new printer
- Thread starter greenback
- Start date
- Joined
- Jun 27, 2013
- Messages
- 216
Well, with the info you provide, the only valid reply is "it depends" ...
.... on issues such as ...
* print volume of what type (photos, b/w text, charts, text-in color, graphics, etc.
* budget
* print quality expectations (who cares vs decent vs accurate and consistent color with wide gamut and dynamic range ... can be very difficult to accomplish)
* paper width (letter / legal ok?)
* others
You mention 6 inks, which implies relatively high quality photo printing. The most basic, most entry-level printers only have CMY dye and black pigment (and usually a terrible choice as the ink cost will be exorbitant if you have any volume at all).
Next is separate CYMK dye carts, and black pigment, with separate ink carts. These can do surprisingly well on photo printing. This is the "sweet spot" for commodity printers.
Next are CMYK+, possibly with Photo-Light-Cyan, Photo-Light-Magenta, Gray, Red, and/or Green. If you know what you are doing, better print quality is possible, but won't necessarily be dramatically better compared to a good CMYK printer. YMMV.
.... on issues such as ...
* print volume of what type (photos, b/w text, charts, text-in color, graphics, etc.
* budget
* print quality expectations (who cares vs decent vs accurate and consistent color with wide gamut and dynamic range ... can be very difficult to accomplish)
* paper width (letter / legal ok?)
* others
You mention 6 inks, which implies relatively high quality photo printing. The most basic, most entry-level printers only have CMY dye and black pigment (and usually a terrible choice as the ink cost will be exorbitant if you have any volume at all).
Next is separate CYMK dye carts, and black pigment, with separate ink carts. These can do surprisingly well on photo printing. This is the "sweet spot" for commodity printers.
Next are CMYK+, possibly with Photo-Light-Cyan, Photo-Light-Magenta, Gray, Red, and/or Green. If you know what you are doing, better print quality is possible, but won't necessarily be dramatically better compared to a good CMYK printer. YMMV.