I’ve been testing the HP Pro B9180 inkjet printer for the last few months, and for much of my printing, using Aperture. Why? In short, because it’s easier.

I was running a variety of paper stocks through the B9180 (and if you read the review, you’ll see there are some great ones), and being able to save all of my presets was a blessing. One of the keys to testing, and printing repeatability in general, is to find the best settings, then stick with them. Aperture makes this so easy.

Speaking of the HP B9180 itself, I think this is a great pro printer for $500. I’m totally addicted to 13×19 inch prints - don’t like looking at anything smaller really. And they are beautiful, archival, and feel good in the hands. This is the unit I’m now recommending to photo enthusiasts looking for their first serious printer. And the good news for us is, it works great with Aperture.

One other thing, if you haven’t listened to my interview with Joe Schorr on color management, I recommend it. Lots of tips in there apply nicely to working with the HP B9180.