Lola

You'll probably be happy with any of the current printers from major
manufacturers such as Canon, Epson, and Hewlett-Packard. Go to a store that
carries these and other printers; take in a sample photograph on a CD and
ask to see a sample of what various printers produce. If you're really
fussy, ask to have each sample print made on the paper recommended by the
printer manufacturer. You'll probably see some differences, but those
differences are likely to be dependent on the printer calibration, rather
than on the quality each printer can produce. Make your own judgement.

It's very difficult to compare one printer with another because so much is
involved: the structure of the print head, the way ink is emitted, the
nature of the ink, the paper used, the way the printer processes the paper
after ink deposition, and more. Printer manufacturers recommend that you use
only their software, their paper, and their ink to get the best results.

Don't pay extra for a printer that can produce large prints, unless you
expect to print a large number of them. If you want an occassional print
larger than 8 x 10 inches, have that print made by a service company.

What do you want a scanner for? If you only want to scan full-size
photographs, a combination printer/scanner might do wnat you want. If you
want to scan 35 mm slides, though, you need to purchase a separate scanner
that has adequate resolution for that purpose.

GordonP

"Lola" <gmhurt@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:0af5f384-3c91-4cc9-a453-bcc68de009ea@i29g2000prf.googlegroups.com...
>I have to replace my HP printer for something better and was wondering
> whether anybody has any advice on an affordable printer with decent
> output for photography. I also need a scanner. Are there any printer/
> scanner combinations of good quality or should I buy a separate
> scanner? I am pretty new at photography and Photoshop and don't
> understand some of the terminology/technology. It would appreciate
> any advice you can give to a novice. Thank you so much.