Which Printer?

I print out of photoshop but don't publish in magazines. What printer gets the best results for framing and hanging on a wall? (I shoot a Nikon D-200)

Tom

It depends what size you want to print at. The Epson R1800 or R2400 are excellent A3+ format printers with great colour rendition, although they're well under your budget

If you really want to spend more (don't we all? ) and you are looking at even wider than that, I'd suggest you look into the R4800, which goes up to A2+, and can print on fine art paper.

I have the Epson R2400, very pleased with it. I spent quite a few years printing in darkrooms and this printer can produce amazing quality.

Thanks Guys,

I ordered the R2400. I looked at the R4800 and liked the ability to network it but I currently don't have the space to handle large rolled stock so much of the 4800's features would be wasted on me.

Tom

I'd spend the money you saved by going for the R2400 instead of the 4800, on a good monitor calibration device (such as the Gretag Macbeth offerings) and get some custom profiles made up for your choices of paper

I'd agree the R2400 is an exceptional piece of equipment

Steve

Steve-

I have a NEC MultiSync LCD 2060NX. Do you know exactly what would work best to calibrate it?

Thanks,

Tom

Hi Tom

I use the Gretag Macbeth Eye One display 2. I know a lot of other wetpixelers also use this, but there are similar offerings from Monaco and Colourvision etc.

This is a monitor-only calibrator - and costs in the region of $250. If you wanted to go for a printer profiler also, you could spend $1500 plus on the eye one photo system, but for non lab use I think it's more cost effective to get the profiles made remotely (at around £20/$35) a shot.

I use this company in the UK:

http://www.nativedigital.co.uk/shop/section.php?xSec=40

and get seperate profiles made up for gloss paper, archival matte etc.

I guess you're stateside, so US wetpixelers may know of similar companies.

Gretag Macbeths corporate site:

http://www.gretagmacbeth.com/

The eye one product page:

http://www.gretagmacbeth.com/index/product...one-display.htm

and you'll be pleased to read that it has:

"Push Button Calibration support Mitsubishi Diamond Pro 2070SB, LaCie Electron 19b3, 19b4, 22b3, 22b4, IBM P275, NEC MultiSync 2060NX, NEC 2141SB, NEC 930SB, NEC FP13755X, Eizo CG220, Sony S205F/K, HP p12"

hope this helps

Steve

Back to printers... the older R2200 can be picked up at a decent price does anyone know if that is as good as the 1800 or 2400 ?

thanks

a friend of mine uses the 2200. Also a great printer and as you've said, a decent price. He has mentioned that it's not so good on gloss (the r2400 is excellent), so he use semi gloss paper as standard, but has commented that the r2400 is also superior on this paper as well. Also the r2400 is stronger on black and white.

I believe that both the r1800 and r2400 are newer generation than the 2200 and from what I gained from googling talk forms, both outperfrom the 2200 on all counts

Still, the results he gets with it are beautiful - all 3 are great printers, so I think it's a case of "you pay your money, you take your choice"

useful link:

http://www.photo-i.co.uk/Reviews/interacti...800/page_14.htm

Steve

Thanks Steve I think the R1800 may be the ticket for me.

The R1800 is an all around great printer, and in my opinion better on Glossy paper than the 2400. Where the 2400 shines is on black and white prints. If these are a major part of you portfolio, go with the 2400. If not, the 1800 is the ticket!

For hanging on the wall do most of you use Matte or Gloss? This is obviously critical on the R2400 since changing appears to be a pain.

Tom

I prefer Ilford Gallery Pearl for most of my prints. I like a bit of texture as well as the wonderful look it gives the colors. Sure Glossy has its place, but the prints you get on the 1800 with glossy paper will not disapoint in any way... Ilford is a kick ass paper in general!

After lots of research on paper most pros agree the epson paper is the best but most hate to hand people images with the word epson on the back. They agree with richorn, the illford pearl paper is also a really great choice and at a better price. My current printer is the R300 and I like the illford papers as well.

Well I downloaded the profiles for Epson paper. I have 'Ultra Premium Glossy" The print looks almost exactly like the screen. I'm happy.

There is a $498 offer from Monaco for EZ-Color w/ colorimeter. Is that a good deal?

What is Monaco? any site info? B&H is $489.95

I'd say if your prints look almost exactly like your screen, then spend your money on something else.

I know a few people who brought colorimeters only too find out that their screens were already bang on. Mine on the other hand, was not. Also, especially as monitors get older, they need tweaking more often.

That said, if your happy with your results, I'd save your money

Steve

Thanks Steve. You just saved me $500.

Thanks all,

For my purposes this setup MultiSync LCD 2060NX + Epson R2400 is basically perfect.

Tom

Thanks Steve I think the R1800 may be the ticket for me.

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I have been using the R1800 for nearly a year. While its not cheap to run it has reliably produced beautiful photos...I have been very happy with it in every way.

More than that, on one print that I'd forgotten to remove some backscatter (i.e., trash) I ran it under the faucet to see how well it held up. Next day, perfect, no signs of water at all. (Because, hate to say, fish photos do sometimes find their way to decorating w/in shouting distance of the shower.)

Also its printed perfectly after being abandoned for weeks at a time.

Glo