Fine Art Photo Printing On A Budget

[@inthewildwithfrankwilliams8749]

Hi Kyle, Watching this video brings back printing memories. I would like to say that you can keep the printing cost down more if you DONT switch off the printer. It’s when you turn off the printer that causes higher cost due to it doing head cleans and dumping ink every time you turn it on. I learnt this from a printer engineer which printer manufactures don’t tell you because they want you to buy more ink. Just a little tip for everyone.

[@trulsdirio]

If you print multiple times a day that might be a factor, for me it would not matter for the odd print every week.

[@KyleMcDougall]

Cheers. Good to hear that. I've left this one on ever since I did this video.

[@Crozierphotography]

Canon pro-10(s) is a great option. One of the last options to use refillable third party ink. You have to profile any paper you use if you use third party. One thing to note is that these have a hidden watch battery under the right cover. If these batteries die when it is unplugged it will brick the printer, as it did mine. The solution is to replace the battery and reflash it with software bought off ebay. Amazed to get it working again after sitting for 3 years of being dead.

[@sethpotterphoto]

Thanks for so consistently encouraging printing on your channel. I feel like so many photographers miss out on this aspect of photography.

[@warren4261]

Great video Kyle. I love the fact that I have to make at least one print week just to keep my printer functioning properly.

[@KyleMcDougall]

It's a good encouragement to keep printing your work regularly.

[@craigmckernan4056]

Canon used to bundle these printers (for free) with new DSLR camera sales back in the day (in USA), that's how I got mine. Seems like those days are long gone now. I've since moved on from that camera body, but I still use the printer!

[@ShawnPBruce]

I have a smaller Canon printer and regularly print 8x10 photos for my own archive. It's been a lot of fun and beneficial for my photography. Always great having a tangible print in hand vs on my iPhone.

[@john_murch]

Good choice on the Pro 10S Kyle. I've had the same printer for about 6 years now, I print on this regularly for exhibitions, in fact I just made a huge A3+ print a few hours ago, very satisfying...😀

[@LarryManiccia]

Nothing beats seeing a fresh print emerge onto the output tray. Almost as exciting as taking the image in the field. Congrats on the new printer. Hopefully, it gives you many good years of enjoyment.

[@KyleMcDougall]

Agreed!

[@deim]

For anyone that wants to start printing at home but doesn't have a big budget, Marrutt have great papers, and they also have ink kits. You can get some really stunning images without breaking the bank. I would recommend getting/renting something like a X-rite Colormunki Photo to calibrate the printer to the paper with the new ink. I think Marrutt also create a profile if you send them a print. It might not last 300 years like some OEM inks claim, but its perfect to check your work and have some prints around the house.

[@petergoodrum1607]

I use an Marrutt ink set in my Epsom R3000. Cost is a factor with OEM inks they sell you a printer for next to nothing and get it back on the inks. I Refill my own. ICC profiles if supplied required, what's not to like.... I will say this, they told me to drop my 16 bit images to 8bit using PS because if you send a 16bit image to the printer will downsize it to 8bit automatically and it won't do anywhere near as good a job as PS will.

[@Asiaddicted]

Just bought a used pixma pro 100, your video comes at the right time!

[@CanonEurope]

We love printed photography SO MUCH. (15:33 ❤❤❤)

[@KyleMcDougall]

🙌

[@hoggif]

I just bought a printer (Epson P900). I think it is a game changer to commercial printing service. No waiting for a week or so for turnaround. So easy to print a crop or smaller test print to see if it prints like I think it would. If not, adjust and print another in few minutes. In my area there is very limited print paper choices in commercial printing services that have a reasonable price. Learning curve can be a bit steep unless one already works with color profiles and has experience on printing or having prints made with quality printers (no auto adjustment services!)

[@JohnPurcell]

Re: included ink: retail new printers don't necessarily come with full sized ink sets in the box. It's important to budget a rack of ink no matter what printer you buy, retail or used.

[@mattbray_studio]

that is true, although the pro1000 that Kyle was referencing does come with full size cartridges

[@KyleMcDougall]

Yep, good point. Cheers.

[@WilderNW]

The amount of ink included actually caused me to upgrade printers. I was planning to get a Canon Pro-2600 which includes twelve 160ml cartridges. I was also looking into the Canon Pro-4600 and noticed it includes the larger mid capacity 330ml cartridges. The price of the Pro-4600 was only a couple hundred dollars more when factoring in an extra set of cartridges for the Pro-2600. It was a no brainer upgrade - 44” vs 24” for only $300 more. I wouldn’t buy used unless it is a really good deal and the owner is clean, punctual and doesn’t look like they would give you a horrible disease or steal your kidney.

[@Raf_9000]

Just bought a canon pro-10 for $150 here in the USA! Excited to see you getting something similar. Thanks for encouraging me and others to start printing our work!

[@KyleMcDougall]

Good deal. Hope you enjoy it!

[@BelfastBiker]

I've a similar Pro-100 for years. Best printer I've ever had.

[@duncanwilson5170]

I recently bought the Canon Pro-300 for a fraction of the price of a new printer, it also worked out that the paper the seller included meant the printer was in reality free, as there was over £300 of paper included! I love it and the output is amazing.

[@KyleMcDougall]

Nice one. Good deal!

[@kevinscotton]

Thank you for the reminder that this is a goal in the near future for me

[@andrewsimpson5436]

Been using the Marrut a few years and they were great getting a custom profile sending them a test print.

[@KyleMcDougall]

Yeah, I didn't know much about them until ordering this paper. But as I said, the prints surprised me, and their customer service seems great.

[@SprocketHoles]

I bought an Epson Et-8550 A3 ecotank dye ink recently to learn on. Its been amazing to see my work in print. I might get a "proper" 17 "pigment printer in the future but for now this is really nice.

[@brugj03]

Don`t, i have this printer and a canon prograf 1000 pigment printer. Canon is absurdly expensive and throws away half of the ink, a full ink set will cost you over 600 bucks. The Epson is better with glossy paper, only the blacks are a little less detailed and not as absolute. The Epson is very good for what it is and more, you`ll be hard pressed to find something better. The canon is the b and w champion. nothing beats 4 grayscale inks.

[@edgaribarria]

I own the Pixma Pro 10. I love the printing quality and moved to Precision Ink and have saved money. The only issue I had in the past 5 years is replacing the print head. I found a Chinese online store and got it for 60$

[@Avm371998]

The life expectancy of a new printer is already so short, it would never cross my mind to buy a used one...

[@rcpmac]

Short life expectancy based on what? Wear? Technology? ??

[@CJMeyer16]

I have a Pro-200 - Amazing prints from them👌🏾

[@adrianomaffei]

Hi Kyle! Compliments for the video. I have a Canon Pro 10S for several years, never a problem and great quality prints. Too bad about the ink cartridges a bit small, which need to be replaced often. I also recently bought an Epson SC P900 that I am testing right now, which has larger ink cartridges and prints up to A2+ Warm greetings from Italy. Adriano

[@stevenrichardson64]

I bought the 10 when it was first available. I had the 9500 but the 10 was practically free with the Canon rebate. I’ve had only one problem with it and that is the Bluetooth function keeps dropping . It is quite enjoyable when you see your work printed. Great video Kyle

[@KyleMcDougall]

Cheers, Steven!

[@timothy-holt]

Love this video. I've been on the fence about getting a printer for a while now. Having enough volume to push through it has been the sticking point for me. I think I may be getting close to making the leap to home printing, which I'm super excited about. Buying used had not occurred to me, but this seems like a really worthwhile option. Thanks for sharing! Cheers, Tim

[@KyleMcDougall]

Cheers, Tim. Yeah, if you think you'll be printing enough, it's great to do it in house. Just don't let the thing sit!

[@istvann.huszar420]

Think about how much you'd spend on this project, and double it. If it still looks worthwhile, go for it, otherwise steer away.

[@liveinaweorg]

Got my Pro-100S for £100 and it came with a full ink-set plus a few extras. It also included so many inks that happened to fit our small printer that we saved about £250 on ink. Mind you, ink costs for the Pro-100S are a bit brutal but I do enjoy having it. I use qimage ultimate as my printing and maintenance software. I run a half page 'unclog' every two weeks if I'm not printing frequently.

[@KyleMcDougall]

There are definitely some great deals that pop up every now and then-printer + ink + paper combos.

[@kerc]

A friend gave me *today* a PIXMA 9000 Pro Mark II in like-mew shape. Got it working on Windows 10 and have already printed a couple photos on matte paper. The hardest part is deciding which photo to print!

[@KyleMcDougall]

Nice. Can't beat free!

[@kevin-parratt-artist]

Thanks, Kyle. This is very helpful. 👌

[@fredlegrigri1334]

Very nice as usual. I am considering coming back to printing at home as well. I wished you would have talked about the availability of the drivers though :) I essentially gave up printing in color at home because my beautiful Canon Pixma stopped working with the new Mac OS at the time. I then contacted both companies Apple and Canon and of course, Canon decided not to upgrade for the new Mac OS and no third parties available (gone are the days of hacking drivers). So I bought an Epson eco tank black and white only, as it seems Epson are a bit more serious about their drivers lifetime. Something to consider with older (and newer) models, making sure that the printer will upgrade with the OS of the computer. Cheers Kyle ;)

[@KyleMcDougall]

Good advice, thanks!

[@TheFuturisticVintage]

Love your style of videos. Really great stuff

[@LiquidNS]

I recently bought an Epson p700 for $200. The prints looks. Much nicer than my canon pixma 9000 mkii

[@ralfp9431]

Hi Kyle, this is so helpful! Actually Ian Worth referred you to me just now, because I wrote in his comments that I am on a low budget and looking for a good printer where I can use picture profiles and having the best possible results. So this is exactly what I needed! At this point I have an inexpensive Epson XP970, which prints pretty well, but I can't use the paper profiles with it and I'm never really satisfied with the results. This means, I'm experimenting allot to get the result I'm aiming for and this waists expensive paper and ink, which is also 120 Euros per set. Therefore I need to get a better printer! You gave me here very good piece of advice, but I'm a bit scared to loose the budget I have by picking the wrong printer. I guess there is some risk in everything. You definitely earned a subscription! Thank you very much!

[@john3Lee]

Very useful video - I have just started using White Wall Lab, as I have such a small demand for prints nowadays.... Thanks for the video

[@KyleMcDougall]

Whitewall is great, and as mentioned, a lab makes the most sense, imo, if you're not printing often.

[@krullenbos94]

I'm running a professional printshop with a 2 gen old inkjet printer. And in my other work I use the newest gen of that same printer. There is no significant difference between them aside from being faster. Of course if you get into the nittygritty if it you can notice differences. But for what people most use it for, there is no difference.

[@KyleMcDougall]

Cool to hear that. That was my suspicion, after using a few printers over the years.

[@ellyrion8173]

Went down this rabbit hole a year ago and ended up selling the printer - if you don't print regularly enough then dealing with a clogged printer head becomes a real issue.

[@duringthemeanwhilst]

I've had and regularly used that Canon printer for the last 8 years. Only ever used Canon ink and make sure it prints something at least every 36-48 hours and touch wood it's been superb. I like Fotospeed papers - having used a few they seem the best suited to the printer, particularly their Pearl 290 🙂 Oh, and never, ever switch it off!

[@KyleMcDougall]

I have to give Fotospeed a try. I've heard good things!

[@tedphillips2951]

I have been using the Canon Pro 100 for a long time & use only the Canon ink & have had no problems with clogging even though I don't use it all the time.

[@istvann.huszar420]

In terms of clogging, the Pro-100 is more resilient than pigment ink printers, like the Pro-10(s).

[@Mygrainphotos]

This was super helpful, thank you!!

[@dmay1100]

Hey Kyle; Funniest thing, my Epson 3880 just died. After just short of 2000 prints and 10 years of use is not bad. I had a feeling there was going to be and issue after all the time I have spent in Hospital over the last two years I just knew the printer would die. There is nothing like printing your own I love it and sadly I have to decide if I get a new printer, go to a lab, or take up my friends offer of the same printer (he rarely uses his and it has to be shipped I might just get it and right to the garbage). I might try out a lab simply because they will frame the print and as I am shooting lots of pano's lately it might be the smart move. Though I have never been known for smart moves. 😂😂😂

[@KyleMcDougall]

10 years of use is pretty good, imo! If you're not doing huge volume at the moment, a lab might be best.

[@sethobates]

Great work as always man. I am up and running. Only have a few sheets of paper that came with the unit. Any recommendations for paper type? Something high end preferably. Its for printing my personal work and the odd client gift.

[@KyleMcDougall]

I'm a big fan of Hahnemuhle Fine Art Baryta. Also Canson Prestige II

[@sethobates]

@@KyleMcDougall 🙏

[@IsThatYouSimon]

I have a Canon Pro 1000 and never succeeded to work it properly (with matching paper no refered in the printer and the color render was never as i wanted). It sleeps since 3 years now because each time i was turning it on, so muuuuck ink was spent to launch the printer. You really have to print each week (as you right say « often ») if you want to save money compared to a lab. But this is if you succeed to match color… your video makes me want to try one time again before definitely quitting it and resell it. Ps: it would have been nice to show us the process in the printer software because this is here the real deal with using a printer.

[@KyleMcDougall]

I did a video a while back sharing my complete workflow. All comes down to monitor profiling and using the right soft proofing.

[@streetskier]

Kyle out here doing the Lord's work with amazing videos like this!

[@andyflack7940]

If I didn’t have a printer I doubt I would print anything. Takes me 2-3 test prints to be absolutely happy. I couldn’t bare the wait for each print to come back from a lab. When it comes to justifying the cost, well that’s another story. 😂. My excuse is it makes me happy. Would really like to get an A2 machine but I know I can’t justify that.

[@unstanic]

Bought an unused Pixma Pro9000 MkII last week. Can't say I had the same smooth experience. Drivers didn't support Windows 11, but Windows 10 drivers seem to do it for the most part, but then I had persisting color casting issues, specifically Magenta and Yellow. No matter what I have tried, I cannot get the accurate colors you got immediately on your video. I will have to fiddle some more. Quality is great though, just the colors are off. Also, official CLI8 inks are hard to find and super expensive, so I had to resort to remanufactured.

[@KyleMcDougall]

I believe the Pro9000 is a generation behind the model I have, so it is getting quite old. Is your monitor profiled?

[@enshongmiranda]

I got burned with Canon in the past when I bought a Pro 9000 Mk II. It was barely 3 years and the ink was already disconintued in our market. After that, I have observed that Canon (at least in my country) just doesn't stock inks for older models as long as possible whenever there's a new model. I got a cheap ink-tank Epson L8050 just to test the waters and I've been loving the prints so far. Having an ink-tank vs cartridges is much more economical and Epson has a lot better supply support for older models. I wouldn't buy a cartridge printer ever again. The paper has a much more impact on how the actual print feels and looks than dye vs pigment inks. Just get the right icc profile for the paper you're using.

[@chrisloomis1489]

Very helpful , thank you. C

[@ironmonkey1512]

I use a digital enlarger and print on silver paper. No inks for me!

[@theheadshotlab]

Kyle, you have inspired me to take out my Pixma Pro 10S again. However, I do not seem to have Canon IJ Printer utility anymore and I don't understand how to access it (if that's even possible) or find another way to do a cleaning cycle, do you have any idea how I can perform a cleaning cycle? Many thanks in advance for any knowledge that you can share :-)!

[@theheadshotlab]

Could it be because I am on a M2 Mac 🤔?

[@KyleMcDougall]

I was able to download it off the Canon website.

[@trippwilsonphoto]

I almost bought one for my 18th, instead I decided to just get a bunch of ra4 paper and chems

[@theBaron001]

"All over ebay and marketplace".... except for here in australia 😆 I just watched your video so of course I now want to get a printer again after not having one for the last 10 years, but there's just none on the market here!

[@lensman5762]

The most expensive part of a printer is not the hardware, but the bloody ink. A full set for my 3880 now costs more than £400.00

[@KyleMcDougall]

Yes it is. You have to make sure you're printing often.

[@Felix92Bs]

Hi Kyle, You mention that frequent usage is a key decision criteria for a used printer but then you mention the low number of prints for the one that you just purchased. Does that mean that it’s fine to get one with a low number of prints although it might haven’t been used for longer periods?

[@sindbadsailor7868]

I like to print, the printer is costly… but the ink is way more costly I have canon pro 10, not so much different with 10s i think, is there any recommendations for third party ink?

[@istvann.huszar420]

You'll regret using third-party inks, because they fade, at least if you hang them up on the wall. All of them fade, PrecisionColors included. If you keep your photos behind glass, or in an album, then it's fine. But if you store your photos like that, it makes me question the utility of printing in general.

[@sindbadsailor7868]

@@istvann.huszar420 well, i do keep my prints in albums, i don’t hang them on he wall, yet… I’m pretty sure I’ve bought the inks with total price more than the printer it self, it’s only for the hobby, the biggest prints are A4, i don’t think i will print with more than this size… maybe i need to change the printer with more economical inks, is there any recommendations?

[@GeorgeStar]

Based on my experience a used printer is virtually guaranteed to have clogged nozzles, usually not fixable. That's why people are dumping them.

[@ricomichel]

Thanks Kyle!!!

[@jasonzayas5487]

All of the prints on my new to me Canon Pixma Pro 200 have weird color issues. Warm/ cold casts, blacks come out green, oranges come out red... 3rd patty ink maybe?

[@KyleMcDougall]

If you're using 3rd party ink, it could be. Also, are you using the right ICC profile for your paper/printer?

[@koobs4549]

I have a Pro-100 that I got several years ago, & I’ve never taken it out of the box. I want to start printing, is there anything you suggest I do to it first? All the inks are sealed, in their original packages, & have been stored in a cool, dark, space. Can I just set it up like new & start printing, or is there some maintenance you’d suggest I do 1st?

[@CrawfordHeisz]

If it’s new and never had ink inside it, I would treat it just like new and see how it goes.

[@KyleMcDougall]

I'd imagine you'd be fine to just unbox and install the inks. It'll run through it's setup, and then you can print a test sheet/nozzle check. That'll tell you everything you need to know. But can't imagine there would be any issues if it's all sealed.

[@cameraprepper7938]

The printer is not that big an economic issue, the ink is a BIG investment !

[@KyleMcDougall]

It is, but worth it if you're printing often.

[@cameraprepper7938]

@@KyleMcDougall In my country, one swap of ink and it is nearly the price of the printer !

[@fosterb300]

I picked up a Pixma Pro 100 for $10 USD in 2020, on a whim. The previous owner wasn't using it and it kept getting errors. It just had a loose ribbon cable on the print head and needed some TLC with getting the rollers clean. I'm able to print 4x6 for pennies, and up to 13x19 prints for

[@KyleMcDougall]

Definitely a steal!

[@JonPayne-fc1ph]

Any uk workshops? :)

[@down2film]

does anybody know the difference between the Pro 10 and Pro 10S? I've been looking at this model for a while, but they all list as Pro 10, so I can't tell which is which. Even the Canon website lists it as Pro 10.

[@fordfelix]

I've noticed that so many modern digital prints start to fade after just 3 months, even with minimal light exposure. But prints from 30 years ago have vibrant colors. Is that something that can be avoided with certain inks or papers? Or is it that modern printing is just not as good as it used to be? I want to start printing more photos, even at home, but I'm worried they'll just fade. Thanks!

[@PawanDubeyK]

Cheaper dye based inks are not as lightfast, so fade quickly on exposure. Pigment based inks and higher quality dye based inks when combined with archival quality paper can last decades, easily. But you need to buy printers that use such inks (like this Pixma 10s). Using UV protective glass to frame the prints also helps slow down any fading.

[@fordfelix]

@@PawanDubeyK Thank you!

[@istvann.huszar420]

It's simply not worth it for 99% of the people... I recently went through buying three Canon Pro-10 models. I was really enthusiastic about the whole process, and I eventually threw all three away. Why? Because you get one for $150 if you're lucky, and you can be sure that the print head will be unusable. Then you spend $300 on a new print head, and $130 on a single set of inks, only to realise that one cartridge will run dry after a mere 165 4x6" prints. When you replace the cartridge for $15, a purge cycle is executed, and you lose a lot more ink. Then the next cartridge runs out, and so on, and you need to spend another $130 on a new set of inks sooner than you think. Meanwhile, my local photography store will print 36 images for $10. So for the $150 + $300 + $130 = $580 that I spent on the printer, I can get 2088 photos printed. Believe me, you'll never print this much, even if you buy a printer... And if you do, the ink alone will cost you more than $1000. And be prepared to print every second day, otherwise the printer will greet you with an unfixable B200 error on a regular Tuesday morning, and you can wait a few months until someone buys it off your hands for $150 to perpetuate this madness. As much as I would love to print at home, the cost and the hassle of this is just insane. Oh wait, did I mention custom colour profiling? Only if you want accurate colours, of course... You can get a Calibrite device for a mere $500! Did I forget something? Ah, the paper! 50 sheets for $20 feels like a breeze after all the above. So I'll say it again and let it sink in: it takes $10 to get 36 prints from the store.

[@seralegre]

There are not A4 size for professional photo prints, right?

[@NohStar]

I just bought a similar pixma (in Japan), but it has horrible lines running through the print. brand new printer, brand new ink. can’t figure out how to fix it. anyone any ideas?

[@KyleMcDougall]

Shouldn't be happening with a new printer. I'd return it if you can.

[@alannorsworthy7702]

How are the canon printers with regard to “bronzing” in B&W ? I have epson and I’m finding bronzing its raising its ugly head.

[@KyleMcDougall]

Haven't printed enough yet with the Canon to say.

[@TwangThang57]

Recently sold my Pixma Pro-100. I could no longer justify the cost of ink cartridges. i tried cheaper 3rd party cartridges but the colors were unacceptable.

[@fepatton]

I’ve had the Pro-100 for years and yeah, the ink is outrageous. What you are planning to do instead for printing?

[@TwangThang57]

@@fepatton Farm it out.

[@NickyNiclas]

Using OEM inks is such a waste of money when there are better 3rd party inks that cost 10x less. You just gotta know what's good and what's not. I refill mine myself and have not had any issues.

[@Morgz_OnDaMap]

What inks do you use please?

[@ЕвгенийМалышкин-з6к]

👍

[@CJMeyer16]

Oh I forgot to mention something very important . Before buying my Pro-200, the most important question on my mind was, "HOW OFTEN WILL YOU REFILL THE INK? "... There's no definitive answer here as it is based your usage but if you're not printing more than 100 prints in a month but occasionally print maybe once a week, you ink can last up to two months, maybe even more... The black, grey, and yellow goes first... My advice is to just do your nozzle check weekly. Your printer will be good. Also, make sure to keep the printer plugged in/on standby. If not, the printer will do a clean but not that heavy on the ink, but it will take ink. BUT GO-AHEAD MAKE THAT PURCHASE, IT IS SUCH A JOY TO SEE YOUR CREATION ON PAPER... When you look at the prints, you know exactly what you intended to do with the composition and analyze where you can improve next, extremely helpful for your photography journey...🇿🇦✌🏾

[@SelmaDean-h7q]

Noe Ramp

[@stevef2114]

Hi.. so why did you sell it? kzbin.info/www/bejne/goDPaHuHe6Z5l7c The video you said you outsource your printing, and for work prints you got yourself a tiny printer to help with ideas/layouts? So what changed in a year? ( the video does show the same printer you have in this latest vid) Does YT content creation drive you to do buy/sell etc..

[@KyleMcDougall]

I still have the Selphy, and the b-roll in that video was from a few years back. I simply decided I want to offer medium sized prints again, which is something that I stopped doing for a while. As mentioned, since I'll be doing volume again, I want to print in house.

[@ClareFerdinand-q9k]

Era Mills

[@jackiechan8840]

I've got an old canon PIXMA printer. I hate it. MG6350 to be exact. Hope yours is better.

[@joeydgraffix]

The Canon Pixma Pro 100 was the worse printer I've ever owned. Non-stop jamming.

[@CharleyBelle-x8u]

Luettgen Coves

[@FosterDelosanglel-d5h]

Uriel Views

[@elmegade3]

Avoid Epson printers! Such poor customer service as well. My Epson SC P800 would not print straight and it chews papers sometimes when loading via the front feeder. Epson did 0 to fix it.

[@gz-n3gzmail142]

You did not mention the continuation of ink cart supply for an older model. I have a Canon 100 that i am wondering if i should upgrade from as i do not know how long the inks will continue to be manufactured by Canon. Good vid.