The Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-300 is another solid 13-inch printer, but where it really shines is in printing black-and-white photos. The PRO-300’s 10-color Lucia Pro pigment ink set includes both photo and matte black inks, producing deeper and more intense blacks that look fantastic on fine art photo paper. And because the Canon PRO-300 has separate nozzles for the two types of black ink, it doesn’t need to switch tanks while printing (a common annoyance), reducing ink waste and saving time. The PRO-300 also has a dedicated Chroma Optimizer channel that layers on a clear coating for a smoother finish, enhancing glossiness and reducing bronzing. Some vendors even apply the term “photo printer” to inkjets with the antique two-cartridge (black and tricolor) system.
Giving prints away to friends and family and occasionally selling very personalised fine art prints is great to do as a hobby, and as a business. Doing it yourself definitely adds personal value to a printing product. Right on the heels of the Epson SureColor P700 are the Epson Expression XP and the Canon PIXMA Pro-200. The prior covers all the standard print sizes from 2″ x 6″ up to 13″ x 44″, the latter up to 13″ x 39″.
Kodak says its largest (90-print) paper and ink pack translates to 40 cents per photo, but we’ve found sale prices that cut that to 30 cents. For output speed, we record the time taken to produce various sizes of prints at different quality settings. Ink costs are calculated on typical page yield against average prices for the manufacturer’s own-brand cartridges or bottles. Even so, the PRO-300 has the edge for printing on matte and fine art media, with its more robust pigment-based inks and additional matte black ink cartridge.
Connectivity options for near-dedicated photo printers are much the same as for standard office models. Some offer just a single USB connector; others add an Ethernet jack for easy sharing on an office network. Most now offer Wi-Fi connectivity, as well, and a few offer all three (USB, Ethernet, and Wi-Fi). If you want bigger photo prints, we recommend the 17-inch Epson SureColor P900, which is the big brother to our top overall pick. Like the P700, the P900 boasts Epson’s 10-ink UltraChrome PRO 10 ink set, which produces vivid yet true-to-life color. The P900 adds a Carbon Black mode that increases the density of black in prints for greater contrast in both color and monochrome photos, making them really pop.
Explore our full line of graphic, photo, and proofing printers. Epson’s wide range of printers to meet the demanding needs of creative pros. Extraordinary exhibition-quality photo printing with unprecedented color accuracy. If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, ARTNews may epson photo printer receive an affiliate commission. In response to CR’s findings, Canon said in a statement that it’s committed to providing products that meet or exceed the expectations of its customers. To learn more about how Digital Camera World tests products for reviews and buying guides please visit our how we test and review page.
While it might not seem that important if you are printing lots of photos (or very large ones), the risk of something going wrong may make your presence at the machine mandatory. For example, the Kodak KODAK Mini 3 Retro 4PASS occasionally experiences cartridge jams. Our method for assessing value takes two different approaches to reach the same endpoint. We are looking for a product that either performs at a similar level to other products but costs less or a product that performs at a higher level than similarly priced competitors.