Best A3+ printer for photographers: 6 top models tested and rated

I have given up printing in the office or at home, the simple economics of it didn’t work out. The printers and paper were manageable but the cost of the inks, particularly when the printer wasn’t used continuously and so needed regular head cleaning, proved uneconomic. If you can justify regular use and enjoy the process this article will advise you as to the best printer to buy

Go large with your photo printing, right on your own desktop. We test 
six leading models to find the best A3 and A3+ printers for photographers.

Regular A4 photo printers are compact and convenient but, if you want a picture to frame and hang on the wall, the maximum size of their output leaves a lot to be desired.

By upgrading to an A3+ printer you can generate photo prints of up to 19×13 inches in size. A large print has much more wow factor, while you still have full control over the printing process and retain the relative immediacy of creating prints on your own desktop, without having to upload images and wait for photo prints to be delivered in the post.

Designs differ when it comes to large-format printers. Some use dye-based inks, which typically give the smoothest output on glossy paper.

Pigment-based inks are more robust and a better choice for matte media. Another consideration is whether you only want to make colour prints or if you’re also keen on top quality black-and-white photo output. READ MORE HERE

Viewing RAW files in Windows

There is a download now available that makes it possible to view RAW files as thumbnails in Windows, being a Mac user for more than 30 years I didn’t realise this was a problem but a friend in Denmark alerted me to the difficulty, so here is the resolution of that

“Overview

• The Microsoft Camera Codec Pack enables the viewing of a variety of device-specific file formats in Window Live Photo Gallery as well as other software that is based in Windows Imaging Codecs (WIC).
• Installing this package will allow supported RAW camera files to be viewable in Windows Explorer.
• This package is available in both 32-bit (MicrosoftCodecPack_x86.msi) and 64-bit (MicrosoftCodecPack_amd64.msi) versions.
• The Microsoft Camera Codec Pack provides support for the following device formats:
• Canon: EOS 1000D (EOS Kiss F in Japan and the EOS Rebel XS in North America), EOS 10D, EOS 1D Mk2, EOS 1D Mk3, EOS 1D Mk4, EOS 1D Mk2 N, EOS 1Ds Mk2, EOS 1Ds Mk3, EOS 20D, EOS 300D (the Kiss Digital in Japan and the Digital Rebel in North America) , EOS 30D, EOS 350D (the Canon EOS Kiss Digital N in Japan and EOS Digital Rebel XT in North America), EOS 400D (the Kiss Digital X in Japan and the Digital Rebel XTi in North America), EOS 40D, EOS 450D (EOS Kiss X2 in Japan and the EOS Rebel XSi in North America), EOS 500D (EOS Kiss X3 in Japan and the EOS Rebel T1i in North America), EOS 550D (EOS Kiss X4 in Japan, and as the EOS Rebel T2i in North America), EOS 50D, EOS 5D, EOS 5D Mk2, EOS 7D, EOS D30, EOS D60, G2, G3, G5, G6, G9, G10, G11, Pro1, S90
• Nikon: D100, D1H, D200, D2H, D2Hs, D2X, D2Xs, D3, D3s, D300, D3000, D300s, D3X, D40, D40x, D50, D5000, D60, D70, D700, D70s, D80, D90, P6000
• Sony: A100, A200, A230, A300, A330, A350, A380, A700, A850, A900, DSC-R1
• Olympus: C7070, C8080, E1, E10, E20, E3, E30, E300, E330, E400, E410, E420, E450, E500, E510, E520, E620, EP1
• Pentax (PEF formats only): K100D, K100D Super, K10D, K110D, K200D, K20D, K7, K-x, *ist D, *ist DL, *ist DS
• Leica: Digilux 3, D-LUX4, M8, M9
• Minolta: DiMage A1, DiMage A2, Maxxum 7D (Dynax 7D in Europe, α-7 Digital in Japan)
• Epson: RD1
• Panasonic: G1, GH1, GF1, LX3
• Download here
• 
• ©Keith Barnes

Choosing a Photo-Quality Inkjet Printer?

In our classes and courses we regularly talk about choosing and using photo quality ink-jet printers, these are not the sort of printers you would use for your child’s homework or for printing out your tax return but the sort that makes proper photographs. This very useful article by Andrew Darlow writing for the Photo.net forum answers many questions and would be a definite read for you before purchasing. This is the opening….

“Throughout the history of photography, countless advancements have made it easier for people to create photographic images. One of the most important advancements has been the advent of affordable, photo-quality inkjet printers. They have brought the color and black and white darkroom “out of the dark” and into just about any room in an office, home or school. I’ve been using and recommending printers to amateur and professional photographers for more than 15 years, and I’ve owned or used at least 50 inkjet printers, ranging from printers that max out at 4 inches in width, to 50-inch-wide models.

For this two-part article, I’ve put together a list of topics I often cover with my students and clients when they ask me advice on which printer to buy. Part I focuses on printers that can accept paper and other media up to 13 inches in width, and Part II will cover printers that can accept media over 13 inches wide and up to 44 inches in width. Note: when the term “letter-size” is used throughout the article, it means that the maximum width of paper that can be fed is 8.5 inches in width. However, unlike most laser printers, you can print much longer lengths—in some cases 40 inches or more.”    More…..read on

I use a HP Photosmart Pro B8850 which I am very happy with, I bought it as much because of the ability to change print heads as the quality between it and the equivalent Canon and Epson printers was indistinguishable. I know some people have had problems with HP in terms of service, I have read the forums too, (I have read equally bad things about Epson and Canon),but I have to say HP have always been very helpful to me, perhaps forums only have posts from people who need to moan and let of steam. Anyway read the article, well written and informative and if you want more go to Northlight Images, another excellent site.