HP Photosmart Pro B9180
HP's most ambitious play to date for the fine-art printer market, this eight-color, 13x19 inkjet model makes gallery-quality prints on a variety of standard and fine art papers. It's the company's very first printer to use long-lived pigment inks rather than dyes. The new inkset features five colors in addition to photo black, matte black, and light gray, the latter contributing to black-and-white output that we would describe as exceptionally smooth and neutral. B9180 prints have a tested archival life of 100 years under glass and an impressive 200 years in dark storage. Glossy prints on HP's Advanced Photo Paper are virtually waterproof (we tried to smudge them, to no avail) and very scratch-resistant. Consistent with its pro orientation, the B9180 offers automatic self-calibration via a built-in densitometer; sophisticated nozzle-cleaning to minimize clogging; and advanced color management software, including an optional high-end RIP (raster image processor). About $700.
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