I am in need of both printer and ink advice. I have spent countless hours researching on the internet over the last few months. I feel that I have gained a significant amount of knowledge, but at the same time I still do not have a clear cut solution to my problem. I would really appreciate advice/experience/knowledge share.
First, I need to find a printer that will print on heavy cardstock (80lb-100lb). As this printer will be used for an invitation business, both graphics and text quality are very important (sharpness and color). I have a heavy duty stack paper cutter, so I will be mainly printing on 8 x 11. Some designs will include photos, but they will be integrated in the invitation, and will not be printed on true photo paper. It would be a plus if the printer could also print true photo prints, so I would also have the option available, if needed.
I purchased a Lanier laser printer (in the $1k price range) about a month ago, but had to return it (with a full refund thank goodness) due to line streaking (no smearing) in lighter bright colors. The shop that sold us the printer was not aware of this and did not realize that all models of that particular printer had this issue after consulting with the manufacturer. Needless to say, this was highly disappointing because that meant that I had to start on the printer hunt once again. I am looking in the price range of $400-$800.
I am currently looking at the Pixma Pro9000 Mark II. Does anyone own this printer or used it? Can cardstock be fed through the main path, or does it have to be fed single sheet through the manual feed? If it does have to be manually fed sheet by sheet, then this printer is really not an option.
My second question deals with refillable ink. I am looking at two options at the moment. I noticed that many of you recommend ink from Precision Colors Image Specialists ink. Does anyone know if this ink has any archival qualities to it? Like I said above, I will not be printing true photo prints much, but mainly graphics and text on cardstock. How long would this ink last/hold up?
I also see quite a bit of companies selling DuraFirm ink. While the sale advertisement description of this product sounds great, I cant find any review on it. Has anyone actually used this ink? Would it archive better than the Precision? I need a balance of initial quality color as well as durability.
So to boil down the long narrative:
I need a printer that can print on heavy cardstock with high quality. Any recommendations?
Has anyone used the PixmaPro9000 Mark II? Would this serve my purpose?
Precision/Image Specialist vs DuraFirm refillable ink analysis. (Initial quality and archiving durability when printed on cardstock)
First, I need to find a printer that will print on heavy cardstock (80lb-100lb). As this printer will be used for an invitation business, both graphics and text quality are very important (sharpness and color). I have a heavy duty stack paper cutter, so I will be mainly printing on 8 x 11. Some designs will include photos, but they will be integrated in the invitation, and will not be printed on true photo paper. It would be a plus if the printer could also print true photo prints, so I would also have the option available, if needed.
I purchased a Lanier laser printer (in the $1k price range) about a month ago, but had to return it (with a full refund thank goodness) due to line streaking (no smearing) in lighter bright colors. The shop that sold us the printer was not aware of this and did not realize that all models of that particular printer had this issue after consulting with the manufacturer. Needless to say, this was highly disappointing because that meant that I had to start on the printer hunt once again. I am looking in the price range of $400-$800.
I am currently looking at the Pixma Pro9000 Mark II. Does anyone own this printer or used it? Can cardstock be fed through the main path, or does it have to be fed single sheet through the manual feed? If it does have to be manually fed sheet by sheet, then this printer is really not an option.
My second question deals with refillable ink. I am looking at two options at the moment. I noticed that many of you recommend ink from Precision Colors Image Specialists ink. Does anyone know if this ink has any archival qualities to it? Like I said above, I will not be printing true photo prints much, but mainly graphics and text on cardstock. How long would this ink last/hold up?
I also see quite a bit of companies selling DuraFirm ink. While the sale advertisement description of this product sounds great, I cant find any review on it. Has anyone actually used this ink? Would it archive better than the Precision? I need a balance of initial quality color as well as durability.
So to boil down the long narrative:
I need a printer that can print on heavy cardstock with high quality. Any recommendations?
Has anyone used the PixmaPro9000 Mark II? Would this serve my purpose?
Precision/Image Specialist vs DuraFirm refillable ink analysis. (Initial quality and archiving durability when printed on cardstock)
