Before getting the article: if you are looking for an online photo development service, from the Photographer's Blog we recommend CEWE . We tried several services and it is the one that has given us the best results. You can access the service from the following link .
If you are a fan of absolute control of the photographic process, you may have thought about printing your photos at home. You may have gotten fed up with the results that they offer you in the development store or, simply, that you have been curious. Be that as it may, I already tell you that printing at home requires effort and investment but, once done, it may end up compensating you for having the final control of your copies. Let's see, then, what you need to print your photographs at home with the best results.CALIBRATE THE MONITOR
Isn't it true that when you look at an image on the computer screen it has nothing to do with when you look at it on any other device? The contrast, the colors, the blacks ... The difference is, in many cases, remarkable. This is because the screens are calibrated differently.That is, they reproduce colors differently. As a photographer who has had a good time preparing that image between photography, editing, etc. It can be quite frustrating to see that all settings vary from one screen to another, not to mention printing.COLOR SETTINGS
Getting into what we know as color adjustments can be a complicated and arduous mission. If you come from an Adobe program, and you don’t have much idea, it’s best to keep the Adobe RGB color space, which has already been tested and tested in a multitude of spaces and is the one that works best in general. Just keep in mind that, as they explain themselves , it is always best to let the editor manage the colors , not the printer.OTHER TIPS FOR PRINTING AT HOME
If you need more information about prints at home, I recommend you read this article full of tips, where you will find from the camera settings to the size of the print. We're going to the mess, I promised to talk to you about printers and paper, right?PRINTERS
WHAT TO CONSIDER WHEN CHOOSING
As for any type of investment we are going to make, before choosing, we must take several aspects into account.- Define a maximum budget: think of cost as something not only of the printer, but also of the cartridges. In the long run they are what end up making printing more expensive, beyond the initial investment of the machine.
- So having a look at the price of the spare parts, or knowing the number of cartridges you need, can be a good option to consider when comparing prices between printers or valuing them individually.
- Trick: The cartridges separately. That is, it is best to choose a printer that uses a black cartridge and then another three for each of the basic colors (blue, yellow and red). Thus, if a color is finished, that color is changed exclusively. Otherwise, you have to buy an entire color cartridge just because one of them runs out.
- Wireless connectivity: I don't know about you but I hate cables. So for me it is one of those functions that already incorporate many printers and that are most appreciated. Because having WIFI or Bluetooth connectivity, it will also allow you to send your images not only from the computer, but also directly from the mobile, without almost getting up from the sofa;).
- Minimum resolution: the higher the resolution, the better the print quality, so it is a fact to take into account. We do not recommend choosing a resolution lower than 2400 x 1200 dpi.
- Printing technology: to print photographs, inkjet is the best.
- Maximum thickness or weight of the paper allowed: it must be taken into account if you anticipate that you may want to print on thick paper.
- Inputs for USB port or memory cards: Apart from having or not WIFI, an option to consider will be if you can connect a USB or memory card directly to the printer.
- Size and design: Basically because you are going to have it at home, taking up space and supposedly in sight, it is good that you choose one that adapts to the available space and that is not cumbersome for you.
- Multifunction printers: You should assess whether you need not only to print your photographs but to scan or copy, as do multifunction printers.
SOME RECOMMENDED PRINTERS
Now let's see some recommended printers to print your photos at home: Epson Expression Premium XP 830- Multifunction printer (scan, copy, print and have fax function), with 10.9 cm LCD touch screen, two trays, one for paper and one for photographic paper and WIFI.
Epson Expression Premium XP-830 - Multifunction Printer (Inkjet, WiFi Direct and Ethernet), Black Color, Now Available on Amazon Dash Replenishment * - Personal Computers
Price: (price not available at this time)
(As of: 2020/01/23 7:28 pm - Details)
0 new 0 2nd hand
(* = Affiliate Link / Image Source: Amazon Affiliate Program)
- Multifunction printer with WIFI, thermal inkjet, USB port, touch screen among other features.
HP ENVY Photo 6234 - Multifunction printer (Thermal inkjet, 4800 x 1200 DPI, 125 sheets, A4, Direct Print), white * - Personal computers
Price: € 79.90
(As of: 2020/01/23 7:28 pm - Details)
6 new from € 79.90 8 Second hand from € 52.43
(* = Affiliate Link / Image Source: Amazon Affiliate Program)
- Wireless photo printer, ultra-compact design, USB and SDCARD inputs, folding screen, and great user reviews on Amazon.
Canon Selphy CP1300 - Wireless photo printer (Apple AirPrint, Mopria, 8.1 cm flip screen, 3-color inks, 300 x 300 dpi) pink * - Camera
Price: (price not available at this time)
(As of: 2020/01/23 7:28 pm - Details)
24 new from € 140.36 0 Second hand
(* = Affiliate Link / Image Source: Amazon Affiliate Program)
- Portable printer for Smartphone of approximately 250 gr. Weight, image size: 62mm x 46mm, etc. You can read the full review here.
Fujifilm Instax Share SP-2 - Printer for smartphones (62 mm x 46 mm, 320 dpi, 2W, printing capacity - 100 photos, USB cable, WiFi, color), Gold * - Accessory
Price: € 107.70
(As of: 2020/01/23 7:28 pm - Details)
You save: € 61.30 (36%) (36%)
8 new from € 107.70 0 Second hand
(* = Affiliate Link / Image Source: Amazon Affiliate Program)
- Portable, light and small printer, without ink, weighing about 170 gr., Bluetooth, and a photo size of 5 x 7.6 cm
HP Sprocket - Portable Photo Printer (Inkless Printing, Bluetooth, 5 x 7.6 cm Prints) Color White * - Electronics
Price: € 139.00
(As of: 2020/01/23 4:14 pm - Details)
2 new from € 139.00 4 Second hand from € 101.28
(* = Affiliate Link / Image Source: Amazon Affiliate Program)
PHOTOGRAPHIC PAPER
WHAT TO CONSIDER WHEN CHOOSING
It may seem that all photographic papers are the same, but the truth is that they are not, and that the photographic result obtained also depends largely on the paper used. So let's see what characteristics we should know before deciding on one or the other.- Weight: It is represented by g / m². The greater the weight, usually the better. It is usually around 90 to 260 g / m².
- Brightness: They are the levels of purity of the white color, it can be determined by a value that, the higher, the purer we consider white. Although not always indicates.
- Finish: Gloss, matte, or semimate. The most commonly used is the gloss finish, it is also the easiest to find.
- Size: Remember to choose a maximum size according to the printer you have.
- Price: Look closely at the price per number of copies and do a little search and comparison before deciding on one or the other.
SOME RECOMMENDED PAPERS TO PRINT YOUR PHOTOS AT HOME
HP CR757A- 100 glossy photo papers, 10 × 15 copy size, 200 g / m², for inkjet printers.
HP CR757A - Glossy photo paper (100 sheets, 10 x 15 cm) * - Accessory
Price: € 11.35
(As of: 2020/01/23 7:28 pm - Details)
24 new from € 9.53 1 Second hand from € 8.84
(* = Affiliate Link / Image Source: Amazon Affiliate Program)
- 5th photo papers, A4 size, and 250 g / m², gloss finish, for inkjet printers.
HP Advanced Q8698A - Glossy Photo Paper (50 sheets, A4) * - Office Products
Price: € 25.20 (€ 27.39 / kg)
(As of: 2020/01/23 7:28 pm - Details)
14 new from € 23.03 (€ 25.03 / kg) 0 Second hand
(* = Affiliate Link / Image Source: Amazon Affiliate Program)
- 50 sheets of photo paper, A4 size, 180 g / m², quickly absorbed and compatible with any inkjet printer.
Kodak Gloss Insta Dry- A4 photo paper, 50 sheets, 180 g, yellow * - Camera
Price: € 9.99 (€ 0.20 / Sheets)
(As of: 2020/01/23 7:28 pm - Details)
4 new from € 9.99 (€ 0.20 / Sheets) 0 2nd hand
(* = Affiliate Link / Image Source: Amazon Affiliate Program)
- 30 sheets (2 packs of 15) of paper with gloss finish, A4 size, weighing 255g / m².
Epson C13S042169 - Pack of 30 sheets of A4 photo paper * - Office Products
Price: € 17.99 (€ 0.60 / sheets of paper)
(As of: 2020/01/23 7:28 pm - Details)
28 new from € 12.67 (€ 0.42 / sheets of paper) 0 2nd hand
(* = Affiliate Link / Image Source: Amazon Affiliate Program)
- 50 sheets of matte finished paper, weighing 167 g / m², and an A4 size.
Epson Matte Paper Heavy Weight - Paper * - Office Products
Price: € 15.09 (€ 0.30 / Sheets)
(As of: 2020/01/23 7:28 pm - Details)
You save: € 1.90 (11%) (11%)
24 new from € 14.11 (€ 0.28 / Sheets) 0 2nd hand
(* = Affiliate Link / Image Source: Amazon Affiliate Program)
