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Would somebody be really kind and explain something for me!

13 replies

pinkbubble · 07/09/2008 20:19

I would dearly love a new printer, mainly for photos, also for the odd thing to photo copy, scan or print something out off the computer.

Anyway, I do have a very basic printer that does photo copy, scan and print. (and for that purpose my printer is ok!)

BUT ITS USELESS AT PRINTING PHOTOS!!!!!!!!!!

Now, here is what I need an answer to.....

My printer at the moment has a resolution of 4800 X 1200 dpi

If I were to buy a super dooper printer, and the resolution was also 4800 X 1200 dpi, would it still give me the grainy look that my basic printer gives? ( Also this super dooper machine is about £120 more than what my basic computer cost!)

Or because its a lot better quality machine etc etc, will it give me better photos?

Also the super dooper machine has the word "photo" in its title!!!!!

Hope you understand what I am trying to ask!

Thanks

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pinkbubble · 07/09/2008 20:34

The super dooper printer was very nice, even wireless!

But I need it more for the photo printing rather than anything lse.

PS, I would also like it to print up to A4 if possible!

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pinkbubble · 07/09/2008 21:32

Anyone!

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undercovercat · 07/09/2008 21:34

are you sure its not your camera? I have a cheapy camera that takes really clear pics. My friend has more expensive camera that takes grainy shots.
What happens when you get them printed via truprint etc?
The word photo in the title just means it does photos - it doesnt means it does good ones!
Bumping till someone else in the know comes along!

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pinkbubble · 07/09/2008 21:43

No I don't think so. I have a little print dock that gives lovely clear photos, but the biggest it does are 6 X 4. I have also taken photos into Boots and they have also come out lovely too. Its just that when I put them through my basic printer they are awful. Have tried lots of different paper, some inks do not even dry!

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undercovercat · 07/09/2008 21:49

Oh I think thats why I send mine off, I didnt get on the ink/printing.
Is it not cheaper to send them off?
I wait until theres an offer on, recently got 50 prints for 2.79 inc post.
Bump again for someone who knows...

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pinkbubble · 07/09/2008 21:55

Can you send digital photos off? I am not very computer literate at all!

Think I prefer the old 135mm films!

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onager · 07/09/2008 21:55

I'm not a printer expert, but all the printers I have had for say 8 years have done perfect photos. I suspect it's not so much the printer as some settings and/or the paper. Though you say you have tried varying that.

My currect printer is 5760 dpi x 1440. slightly more than yours but not much. I'm sure the previous printers were much less, but they still produced good photos.

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pinkbubble · 07/09/2008 21:56

What is the name of yours onager?

Honestly I have wasted an awful lot of ink (well so has DH[he is better at this sort of thing than me!])

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undercovercat · 07/09/2008 21:57

www.truprint.co.uk really easy, you download a thing and it sucks all your pics to it. and you click the ones you want

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DoNotAnnoy · 07/09/2008 22:03

pinkbubble what is your camera resolution?

To print a reasonable pic on A4 without any grainyness you should be aiming for a minimum of 8megapixels.

Any pic will always look grainer at a bigger size than it does in 64 because each picture is made up of little tiny squares (pixels).

If you take a 64 print you can imagine the picture having tiny squares - like technical graph paper.

When you increase the size to A4 it still has the same number of tiny squares, each square is just bigger to make the pictre bigger...so the squares are more like the squares you get on bar chart paper.

Does that make any sense?

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pinkbubble · 07/09/2008 22:13

My camera is a 7 mega pixal!

Have noticed that even when I printed a 6 X 4 picture on my printer its not as good as my print dock or Boots! (that is why I am wondering about my basic printer)

Thanks, will have a look at Truprint.(had visions of having to send my memory card off in the post!)

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DoNotAnnoy · 07/09/2008 22:19

It will neevr bee as good as in boots IMO.

They have spent thousands on their equipment compard to £10-£100s on home printers.

Also your print dock is designed to do photographs. Your printer is multipurpose.

You will always getter better quality out of to a specialised piece of kit compared to multipurpose "things"

Shampoos, diswasher detergents, washer/tumblers...erm running out of ideas...

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pinkbubble · 07/09/2008 22:30

Oh, ok Thanks. Get the idea - I think!

Just wanted an easy option of home printing that was good. DH, when looking for a printer for me, didnt bother looking for a photo printer as we have a kodak print dock. Its just that now I do scrap booking as a hobby I want different size prints, sometimes at a couple of minutes notice (as I am not very organised!