A3 photo quality printer recommendations

[IT_Man_Dan]

I was wondering if any of you could recommend a very good A3 photo printer which I could purchase for our art department as they are running a photography course and the current printer isn't cutting the mustard.

 

It has to be good quality, needs to be able to handle a large amount of photo prints each month, and not cost the earth in consumables.

 

I'm keen to stick with inkjet rather than laser because otherwise I fear them melting inkjet grade photo paper to the fuser.

 

Any recommendations are appreciated.

 

Many thanks

 

Dan

[aleach2]

We use this Canon range here within our Art department. They are really good quality. Not sure how they handle large volumes. We use a standard A4 laser printer for draft work then use the Canon for final prints.

 

Canon PIXMA Professional Photo Printers - Inkjet Photo Printers - Canon UK

 

Regards,

 

Adam.

[Oaktech]

We use this Canon range here within our Art department. They are really good quality. Not sure how they handle large volumes. We use a standard A4 laser printer for draft work then use the Canon for final prints.

 

Canon PIXMA Professional Photo Printers - Inkjet Photo Printers - Canon UK

 

Regards,

 

Adam.

 

 

We have the pro 9000 and it's bloody brilliant, if a little ink hungry. We've had it printing on all sorts of things including fabrics and sandpaper!

[synaesthesia]

We have a few of the Pixma A3 devices here and they've been sound as a pound. We recently had to replace one with an all in one, for which we got an A3 brother MFP for a few hundred which has also been good if not rather cumbersome/awkward.

[plexer]

HP Laserjet CP5225 Colour Printer: Amazon.co.uk: Computers & Accessories

 

HP CP5225N just paid about £750 for one.

 

Ben

[localzuk]

We have a CP5225N in our art department. Works very well - only had to go an unjam it once in about 2 years.

[Oaktech]

HP Laserjet CP5225 Colour Printer: Amazon.co.uk: Computers & Accessories

 

HP CP5225N just paid about £750 for one.

 

Ben

 

What's the quality like on it? We've got a 4025 and the quality of the photo print is no where near good enough for submission in our BTEC photography course, which is why we have the pro 9000.

[jallsop]

Having run HP ink jets in the past, and now running a Canon, the results are probably on a par with each other. The real problem for me is the ink costs of the Canon. It seems to drink it. The HP models using the big ink tanks and a good local refill place saved me loads whilst i was in the UK.

As for a laser jet for photos. I'm not sure its going to cut the mustard for some.

[localzuk]

What's the quality like on it? We've got a 4025 and the quality of the photo print is no where near good enough for submission in our BTEC photography course, which is why we have the pro 9000.

 

It won't be good enough for a photography course.

 

When I was in Bristol, we bought 3 Epson Stylus Photo R3000 printers for this and they worked well. I have no idea about ink drinking amount though, as we only used them during the exams and I didn't get a page count at the end of it to compare to the ink used. I just know we spent about £2500 on ink for 2 courses (art and photography) with 120 students altogether.