Which Printer in 2024 ?

[Photojournoguy]

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I’m waiting on the Epson P5370 slated to be available in Q1. Keith Cooper shared initial thoughts on another forum and will review in due time but basically it appears to be commercial quality (with roll paper feed) but more consumer-level flexibility in not requiring to be used daily to keep happy. So a higher quality construction and paper feed with P900 print head tech.

Looks promising and given how many years pass between model revisions, nice to get in on a version that’s latest and greatest to keep up with the times.

[Jeff S]

Keith sums up current offerings…

Jeff

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[Einst_Stein]

I searched B&H. The search filters I put are “Roller feed” and “6 or more ink cartridge”. The only printers with $2000 are Epson P700 and P900. Canon P1000 will show up if I remove the filter “Roller feed”. 
 

Any justification to choose Canon P1000 even if it does not have roller feed?

 

Edited December 14, 2023 by Einst_Stein

[Jeff S]

14 minutes ago, Einst_Stein said:

I searched B&H. The search filters I put are “Roller feed” and “6 or more ink cartridge”. The only printers with $2000 are Epson P700 and P900. Canon P1000 will show up if I remove the filter “Roller feed”. 
 

Any justification to choose Canon P1000 even if it does not have roller feed?

 

If you mean Canon Pro (Prograf) 1000, I’ve already discussed key differences between it and the equivalent 17 inch Epson P900 above.  Keith Cooper further discusses printer options in the above video that I linked.  And there are many more discussions in this forum section via search.  The Pro 1000 has no roll feed assembly, AFAIK, but can apparently do panos using cut paper (not ideal).   

Jeff

Edited December 14, 2023 by Jeff S

[Smudgerer]

On 12/14/2023 at 1:57 AM, Jeff S said:

Keith sums up current offerings…

Jeff

Thanks for this Jeff, he is new to me, I regret not finding his YouTube stuff before. Good sensible reviewing.

Last summer I bought an Epson SC-P6000 and I am very happy with this machine. I print 85% of the time in B&W and in recent years I have been using an old 3800 Pro with InkjetMall's Piezography Pro inks, but now the SC-P6000 with it's Advanced B&W setting has taken over most of my B&W printing needs, I'm very impressed with this printer.

[Jeff S]

5 hours ago, Smudgerer said:

Thanks for this Jeff, he is new to me, I regret not finding his YouTube stuff before. Good sensible reviewing.

Last summer I bought an Epson SC-P6000 and I am very happy with this machine. I print 85% of the time in B&W and in recent years I have been using an old 3800 Pro with InkjetMall's Piezography Pro inks, but now the SC-P6000 with it's Advanced B&W setting has taken over most of my B&W printing needs, I'm very impressed with this printer.

Many other resources available from Northlight, including written reviews, tutorials, etc.

https://www.northlight-images.co.uk/
 

Jeff

[newtoleica]

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Just wanted to thank contributors to this thread. Ive dipped my toe back in the digital pint workflow (as opposed to darkroom) with a lightly used Epson P700. Just printed a B&W image on an A4 'Traditional Photo Paper' and to be honest  would be hard pressed to tell the difference with a darkroom print - certainly fine for my needs. Way way better than my last printer that I abandoned (R2400). Very helpful discussion and links etc here.

[Borna]

19 hours ago, newtoleica said:

Just wanted to thank contributors to this thread. Ive dipped my toe back in the digital pint workflow (as opposed to darkroom) with a lightly used Epson P700. Just printed a B&W image on an A4 'Traditional Photo Paper' and to be honest  would be hard pressed to tell the difference with a darkroom print - certainly fine for my needs. Way way better than my last printer that I abandoned (R2400). Very helpful discussion and links etc here.

Agree, and Keith also mention this in some of his videos when using V850 and printing it out.

I have printed Hp5+ photos via Epson ET8500, it comes out very great. Although it is hard to get true BW photos, many times there is a green layer and makes me waste many photos while tweeking in photoshop.

[hansvons]

@Jeff S

I recently got an old Epson 4900 as an interim printer to decide whether to get a proper large print printer. The 4900 has now lost magenta completely and turned somewhat into a monstrous brick that still can print B&W with a cyan tint and magenta-less rushes for evaluation. That means Im currently looking to buy a new printer. I figure that I want the whole experience and opt for a 44-inch printer that weighs 170 kilos and is the size of a piano 😳.

Canon now offers extra discounts on their outgoing Pro 4100, which makes it an interesting offer. Does anyone have experience with this printer or insights that will be helpful for a newbie?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Jeff S]

21 minutes ago, hansvons said:

@Jeff S

I recently got an old Epson 4900 as an interim printer to decide whether to get a proper large print printer. The 4900 has now lost magenta completely and turned somewhat into a monstrous brick that still can print B&W with a cyan tint and magenta-less rushes for evaluation. That means Im currently looking to buy a new printer. I figure that I want the whole experience and opt for a 44-inch printer that weighs 170 kilos and is the size of a piano 😳.

Canon now offers extra discounts on their outgoing Pro 4100, which makes it an interesting offer. Does anyone have experience with this printer or insights that will be helpful for a newbie?

Thanks in advance.

 

You should have read older posts here! The 4900 is a rare dud in the Epson lineup.  Significant heads clogs are especially well known. There are many good alternatives these days, discussed in past and recent threads.

I wouldn’t want any of the large format printers, but that’s just me. Not only are they beasts that like to be used often, but I like smaller prints (by today’s standards). Here’s an older but still relevant article…

https://www.northlight-images.co.uk/so-you-want-a-large-format-printer/

Jeff

[hansvons]

6 minutes ago, Jeff S said:

I wouldn’t want any of the large format printers, but that’s just me. Not only are they beasts that like to be used often, but I like smaller prints (by today’s standards). Here’s an older but still relevant article…

I can see that. However, I'm used to larger paintings; I grew up in a painter's studio, so to speak. It's a complicated matter, though. Traditionally, photographs are small as they were wet-printed; with inkjet printing, that changed. But motifs stayed the same, and printing large doesn't make a picture great.

However, in my case, things may be different. I'm not after large landscapes with great detail or those massive portraits shot in studios. I even don't consider myself a photographer in the classic sense. I have simple motifs that exist in a serial context. Some want to be printed large; others serve as smaller, traditional B&W sketches, complementing the larger colour pictures. I ordered large prints over the years from Whitewall, and they did a good job. But I never was overwhelmed. Now I want to learn that myself.

But most importantly, I'll share the printer with a friend who's a fine artist and sculpturist. That will take some load off my neck. But the footprint is massive, nonetheless.

[Jeff S]

I’ve enjoyed and studied paintings, sketches, photographs, etc over many years, and collect vintage photo prints. My personal print sizes are dictated by the image, but never longer than 17 inch on the short side.  Good thing, as I stock all my glass, matting snd framing supplies, preferring to do my own custom work.  I did the same in darkroom days, and my prints are not much bigger now via inkjet. My tastes didn’t change; just the tools.

Sounds like you have a goal and a plan.  Happy printing.

Jeff

[Jeff S]

8 hours ago, hansvons said:

@Jeff S

I recently got an old Epson 4900 as an interim printer to decide whether to get a proper large print printer.

 

Besides being a well documented problematic machine as I noted, I’m sure you know it’s still only a 17inch printer, so print output is the same size as its much smaller counterparts like the P900 (or Canon Pro 1000). It’s a beast in size, weight and build only; not large format by print size standards. Even its large 200ml ink cartridge capacity is only close to half of the 44inch Epson printers (350ml).
 

Beware also, as I’ve mentioned before, Canon printers use hot firing heads that create residue, thereby requiring automatic cleaning cycles that can’t be user disabled (and the reason why the Canon heads eventually require user replacement).  So, inks WILL be used one way or another, either by making prints often or through mandated cleanings.

Hopefully you and your friend will print a lot… and print big.

Jeff

Edited February 26 by Jeff S