7 Best Fine Art Printers

The Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-1000 is a professional-grade inkjet printer designed with serious photographers and graphic artists in mind, especially those focused on fine art printing. It uses an advanced 11-color LUCIA PRO ink system plus a Chroma Optimizer, which results in rich, accurate colors and deep blacks. This ink system supports a wide color gamut, helping to faithfully reproduce subtle tones and shadows critical for artwork. The printer's max resolution of 4800 dpi ensures detailed, crisp prints, while the FINE print head with anti-clogging technology maintains consistent quality and reduces downtime.

Media handling is flexible, supporting paper sizes up to 17 inches wide (A2 size) and accommodating various fine-art papers thanks to the Air Feeding System that prevents paper skewing for precise ink placement. Print longevity is strong, as Canon's pigment-based inks are known for archival quality, meaning prints can last decades without fading if properly stored. However, it lacks automatic double-sided printing, which might be a drawback if you require duplex prints. The printer connects via USB, which is reliable but less versatile compared to modern wireless options.

Despite its heavier weight and size, this model suits those who prioritize color accuracy, print detail, and archival durability over speed—the color print speed is moderate at 5 pages per minute. The PRO-1000 is an excellent choice for fine-art photographers and artists who want museum-quality prints with excellent color fidelity and longevity, though it may feel bulky and less convenient for casual or fast printing needs.

The Canon PIXMA IX6860 is an inkjet printer designed for users seeking high-quality photo prints, including borderless images up to A3+ size, making it ideal for larger fine-art prints. It delivers an impressive print resolution of up to 9600 x 2400 dpi, ensuring sharp details and vibrant colors. Utilizing Canon’s FINE print head technology, it produces precise droplets as small as 1 picolitre, which helps achieve smooth gradients and fine details important for art prints.

The printer comes with a full set of inks included, allowing you to start printing immediately. Canon’s PIXMA series typically uses multiple ink cartridges, including pigment-based blacks and dye-based colors, which balance photo quality and print longevity effectively. This setup suits casual fine-art printing, although specialized printers with more advanced ink sets may be preferred for serious archival quality.

It offers flexible media handling, supporting glossy photo papers and large sheet sizes up to A3+, which is convenient for artists or photographers printing bigger images. Duplex (double-sided) printing is supported, although it is less relevant for fine-art photo printing. In terms of speed, it prints photos in about 36 seconds and documents faster, providing decent performance. Connectivity options include USB, network readiness, and support for mobile devices, enhancing convenience. The Canon PIXMA IX6860 is a solid option for hobbyists or semi-professional users wanting large, high-resolution photo prints with good color quality, though it lacks some professional-level color management and archival features typically found in dedicated fine-art printers.

The Brother MFC-J5740DW is a versatile inkjet multifunction printer designed mainly for business use, offering A3 size printing and scanning, which is advantageous for larger fine-art prints. It supports print resolutions up to 1200 x 4800 DPI for color prints, producing sharp images though it may not reach the ultra-high resolutions preferred for professional fine-art reproductions. The printer handles various media types including glossy photo paper and card stock, and supports A3 paper size, appreciated by artists and photographers for larger prints.

This printer features duplex printing and scanning, as well as wireless connectivity options that enhance flexibility and convenience for home or office use. If your priority is fast, affordable A3 printing with multifunction features for documents and occasional art prints, this printer is well-suited to those needs. For fine-art printing where color accuracy, archival quality, and specialized inks are critical, exploring printers designed specifically for that purpose could be more appropriate.