replacing Z3100

[Ian99]

The whole issue may be moot.
I looked at Atlex, Lexjet, ITSupplies, and B&H and the plain vanilla Z3200 looks like it has been discontinued for both 24" and 44" models.

The PS variant is still supposed to be available but I wonder how long for and is there going to be a new model to take the place of the Z3200.  Somehow the 5400 does not seem to fit the bill.

[Roscolo]

Hi all,
so my trusted z3100 finally broke down. 6 years of very good service. I know it can be fixed, but i am not sure it is worth it. i have not kept up with the state of printing machines over last few years. What are the highest rated machines out there today if I wanted to buy a new one? The "new" Canons, are they worth it?
TIA,
Amnon

If all the z3100 needs is the belt, you need to do it yourself. It's not that big of a deal.

The #1 reason NOT to buy another HP z3200 is the cost of the inks. HP foolishly discontinued the twin packs, and I've noticed steady increases in the single carts. The inks for the Canon ipf8300/ipf8400 are a MUCH better deal, and the Canon carts actually hold a useful quantity of ink (330ml or 700ml). If you can get a deal on the Canon ipf8400, get it. I picked up a 44" ipf8300 for around $2200 back when Canon was about to bring out the ipf8400. It's all around better than the z3100 in all ways but 3: The z has the built in spectro, the z can make true neutral tone B&W prints using no color inks, and the z uses a gloss enhancer. You'll never quite eliminate gloss differential on the Canon for that reason. I print my satin and glossy photo prints on the z3100. Everything else goes to the Canon. The Canon is insanely faster, and the software blows away the clunky HP software. Productivity definitely went up when I got the Canon. You should definitely fix the z, though, because for not much time and / or money you can use the z for printing, or just use the spectro on the z to build custom profiles for the Canon. It works great and they are better than the canned profiles from the paper manufacturers or retailers.

All around, if I was forced to pick one of the other, the larger carts and better deal on the Canon ink, plus the speed and efficiency of the Canon, would make it my choice. Still like having both, though. The z has some real strengths.

[crwoo]

I have gone from a z3200 to a canon iPF8300 and i cant be happier.
the paper handling is much better because the roll is in the front.
the print quality is slightly better on photo paper, and majorly better on canvas.
its much faster, but that is no big deal for me. what really impresses me is the quality modes to improve image quality. this guy here details it. http://www.on-sight.com/2010/04/25/canon-x300-printer-review/

what i liked better on the HP is the minimum sheet lenght was less than 6 inches, 8 inches for the canon.

[Damir]

And he test HP and EPSON with Canon paper!??

[crwoo]

i saw that too, and i saw the review after i got the printer. but you should know that most high quality papers dont come from the OEM, such as Canson, hahnemuhle.
Since I got the canon I've been using my remaining HP photo paper as well as some canon photo paper, both types produced incredible results. I am also amazed with the results from some third party canvas that i don't even know brand name.

[Miles]

+1 for what Roscolo said.  I moved from the z3100 to an iPF8300 (also at a very favorable price) and am happy with the switch.  I never had a maintenance call on the Z and was very satisfied with the machine.  Things I like about the Canon are the front mount of the rolls (always had to pull the Z away from the wall), the print plug-in, larger ink tanks, faster speed, and it is built like a tank.  Zero issues with this machine so far as well, but I am not a high volume printer.  Crwoo's comments are spot on as well.  The biggest factor for me is that both of these machines handle intermittent printing very well without clogs.  I can't overstate how big an issue that becomes with the wrong machine.

[Ernst Dinkla]

The #1 reason NOT to buy another HP z3200 is the cost of the inks. HP foolishly discontinued the twin packs, and I've noticed steady increases in the single carts.

A firmware upgrade that allows the use of the 300ML carts of the Z5200 on the Z3200 would be welcome. That range of carts covers the most consumed inks on the Z3200.

--
Met vriendelijke groet, Ernst

http://www.pigment-print.com/spectralplots/spectrumviz_1.htm
January 2014, 600+ inkjet media white spectral plots.

[tektrader]

A firmware upgrade that allows the use of the 300ML carts of the Z5200 on the Z3200 would be welcome. That range of carts covers the most consumed inks on the Z3200.

Will the 5300 carts physically fit in the 3200 Ernst?

[Ernst Dinkla]

Will the 5300 carts physically fit in the 3200 Ernst?

Yes, the doors will nog close but that's all.

Ernst, op de lei getypt.

[kers]

Ernst , could you not just buy the large inks and fill the z3100 cartridges with it?  as with the HP9180?

[Ernst Dinkla]

We could but inserting a Z5200 cart is much easier than refilling other carts with the content of a Z5200 cart. If people abandon the Z3200 because the ink is expensive then HP should consider that firmware upgrade. We want Vivera pigment in that printer, not a third party ink.

--
Met vriendelijke groet, Ernst

http://www.pigment-print.com/spectralplots/spectrumviz_1.htm
January 2014, 600+ inkjet media white spectral plots.

[tektrader]

You could slide the HP70 ink chip out of the old carts and replace the one in the 5200 carts.

That should work providing the 3200 carts are not totally empty.
 
This is great, I will keep a look out for cheap 5200 carts as well now.

[Damir]

How about just changing the chips in the carts:

http://www.alibaba.com/product-gs/720487331/Permanent_chip_for_hp_Designjet_Z3100.html

It works great on HP ProB 9180 and I am thinking for some time about that, I was just not sure if carts physically fit in printer, but it is also possible to exchange entire lower part of cart replacing it with lower part from old used regular cart in which chip was changed. It is not difficult to do that at all.

[Ernst Dinkla]

You got it. But the difficult part is reliable third party chips for 12 inks. As written before I rather see a firmware change so it can accept 5200 carts next to the HP70 carts.

--
Met vriendelijke groet, Ernst

http://www.pigment-print.com/spectralplots/spectrumviz_1.htm
January 2014, 600+ inkjet media white spectral plots.