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Is it OK to mention specific brand names on this list? If so, I have a couple of questions or requests for recommendations.

I'm looking for a relatively inexpensive and portable desktop printer that gives results that are good enough to be useful feedback in trying to improve my Photoshop skills.

Ditto some kind of monitor calibrating device.

I'm on a MacBook running OS X 10.6.8, if it makes a difference.

I hope this question makes sense. I am trying to practice the stuff I learned for the ACE exam and finding myself lost in a mish-mash of too many variables that could be causing the results I see. If I knew I had a reliable printer, especially if it gave meaningful options on paper choice specifications, I feel like I could move forward better. I'm hoping to get a B&W laser printer for the bulk of my printing needs, and a color printer specifically for photos... when my ship or my income tax refund comes in, whichever is first ;)

Any suggestions would be welcome!

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I'm sure a lot of people here do have suggestions, but this isn't really a topic for a Q&A forum. Perhaps StackExchange needs to just cave and create a forum area for all the non-Q&A "questions". This way, there could be a "send to forum" option when closing questions. – Lèse majesté Jan 8 '12 at 1:18
Inexpensive Printers are pretty much a commodity these days. They'll all perform about the same. Get whichever one you can get the cheapest ink for. For higher end printing, Epson has been a long time name to consider. – DA01 Jan 9 '12 at 0:02

closed as not constructive by Farray, Lèse majesté, Jack Mar 10 '12 at 2:06

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2 Answers

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Printer wise it depends what you mean by inexpensive to run or to buy? You can buy a printers relatively cheap now. For photographs I've always used an epson, for large format hp. High res photographs generally take a lot of ink. Kodak's ink is the cheapest so very cost effective to run.

As for monitor calibration, I'd just do a few test prints and calibrate using the display settings in system prefs and use ICC profiles.

Hope that helps

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for monitor calibration look at pantone they have options from $99 USD and up. For printers they all do pretty much photo quality these days I would look more at the cost of ink.

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Thanks to everyone for their suggestions. I'm hearing many good things about Epson elsewhere, too; others have recommended Canon. From what I'm learning, the key elements to look for are 6 (or more) inks instead of 4, and the ability to handle a wide range of media. I'm not clicking the "answer your own question" button because I'm sure there's more to it than this, but it's a start. Thanks, too, on the calibration tips. Appreciate it, y'all! – Amanda Jan 11 '12 at 1:54

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