44" printer recommendation?

[Thad Gerheim]

Hi,
I know that both epson and canon make good printers, but it's the subtle differences between models and makes that I don't know anything about. I need to update from an epson 7600 ( a real workhorse despite the ink clogging). What I really didn't like is the off gassing and bronzing of the black and whites. I hear new inks have solved the bronzing, but what about the gassing? And last but not least where's the best deals on these!

Thanks

[sully75]

I don't have a 44" printer but I've had really good luck with my Epson 4900. Seems like they have it down at this point. It just works well. KNOCK ON WOOD. Like, seriously. But so far so good.

[Thad Gerheim]

I don't have a 44" printer but I've had really good luck with my Epson 4900. Seems like they have it down at this point. It just works well. KNOCK ON WOOD. Like, seriously. But so far so good.

Thanks, Paul. Does anyone no how big of difference there is between the HDR inks and the K3, is it noticeable in the print (black&white and color)? Is there still off-gassing of the inks? How does Epson's color gamut compare to canon?

Thanks

[Jim Michael]

Thad, my wife prints for a number of artists and has her choice of both Epson and Canon printers. She much prefers working with the Canons. I think they have both 800 and 900 series. Comments I've heard range from Epson being noisier, workflow easier on Canon, maintenance easier on the Canon, etc. Re gamut and black & white questions, she hasn't expressed any issues pertaining to either. I would be interested in the bit depth since the older series were 8 bit.

[Thad Gerheim]

Thad, my wife prints for a number of artists and has her choice of both Epson and Canon printers. She much prefers working with the Canons. I think they have both 800 and 900 series. Comments I've heard range from Epson being noisier, workflow easier on Canon, maintenance easier on the Canon, etc. Re gamut and black & white questions, she hasn't expressed any issues pertaining to either. I would be interested in the bit depth since the older series were 8 bit.

Thanks Jim. I know of a print shop that switched to all Canons and now I see why. I drug my feet last month when Canon had printers on sale, this month its Epson who is having the sale! I had been running ImagePrint RIP which allowed 16 bit. I'm hoping, the out of box software is good now and there isn't a need for the expensive RIP?

[Tyler Boley]

I don't know that there was ever really a need for an expensive RIP, but I know artists who depended on imageprint because it allowed them to leapfrog many issues that may otherwise have consumed their time and energy. The hardware itself will not dictate that need. I've had good opportunity to compare 6300 (same as 8300) output to 9900 Epson output using both oem drivers and ergosoft rip, and using the same 2 profiling softwares on each.
Outgassing is the nature of the materials, gloss differential and bronzing has improved dramatically since the 7600, some say the canon is a bit better now, my experience was it depended on the paper.
Epson still has the lead in smoothness, resolution, and color gamut, but these differences visually are barely significant. Canons ink delivery performance was totally problem free, but the paper feed and some other mechanics are quirky. Depending on your particular printer, epsons can be problem free or require constant attention depending who knows what. 16 bit output is available for both, even though that development is less spectacular than the hype... They both have options for acceptable b&w output, I've never liked epson ABW but you have the option of qtr for $50. Canon export module b&w mode was acceptable but I did not look too closely at it.
Hope this helps.
Tyler

[Thad Gerheim]

Thanks Tyler. That helps! And reminds me, that what I really need is a workshop in printing, again. I was in Seattle to pick-up a drum scanner this summer and wish I would have taken time to stop by and see your amazing prints. I will get the Quadtone RIP for the Epson, which sounds attractive since it may eventually be converted to printing with carbon inksets from Cone.

[Adamphotoman]

Hi Thad,
Off Gassing.
Opps!
Who would have thunk that the light room could smell as bad as the darkroom?
I have the 7600 and the 9600 and the iPF8300.
All smell on some media especially stuff like vinyl.
But the thermal heads will off gas more than the Piezo heads. So when the iPF 8300 went in I was concerned. Some of it was just new car smell BUT some is temp atomizing what ever is in ink...

[Thad Gerheim]

Hi Adamphotoman. What I'm more concerned about, is the ghost image that appears on the inside of the glass of a framed photo. It seems, no mater how hard I try to dry down the photo, with hairdryers and a heat press, the pigments can somehow absorb moisture and later release it to create a haze on the glass.

[Tyler Boley]

I think there's no option but to give it time, also Epson and others recommend some kind of cover paper to help draw it out... I've personally not experienced this problem, but I think you will find a lot of info on line. YOu might also ask here-
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/EpsonWideFormat/