2. What are my options?
3. How do I sort out the specs?
5. What will it really cost me?
How do I judge print quality?
The cardinal rule of purchasing a printer is to print before you pay. Otherwise, there's no surefire way to tell exactly how text and images will appear. Fortunately, many retail stores let you print demonstration pages to get a feel for the output quality. Here are some things to watch for, courtesy of CNET Labs.
One of the most widely used specifications, the resolution refers to the maximum number of dots per inch (dpi) that can be printed, measured both horizontally and vertically. For example, a 600x600dpi laser printer lays down a one-inch square composed of 600 dots across by 600 dots down. In theory, a printer with a higher resolution is capable of producing more-detailed text and images, as seen in this representation:
The printer demonstration should print several geometric shapes of different sizes and shading. The outlines should be crisp with smooth curves; inside areas of solid colours should appear dense and evenly shaded. Also look for areas where a colour goes from dark to light (a gradient). Is it a smooth transition, or can you see colour banding, distinct bands progressing from darker to lighter? Large areas of flat colour should appear solid and even, rather than muddy. Some printers try to dazzle the eye with overly saturated colours; others skimp on ink, leaving images that appear washed out. Look for a nice, natural-looking balance between the two. Printhead banding -- that is, visible horizontal stripes across a page -- could be caused by a clogged nozzle, a poorly aligned bidirectional printhead, or a poor rendering algorithm (gradients aren't rendered smoothly).
Photos
When evaluating print quality, there are four chief considerations:
Colour accuracy: Compared to the original, the colours should be accurate, pleasing, and well balanced. Colours should be vivid but not oversaturated. Look at a monochrome photo under fluorescent light, incandescent light, and daylight. How badly does the colour cast change from one light to another (called metamerism)? Be sure to look for inconsistencies across different paper types and print resolutions.
Sharpness: Is the output sufficiently sharp? Any jaggies? If you see problems, do you have any theories about what's going on? Does the lack of sharpness have to do with printhead or colour misregistration?
Dynamic range: Can you see detail in highlight and shadow areas, or are they rendered as flat or with no colour? Does the printout look muddy or low contrast?
Artifacts: Do you see any banding? How about evidence of a clogged nozzle? Excessive dot gain? Any other weird stuff going on?
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Ellen
10/09/2007 02:38 PM
Hello there, Just wondering do you have any business card printer (used for papers) to recommend at your company? Please advise. Many thanks, and looking forward to hear from you soon. Best Regards, Ellen
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bbaker
15/03/2008 09:42 AM
A good think to watch out for is also companies that "over clock" there print engines. This will lead to more wear/tear and make your expenses go through the roof. I know the Ricoh systems come out at a faster speed, then they slow them down to market valued settings. So its better to go from fast to slow, then slow to fast! Thats a fact! For more information goto www.thecopiergroup.com We teach people all the time.
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Nancy Bain -OAM
25/05/2008 10:56 AM
I need to print from slides & negatives where can I find a printer to do that URGENT
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