Wide Format Printers

[SpeedGraphicMan]

Hello,

I am looking into getting a wide format printer something along the lines of this...
http://www.adorama.com/IESSP9900HDR.html?gclid=CI3S3NPki7QCFUjZQgodZncACg

I am looking for any advise or comments concerning these style printers as I have very little experience
with these.

Namely, is it worth it?
What variety of papers would I be able to print on?
What is the image quality like? How about for B&W any good?

Or should I look into a Canon or similar?

Thanks in advance!

[jp]

The epsons are very very good. Whether it's worth it depends on how much you need to print. If you print a small volume and sizes, a cheaper epson might provide the same good image quality but at a higher ink cost. If you print big or often, the big epsons like this are a safe choice. With the big printers , you are paying for quality construction, economical volume printing, and a good reputation in inkjet printing. It will print on about anything that will go through it.

I've got a 7600 model I don't use enough and it's clogged up. Whatever you get, use it often.

[patrickjames]

Unless you are going to make a lot of prints you are far better off sending your images to someone who knows what they are doing. This is especially true if you are starting at zero.

[Darin Boville]

I'm not sure what you mean by "looking into"--if you are just getting into inkjet in general the huge printers are probably too much too fast. An Epson 3880 is a great printer, easy to use, makes nice prints up to 17x22, great black and white, and not too expensive...

--Darin

[Kirk Gittings]

I'm not sure what you mean by "looking into"--if you are just getting into inkjet in general the huge printers are probably too much too fast. An Epson 3880 is a great printer, easy to use, makes nice prints up to 17x22, great black and white, and not too expensive...

--Darin

Ditto-buy a refurbished one from Epson and learn the ropes.

[Darin Boville]

I just checked the Epson Store and you can buy a new Epson 3880 for $800 even, after $300 mail in rebate and 15% site-wide holiday discount (GIFT15). That's free shipping and a full set of inks, of course. A very nice deal...

--Darin

[welly]

I just checked the Epson Store and you can buy a new Epson 3880 for $800 even, after $300 mail in rebate and 15% site-wide holiday discount (GIFT15). That's free shipping and a full set of inks, of course. A very nice deal...

--Darin

That is a bargain. To buy a full set of inks for it here in Australia would cost $800 alone.

[Thad Gerheim]

This is going to be contrary to what everyone else is saying. But, if you have the money burning a hole in your pocket, have access to drum scan quality files and are sure you're in it for the long term, buy that sucker! My first printer was the Epson 7600 (great printer) I was satisfied and thought the prints couldn't look better. I set up my new Epson 9900 last week, and wish I would have been printing larger much sooner than this. What a waste to have had the technology all along and not using it. This machine with files from drum scans and the Eversmart supreme look alot different than most prints made by digital capture. And the prints do look better, than from the 7600, with the darker blacks the contrast is nice. You don't have to use 44" paper right away, start out with 11" or 17" and take good workshops on printing with knowledgable people like Charles Cramer.
Good Luck

[SpeedGraphicMan]

This is going to be contrary to what everyone else is saying. But, if you have the money burning a hole in your pocket, have access to drum scan quality files and are sure you're in it for the long term, buy that sucker!

Exactly what I was thinking, plus it is difficult to print 44" on a 3880!

Thanks all for the help, I will probably end up getting one in the new year...

But, my question still is would it be better (cheaper ink?) to go with a Epson or a Canon?

I am leaning toward Epson as I have had experience with it, but would like to hear some good arguments for Canon as well.

And no, I am not getting into inkjet from scratch!

[bob carnie]

I have both cannon and epson ,, both excellent choices, go with the best deal.

Exactly what I was thinking, plus it is difficult to print 44" on a 3880!

Thanks all for the help, I will probably end up getting one in the new year...

But, my question still is would it be better (cheaper ink?) to go with a Epson or a Canon?

I am leaning toward Epson as I have had experience with it, but would like to hear some good arguments for Canon as well.

And no, I am not getting into inkjet from scratch!

[SpeedGraphicMan]

I have both canon and epson , both excellent choices, go with the best deal.

Thanks!

Why do you have both?

[bob carnie]

Just happened that way. I like to try different equipment for myself so I can gage if there is any real difference.

You will find that those with one type of gear will defend it to death and insist its the best, I do not fall into that camp... Same goes with processes to make prints.


Thanks!

Why do you have both?

[paulr]

I asked the same question to my friend who prints professionally. He has two or three wide format epsons and a canon. His canon is the widest and the newest (I helped install it ... was like taking delivery of a grand piano). His thoughts: 1) I shouldn't get a wide format printer. I agreed wholeheartedly, but my circumstances might be different from the OP's. 2) The canon clogs less, but wastes more paper and causes more headaches overall. So he leans toward epson if he has to pick one brand.

[bob carnie]

We have had the expected downtimes on both systems due to large printing loads on the machine.
One of the biggest culprits is printing canvas on the same machine one prints photorag, seems to be an issue.
But all in all I think great technology .


To the OP the most important question you want to be asking the vendors who sell the equipment is this.

Do you have a good technical support IE tech who will visit within a couple of working days to fix my machine??
This is most critical IMHO to a purchase of one of the top 3 or 4 machines.



I asked the same question to my friend who prints professionally. He has two or three wide format epsons and a canon. His canon is the widest and the newest (I helped install it ... was like taking delivery of a grand piano). His thoughts: 1) I shouldn't get a wide format printer. I agreed wholeheartedly, but my circumstances might be different from the OP's. 2) The canon clogs less, but wastes more paper and causes more headaches overall. So he leans toward epson if he has to pick one brand.

[paulr]

Thanks to the bad influence of all present, I think I'm going to get the 3880 while the $300 rebate is still offered.

My 2400 is still a good printer for anyone with humidity, a non-stop workflow, or gluttony for punishment, so I'm going to see if I can get $200 for it on craigslist. If no one bites, I'll flush it out and maybe resurrect it someday as a piezography printer. Unless someone here can think of a better idea for the thing.

[SpeedGraphicMan]

Thanks all!

What way do you run your printers?
I.E. USB or over network via a print server?

Network would be the easiest for me, but I read that there can be some issues.

[SpeedGraphicMan]

Any thoughts on the HP models?

[ChuckT]

Thanks all!

What way do you run your printers?
I.E. USB or over network via a print server?

Network would be the easiest for me, but I read that there can be some issues.

We have a 7600 and a 9900.

7600 is directly on the network - the print queue will slooow downnn your printtinggg.

The 4400 is a USB connection on a workstation with a RIP. PITA to setup the RIP and their specs were off, and by an order of magnitude! The 99400s ink set colors are fantastic whether I print through the RIP or from PS/CS6 on the workstation. Speed of access to the printer is much better through the RIP but the learning curve - oh boy. Don't even ask me about Linearization:(. The speed of the printer is what it is, a true test would be the same 20x24 printed on each but I've never bothered.

Also worth remembering is a RIP ain't cheap.

cvt

[angusparker]

+1 for starting with the Epson 3880. 17x22 is pretty big print plus this printer never seems to clog even with occasional use. Colors are great and the ink relatively cheap. Given the cost to buy and operate a much wider roll based printer you have to ask is it worth it or should you just send stuff out to print?

[bob carnie]

Speed Graphic Man

One thing that has creeped into my life is the fact that the 7800 that I own does not flip back and forth between matte black and photo black like our other machine the Cannon.

Make sure if you are purchasing that your new machine can flip back and forth on the fly .. the implications will become obvious if you have to start cleaning out hoses to switch inks for various papers..

Bob

[Gary Tarbert]

Hi i thought he was thinking of a 9900 which does switch , Agree with you Bob the hassle of manualy changing blacks is a pain , I have a 9900 very happy with it . Cheers Gary