THIRD PURCHASE: Photo Printer
All reviews by Sally Weiner Grotta PC Magazine
If you routinely print out pictures, consider a photo-quality inkjet. These devices produce finer dots and greater detail in shadows and highlights than general-purpose printers, and they offer more colour control, all of which help create prints that can pass for real photos.
The Canon BJC-8500 (AU$3,500) is strictly a professional graphics machine. It's capable of printing tabloid-size photos at 1200 x 1200dpi. It has a 250-page input tray, but Canon recommends that glossy photo paper be fed in one sheet at a time. The BJC-8500 comes with minimal software and has a straightforward interface; users are expected to know their way around printers. However, we found it relatively easy to operate. Furthermore, it was far and away the fastest printer we tested. Images were quite photolike, with quality falling between the Epson and HP models.
The Epson Stylus Photo 2000P (AU$1,999) is the ultimate desktop photo printer, with image quality so good that many professional photographers use it rather than a darkroom. It can even output poster-size 13 x 19in prints. The Stylus Photo proves that Epson has finally corrected a longstanding annoyance in its printers: now, when the cover is raised, the ink cartridges are immediately positioned for easy, fumble-free access.
Printing is slower than with other inkjet printers, but the stunning photos are worth the wait. In fact, on our image-quality tests, the Epson Stylus Photo 2000P received an unsurpassed 10--for both text and graphics. The Canon and HP both got A's for great though not perfect output. Colours are bright and accurate, with great detail throughout the dynamic range. If you can live with its slow throughput, this is the printer to get.
With the HP PhotoSmart 1215 (AU$799), Hewlett-Packard built in just about everything a photo enthusiast would want. For starters, it prints at 2400 x 1200dpi for near-continuous tones. There are slots for CompactFlash and SmartMedia cards--as well as buttons for orienting images--which enables direct printing.
The PhotoSmart has two separate trays, one for plain paper and the other for 4 x 6in photo paper. You don't have to tell the interface which one to access; the PhotoSmart has a built-in optical sensor that can tell which kind of paper goes with which settings. And for business use, Hewlett-Packard offers an optional duplexer (Model 1218) for double-sided printing.
Setup and software installation is a no-brainer. The driver is powerful and comprehensive--one of the best we've seen for photo printing. Output is fast and silent. Despite all these pluses, photo image quality lagged behind the other two units, but in business graphics it tied the Canon BJC-8500. The HP PhotoSmart 1215 is a versatile device: a reasonably priced compromise between photo and business printing.
Canon BJC-8500
Company: Canon Australia
Ph: 02 9805 2000
Price: AU$3,500
Rating:
Epson Stylus Photo 2000P
Company: Epson Australia
Ph: 02 9903 9000
Price: AU$1,999
Rating:
HP PhotoSmart 1215
Company: Hewlett-Packard Australia
Ph: 13 13 47
Price: AU$799
Rating:
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