Color laser printers and how they'll get me a job.

G

Guzz2k

Registered
Hey gang. I've gotta print my advertising portfolio to send out to potential employers, but the price quotes I've been getting are totally insane. Given how much it'd cost to print 20 12-page books, double sided and in color, it looks like I'd spend less money if I just bought my own printer and did it myself. So right now, I'm leaning towards the HP Color LaserJet 2550L. The price is right, but I want to know if I'm headed down the right path here insofar as printer choice is concerned.

Thanks.
 
HP color lasers are pretty nice on the whole. The only one I'm specifically familiar with is the old-ish 4500C. However my work has a Tektronix Phaser 8600DP (double sided printing) which is, I believe, one of those wax or "solid ink" printers. It's used by our marketing department and makes VERY nice color photo prints. The 8600 is an older model by now, but the newer ones do have higher resolution and faster speeds. I believe they're also pretty comparable to color lasers in price. Can't speak for the Mac compatibility, but I'd have to guess that such a good photo printer would tend to appeal mostly to design artists working with Mac.
 
You might try going to a printer that can print direct to plate. It sounds like you are getting quotes from printers who are printing large volume, offet press work that requires a large volume generated in order to see a cost savings.

The direct to plate option will allow you to get those books printed at a lower cost and you won't have to go buy a new printer just for that one purpose. Hope this helps! :P)
 
Guzz2K: You are far better off just getting a printer that is good enough for proofs, test runs and proposals, and going to an outside agency for quality prints. You'll save money, you'll save time and you'll save hassle. Most print shops will take short runs or even one-off prints of posters and so on. Last time I had to print my folio for a graphic design job, I went to a print-shop and spent around $15 for 10 copies at excellent quality on great paper. A friend also printed one, and only one, poster of an artwork he had completed at A0 size for around the same amount.
Nowadays, I keep an inkjet printer in the cupboard for those times when I need a printed record of something, and anything else I take to my local printer.
Another bonus is that your hundreds of bucks will be going to a local business rather than to a multi-national printer manufacturer. Plus, you don't have to worry about breakdowns, driver problems, maintenance, cleaning and so on. And lastly, you'll always be able to print at any size, on any paper, for any purpose.
 
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