craig_g Posted April 24, 2006 Share Posted April 24, 2006 This was previously posted in another forum and it was suggested that I post it here. Sorry for the duplicate post, but please let me know if you can help. I am a professional photographer that is somewhat new to the field and am looking for some equipment advice. I shoot both landscape/wildlife (to be included in a local gallery) and wedding photography. I am looking for a printer that will allow me to produce prints myself, in-house, without consulting a lab. I need to be able to print up to an 11x14 and it has to be of the same quality I would expect from a professional lab. Is there anything out there that will meet my needs? I have looked at Dye sublimation (HiTi mainly) and inkjet (Epson R2400). Any suggestions? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david_simonds Posted April 24, 2006 Share Posted April 24, 2006 Craig, I have a fair amount of experience with the Epson 2400 and its predecessor the 2200. The 2400 is a wonderful machine. I would invite you to do a search. It will reveal a wealth of information. Feel free to click on my name, as a recent post of mine prompted replies from pro lab guys who compare the Epsons very favorably to Ciba and Lightjet prints. Of course, the printer is just a tool. You have to know how to use it. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daniel_taylor Posted April 24, 2006 Share Posted April 24, 2006 I second the Epson vote. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dickhilker Posted April 24, 2006 Share Posted April 24, 2006 Aye! And the 7800 is just that much nicer for those impressive landscapes! Since gaining the larger size capability over my 2200, I've found a goodly increase in gallery sales. Bigger is definitely better! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david_simonds Posted April 24, 2006 Share Posted April 24, 2006 Dick, I am on the verge of pulling the trigger on a 7800 to replace the 2400. While I realize that every image has its own size, what sizes seem to be most popular with the buying public. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
godfrey Posted April 24, 2006 Share Posted April 24, 2006 I've hung two gallery shows with output from the Epson R2400 and gotten excellent reviews (as well as several sales). It's the most consistent printer I've owned to date. If I were making larger scale prints more frequently, I'd go for the R4800 or R7800 in an instant, but right now the R2400 is fitting the bill for my average 8x10 to 13x19 sizing. Godfrey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ira_wunder Posted April 24, 2006 Share Posted April 24, 2006 I will also urge everyone that a good RIP is essential especialy for the larger machines. We use Imageprint here and are planing to use Harringtons for the new K6 on a 7000. It's great going big and I would advise Craig that you could go 4800 instead of the 2400 if the 7600 goes beyond your needs. Remember when you go 7800 you give up multable sheet feeding which might suit your wedding needs better. I think it's a must just on the savings of ink, and it's a lot. You have to buy this ink at the cheapest you can and that's in bulk. I wish Epson would sell me ink in gallon jugs at half the price. We buy 220 ml. cartridges for $85, that's for 8oz. How much ink do you think you get in one of those little catridges. 1/4 or 1/2 oz for $10.00. The performance diferencial is greater in printing 5x7's in a 4800 because of elimation of sheet set-up and dead head time going across the wider sheet. The engine is better and you can cover prints from 16x20 on down. The new K-3 ink-set is a tremandous improvemnet over the the old Ultra-Chrome. Your needs are more proffesional then a 2400. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b_hall1 Posted April 24, 2006 Share Posted April 24, 2006 If prints of reasonable size are the goal then consider an optical enlarger...and compete with $500,000 laser printers with $800 in equipment. Because...most lab prints are C prints but just digital-file-to-laser-printer but also meaning that photo paper and chemicals are not rare. Shooting digital ? Well, that just leaves the printing step. Inkjet printers are affordable, Epson has this 9 ink printer (for techies but not for trekies), but inkjet is not...continuous tone. Continuous tone from digital files requires the laser printers. So that's inkjet look versus continuous tone... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobmichaels Posted April 24, 2006 Share Posted April 24, 2006 "Of course, the printer is just a tool. You have to know how to use it." as David Simons said is the best information contained in all the above information. Printers are tools, just like lenses or camera bodies. Your quality will depend on your skill using it. Some people always make crappy prints with a 2400. Others make exhibition quality prints with a sub $100 printer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b_hall1 Posted April 27, 2006 Share Posted April 27, 2006 Oh, dye sublimation printers are up to 8" wide and are affordable continuous-tone printing of digital files. Quality is theoretically good (with 300 dpi continuous tone) but a question mark in practice. Laser or LED C prints from digital files are not threatened because they go up to wide formats at pro labs and up to large sizes at mini-labs... Optical C prints from film are not threatened because they go to large print sizes... Inkjet prints from digital files are not threatened because they go up to wide formats at pro labs and to large sizes with prosumer equipment... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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