Proofing Printer Suggestions

[kinch]

Hello all,

I'm a freelancer. I have clients that I do not deal with the printing, just the design. They send it off to their own printer. However I still do like to provide "Proofs". I know these proofs won't be the same as ones provided by the print shop, but I'd like examples that are profressional looking.

Any suggestions on a specific printer?

Thank you.

[kinch]

I just realized I didn't provide too much information.

I'd like the printer to print up to 11x17. Duplexing capabilities would be nice aswell. Speed is not too important, as this will be for just providing a copy of a single job for the client.

[budafist]

How much do you want to spend?

We got our proofer for around $2500US so depending on how many proofs you do per month, it may be cheaper to go to a local print shop to get your proofs done. We have several design studios that get all their proofs printed on our machines (whether they are printing the job with us or not) for their clients to sign off.

[kinch]

How much do you want to spend?

We got our proofer for around $2500US so depending on how many proofs you do per month, it may be cheaper to go to a local print shop to get your proofs done. We have several design studios that get all their proofs printed on our machines (whether they are printing the job with us or not) for their clients to sign off.

My freelancing isn't that lucrative right now, I'm only doing it part time as I am a student. Hoping to get enough clients to just go into it full time after school. So I think I will probbably stick with going to print shops.

If you don't mind me asking, what is your proofer? Where do you buy them from? I don't think I will find them at any ordinary computer store....

[budafist]

Our proofer is an Epson Stylus Proo 7600. It prints up to A1 or 24 inches wide so we do small run or 1 off posters on it. It prints from a roll so as long as you have paper, it can keep printing. It doesn't duplex though. We had to contact a print supply company for it so no, it's not something you can just walk into a shop to buy.

[PrintDriver]

I used to proof to an Epson Stylus Color 3000. Poor thing gave up the ghost after 8 years of hard work.

I just got an Epson Stylus Photo 1400 to replace it. Other than having a bugger of a time finding the ink cartridges (Office supply stores don't carry them-order online) I love it. The colors are pretty darn close to PMS if you use the right Epson papers and the proper profile.

[kinch]

Our proofer is an Epson Stylus Proo 7600. It prints up to A1 or 24 inches wide so we do small run or 1 off posters on it. It prints from a roll so as long as you have paper, it can keep printing. It doesn't duplex though. We had to contact a print supply company for it so no, it's not something you can just walk into a shop to buy.

Sounds like what we got at school. It's an Epson Stylus Wideformat that prints off a roll. Maybe a different model, but similiar.

I think I'm looking for something more compact. Would this work? : http://www.futureshop.ca/catalog/proddetail.asp?logon=&langid=EN&sku_id=0665000FS10080777&catid=

Or am I looking for something more profressional?

[PrintDriver]

The 1400 I have was under $500, prints up to A3-B size (13x19), prints borderless and prints on ink-receptive CDs. It sits on top of my bookcase (but I have to turn it sideways to do borderless and CDs as you have to use single sheet feed through.

If you want Duplex though, you might have to look at laser printers. I can't think of any compact desktop inkjets that do duplexing...

[kinch]

The 1400 I have was under $500, prints up to A3-B size (13x19), prints borderless and prints on ink-receptive CDs. It sits on top of my bookcase (but I have to turn it sideways to do borderless and CDs as you have to use single sheet feed through.

If you want Duplex though, you might have to look at laser printers. I can't think of any compact desktop inkjets that do duplexing...

I don't think there would be one, it wouldn't be so compact :P I dont think so anyways.

Duplexing isn't a must for me, it would just be nice. I will look into the printer you have next time I'm out shopping.

[Cooper]

Our proofer is an Epson Stylus Proo 7600. It prints up to A1 or 24 inches wide so we do small run or 1 off posters on it. It prints from a roll so as long as you have paper, it can keep printing. It doesn't duplex though. We had to contact a print supply company for it so no, it's not something you can just walk into a shop to buy.

What do you do about trimming? Do you have a big guillotine or a craft knife and a steady hand or what?

[budafist]

Our proofs aren't mock ups so we don't cut them down - we send them out to clients with white space all around it as well as crop marks and colour bars.

[SpugNothuson]

We run a very similar set up here at my printers. We're running a Epson 7600 as well. Its a mighty fine work horse.

Back at the prarie where I freelance I am currently using an Epson C5100 it's a 6 colour printer and I get a fairly decent proof out of it when the right paper is used.

[Cooper]

Is a large format, like the Epson 7800, the best option for proofing? I presume it can hit a wider colour gammut than an A3 laser printer? How easy is it to calibrate and can you 'plug in' profiles from different presses easily or do you just run it with a generic profile?

[SpugNothuson]

With the correct ink, paper and profile it will achieve some Pantone colours with accuracy, not all mind you.

To calibrate our Epson 7600 (earlier version of the 7800) we have a programme that works with our press workflow system that prints a test sheet for measuring so that we can see if all is as should be.

Different press profiles are also handled by our workflow. Unfortunately the answer to your questions are more inline with what runs the printer than the actual printer itself.