A3 Photo Printer Recomendations Please

[Downton Mini]

Hi Guys well my old MFP printer is dead and I need to look at getting a replacement ideally I want to get a A3 one I don't have lots to spend on one (around £200) I would consider a used one if but would rather buy new.. I've always used HP as I've found them to be reliable and reasonable on cost. But I am open to suggestions

Thanks

[RobDickinson]

Epson R2400 is the business I think

[LongQ]

Downton Mini said:

Hi Guys well my old MFP printer is dead and I need to look at getting a replacement ideally I want to get a A3 one I don't have lots to spend on one (around £200) I would consider a used one if but would rather buy new.. I've always used HP as I've found them to be reliable and reasonable on cost. But I am open to suggestions

Thanks

A new A3 printer for £200? Photo quality? Presumably not Multi Function?

I think you might be looking at and of range models but that's not so bad since printer tech has been extremely good for some years.

With a decent printer you might need the same amount of cash again to buy a set inks very soon after purchase. Maybe sooner.

[size13]

If it's just an A3 MFP you're after, I have a Brother with continuous ink system.
Not bad for photos but I also got it for £80 when they were usually about £150

[GetCarter]

Downton Mini said:

Hi Guys well my old MFP printer is dead and I need to look at getting a replacement ideally I want to get a A3 one I don't have lots to spend on one (around £200) I would consider a used one if but would rather buy new.. I've always used HP as I've found them to be reliable and reasonable on cost. But I am open to suggestions

Thanks

I have an Epson, which is very good... but the Inks and paper are so expensive I get all my stuff printed by photobox.co.uk Next day delivery. Saves me a fortune

[Craikeybaby]

I agree with Steve, I've got an Epson A2 printer and the (high) cost of the printer is nothing compared to the consumables. It works out much cheaper to use someone like DSCL for prints, even for the more important art prints I've started using my local lab, the cost doesn't work out too different, but if there's a problem in the print, its their problem.

[Downton Mini]

GetCarter said:

I have an Epson, which is very good... but the Inks and paper are so expensive I get all my stuff printed by photobox.co.uk Next day delivery. Saves me a fortune

I hadn't thought about using an online service I will have a look thanks.

I can not believe how expensive the replacement inks are I know some people use compatible inks or have them refilled but I assume that effects the quality of the prints

[LongQ]

Downton Mini said:

I hadn't thought about using an online service I will have a look thanks.

I can not believe how expensive the replacement inks are I know some people use compatible inks or have them refilled but I assume that effects the quality of the prints

Or longevity or serviceability of the printer.

All of those things may or may not be issues.

You could spend hours reading up in the net and still come away without a conclusion to work with on the financials.

In gererak for what they are printers are quite inexpensive. There is a reason for that which becomes clearer when you look at the price of the OEM inks.

Edited by LongQ on Thursday 2nd May 18:59

[GetCarter]

Downton Mini said:

GetCarter said:

I have an Epson, which is very good... but the Inks and paper are so expensive I get all my stuff printed by photobox.co.uk Next day delivery. Saves me a fortune

I hadn't thought about using an online service I will have a look thanks.

I can not believe how expensive the replacement inks are I know some people use compatible inks or have them refilled but I assume that effects the quality of the prints

With some printers it's cheaper to buy a new one than the replacement inks. Joke.

I ordered 30 prints from photobox on Monday, arrived here in the Highlands on Tuesday, and with the 25% 'coupon' cost less than the paper and ink would have costed me to do here - let alone the price of the printer.

Another problem is that if you don't use ink jet printers for a while the ink dries in the cartidges, causing grief... and even worse than that, when the first of seven colours runs out it won't print anything.

I now just have a laser printer for letters and send everything to photobox.

[Zod]

GetCarter said:

I have an Epson, which is very good... but the Inks and paper are so expensive I get all my stuff printed by photobox.co.uk Next day delivery. Saves me a fortune

Same here. The cartridges last hardly any time and cost a fortune. Every time I want to print, at least one cartridge is out or nearly out and there are eight of them!

[Downton Mini]

Just had a look at photobox I think that is the way to go I need to get some decent photos now

Interesting that they do a wide range of items. Has anyone had any canvasses done by them?

Also a another good thing with them is everytime I buy form them I would raise money for our Mini club without it costing anymore

[GetCarter]

Downton Mini said:

Just had a look at photobox I think that is the way to go I need to get some decent photos now

Interesting that they do a wide range of items. Has anyone had any canvasses done by them?

Also a another good thing with them is everytime I buy form them I would raise money for our Mini club without it costing anymore

Canvases and books from photobox should be avoided IMHO. Books too expensive (Blurb are better) and canvases don't look much like canvas (fluid-images.co.uk are better). However, prints are fine - cheap and quick.... and the magic mugs are great!

[Downton Mini]

GetCarter said:

Canvases and books from photobox should be avoided IMHO. Books too expensive (Blurb are better) and canvases don't look much like canvas (fluid-images.co.uk are better). However, prints are fine - cheap and quick.... and the magic mugs are great!

Thanks for your advise Steve I will be ordering some prints as soon as I have a batch of decent shots

[sgrimshaw]

http://www.printerbase.co.uk/acatalog/brother-mfcj...

If you want A3 MFP the print quaility of this is actually very good.

Request a print sample, I was very impressed.

[andybuk99]

I have always used Epson's and have always used CIS and have never had issues.

[Thunderace]

I've had an Epson R2880 since 2008. It's been faultless and I love the quality, the only thing I don't like is the £1000+ of ink cartridges its eaten in that time. Virtually all my printing's been at A4 or A3.

If it dies I'd get the same again or whatever is the current model.

Unfortunately double your budget at £450 new

[Jonny_]

sgrimshaw said:

http://www.printerbase.co.uk/acatalog/brother-mfcj...

If you want A3 MFP the print quaility of this is actually very good.

Request a print sample, I was very impressed.

Probably a bit late to the party, but having stumbled across this thread, I can vouch for the Brother J6510 above. Use one for work, it came with some sample photo paper so I rattled off a few baby photos with it, very impressed with the result. Ink is not cheap though - full set of cartridges stands you at about £60 IIRC (fortunately I don't pay for 'em!). Also good as a scanner (and scans up to A3 size) although there's a posher variant (J6710 or 6910 I think) that does duplex scanning which this one doesn't.

[S47]

get a colour laser - after many years of aggro from the inkjets, I did its bin awesome - if you need larger1 prints then get 'em printed online - sorted