A little math that might make a difference: (all of this is for the US MSRP and in US$)
Z2100 24" = $3,400.00, ships with 69ml x 8 tanks = 552ml
Z3100 24" = $4,100.00, ships with 69ml x 12 tanks = 828 ml
there's someone already on ebay.au selling the Z2100 24" and 44" for AU$6,820 and AU$12,500. I still haven't got a fix on aussie pricing for the Z3100 though. if it were to follow Tom.D.Arch has written above then maybe only a similar small difference in up front costs to acquire the printer over Z2100, say AU$1000 therefore around AU8,000? Then again US$3,400.00 is a lot lower than AU$6,820 already so maybe I'm dreaming. If the Z3100 does turn out to be much bigger dollars for me to buy here I wonder if buying one from the U.S and getting it shipped to Australia would be practical? after all it's all boxed up.
I just got off the phone to my partner (an artist) and he balked at my suggestion of getting a Canon iPF5000 for our business, he thought the size too small for prints of his work. he doesn't know much about printers or the tech side but his thoughts tend to be intuitive so I listen. it's in both of our best interests. I have thoroughly researched the Canon and think it would be up to the job and the paper handling options it has is attractive as well. So anyway now I have got off the idea of getting the cheaper canon and making more of a serious investment in bigger format. I think it could be for the best. would a dealer be better then ebay merchant perhaps but I dunno about this.
I really think it has a lot to do how you are doing it. I'got it a day ago and I have really no problems with feeding larger papers, but perhaps everone does itr diffrent ^^
I noticed Christopher in your other post below that a friend gives you access to bigger prints but that this was getting expensive for you. you discovered you needed to go grow into a bigger size printing. Now you have 44". I cannot afford one myself, and am anticipating that 24" will be enough to kick me off, make some money, then get a 44 to add on. Not having to go outside for production is certainly worth the investment don't you think? - the extra time, hassle, surrendering of control, poorer margins. but I just can't swing the budget for a hugey. I can, but I won't (hmmm).
LF 44" Fine Art Printer?interesting in seeing what exactly separates the 2100 from the 3100 24" models (other then missing GE, R, G, B and one of the black tanks from 'bigger' brother): on a site selling the pigments inks for the printers, the shop items there:
"
Black/Red Printhead - C9409A, for Designjet Z3100
Blue/Green Printhead - C9408A, for Designjet Z3100
Gloss Enhancer/Gray Printhead - C9410A, for Designjet Z3100
(not all the printheads there's 3 more I think for Z3100)
-
Light Magenta and Light Cyan Printhead for B9180/z2100
Magenta and Yellow Printhead for B9180/z2100
Matte Black and Cyan Printhead for B9180/z2100
Photo Black and Light Gray Printhead for B9180/z2100
(all the printheads for 8-color Z2100 indicated)
"
from the way they've got it presented it looks like the R, G, B, and GE inks are obviously exclusive to the 3100, but the other inks are the same stock item for both 2100 and 3100. but with the print heads is the 2100 using the same ones from the small B9180 while the 3100 gets treated to other better print heads. so are the print heads different between 2100/3100 and if so how much different.
so then is it that the 3100 is a more serious machine for
high end photography, with the gloss optimiser and the extra black, but the 2100 is very close on the color work. this probably won't matter too much to me then because I'm doing mostly fine art. wondering about this point, would I not need the gloss optimiser as much doing abstract prints than a photographer reproducing their work?
I am just deciding whether to replace an Epson 9800 by a Z3100 (44 inch). I am doing fineart printing on both glossy and matte paper (Crane SilverRag and MuseoMax) - heavy papers (365 gsm)!
I was wondering about the need for semi glossy and glossy papers with fine art reproduction. Am I wrong in that these papers are
typically more used with photo printing instead? are mattes far and away the mainstay or is gloss right up there for printing of abstract paintings too. I am really looking forward to getting into photography later so trying to accomodate it as well in my printer but just not straight away. would I really only need a
matte paper, and a
canvas to do fine art. Another question is does it make sense to offer clients of your prints 2 versions of a paper type - ie for matte paper a 'cheap' paper options and an 'expensive' paper option, so they can choose. if they want to save dollars you could give them the cheaper print for a lower price, while allowing other well-heeled clients the premium paper to really showcase your work. or do you just offer one top quality paper of the matte version. As well as customer benefits, this could mean cheaper to buy from suppliers the reduced quality gear and more flexibility with the cashflow.
By the way even though it would seem so, rolls are not always cheaper than sheets, especially if you figure in some of the waste that you might generate. However for unattended volume printing, there is nothing like printing on a roll, especially with the z printers - you just set it and forget it
can you just get the roll to feed through and it produces print after print along the roll and cuts each print off after it finishes it and then continues on with the printing of the next print. do the prints just fall down into the hammock and they don't smudge the inks when they land on top of the other prints. also for d-curl, as the prints come off the roll do you leave them and they flatten out naturally or do you have to press them or something? I will be mailing the finished prints to clients (ie internet/mail order) so should I leave them curly and poke them in mailing tubes or do I need to do something like d-curl them first, let them dry for a few days (a 'cure?'), then re-roll up before packing into mailing tubes and getting a courier to pick up?
Actually when I thought about it you are right. although paper sheets have the ease of already being cut and 'ready', the rolls struck me as probably being cheaper because they are a bigger volume thing than a packet of sheets and also they would store more efficiently in the suppliers warehouse (? correct me if I'm wrong). If I'm doing a lot of prints the margins in the supply like this would make a difference, ie rolls are the way to go for instance. I'm not sure if waste paper could be re-used, certainly my artist partner could snap up off-cuts for mixed media montages etc, on original works.
one of my last queries is coating the prints. can the prints be sold to clients off the printer or do I need to coat them with some kind of 'liquid laminate'.
- is the coating mandatory for preservation of the print therefore I should get set up applying it after printing and before selling?
- can I use a single coating type for canvas and all papers?
- how is the coating applied?
- should I charge extra in terms of a non-coated and coated print?
the last thing I want is problematic buyers of my prints because down the track colours have been scuffed or whatever.
f you do much paper cutting you really need a rotary trimmer
cheers I'll add this possession to my 'package'.
I like a lot of border and normally would use a full 13x19 sheet anyway for this
are borders common and is there specific occassions when a border is necessary (ie when framing). for example if a customer buys a print off me and they know they are wanting to have it framed at some point, then when they specify their print to me I can allow them to have a border of white around the edge (the print will need to be smaller but hey that's life pal)
One thing to keep in mind: it's not the size of the ink cart, it's the cost to make the prints that counts (if you're looking at economics). You might want to read David Saffir's new article on this. Google for "Hidden Costs of Inkjet Printing"
I'll check this out thanks
(EDIT: sorry I'm not clear on how to insert the name of each person next to the QUOTE lettering for each yet)