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Digital
- Getting it in Print
Author:
Scraps Ahoy
By
Becky Thompson
filling in for the Digital Diva
Now
that you've discovered the world of digital photography,
no doubt you're fast approaching the realization that you
need to be able to print your photographs yourself. One
of the benefits of traditional film media is the ability
to "drop it off and pick it up later". However, once you've
found a good printer, you can create beautiful prints yourself
at home using your computer, saving you the time and effort
of driving to the photo lab.
In order
to print digital photographs, you need a high quality inkjet
printer. The inkjet printer has the advantage of being suitable
for both regular text and image printing, thereby making
it very versatile to the average scrapbooker. Inkjet printers
use something called DPI (dots per inch) to create an image.
The higher the dpi, the higher quality the image. Digital
photographers looking to print their own images need to
look for a printer with the capability to print at least
600 dpi. This will give you a printout that looks more like
an actual photograph.
When
it comes to printers, though resolution is not the final
determiner of color or quality. For example, an ink-jet
printer with a resolution of 1400 dpi won't give as good
a print as a dye-sub printer at 300 dpi. This is because;
each pixel on an ink-jet printer isn't a single drop of
color but a cluster of many drops. The accuracy with which
this is done can have a profound impact on the "perceived"
resolution of the image. For ink-jet printers, the size
of the small ink drops is more important that the dpi. Six
color printers are also recommended over four-color printers,
because they will give you an even truer representation
of colors.
Finding
the right printer, though, is only part of the battle. Prepare
to be fairly picky about your paper as well. If you want
shots that last, consider spending the extra $$ for long-lasting
papers offered by companies such as HP and Epson. They are
supposed to resist fading for 17 and 24 years respectively.
They are expensive, though. HP's paper runs about $23 for
a 20 pack compared to about $9.00 for regular glossy print
photo paper. But, it's worth it for those special images
you want to last a long time.
Ink
is also a determining factor in how long your photos will
last. If you're spending big bucks on your photo paper,
spend the extra on a high quality ink cartridge as well.
Photo quality ink cartridges will vary in price depending
on the type of printer you have, but are designed to give
you better, longer-lasting results than typical ink cartridges.
In order to save money, experiment with regular paper and
your less expensive cartridge before you print a final copy
out on photo paper.
To find
a printer that works for your needs, jump online and do
a little research. The Epson Stylus 800 is a great photo
quality printer for less than $400. Costs vary greatly though,
and much depends on what you need.
Some
places to go to get reviews and opinions from other users
about photo printers:
www.epinions.com
www.bizrate.com
www.zdnet.com
Have fun! Once you've chosen a good photo printer, the possibilities
are endless! Not to mention, you can pick up your pictures
in your pj's and nobody cares!:)
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