Printer Recommendation needed

[ed_tobin]

<p>I would like to purchase a printer to print proofs for showing to my local print shop so that they can better match my output; contrast and color. Also if the quality is good enough I would like to use the proofs in a portfolio to show potential galleries.</p>

<p>Since they are only proofs I do not care about archival life<br>

Size would have to be a minimum of 8.5 x 11 full sheet but it would be nice if it could print on a larger sheet of paper such as 11x17 or 13x19. With the larger size I do not care if it is full sheet printing or with a border.<br>

I only do color so I am not interested in B&W<br>

My computer is an Apple iMac running OSX10.5.7</p>

<p>I have not followed printers in the last couple of years so it would be helpful if I could get some recommendations that I could use to do some research on prior to selecting a printer.</p>

<p>Thanks--Ed</p>

 

[guido_h]

Have a look at the Epson Stylus Pro 2880 and 3800 models.

[digitaldog]

<p>Agree with Guido. The 2880 is a faster printer (and less expensive) but over time, will cost you more in inks as the cartridges are far smaller than the 3800. The 3800 will also operate over a network and can print a larger sheet. Both are superb printers (I have both running under OS X). </p>

[ben_goren]

<p>Ask your local print shop. Chances are excellent they have a small-format printer they use for

such purposes, themselves, and you’d well to match that.</p>

 

<p>But much more important to matching color is a color-managed workflow using ICC profiles.

You’ll need to calibrate and profile your monitor as well as your printer with each kind of

paper you use, plus you’ll need to get your print shop’s ICC profiles for the printer(s)

you’ll be printing on. At that point, assuming you do everything correctly, everything should

“just work,” to the limits of the medium you’re working with. That is, your

monitor will probably be capable of displaying some colors your printer isn’t and vice-versa,

but the shared colors should match and the out-of-gamut colors should be treated in a reasonable

and predictable manner.</p>

 

<p>If your print shop doesn’t use a color-managed workflow, themselves, find another. The

time for using anything else is long since past; it’d be like having a tooth pulled by a dentist

who still uses ether as an anesthetic.</p>

 

<p>Cheers,</p>

 

<p>b&</p>