We have compiled a listing of the three main
photography printing options for consideration when printing your digital
pictures.
The three main printing techniques include...
Inkjet Printers - inkjet sprays
Photography inkjets reproduce skin tones well
Inkjets are inexpensive and look great with
high quality paper
"Compared
to earlier consumer-oriented color printers, inkjets have a number of
advantages. They are quieter in operation and can print finer, smoother details
through higher print head resolution, and many consumer inkjets with
photographic-quality printing are widely available.
In comparison to more
expensive technologies, inkjets have the advantage of practically no warm up
time and lower cost per page (except when compared to laser printers).
For some inkjet printers,
monochrome ink sets are available either from the printer manufacturer or
third-party suppliers. These allow the inkjet printer to compete with the
silver-based photographic papers traditionally used in black-and-white
photography, and provide the same range of tones – neutral, "warm" or "cold".
When switching between full-color and monochrome ink sets, it is necessary to
flush out the old ink from the print head with a special cleaning cartridge.
As opposed to most other types
of printers, inkjet cartridges can be refilled. Most cartridges can be easily
refilled by drilling a hole in and filling the tank portion of the cartridge.
This method is more cost effective as opposed to buying a new cartridge each
time one runs dry."-Wiki
Dye Sublimation
Heated filters often only print 4x6
Cellophane ink cannot be removed
"A dye-sublimation printer
(or dye-sub printer) employs a printing
process that uses heat to transfer dye to a medium such as a plastic card,
printer paper, poster paper, or fabric. The process is usually to lay one color
at a time using a ribbon that has color panels. Most dye-sublimation printers
use CMYO colors which differs
from the more recognized CMYK colors in that the
black dye is eliminated in favour of a clear overcoating. This overcoating
(which has numerous names depending on the manufacturer) is effectively a thin
laminate which protects the print from discoloration from UV light and the air
while also rendering the print water-resistant. Many dye-sublimation printers
are designed and used for producing photography prints." - Wiki
Laser Printers
Often offer limited media choices
Transfers powder onto paper and then heats
"A
laser beam projects an image of the page to be printed onto an electrically
charged rotating drum coated with selenium. Photoconductivity removes
charge from the areas exposed to light. Dry ink particles are then
electrostatically picked up by the drum's charged areas. The drum then prints
the image onto paper by direct contact and heat, which fuses the ink to the
paper.
Laser printers have many
significant advantages over other types of printers. Laser printer speed can
vary widely, and depends on many factors, including the graphic intensity of the
job being processed. The fastest models can print over 200 monochrome pages per
minute (12,000 pages per hour). The fastest color laser printers can print over
100 pages per minute (6000 pages per hour). Very high-speed laser printers are
used for mass mailings of personalized documents, such as credit card or utility
bills, and are competing with lithography in some commercial applications.
The cost of this technology
depends on a combination of factors, including the cost of paper, toner, and
infrequent drum replacement, as well as the replacement of other consumables
such as the fuser assembly and transfer assembly. Often printers with soft
plastic drums can have a very high cost of ownership that does not become
apparent until the drum requires replacement." - Wiki
Of the three photography printing
options, inkjets are often the cheapest and easy to use.
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