Whats a good printer - SBB Digital Scrapbooking Forums | Scrapbook-Bytes

onegratmom · #1 (**permalink**) 01-13-2005

I am new to this whole digital scrapbooking. I need to find out what printer is better to use for 12x12 pages.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Jenifer

guikrazy · #2 (**permalink**) 01-13-2005

Hello,

I have posted mulitple times about this topic, so I am going to copy and paste what I have posted before. Don't hesitate to pm me if you have any questions.

When I was recently (about 2 months ago) looking for a wide format printer, I came up with a list of features I wanted: obviously wide format, firewire as well as usb 2 connection, and also the ability to print directly to CD/DVD's. I didn't find a printer that fit all of those wishes, (but from the sounds of the previous post Epson might me making it) so I ended up picking the Canon i9900. Please see below for a comment I placed on the i9900 in another post:

am still new to digital (or any form of) scrapbooking, but I think I can till give you some advice.

I fell in love with the space of a 12X12 page, but also knew that I wanted to ability to print at home, as I have NO time to run around to places to get the printing done. After doing some research, I found out about wide format ink jet printers. However, I was really hesistent to spend the cash for yet another printer. Finally, I just gave in and initially considered the Epson Stylus 1280. I decided against the Epson b/c I have had Epsons in the past and have found them to be noisy and "ink guzzlers"!! I then looked at reviews on the internet and kept reading over and over again Excellent Reviews on the Cannon i9900, so I purchased it.

I am now SO HAPPY WITH MY CANON i9900!! I think it is worth every cent I spent. The image quality is GREAT!!!!!! Another advantage is it's connectivity: you can directly connect to your camera (I never do this as I always put my photos in iPhoto first), you can connect via USB2 (which of course is backwards compatible with USB1), and BEST OF ALL you can connect via Firewire............VERY QUICK 12X12 print outs!!! Given the multitude of connectivity options, I have been able to connect the printer via USB to my PC and to my Mac via Firewire. Last, but not least: It is SOooooo quiet!! I can do my printing at night and not wake anyone up.

One disadvantage over Epson: Canon does not make 12X12 inkjet scrapbook paper, just Epson, it is not a big deal to buy the paper from Epson, but what it does mean is that the printing software included with the Canon, which allows for borderless printing, only has preset sizes that do not include 12X12 and there is no way to set up your own custom borderless sizes. I have emailed Canon about this issue and for now they have no plans to change the software or produce their own 12X12 paper. (I think I will just keep emailing them/write them letters until they change their mind! ) I have tried to print my own borderless printing via manipulating my Page Setup (I own a Mac. I don't know if there is the equivalent on PC's, because even though I own a PC I do all creative work on my Mac) and Photoshop printing settings, but I have yet been able to produce borderless prints. It has not been much of an issue anyhow as I have been trimming my pages with the Carl RT-200 12 inch trimmer which allows for 11 different interchangable pattern blades.

I would difinitely buy the Cannon i9900 again in a heartbeat!

guikrazy · #3 (**permalink**) 01-13-2005

Below again is a copy and pasted in post I posted before. Also, I should clarify that only Macs can connect via firewire.

I too have a 13X17 Canon printer and I use photoshop cs, printing on Epson's (supposed) 12X12 Matte scrapbooking paper. You can not actually print true borderless 12x12 layouts as Canon's printing software (I can't remember its name) does not come with 12X12 as a preset borderless size. (I have already emailed them to consider adding it in their next version of the software. Maybe you would like to do the same so that they know it is a size desired by many.) Another issue is that Epson's 12X12 paper is really not 12X12, but 11.6 X 11.6. The closet I have come to true borderless printouts that don't cut off my LO's is to do the following. I make certain that the paper size is set for 11.6 X 11.6. I then resize my LO's to 11.6 X 11.6 from 12X12, the difference is so minor that my LO's are not distorted by the resizing. Then in photoshop when I go to print, even though I can leave the percentage at 100%, since I have already resized the LO and set the paper size to 11.6, I stil check off the box for shrink to fit, this results in the LO being printed at 97.something percent and the whole LO is printed.

I still end up with prints that are not borderless, but when I truly want borderless, I just cut the LO's with a cutter I have that comes with different decorative blades so the edges look fantastic. I assume that if you really want 12X12 and absolutely no hassle, you could print out a 12X12 LO, at 100%, on 13X19 papper and just cut off the excess.