Listed below are the top 8 printers (in no particular order) for  photographers:

Printer Options

1. Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-1000

Although a bit expensive, this Canon printer satisfies the needs of the most critical photographer. The inkjet with 11-ink system (high-longevity pigment ink) with Chroma Optimizer Ink offers a wider color gamut and enhanced gloss uniformity with denser drop placement. With high-yield 80ml ink tanks, you’d need the replacement inks less frequently.

From high accuracy in color reproduction and details in darker regions to outstanding clarity in the image – the imagePROGRAF PRO-1000 delivers all this and a whole more. It’s one of the best Canon printers for producing professional-grade photo prints with deep blacks and impactful colors.

Key Specs & Features:

• Max print resolution (color): 2400 x 1200 dpi

• Max paper size: Up to A2, 17″ x 22″ (Bordered Photo)

• Navigation: 2.9” color touchscreen with intuitive menus

• Connectivity options: Wireless, Ethernet, Cloud, and USB

• Air Feeding System helps ensure precise ink placement; it prevents a page from skewing

Printer’s 1.28″ wide print head with tubular ink delivery system utilizes anti-clogging technology for producing prints at a faster speed while lowering the possibility of clogging.

2. Epson Expression Photo HD XP-15000

This Epson inkjet produces ultra high definition photo prints with its six-color photo HD ink system. The ink set includes red and gray inks, thus offering a wider gamut, smoother gradations, and sharp black-and-white photo prints.

A wide-format printer, Expression Photo HD XP-15000 delivers photo-lab quality, borderless photo prints in a variety of different sizes.

Key Specs & Features:

• Max print resolution (color): 5760 x 1440 optimized dpi

• Max print speed: Approximately 9 pages per minute

• Max paper size: 13″ x 19″

• Navigation: 2.4” color LCD

• Connectivity options: Wireless, USB, Ethernet, and mobile printing

• Automatic duplex printing with 200-sheet input tray

• 50-sheet rear tray that can hold specialized media up to 13 x 44″ in size

• Direct CD/DVD printing

Running costs for this printer are a bit high; it uses both standard and high-capacity replacement inks. If you print frequently, you may consider purchasing compatible high-yield inks that can help save up to 50% on ink costs.

3. Canon PIXMA PRO-100

Canon’s entry-level device in its professional inkjet photo printer lineup, PIXMA PRO-100 delivers stunning print quality with its eight-color ink (dye-based) system. The ink set includes three dedicated grayscale inks to produce sharp black-and-white prints.

Key Specs & Features:

• Max print resolution (color): 4800 x 2400 dpi

• Max print speed: 0.75 photo-prints (4” x 6”) per minute

• Max paper size: 13” x 19” (borderless)

• Navigation: There’s no display; the inkjet has three buttons for power, paper-feed and instant wireless connection

• Connectivity options: Wireless, USB, AirPrint, and mobile printing

• Paper tray can hold one A3+ sheet, 10 letter-size sheets, 20 photo-paper sheets (4”x6”) and 150 sheets of plain paper

• Optimum Image Generating (OIG) System for achieving best results for a specific combination of print mode and paper type

A serious printer meant for photographers, it captures detail in both light and dark regions. You may notice slight tint in monochrome images but only a perfectionist would notice that. The output quality is good overall for producing photos for exhibition, sale, or client presentations.

4. Epson Expression Premium XP-7100

A photo-centric all-in-one inkjet, Expression Premium XP-7100 with print, scan, copy, and fax functions, delivers exceptional output quality and versatility with its five-ink color ink system.

The inkjet uses Claria Premium Ink that produces smudge, water and fade resistant photo prints. Designed for productivity in micro-offices of creative professionals, XP-7100 is an ideal choice for photographers who need to produce reasonably appealing photo prints on the go.

Key Specs & Features:

• Max print resolution (color): 5760 x 1440 optimized dpi

• Max print speed: 5 borderless photos (4″ x 6″) per minute

• Max paper size: 8. 5″ x 11″

• Navigation: 4.3” touchscreen

• Connectivity options: Wireless, Ethernet, USB, and mobile printing

• Automatic duplex printing

• 30-sheet Automatic Document Feeder; duplex print/copy and scan

• Flatbed scanner with automatic duplex feeder

• Supports direct printing from thumb drives and card slots

5. Epson SureColor P800

A relatively compact and light inkjet, Epson SureColor P800 with its advanced MicroPiezo AMC print head delivers photo-lab quality black-and-white and color prints in various sizes (including rolls). A bit pricey, this inkjet is known for producing breathtaking prints with fine detail, smooth gradations and amazing skin tones.

Its nine-ink set delivers deeper blacks and saturated colors. Each ink tank in SureColor P800 holds about 64ml ink. Replacement inks hold up to 80ml ink.

For enhanced black ink density for different media types, the print head automatically switches between photo & matte black ink. Pigment based ink guarantees long print performance.

Key Specs & Features:

• Max print resolution (color): 2880 x 1440 dpi

• Max paper size: 17” x 22″or 17” wide roll media

• Navigation: 2.7″ color touchscreen

• Connectivity options: Wireless, Ethernet, USB, Cloud, and Mobile Printing

10 Pack – Epson 200XL Ink Cartridge Value Pack is recommended inkjet cartridge for Epson printers.

6. HP Envy Photo 7855

An all-in-one inkjet with print, copy, scan, and fax functions, HP Envy Photo 7855 is essentially a photo-centric printer that can meet everyday photo printing needs of a professional photographer. HP Thermal Inkjet technology delivers sharp and brilliantly-colored prints.

The running cost for this printer is lesser in comparison to inkjet photo printers in the same price range; high-yield ink cartridges are optional. Make sure you choose the right ink cartridge when the initial set runs out of ink.

Key Specs & Features:

• Max print resolution (color): 4800 x 1200 dpi.

• Max print speed (color): 10 pages per minute

• Max paper size: 5” x 14” and 8.5” x 11.7″ (borderless)

• Navigation: 2.7” color touchscreen

• Connectivity options: Wireless, Ethernet, USB, and mobile printing

• Automatic duplex printing

• 35-sheet automatic document feeder (print, copy or fax)

• Eligible for HP Instant Ink Program

• Supports print from and scan to thumb drives and SD memory card

7. Canon Selphy CP1200

A dedicated photo-printer, Canon Selphy CP1200 is highly portable. It’s an ideal choice for photographers who’re constantly on the go or those who need to print good quality images at different locations during an event.

This photo-printer is most suitable for printing postcards, labels, stickers, and IDs.

Key Specs & Features:

• Max paper size: 3.9″ x 5.8″ (Postcard)

• Navigation: 2.7” LCD

• Connectivity options: Wireless, USB, and Mobile Printing

• Compatible with SD cards

• Auto Image Optimize helps detect and rectify image imperfections

8. Epson EcoTank ET-7750

A wide-format inkjet printer with print, copy, and scan functions, EcoTank ET-7750 features a five-color ink system with a dedicated photo black pigmented ink; it delivers satisfactory text and image print quality.

In terms of print quality and ink economy, Epson EcoTank ET-7750 is one of the best printers available at its current price range.

High-yield ink tanks ensure a lower cost-per-print; the ink cartridges can produce up to color 9,000 prints. Therefore, it is an ideal printer for photographers who need to produce hundreds of photos on a monthly basis.

Key Specs & Features:

• Max print resolution (color): 5760 x 1440 optimized dpi

• Max print speed: 10 pages per minute

• Max paper size: 11″ x 17″

• Navigation: 2.7″ color LCD (non-touch)

• Connectivity options: Wireless, USB, Ethernet, Wi-Fi Direct, and mobile printing

• Automatic duplex printing

• Separate input trays for plain paper and photo paper

Final Words:

In order to make an informed purchase decision, you need to consider various factors including the budget, desired print quality, availability of high-yield ink cartridges, maximum print resolution, portability, support for different media types & sizes, and the additional features such as copy, scan, and fax.

These will be determined by the type of photography you do, the space you have, and the features you will need.  Unfortunately there is no one-size-fits-all printer for  photographers.

Let me know what you think of these choices and what printer you would add to the list.

Click the link to learn about printers for HDR photography.

Office equipment market news

08/26/2013

In the US, AIO Robotics developed the Zeus device, which combines a fax, scanner and 3D printer. Many experts strongly disagree about the prospects of the prototype in the market.

08/19/2013

The Bloodhound (SSC) British supersonic vehicle development team continues on their journey and is now working on breaking the world land speed record.

05/16/2013

Currently, there are a sufficient number of original models of printers. Let’s talk about them in more detail.

03/20/2013

The ability to print with white toner is becoming the main advantage of new LED printers. Experts believe that in the near future it is this technique that will be ubiquitous in offices and residential premises.

12.02.2013

Creating conceptual devices for every taste, designers prove to us over and over again that progress never stands still. Consider interesting novelties in the field of printing devices.

01/09/2013

Epson has developed a new line of Label Works printers specifically for label and coding applications. It includes the compact Epson LabelWorks LW-300 label printer, ideal for any stationary printing, and the lightweight Epson LabelWorks LW-400 printer.

12/29/2012

Ricoh has recently introduced a new type of color MFP in Russia. The main feature of the devices is the use of helium-based ink. Prior to the release of this line, this technology was used by Rocoh only in printers.

28.02.2012

New models of laser MFPs were released by Samsung to the Russian market. New items are designed to reduce the total cost of using these devices for users.

09.09.2011

The new PIXMA iP4940 high-performance photo printer has just entered Canon’s product range. The new PIXMA iP4940 has a number of innovative features that make it easy to bring any creative photo ideas to life.

08/12/2011

The Xerox Phaser 7500N printer is an A3 color printer. The printer is based on the innovative HiQ LED printing technology, and is used in an office environment. Perhaps, this printer can be called one of the best offers in the segment of A3 color printers for office printing.

06/07/2011

A portable printer is usually just a small printer that prints on plain paper. The Printbrush printer, developed by Print Dreams, is capable of printing on almost any surface: fabric, wood, wallpaper, and more.

06/06/2011

In recent times, many companies have cut IT equipment costs at a rapid pace in a tough economic environment, and many customers have been forced to move from A3 MFPs to cheaper A4 MFPs, which in turn have limited features in terms of functionality, performance and reliability, as well as higher printing costs.

04/22/2011

An MIT specialist used his knowledge to compete with chocolate bunny makers. David Carr designed a 3D printer using chocolate as a working material.

04/07/2011

HP and Google have partnered with Cloud Print to enable Cloud Print users to print to any HP ePrint printer from any ePrint-enabled Google app from any computer or smartphone.

03/29/2011

Brother introduced in Russia two new models of professional A3 color inkjet multifunction printers with fax, duplex printing and support for wired and wireless network – Brother MFC-J6510DW and Brother MFC-J6910DW. Both models will go on sale in Russia from the beginning of April 2011.

03/23/2011

Xerox announces the launch of new color laser products, the Phaser 6500 Printer and WorkCentre 6505 MFP, designed for small workgroups of 2 to 10 people.

25.02.2011

Canon has introduced two new PIXMA MX833 and MX420 multifunction printers. These devices are targeted at small office and home users.

24.02.2011

Samsung announced the launch of the ML-5510N, ML-5510ND and ML-6510ND monochrome laser printers. New items are called productive solutions for offices and corporations.

03.02.2011

Brother has introduced a new series of monochrome laser printers with the Brother HL-2240R, Brother HL-2240DR and Brother HL-2250DNR models. All printers of the new model range use the same type of toner cartridge.

01/18/2011

Epson has announced a new 13-inch compact photo printer. The R3000 is capable of printing color and black and white images and uses a separate cartridge system.

24.12.2010

The Epson Stylus Photo PX660 scans, copies, and prints photos with superior lab quality.

12/14/2010

Samsung Electronics introduced three compact monochrome printers on the Russian market – Samsung ML-1860, Samsung ML-1865 and Samsung ML-1865W. The new items will go on sale in January 2011.

11/01/2010

Epson announced the expansion of its line of multifunction devices and the release of the Stylus SX525WD, which is designed for use in the home by demanding users.

26.10.2010

A team of Japanese scientists led by Kenichi Okada gathered to demonstrate an amazing invention in Florence. Specialists at Keio University modified an ordinary inkjet printer and taught it to print not only bright, but also fragrant pictures. The work is carried out jointly with Canon specialists.

10/12/2010

Epson has introduced an elegant Wi-Fi-enabled multifunctional home appliance. The Epson Stylus SX525WD MFP is designed for demanding users who want not only high-quality, but also fast printing, as well as ease of connection and operation.

09/24/2010

Tablet laptops are getting new uses. HP decided that using the touch screen available on a tablet computer is much more convenient to control office equipment.

08/23/2010

Panasonic announced the start of sales of two new MFP models: KX-MB2051RU and KX-MB2061RU. These are office devices with a network interface and advanced functionality: 6 in 1. The key advantages of the new MFPs are high print speed (up to 24 ppm), a digital answering machine for 30 minutes of recording and the presence of a wireless DECT handset in the kit.

07/27/2010

New tool gives IT executives and office workers more solid ink printing options

06/15/2010

Zebra Technologies Introduces New RW 420 Mobile Printer System Designed to Meet the Needs of Mobile Workforce A thinner and lighter mobile printer designed to support Motorola’s compact terminals enables more mobile workforce productivity.

06/08/2010

HP announced the launch of its line of ePrint network printers with support for cloud web services. There are four models in total: Photosmart e-All-in-One, Photosmart Plus e-All-in-One, Photosmart Premium e-All-in-One and Photosmart Premium Fax e-All-in-One.

05/17/2010

The novelty has compact dimensions (341x224x184 mm, weight 4.2 kg), but at the same time, according to the manufacturer, it has sufficient performance typical of larger models. So, the printer is equipped with a processor with a frequency of 150 MHz and 8 MB of internal memory.

03/23/2010

Samsung Electronics introduced six new models of color printers. New items are suitable for both personal and office use.

05.02.2010

Japanese engineers have released a printer that can use one sheet of paper up to 1000 times. When reprinting, the device erases the old text from the sheet and prints new information on it. The PrePeat printer does not use ink or toner powder. Printing is done by moving the thermal head along a sheet with a heat-sensitive plastic coating. So far, the printer can only print in black.

04.02.2010

HP announced that it has received two Fall 2009 “Pick” awards from reputable independent research firm Buyers Laboratory Inc. (BLI). In BLI’s testing, the HP Color LaserJet CP4525 Series 21 cm printer won in the medium size workgroup color category.

01/22/2010

Printer and ink maker Hewlett-Packard plans to launch its own 3D printer. The printer itself will be manufactured by Stratasys, but will be sold under the HP brand. The model will be available by the end of this year.

08. 12.2009

Panasonic introduces the new KX-MB2000 series of laser multifunction printers, featuring an updated design and compact size. All devices feature high print speeds of 24 ppm, versatile copy functions, up to 9600 x 9600 dpi color scanner and network interface.

11/24/2009

Xerox launches a new Xerox Phaser 6140 A4 color printer. The printer’s low price and low maintenance make it the best solution for small workgroups and personal use within the home office. The price of the printer will be no more than $500.

28.10.2009

Xerox announced the start of sales of a new A4 monochrome laser MFP – WorkCentre 4250. The novelty complements the line of low-cost MFPs with increased performance and advanced functionality.

09/18/2009

HP introduces a new series of Photosmart printers for home users. With TouchSmart touch technology, your entire family can control your printer with just a light tap on the screen. The HP Photosmart series has been expanded with the HP Photosmart C4683 9 models0003
08/21/2009

Most similar devices do not stand out with anything special, but this novelty has a very interesting feature: a voice control system. What functions are assigned to it is not yet clear, but it is known that in addition to the voice control of the printer, the developers have also implemented the usual push-button, there is also a scroll wheel for working with lists in the menu. All necessary information, preliminary images of the photo, are displayed on a 3.5-inch LCD display.

08/13/2009

Epson has launched two new MFPs for the WorkForce series. Both are equipped with Wi-Fi, support `wired` connection to a computer network and send/receive faxes. Models 610 and 1100 are Energy Star rated and made from easily recyclable components.

07/30/2009

Epson Announces New Low Cost Combo Printer Epson has announced the release of its Stylus Photo PX650 combo printer aimed at digital photographers. The novelty is able to print without connecting to a computer thanks to a 2.5-inch LCD screen, as well as a slot for memory cards and support for PictBridge. The PX650 can also scan and copy photos thanks to its built-in 1200 DPI scanner.

07/08/2009

Canon has launched a pair of imageCLASS multifunctional color printers, the MF8050Cn and MF8350Cdn. Their cost is very democratic, the devices are designed for use in small offices and at home. The MF8350Cdn prints at 21 pages per minute in both color and black and white. The press can be carried out from two parties of a leaf, the printer also works as the copier and the fax.

06/24/2009

Hewlett Packard presented to the Western press the world’s first MFP with integrated Internet access: HP Photosmart Premium with TouchSmart Web.

06/19/2009

The company’s 25th anniversary is considered one of the most important events in the field of printing and digital imaging, since today HP LaserJet printers have become an integral part of the IT infrastructure of many companies, as vital as a personal computer or phone.

05/21/2009

Epson says the Artisan 50 is the cheapest photo printer in the world. True, except for printing photos, the novelty is not designed for anything else, except for printing labels for CDs and DVDs.

05/20/2009

As part of the Total Care initiative, HP has expanded its Officejet printer portfolio with two product lines that deliver up to 50% energy savings and lower printing costs.

05/18/2009

OKI Printing Solutions has launched the MC560, a new color multifunction printer for the SMB segment.

05/13/2009

Epson has announced the new WorkForce 310 printer for small businesses. The model is compatible with PC and Mac.

05/12/2009

Orders for Xerox’s new ColorQube 9200 series of color laser printers have been launched in the United States of America. They are expected to be released in European countries as early as September, and other countries will not see them until 2010 at the earliest.

05/06/2009

Hewlett-Packard, the world’s largest personal computer maker, became the US market leader last quarter, overtaking Dell for the first time since 2001.

04/02/2009

Canon launches the PIXMA Pro9500 Mark II, a versatile 10-color pigment-based inkjet printer that prints long-lasting A3+ or 14″ wide photos.

03/27/2009

HP has released a limited-edition Green IT for Dummies pocket book to help companies transition to technologies with the lowest environmental impact.

03/13/2009

HP introduced three new HP Officejet series printers that will enable small and medium businesses (SMBs) to produce professional-quality color documents.

03/04/2009

HP plans to increase revenue in the photo industry by introducing four inkjet printer models ranging from $49 to $299.

03.03.2009

Intel and HP introduce futuristic concept laptops for women

26.02.2009

In April, at the English exhibition Sign & Digital HP will show three new “large format”.

19.02.2009

Canon has officially presented the new sublimation printers SELPHY CP780, luring customers with their compact size, high print quality.

09.02.2009

Hewlett-Packard Corporation is warning owners of certain laser printer models that a firmware update is required.

06.02.2009

Canon has announced two new all-in-one office printers, the PIXMA MX860 and PIXMA MX330. They are designed specifically for the needs of small offices and do not take up much space.

01/28/2009

The Renault Formula 1 team, despite the financial crisis, continues to find new partners. On Tuesday, the start of cooperation between Renault and the well-known company Hewlett-Packard was announced.

01/13/2009

The alignment of forces is almost exactly the same as last year, with a minimum fluctuation in the percentage of the audience among the top three.

23.12.2008

Hewlett-Packard has released the iPrint Photo app, which allows you to print photos remotely on HP inkjet printers connected to a Wi-Fi network (an iPhone or iPod touch must also be on the same network)

12/16/2008

Canon has introduced the new iPF820 wide format printer with a printable area of ​​44 inches. The device provides unsurpassed quality, possesses wide functionality and the highest speed of the press.

12/12/2008

According to the IDC Russia Quarterly Hardcopy Peripherals Tracker in the third quarter of 2008, for the first time after the stable growth observed in the market of printing devices (printers, copiers and multifunctional devices) over the past 2 years, a significant decrease in shipments was noted compared to the same period last year.

12/11/2008

Based on the results of 2008, HP’s business in Russia grew by almost 30% and amounted, according to analysts, to about $2.8 billion. Once again, the company demonstrated growth outpacing the growth of the IT market as a whole.

05.12.2008

Canon has launched the iRC1021i, a compact, high-performance printer suitable for business color printing.

02.12.2008

HP has introduced a new line of printer/fax/scanner/copier all-in-one printer/fax/scanner/copier devices for family use, providing superior photo printing and equipped with a Wi-Fi network interface.

Standard Inkjet Printers `2001 Comparison / Peripherals

Original: THG
Translation: Dmitry Chekanov, Sergey Milchakov

About 90 percent of the total inkjet market today
divided among four large companies. And now the market is going brutal
competition. The main means of strengthening positions are the development of new technologies,
continuous increase in the functionality of printers. It is thanks to the introduction
new technologies increases the resolution of printing, achieved
excellent color reproduction, increased print speed, and the printing itself
the quality is not inferior to the photo. It should be noted that over the past few
The industry has made great strides over the years. And it would be too naive to say
that Epson is a permanent leader. Similarly, prejudiced
opinions that only HP printers can correctly print color
office documents. Finally, we tend to think that separate cartridges
should finally come down in price. But this is just a marketing ploy. AND
it is performed only if the manufacturer sets low
prices. Although this is not always the case. It’s not even like that at all.

So there are many preconceived notions. But we must not forget that
reputation is built only to be ruined.

Printers are constantly changing and improving. Sometimes it can lead
of itself – for example, the life cycle of Canon products is less than six
months. But there is no point in waiting. Photos that we printed on tested
models, the quality was often not inferior to photographs. As for time
printing, new generation printers are capable of printing from 10 to 20
pages per minute (according to manufacturers). If it’s true
then the parts of laser printers are already in the landfill.

Four manufacturers

1. HP

This American manufacturer is considered the world leader. After conquering the laser printer market, HP has been the king of the inkjet kingdom for several years now. The company occupies a 40% market share (with the exception of Japan, where the company entered quite recently, where the share is only 10%). Their printers are considered durable and reliable. In addition, they are renowned for their print quality. The line that appeared this summer is a direct successor to the previous series. First of all, the latest models are famous for their quality (it is equal or even better than the quality of the previous models), and fast drives.

2. Epson

The Japanese company Epson, once the market leader in printers, is now in second place and has a share depending on the circumstances of 20% to 30% of the market. And although for a long time Epson opposed the use of the separate ink cartridge system, which has become the standard thanks to Canon, it is currently used in two older Epson office models. But basically, in their products, the emphasis is on print speed. So, their C80 easily copes with twenty pages per minute. And if both of these models are considered general purpose printers, then their latest model – Stylus Photo 820, as the name implies, is optimized for photo printing. Note that Epson owns 40% of the Japanese market.

3. Canon

Next on the list is Canon. Sometimes it is considered the number two manufacturer, but more often, the company still ranks third. But this does not prevent company representatives from stubbornly repeating their desire to take first place. Generally speaking, its global market share is 15-25%. In the old days, their printers were rejected due to poor print quality. But with the introduction of a new type of ink earlier this year, their printers have received universal acclaim. In 2001, the company’s reputation reached new heights. This is due primarily to the appearance this spring of the S600 model. She was equally well rated in all IT publications. Like Epson, Canon’s market share in Japan is around 40%.

4. Lexmark

Lexmark, number four on our list, accounts for about 10% of the global market. But the share in Europe is somewhat larger – comparable to the share of Canon. Like HP printers, the print head of Lexmark printers is built into the cartridge. This is supposed to benefit the quality, but in fact, the printer benefits from this in terms of print speed – it is the fastest inkjet printer available. The Z53 is the only inexpensive (about $100) printer that can print 16 pages per minute.

Xerox & Sharp

Sharp and Xerox are less significant players. Both of these companies hoped that with the release of new models in 2000, by 2001 they would be able to break into the inkjet printer market. But in fact, their models are not yet mature enough, and their position at the end of the year is not very impressive. Their printers are criticized for the high cost of printing, and mediocre quality (this mainly applies to the Sharp AJ-1800 and 2000, Xerox M750 and M760 models).

A world of attractive functionality

For this article, we have chosen only four main manufacturers: Canon, Epson, HP and Lexmark.

There are more than thirty models in stores in the price range from $50 to $450. The difference in price is determined by the maximum resolution, print speed and some other additional features. The stated resolutions are assumed to be the maximum that the printer can achieve. Print speed is rated on a five-point scale. Additional features include things like border-free printing, the ability to use four cartridges instead of two, automatic paper analysis, etc.

Let’s get back to testing. For comparison, we took 13 printer models. It is stated that all of them can print with photographic quality. In our tests, resolutions ranged from 2400 to 2800 dpi (dots per inch – dots per inch). It is in these units that the number of ink droplets per unit area is measured.

For your information, these droplets are three to nine picoliters (billionths of a cubic millimeter), so your eye will not notice such a droplet.

The second criterion is speed. All printers are capable of printing more than 9 pages per minute (ppm, pages per minute). And some are capable of printing at 20ppm.

Finally, they are all claimed to be general purpose printers. That is, they can print text with a quality close to a laser printer, and photographs comparable to printing on photo paper.

Unfortunately, this is not entirely true. And although such statements cannot be called shameless lies, nevertheless, they are not without cunning. For example, the declared speeds are measured by the manufacturer in conditions that are not at all similar to real ones.

Here are a few specific examples. We made the following calculations: on average, when printing a normal document, the text takes up about 8% of the paper. Let’s say if it’s a web page, the text on it takes up about 15%. Assuming that more often than not we print ordinary documents rather than web pages, we can assume that text takes up an average of 10% of the paper when printed.

But in order to show their product in the best possible light, manufacturers calculate the print speed by taking into account that about 3.5 percent of the paper is covered, and even in draft mode (draft mode).

Drivers

Interfaces change, but settings always remain the same. All modern drivers allow you to work in two modes. The first mode is the easiest. Here you can only change the type and size of paper, select the type of printing (color or black and white), and set preferences for quality or print speed. The second mode is often invoked by pressing the “Advanced” button. In the new window, you can customize the print more carefully. You can not only change the print quality – set the mode to 2400dpi or higher, but you can also enable or disable smoothing (smoothing), or change the color levels. For example, you can reduce the amount of red, or increase the amount of blue. All drivers have auto cleaning option, head adjustment and ink display.

Four manufacturers, two technologies

You can often hear arguments about who first invented inkjet printing. Canon claims that this is its merit. One of the company’s engineers, accidentally dropping a soldering iron on an ink syringe, was surprised by the sudden eruption of ink. They say that as a result of studying this phenomenon in 1977, one Japanese company received more than 10,000 patents.

At the same time, HP claims that this idea came to them first. This time it happened in one of the company’s Canadian laboratories, at 1979 year. The technology was born thanks to the coffee maker – a French engineer was fascinated by how this machine makes liquid circulate without any mechanical movement.

In any case, no matter how simple this thermal principle is, and no matter who first invented it, for a quarter of a century both manufacturers have been using this technology …

It’s also interesting to note that although Canon and HP have claimed copyright, the two companies are tied to each other by a plethora of contracts in this area. And if HP explains the parallel development of companies by the nature of technology, then Canon assures that it was she who shared technologies with HP, and only after that HP applied them to its models. A two-year difference in the appearance of technologies speaks in favor of Canon.

As for Lexmark, their history is not so complicated. The company was formed as a subsidiary of IBM, and the company took up inkjet printers in the early 90s. As they themselves state, their systems are copied from Canon systems.

Epson, a division of Seiko, went its own way. If others signed different agreements, then this company was studying the properties of quartz. In 1993, as a result of their research, the first piezo printer appeared. His work was based not on the principle of a thermal system, but on the deformation of the ink chamber.

Thermal Systems: Canon, HP, Lexmark

The nozzle is such a small tube filled with ink through the capillaries. In addition, it has an electrode that heats up to 400 degrees Celsius in a fraction of a second. Small bubbles of gas cluster together to form one large bubble. In this very short time, the bubble expands and pushes the ink to the exit – the hole at the end of the nozzle. And it is this hole that is the object of many modern studies. For example, it can be made in the form of a star-shaped cone. This makes it easier to control the shape and size of the resulting ink drop, and how it will land on the page. When the ink is ejected from the nozzle, the power is turned off and the electrode cools down, thus allowing a new cycle to begin.

Piezo system: Epson

Everyone calls all things in his own way. Epson calls its technology “piezo” or “micro-piezo” technology. Here the print head is a system of tiny pins that are activated by an electrically sensitive piezo crystal. Crystals change shape depending on the force applied to them. So, when the head is energized, the plate inside the ink chamber moves back and forth and puts pressure on the fluid. Thus, the ink moves towards the exit, the hole at the end of the head. When the power is turned off, the plate returns to its original position, creating a draft that, firstly, separates the ink inside the chamber from the ink outside (this is required to create a better drop), and secondly, refills the chamber with ink. We can say that the plate inside the chamber vibrates, and the number of droplets depends on the vibration frequency. The size of the drops can also vary and depends on the pressure created by the plate, or on the strength of the current under the influence of which the plate moves.

Ink Quality

In both cases, much depends on the quality of the ink. Their fluidity or viscosity, their ability to evaporate, their response to heat, and their pigmentation are just a few of the things that affect the shape, size, persistence of the droplets, and the brightness of the color. It is for this reason that when you use so-called compatible inks, sometimes the quality of the result is not as high as when using “native” inks.

In both cases, the quality of the ink is of decisive importance – ink is only ejected correctly if a balance is maintained between its fluidity, viscosity and volatility. However, they do not fall back into the ink chamber.

How testing was done

Tests were performed on a Dell: Dimension 8100 computer with the following configuration:

• Windows XP Professional
• Intel Pentium 4 (1500MHz)
• 256MB RAM

We tested all printers on the following operating systems: Windows 98SE / Millennium / 2000 and XP. Unless otherwise noted in the test, the printer performed excellently on all operating systems. When working in Windows XP, there are three cases. First, the printer is automatically recognized and does not require a driver – we will note this in the results. In the other two scenarios, either the drivers come with the printer (indicated on the packaging), or the drivers must be downloaded from the manufacturer’s website. We cannot say exactly what you will encounter, because manufacturers are constantly changing the package.

All printers were connected via USB, some also used parallel ports – this is written in the resulting table.

So, the testing used three main criteria.

1 – Print Quality

It has been stated that all these printers are general purpose printers, so
when testing, it was decided to print different types of office documents,
and see how printers will behave in photo mode.

Office documents:

• Text in various fonts and sizes
• Composite documents (graphics, black text, color text)
• Web pages

The printers were tested in draft mode and in default mode, some tests were repeated at maximum quality to determine what the printers are really capable of.

As a result, we evaluated the received printouts according to the following aspects:

• Character clarity and smoothness
• Ink depth and brightness
• Chart color accuracy
• Degree of image detail
• Ink Drop Accuracy

Photo mode:

• High resolution 10 x 15 cm A4 digital photographs in black and white and color on 80gsm paper? in the maximum resolution allowed for such paper.
• High-resolution 10 x 15 cm A4 digital photographs in black and white and color on manufacturer’s recommended photo paper at the highest possible resolution for such paper.
• Color charts to evaluate color accuracy.

2 – Speed ​​

• Maximum speed. 10 pages in draft mode with a small “o” in the center of the page
• 10 pages of black text at about 6% density in Eco mode (draft mode)
• 10 pages of black text at about 6% density in default mode
• 10 pages compound document (color text and graphics)
• Webpage
• Time until the first page of a monochrome document starts printing
• 10 x 15 color photograph on photo paper at maximum printer resolution
• A4 color photo on photo paper at maximum printer resolution
• A4 size color photo on standard paper at the highest resolution possible for that paper
• A4 black and white photograph on photo paper at maximum printer resolution

3 – Cost of printing one page

The company earns a reputation when the printer is already purchased and operated. Often, manufacturers are accused of making big money not so much on the printers themselves, but on the cartridges. Take at least Deskjet 932c – a great example of this situation. The printer itself costs about $130. A full set of cartridges (black and one color) costs about $75. And if you need dual cartridges, they will cost you $120.

In such circumstances, it is important to estimate the cost of printing one page. After all, it is she, and not what you paid for the printer in the store, that gives you an idea of ​​\u200b\u200bthe real cost of the device.

We consider two costs:

• Single color document printing price – printing in black and white mode with a density of 10%.
• Color printing price with 5% density per color: black, cyan, red and yellow.

So, in order to estimate what it will cost us to print 3000 pages, we must combine these three prices (the cost of a printer, the cost of printing a single-color document, and the cost of printing a color document):

Cost of device + cost of 1500 black and white pages + cost of 1500 color pages = cost of 3000 pages

These results give an idea of ​​the big picture. It is because of her that one can understand that the so-called inexpensive printers – the cheapest printers in stores – are not necessarily the best choice. It is often more profitable to spend a large amount on a printer and then save on consumables.

Models tested

Canon S300 Photo

This is the cheapest model based on the S600. And although it uses almost the same engine, this model runs on single cartridges (one black and white, and one color). In addition, the same decision was made for the photographic printer. Therefore, it is one of the cheapest models on the market.

Canon S500

Formally, this printer most closely resembles the S600. And according to the manufacturer, this is the fastest and cheapest printer that offers high quality printing.

Canon S630

This model is an upgraded S500 running at a faster speed. The print quality remains the same, the cartridges and heads are the same, but the pages print faster.

Epson Stylus C60

Unlike the new C70/C80 models, the C60 uses only two cartridges. The model is designed to replace the Stylus Color 880.

Epson Stylus C70/C80

Epson has never succumbed to temptation and has always been ready to decry systems using separate cartridges. But this time the company has given up – these two mid-range and high-end models come with four cartridges.

Epson Stylus Photo 820

Epson’s website says that their new product can offer high-quality photographic quality, as two new lighter shades of color (cyan and red) have been added to the three primary colors. Thus, the quality of reproduction of skin color and pastel tones has become unsurpassed. In addition, the site claims that thanks to the resolution of 2880dpi and indistinguishable dots, the printer is able to print in absolutely perfect quality. Not less.

HP Deskjet 932c/940c

Everyone loved the Deskjet 930c.