How times have changed.....

[D7k1]

I used an Epson 2400 for about 10 years. Loved the output, hated the ink cost. It finally died (and to be honest I haven't used it a lot in the last 2 years).

I now use Mpix and a few others because when I print large I want it to be 16 x 20 or larger now. However I do print personal stuff at 8 x 10 and 4 x 6. Have a laser for "office/home" stuff.

So I said, what is the cheapest printer that will give me 4 x 6 prints to send to 10 folks or so, and give a reasonable 8x10 (these don't have to be 100 year archive prints).

Came up with Canon PIXMA TS9120 as I now want/need all my printers on wifi.

I don't know when the 13 x 19 became "too" small but some how it did.

Why did I even buy a color printer when I have a B&W laser that does 98% of my printing needs?

Because I've decided that in 2018 I will be sending a print a month (4x6) to family and friends that like my images. I think it brings balance from equipment/pixel peeping when I print something and this is what I think will work for me. Many of these folks do some kind of art or craft and like what I call "my fine art photographs" , if you have such a group of family and friends you might want to try this to see if it adds something to your enjoyment of your hobby.
Longevity:
vity

The ChromaLife100 System18 protects your photos from fading up to:
• 100 Years Album Life (perfect for 4 x 6" prints)
• 30 Years Behind Glass (Light Fastness), or
• 20 Years Without The Glass (Gas Fastness)

 

[cnyap]

I used an Epson 870 for eons, but less and less as my kids aged and online sharing (email, Facebook, etc) became more popular. It eventually clogged more than I'm willing to fix a year or two ago.
For the heck of it, I just got the canon pro100. Can't beat $100 after rebate with 50 sheets of 13x19 paper. Hopefully I will enjoy using the beast. We have a brother 2700 laser too.

 

[chipshot713]

If you don't plan on printing over 8x10's size I use an Epson ET-2550 that makes excellent prints and it seems the ink lasts forever in the thing, plus Sam's club sells them for around $225

 

[speedy]

If you're only printing text/graphics documents, Laser is the way to go. The toner doesn't dry out & block up.
As soon as you want to print photos as well, inkjet is the only way to go. I'm a big fan of Canon products, & I see they've just released the G series of inkjet printers. With ink tanks, as opposed to those p!ssy little, super expensive cartridges. Good for 6-7000 pages apparently. On a par with Laser for cost per page. And the best bit, they come with a full ink set -not the 1/4 full starter cartridges you get with most printers. They're not cheap in initial purchase price, but you don't have to rush out & buy replacement inks a week after you buy it. I'd look at the G3200 as a start. Canon PIXMA G3200 Cost-Effective MegaTank Inkjet Printer

 

[RAH]

My main objection to Canon printers is their poor software drivers. For example, we bought a Canon PIXMA Pro9000 (13" carriage) awhile ago at a museum I volunteer at. I was considering getting one for myself to replace my aging Epson 1280.

Well, I discovered that this Canon printer cannot do a panoramic print wider than 23.9 inches (or somewhere in that range). This is REALLY pathetic and kind of unbelievable, considering that Windows itself allows 44 inches (and I think Win7, 8 and 10 allow over 100 inches). My old Epson 1280 will do say a 10 x 36 inch print without batting an eye. And I believe the newer ones can do even wider.

Even cheap Epson letter-sized printers can do panos that are very wide (for example, 8 x 20), but I see in the specs for that G3200 that the max paper size is 8.5 x 11.7. What's up with that?!? Can't they hire some programmers to make good drivers?

Perhaps you are thinking that to use a printer for panos like this you need one that will accommodate roll paper. This is not the case. Even though my 1280 WILL handle roll paper, the attachments are inconvenient enough that I have always done wide prints without using it - just cut a piece from a roll to the proper size (say on a 13"-wide roll, cut a piece 36" long) and feed it into the printer in the normal way - from the top. If there is a wall behind the printer, you can often let the paper go up the wall as it feeds, or you can even let the paper flop down in front of the printer once the printing gets going. It works fine.

So this apparently continuing inability of Canon printers to not allow prints in widths (actually lengths when you are doing the printing) up to the ability of the operating system is a real show-stopper for me and I think it is very odd.

I do agree that ink arrangements on some of the new Canon printers seem like a good thing, so it depends on how will use the printer, of course.

 

[Wisertime]

For the heck of it, I just got the canon pro100. Can't beat $100 after rebate with 50 sheets of 13x19 paper. Hopefully I will enjoy using the beast. We have a brother 2700 laser too.

I got the same thing, only got it for $50 shipped via Adorama VIP deal. Couldn't pass it up for that price. 2 years later, still loving it. Prints are superb.

 

[cnyap]

I think Epson ecotank and canon megtank printers are all just 3 colors plus black though...if they were 6+ colors, and especially if they printed at least 13" wide, they'd be great.