Photo 101: Printers

If your in the market for a printer (a good photo printer) you will undoubtedly be overwhelmed by the numerous products out there. As a photographer and bookmaker it is hugely important to have the best print quality and longevity available. I have done extensive tests (not joking) with papers, printers, inks, sunlight exposure, indelibility (water proofness,) and just plain old wow factor with the final image in my hand. Epson far outshines every manufacturer on the market including Canon (sorry guys!) Canon is a great glossy print product, but to get unbelievable matte surface velvety prints with absolutely no banding in solid color washes such as a beautiful blue sky, Epson is, hands down the best.
Here are a few options to consider:
The best ink technology is the K3 inks found in the Epson Photo R2880. This is a 13inch wide printer with 8 different inks that will run you $650 with a $150 worth of mail in rebates. Normally $800.

If this is too big of an option for you right now then you can go with the Ultra High Definition Printer called the Epson Photo Stylus R280 with Claria Ink for a mere $100 bucks. This printer does beautiful glossy prints but is not that great with matte printing as is so desirable with the R2880. It still does a pretty good job and I know you will love this printer for the cost. Make sure you buy the high capacity inks as you will run through them quickly!
Happy printing!