I am currently in the market for an a3+/a2+ printer with the options in the current pigmented ink offers boiling down to the epson 3800, the HP 9160 and the Canon 9500 MkII.
What troubles me is that the only product which seems to be updated "in time" is the canon offering, with the HP and Epson being like 2 1/2 years in production.
Hp and Epson have constantly updated their larger Printers (4800->4880 or z3100->z3200 etc.) but improvements seem not to tickle down the food chain to the smaller offerings. Is the small large format printer an evolutionary dead end? Or is there something around the corner still no one blows a whistle on?
Best regards,
Ray
It is something I was curious about too. Whether even Canon updated its offer in the A2+ market is debatable. The x100 models are now longer available than the x000 models before it, the x000 possibly launched too early in view of new competition. Changed heads, inkset changes, calibration added, for the new range. Some x100 models later on got harddisc upgrades that were not widely reported The Epson 4800>4880 satep is hardly an upgrade.
Pro pigment photo printers only: While the HP range should have a sheet handling A2 photo pigment printer, the Epson and Canon range doesn't have a true Pro Photo Printer A3+ pigment model in competition with the two HP B9180 and B8850 models. There used to be an Epson 5000 and 5500 in that segment. I think Epson and Canon see that Pro market starting at A2 size. Epson made that step gradually for its customers with the 3800 for Semi Pro use and the 4880 as a higher volume printer. I expect that the last will be replaced with a 7900 equivalent inkset for A2 sheet printing. The 3800 will keep its place, possibly a cosmetic upgrade but not another head assembly etc. No A3 Pro model from Epson. Canon can keep the iPF5100 in the market much longer in my opinion. HP has to do something to give the market a Vivera pigment model with good A2+ sheet size handling. Replacing the succesful 130 and 60 dye models at some point. Its A3+ models are well placed so I expect only cosmetic changes there.
There is a different competition going on in office line inkjet printers that may well bring forth other printer concepts in photo printing too. Larger carts on small size printers with fast pro heads. Right now in competition with laser printers. Then there is that big CAD and poster market, HP and Canon have more varieties there that are hardly discussed here.
met vriendelijke groeten, Ernst Dinkla
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