Luminous Landscape Forum

Raw & Post Processing, Printing => Printing: Printers, Papers and Inks => Topic started by: RobinFaichney on June 01, 2013, 05:08:18 am

Title: Printer for cards
Post by: RobinFaichney on June 01, 2013, 05:08:18 am
I've recently started doing artwork reproduction using an Epson 9900 but I'm getting enquiries about greetings cards and such and I'm considering getting another printer.

A local business, now closed, put quite a lot of information on their website which I've found very useful. As well as a 9900 they had a 3800 and a Konica Minolta C250P which was what they used for cards. This puzzles me a bit because from what I've read here and elsewhere the 3800 was ideal for card printing.

So now, though I find the 3880 very attractive, I'm wondering whether I should also be considering other printers, such as whatever has replaced the C250P in the Konica Minolta range. Any comments?
Title: Re: Printer for cards
Post by: Czornyj on June 01, 2013, 05:39:15 am
Bizhub is basically a laser color printer - it has poor print quality, but it's 100x faster and the consumables are 10x cheaper than water-based pigment GA inkjet printer. I'd stay away from such solution, it's an office copier not really designed to print on card stock. Light production laser digital printing press like Xerox Color 550 or KM Bizhub Pro C6000 would be more suitable, but they're much bigger and expensive, and so or so won't match the quality of an Epson.  

Personally, I'm successfully using my iPF8300 to print highest quality artistic cards, and wouldn't even consider using SP3880 (not to mention pathetic Bizhub C250, or even my mighty Xerox DC252 with EX260 controller) for such kind of job:
http://www.luminous-landscape.com/forum/index.php?topic=73138.0
...so I'd just use SP9900 instead ;)
Title: Re: Printer for cards
Post by: RobinFaichney on June 01, 2013, 10:22:47 am
Thanks Marcin. I'll get some suitable stock and have a go.
Title: Re: Printer for cards
Post by: Ken Doo on June 01, 2013, 11:04:36 am
I use a 9900 for most prints, but prefer a dedicated printer with a paper tray for cards. Right now I have an old 4800 that just won't die.  Using pre-scored card stock made for inkjet printing is easier imho. Easy to fold, envelopes already sized, slide right into the plastic sleeves.  When the old 4800 dies, I'll be looking at the 3880 or whatever Epson model is current----but definitely with tray feed.

  :) ken
Title: Re: Printer for cards
Post by: John Nollendorfs on June 02, 2013, 08:19:38 pm
If you want the highest quality results, then it's hard to beat what can be done with something like the Epson 3880, but consider the cost of the printer, and card stock. The pre-scored stock is definitely the way to go, but its quite expensive.

I've been using KonicaMinolta Magicolor printers with 9600 DPI resolution for over 10 years. If you are a careful shopper you can find some thing like their current printer for around $500 with starter carts that can print around 1000 cards.
http://kmbs.konicaminolta.us/wps/portal/web/home/products/printers/magicolor/magicolor-5670en

For card stock, I go to a local printer, test out several samples to find one which works well in the printer. Then have him precut and score several thousand sheets for 10-15 cents per 7x10 sheet. (Less than 1/2 cost of Red River card stock)

The quality from the magicolor rivels good offset printing.