Epson P400 Photo Printer. Should I use special software to print?

[Roveer]

Kind of a stupid question, but one I've never quite known the answer to. Just got an Epson P400 Photo printer. Geez, 8 cartridges!

Need to print pictures on 8.5 x 11 paper (probably 2 pictures per page then trim to suit).

I know I could just lay the pictures out in MS Work and print them from there, but should I be using some special picture/printer software so that the printer gets the best possible image? I don't want to modify the pictures, they came from our photographer already color corrected and sized the way we want them. I just want to know that I'm printing them from the right software that will give me the best possible image.

MS Word? or something else? Don't really want Photoshop as I really don't want to modify.

Need a better understanding what happens when you actually print from the software.

Thanks a bunch.

Roveer

 

[Taksmon]

You can use MS Word, but there's also the free "Epson Print Layout" software that is simple and works pretty well for layout and color management.

 

[PeterBJ]

If you are a Windows user, you can let Windows handle the print size adapting. This is independent of printer make and model. Just highlight two pictures you want to print on the same paper, right-click and select print. Select paper format and type, select a 2 picture layout and un-select fit to page. If the printer has been set to borderless printing in the driver settings, also un-select that. See this, my Windows language is Danish, but the window should be the same in all languages:

 

[The Hat]

@Roveer, MS Word is practically useless for printing photos, because it alters your images to suite its own format and most users are unaware of that, just stick with plain text that’s what Word is good at.

Follow @PeterBJ advice as a good alternative...

 

[Roveer]

I just downloaded the Epson Print Layout software. Looks like it will do exactly what I want. I did a test print from MS Word and now I'll try one from EPL when I get back to the office. It even provided for multiple images on a single page which is what I want to do.

Thanks,

Roveer