All-in-One Printer (Photo)

[mrblahman]

Looking in the $100 - $250 range. Need these options.

- Wireless networking

- Needs to have seperate carts for black & color. ( hate replacing a full color cart when the black one is empty)

- Does not need fax, just need printer & scanner

- Needs to have decent photo printing, but not out of price range hopefully

- Company doesn't matter, I just read alot of epson/brother printers don't pass my 2nd need.

 

[mrblahman]

I'm leaning toward the epson all-in-one

 

[Zepper]

I've long been a fan of Canon - Epson prints always looked funny to me as all of their inks are pigmented. Canon's photo inks are all dye based, so the photo prints look more consistent and I've never seen much better from an inkjet printer. But you do have to get at least a 5-tank model so you get CMYK dye based plus a large pigmented black for sharper text printing. I also prefer separates because the printing never seems to be quite as good from an all-in-one as it does from a print-only machine based on the same engine. If space is a problem, rig a shelf and stack 'em. The iP4500 is good and pair it with either a Canon or Epson scanner.

oops, I forgot about the wireless ntwking - I guess that does necessitate an MFP. Not sure which Canon AIOs have the ip4200 or better print engine, but that's what you're looking for. If the price is too high right now, just keep an eye out for specials on the model you want. Replacement Canon models usually come out in late summer/early fall and the old models are blown out to clear the channel.

.bh.

 

[mrblahman]

Hmm. I was looking at the Cannon PIXMA MP470 is more in my price range. How is that for an all-in-one?

 

[Zepper]

Nope that has the integrated head cartridges - very expensive over the long term. The ones I'm talking about use a PGI-5 series tank and 4 x the CLI-8 series tanks. The MP610 has optional Bluetooth adapter. The MX850 is more like it but it only has wired Ethernet. Provantage.com has the best price on it I've found. If Bluetooth will work for you, there may be a cheaper model that will take the adapter (the 850 will too) that still has the better print engine.

.bh.

 

[mrblahman]

How about the MX700? It's going for $100 on newegg now

 

[Zepper]

The MX700 has the 4-tank system of the iP3000 series. It uses the composite black for photo printing so blacks and grays in your photo prints will look a bit off and you will use up your color tanks a lot faster if you have a lot of black in your photos. Really it depends on how fussy you are about your photo prints. I'd still suggest going separates as I pointed out in my earlier message. Just hook the printer and scanner to one machine and share them across your wireless network - you'll just have to leave that machine powered up to share them.

.bh.

 

[13Gigatons]

MP610
Silex Print Server

or

MX850

 

[Zepper]

Yup, the 610 has the right array of tanks for best quality of both text and photo printing. Just lacks the wireless networking which the device 13Gigs linked provides. The print server is nice as you don't have to leave any computer on for sharing. But be sure to lock the server down so you don't have someone sitting out on the street using up your ink and paper...

.bh.