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Simple printer

  
 
newyork
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p.1 #1Simple printer
I am realizing I have a boat load of pics of my kids and as I get better at capturing them, they sit on my phone and computer.

Is there a good quality and reliable printer that’s easy to use that I can print them on? Possibly one day I can print any of my work I may be proud of and hang up.

I don’t want to spend thousands and have a huge printer either. Thinking maybe like a few hundred.
Sep 08, 2026 at 06:05 AM
bwcolor
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p.1 #2Simple printer
Epson EcoTank Photo ET-8550 All-in-One Supertank Printer Is your best choice. Ink doesn’t clog the printheads when printer not in use. Just buy ink in bottles and easy to top off. Also, relatively inexpensive consumables. Really great looking prints. The one downside is that the prints won’t last in direct sunlight as do the pigment prints. Print profiles are available for many different papers. Of course, this assumes that you are editing in a color calibrated/managed environment. I’ve had expensive pigment based printers and for me the pluses above are the solutions to problems that I’ve had with the Canon Pro pigment based printers. Solution for fading.. If mounting a print in direct sunlight, use UV absorbing glass in the display frame.

Best for vacation, or event documentation.. MPIX.. wait for 40-50% off and go for one of their better inkjet books. Really great quality and fast service.
Sep 08, 2026 at 07:04 AM
newyork
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p.1 #3Simple printer
Sounds great. Any others guys?
Sep 08, 2026 at 07:39 PM
mgmonster
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p.1 #4Simple printer
I'll second the Epson ET-8550. Check out Keith Cooper's videos on YT. I've had mine since last Christmas and I'm very happy with the prints. If you only want to print 4x6, there are cheaper, smaller printers.
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Sep 09, 2026 at 04:25 AM
shutterbug guy
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p.1 #5Simple printer
It depends on how big you want to print.

There's the Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-1100 that prints 17" for about $1300. I've printed gallery-quality prints of over 17"x24" in size and more.

And if you're looking at A4 size, the Canon PIXMA G620, a 6-color MegaTank printer for about $300 that prints for pennies per print, is very economical, has great colors, and scans.

Epson makes great printers. My problem with past experiences is ink clogging. Both the Canons have user-replaceable print heads, while the Epsons, afaik, don't.
Sep 09, 2026 at 05:47 AM
newyork
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p.1 #6Simple printer
Looking to do a lot of 4x6 but with the ability to go twice that size or more for the good ones we want to hang.

Otherwise I thought we could start making photo books with the 4x6 or one day a zine or something for fun.

I’ve heard the Canons can have heads replaced. Pretty cool. I’ve also heard replacing all the ink is $800. Not good lol.

shutterbug guy wrote:
It depends on how big you want to print.

There's the Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-1100 that prints 17" for about $1300. I've printed gallery-quality prints of over 17"x24" in size and more.

And if you're looking at A4 size, the Canon PIXMA G620, a 6-color MegaTank printer for about $300 that prints for pennies per print, is very economical, has great colors, and scans.

Epson makes great printers. My problem with past experiences is ink clogging. Both the Canons have user-replaceable print heads, while the Epsons, afaik, don't.
Sep 09, 2026 at 06:58 AM
shutterbug guy
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p.1 #7Simple printer
The Canon SELPHY CP1500 Compact Photo Printer does a great job with 4x6, postcards, and other sizes; however, it's a bit pricey. The printer itself is about $160.
Sep 09, 2026 at 08:32 AM
newyork
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p.1 #8Simple printer
That’s not bad at all. Might be a good idea to do that for small prints and have someone else print large ones for me or just get the bigger printer another time.

shutterbug guy wrote:
The Canon SELPHY CP1500 Compact Photo Printer does a great job with 4x6, postcards, and other sizes; however, it's a bit pricey. The printer itself is about $160.
Sep 09, 2026 at 09:14 AM
shutterbug guy
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p.1 #9Simple printer
newyork wrote:
That’s not bad at all. Might be a good idea to do that for small prints and have someone else print large ones for me or just get the bigger printer another time.

shutterbug guy wroteThe Canon SELPHY CP1500 Compact Photo Printer does a great job with 4x6, postcards, and other sizes; however, it's a bit pricey. The printer itself is about $160.


I have 2 home offices: one with the serious printers and the other with more hobbyist printers, the Canon PIXMA G620 and the CP 1500. These 2 printers are more than capable of printing wall-worthy prints at a fraction of the price of the professional printers, the G620 especially; it's just pennies to print A4 all day long, and it costs only about $300.
Sep 09, 2026 at 05:52 PM
 


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newyork
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p.1 #10Simple printer
shutterbug guy wrote:
newyork wroteThat’s not bad at all. Might be a good idea to do that for small prints and have someone else print large ones for me or just get the bigger printer another time.

shutterbug guy wroteThe Canon SELPHY CP1500 Compact Photo Printer does a great job with 4x6, postcards, and other sizes; however, it's a bit pricey. The printer itself is about $160.
I have 2 home offices: one with the serious printers and the other with more hobbyist printers, the Canon PIXMA G620 and the CP 1500. These 2 printers are more than capable of printing wall-worthy prints at a fraction of the price of the professional printers, the G620 especially; it's just pennies to print A4 all day long, and it costs only about $300.

I'll be looking into that one! Thank you!
Sep 09, 2026 at 08:17 PM
mivadep
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p.1 #11Simple printer
I just got the G620 after a long consideration for a first photo printer. I'm quite pleased with it so far, although I've only made a few 4x6 test prints. I'm mostly printing family pictures and other things for personal use and it seems perfectly suited to that.
Sep 19, 2026 at 08:24 PM
js47
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p.1 #12Simple printer
As far as I know, you don't want a G620 if you use a Mac. I've heard that Canon forces you to use the Airprint driver so it is impossible to have a properly color managed workflow. But I'd say you don't want the G620 anyway since you'd be seriously limiting yourself in terms of paper profiles available. I'd get an Epson ET-8550 (A3+), or if space is an issue an ET-8500 (same printer but A4).

Also you won't want a Canon Pro-1000/1100 since they won't let you print on nice paper smaller than A4/8.5x11" (a bit less so on the 1100 than the 1000 but neither let you print on "highest density fine art paper" from the top feed which is what most of my papers are specified as). The best workaround I've come up with is to print 4 smaller photos on A4 and cut them out.

Another option is a Canon Pro-310 but that just swaps the minimum size from A4 to A5, and 4x6" is still step smaller than that at A6. Its predecessor the Pro-300 is limited to A4. The 300's predecessor, the Pro-10/10S, was not limited on what you could print on but it wouldn't allow you to print borderless on matte papers.
Sep 22, 2026 at 05:01 AM
shutterbug guy
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p.1 #13Simple printer
js47 wrote:
As far as I know, you don't want a G620 if you use a Mac. I've heard that Canon forces you to use the Airprint driver so it is impossible to have a properly color managed workflow. But I'd say you don't want the G620 anyway since you'd be seriously limiting yourself in terms of paper profiles available. I'd get an Epson ET-8550 (A3+), or if space is an issue an ET-8500 (same printer but A4).

Also you won't want a Canon Pro-1000/1100 since they won't let you print on nice paper smaller than A4/8.5x11" (a bit less so on the...Show more →

I've read and seen from people such as Keith Cooper how to use the G620 on a Mac. I'm not familiar with Mac, but it does sound like a bit of extra setup work.

I can print 4x6 prints on the Canon Pro-1100 all day long if I want to. B&H shows the minimum size to be 3.5 x 5" / 8.9 x 12.7 cm. The 1100 does have a backfeed for high-density or large gsm weight paper; however, it only allows one sheet at a time.
Sep 22, 2026 at 06:07 AM
js47
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p.1 #14Simple printer
But am I correct in saying you can’t print high density 4x6? I have the 1000 not the 1100 so no direct knowledge.

shutterbug guy wrote:
js47 wroteAs far as I know, you don't want a G620 if you use a Mac. I've heard that Canon forces you to use the Airprint driver so it is impossible to have a properly color managed workflow. But I'd say you don't want the G620 anyway since you'd be seriously limiting yourself in terms of paper profiles available. I'd get an Epson ET-8550 (A3+), or if space is an issue an ET-8500 (same printer but A4).

Also you won't want a Canon Pro-1000/1100 since they won't let you print on nice paper smaller than A4/8.5x11" (a bit less so on the 1100 than the 1000 but neither let you print on "highest density fine art paper" from the top feed which is what most of my papers are specified as). The best workaround I've come up with is to print 4 smaller photos on A4 and cut them out.

Another option is a Canon Pro-310 but that just swaps the minimum size from A4 to A5, and 4x6" is still step smaller than that at A6. Its predecessor the Pro-300 is limited to A4. The 300's predecessor, the Pro-10/10S, was not limited on what you could print on but it wouldn't allow you to print borderless on matte papers.
I've read and seen from people such as Keith Cooper how to use the G620 on a Mac. I'm not familiar with Mac, but it does sound like a bit of extra setup work.

I can print 4x6 prints on the Canon Pro-1100 all day long if I want to. B&H shows the minimum size to be 3.5 x 5" / 8.9 x 12.7 cm. The 1100 does have a backfeed for high-density or large gsm weight paper; however, it only allows one sheet at a time.
Sep 22, 2026 at 06:12 AM
shutterbug guy
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p.1 #15Simple printer
js47 wrote:
But am I correct in saying you can’t print high density 4x6? I have the 1000 not the 1100 so no direct knowledge.


I have no desire to print high-density 4x6 prints, so I wouldn't know.
Sep 22, 2026 at 06:20 AM
mivadep
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p.1 #16Simple printer
js47 wrote:
As far as I know, you don't want a G620 if you use a Mac. I've heard that Canon forces you to use the Airprint driver so it is impossible to have a properly color managed workflow. But I'd say you don't want the G620 anyway since you'd be seriously limiting yourself in terms of paper profiles available. I'd get an Epson ET-8550 (A3+), or if space is an issue an ET-8500 (same printer but A4).

Also you won't want a Canon Pro-1000/1100 since they won't let you print on nice paper smaller than A4/8.5x11" (a bit less so on the...Show more →

I'm using Linux, so things are even worse for me. I'm using TurboPrint (paid software) which is working pretty well. My standards (so far, at least) aren't really that high for prints. I'm using this mainly for fun. If I want to print large or very high quality I'll probably still use a print shop that I trust.
Sep 22, 2026 at 10:32 AM
Joe19
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p.1 #17Simple printer
I am using an Epson Picturemate PM-400, about $300. It's super simple, really small and prints 4x6 and 5x7 using an inexpensive ink cartridge. The prints are really good. Certainly fine for family snapshots. I also have a Canon Pro100. I never use the Canon for snapshots anymore. By the time the Canon is ready to print, the Epson is already done printing.

I have covered my fridge door with Epson prints! And given away lots of prints to my family too.
Sep 23, 2026 at 08:51 AM


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