Different Printer Models & Checking Printer Output

Multipurpose laser
For a small business or home office, a laser machine that can print, scan, fax, and copy - all in one unit - is an economical, space-saving solution. Image quality may not be of the highest, but modern machines provide print output suitable for flyers, small posters, and letters. However, be aware that a serious breakdown will leave you with all functions out of order.

Dye-sublimation printer
Dye-sublimation printers are in general costly to purchase and run, requiring special papers as well as dye ribbons. The return for your investment, however, is image quality that is the closest to true photographic-quality output presently available. Small dye-sublimation printers can be very portable and are an excellent way to produce prints for gifts.

Checking printer output
Today's desktop printers can out-perform the quality of many digital cameras. But to ensure that you produce the best possible image, colour settings have to be correctly made:

- examine closely any areas of very dark tones in your test print: do the dots of colour appear to run together into uneven clumps or puddles? If so, the paper is unsuitable. Produce another test print on better-quality paper.

- examine any large areas of even mid-tones, such as blue sky or evenly painted walls. Do they appear banded (as if painted in strips with tiny gaps between) or uneven in any way? If so, reject the print.

- examine closely any small areas of what should be smooth, even transitions in tone, such as the side of a face falling into shadow or the bodywork of a car. Are the changes smooth or do they look mottled or banded? If so, reject the print.

Steve J. Wilson is living in the United States and is a freelance writer since 2006, in digital photography related topics. If you are interested in some useful Digital Photography Class, than you are in the right place.

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