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Photo Printers

For fine-art display prints or sharable snapshots, dedicated photo printers deliver stunning color, improved longevity and fast print speeds

This Article Features Photo Zoom

HEWLETT-PACKARD
HP has three Original HP Photo inksets. Original HP Photo-Versatile inks are dye-based with a life of up to 100 years. Original HP Professional inks are pigment inks with expected lives of over 200 years. Original HP Office inks are dye-based inks oriented toward standard printing and quick drying, although you still can expect life of over 20 to 30 years.

HP DESIGNJET III
The HP Designjet 111 prints up to 24 inches wide with a 4-color dye (color) and pigment (black) inkset. Create large, poster-sized prints economically. Printer size is 41x19.5x8.7 inches. Estimated Street Price: $860.

HP PHOTOSMART B8550
The HP Photosmart B8550 prints up to 13x19 inches with 4-color Original HP dye-based inks and a pigment black ink for text printing. It includes a 2.4-inch LCD and direct memory card-to-print capabilities. Printer size is 22.8x15.3x7.1 inches. Estimated Street Price: $260.

HP PHOTOSMART A646
For snapshots, the HP Photosmart A646 is a compact photo printer that prints up to 5x7 inches. Insert a memory card directly into the printer and print without a computer; you can display slideshows on its 3.45-inch LCD, too. Printer size is 9.9x4.6x5.3 inches. Estimated Street Price: $119.

INKJET PAPERS
Canson papers run the gamut from those with a distinct, textured surface and a handmade look to smooth, glossy surfaces that give images more pop. Canson Infinity consists of papers and canvasses designed for photography and photo printers. They provide a wide color gamut, deep blacks and excellent tonal range, as well as compatibility with dye or pigment inks, instant drying, resistance to water and museum-level archival characteristics. Textures range from rough to smooth.

The Epson Signature Worthy paper collection is optimized for use with Epson Stylus Pro printers and inks. The papers produce images with rich blacks, smooth tonal transitions and an expanded color gamut. The lineup consists of Hot Press, Cold Press and Exhibition Fiber papers and recently has expanded to include 17-, 24-, 44-, 60- and 64-inch-wide rolls.

Hahnemühle has an extensive Digital Fine Art Collection that includes Glossy FineArt, Matte FineArt and Canvas FineArt. Each paper has a premium inkjet coating for top-notch permanence and archival properties. The latest addition to the Glossy FineArt category is Baryta FB, a fiber-based paper with a smooth white surface designed to replicate the look of a classic silver-gelatin print.

A division of Legion Paper, Moab offers a unique assortment of high-quality papers. Colorado Fiber, for example, delivers a look and feel similar to air-dried silver-halide paper, but is fully compatible with both archival pigment inks and dye-based inks. Moenkopi Washi is made from natural mulberry and hemp fibers using traditional Japanese Washi techniques and then coated to accept inkjet inks. Somerset Museum Rag is a heavyweight paper with a smooth surface that produces deep blacks and rich colors.

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