensive as a result.

[smallblueplanet]

How much you thinking of spending PW, makes a big difference to what you buy.

You talk about size of print, but not whether they are actually on photo paper? I ask cos nowadays you can get colour laser printers at a very decent price.

Ignore what Paul says, Epson are usually the brand to go for when buying colour inkjet that can be used to print photos (on photo paper - makes a big difference to the quality of the print too).

Here's a reviews in pcpro/comp shopper/buyer search page

PC Pro: Products Search

PC Pro: Product Reviews: Canon Pixma ip4500

PcPro like the Canon Pixma ip4500 for all round printing

PC Pro: Computer Shopper Reviews: Epson Stylus Photo R360

and this Epson for photo quality

But back to...whats your budget and what do you want it to do?

[Cutecumber]

I'm a photographer (not by trade, just a geeky amateur ) and have used and investigated several home printers for both multipurpose and photo printing.

At the current time, my opinion is that the top (A4 inkjet) range Epson and Canon models are the ones to go for if ...
a) you really need the best quality, longest lasting prints on the best quality photographic paper
b) you are prepared to buy the inks and paper that are recommended.

Clearly there are significant costs involved in the longer term here, not just the initial purchase.

Many people enjoy good results from HP, but I wouldn't personally recommend them for the best photographic printing per se. For a general printer, fine. The inks and papers are very easy to find compared to some others which may be key.

If I had to go for an all-rounder at the moment, I would choose a Canon.

If I was printing for sale I would buy a top dollar Epson A3+. But I'm not, thank goodness, coz I don't know where I'd put it

[pigletwillie]

Any particular canon, or one similar to the model mentioned earlier.

[Paul Wagland]

Ignore what Paul says, Epson are usually the brand to go for when buying colour inkjet that can be used to print photos

...provided you don't want it to last more than eighteen months (just my own experience).

[smallblueplanet]

...provided you don't want it to last more than eighteen months (just my own experience).

Not mine though, having had a couple of different (upgraded) models, including one of the 'all-in-one' models, over the past 10 years.

Mine's a B&W laser now though, don't really need colour.

[Tigger]

Colin M on the other forum might be a useful person to contact, or look on his web link - there's a section on that forum about printers.

[nick the grief]

I've always bought HP printers Piglet and they've never let me down (3rd one in about 15 years or there abouts).

I've been looking for a printer myself and looked at the Canon ones but as most of my foto's go on the web I don't know if it worth me getting one. Although I'm looking at getting a WiFi printer as we (me and the two Kids) all use laptops these days and it makes more sense to get a WiFi one instead and for the odd print I need it would be just as cheap to get them done somewhere.

[Stacey Steve]

I use a Canon Pixma IP3000, have had it a few years now and does great photos. I don't buy Canon cartridges due to the amount of printing the poor thing has to do with two kids and myself. I buy my cartridges from UKDVDR.CO.UK, work out around 70p a bit, so I can buy several sets for less than one Canon original cartridge. Lovely printer and it prints on CDs as well.

[terrier]

DIY printing in colour is always going to be the most expensive option. You pay out around £70 pound for the machine and then pay through the nose for tiny amounts of ink in a cartridge, or buy generic inks and take a chance, even then it's not cheap. Modern photocopiers will always give better reproduction and a better finish to your photo's than an ink jet. These are available for use by the public in most big Superstores now, cheap and quick to use, or you can order your prints off the WWW. The only reason for having your own home inkjet is convenience (I need it now, never mind the quality).