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Author Topic: Help me pick my first large format printer. Thanks in advance  (Read 1310 times)

gchappel

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Help me pick my first large format printer. Thanks in advance
« on: February 15, 2015, 08:10:57 pm »

I am looking for some guidance as I move to purchase my first large format printer.
I have been using an Epson 3880 for several years.  Great printer with great output. I am very happy with it.
Roughly 2/3 color, 1/3 BW.
But, I want to print larger than 17x 25".
My first decision is 24" or 44". I presently have no need to print bigger than 20x30 but I only want to do this once. I'm not sure 24" is large enough.
Usage will be fairly light, I would estimate about 200 large final prints a year, two a week. Test prints as needed.
With light usage I hear horror stories about epson clogging, so I was leaning toward canon. Likely the ipf6400 or 8400.  The 8400 comes with about $1400 more ink than the 6400. 300cc inks vs 80cc.  The larger printer costs roughly 14-1600 more so to me price is about a wash.
I would appreciate any guidance so I make the best decision.
Thank you for your help.
Gary
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Mark D Segal

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Re: Help me pick my first large format printer. Thanks in advance
« Reply #1 on: February 15, 2015, 08:17:40 pm »

As there are 52 weeks in a year and you intend to print about 200 per year, that would come closer to 4 per week. If those 4 were spread over the week and not done all in a single day, and you kept about 30~40% humidity in the room, clogging should not be much of an issue for an Epson x900 series printer. Apart from that, I would recommend that you visit a dealership or two who would allow you to print a test image with a lot of high frequency detail and rich colour on both printers using the same paper, then examine the output and make a decision about the relative quality. I would also recommend taking into account the comparative warranties and service options where you live. If I were making this decision I think those are the key factors that would steer me one way or another.
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Mark D Segal (formerly MarkDS)
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bill t.

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Re: Help me pick my first large format printer. Thanks in advance
« Reply #2 on: February 15, 2015, 09:53:02 pm »

Go for the 44" size.  Going with a 24" will lead to a life of semi-sorrow, which I know from having suffered that fate myself.  Way back when I was quite certain I would never need to make prints more than 24" on the short dimension.  But as soon as I saw those gorgeous 24 x whatevers, I knew there was a special mojo to large prints and I immediately wanted more.  Now, more than half my prints are larger than 24" and those are my most profitable and readily sold sizes.

Have been extremely happy with my 8300, which has served me well almost every day for last 1000+ days and 34,000+ square feet with no significant down time except the 1/2 hour it takes to occasionally replace and calibrate a printhead, which can be easily done without tools.  If you're printing a lot almost every one of your printheads will wind up being replaced in-warranty, but even if you're an infrequent printer the lack of having to deal with head clogs will more than make up for the cost of out-of-warranty printheads.  For the most part it's as reliable as a refrigerator, I just send it prints without even bothering to do nozzle checks or align the paper, and it just prints them and handles spare nozzle swap-outs all by itself until there are no more nozzles to swap, which usually takes about 10 to 11 months of the 12 month head warranty with heavy use.  Heads are warranted separate from the printer, so your most common problem, which is printhead replacements, may be coverered by warranty for the life of the rest of the printer.  It's indifferent to humidity, and prints just as well at 60F as it does at 80F, which is the range of temperatures possible in my printing room.  Maintenance tanks seem to last forever, I went all of 2014 on the same maintenance tank.

There are few issues that may or may not affect you: certain canvas media can not be coated with paint rollers due to ink smearing, and for very heavy media you may been to burn about 8" media when the printer has stood idle for more than a few hours, in order to prevent head strikes from the curl in the media path just ahead of the print heads.  That problem may be limited to high altitude installations where "Maximum Suction" is more like "Medium Suction" at sea level, such as my 6000ft high printing location.  And printing on sheets is much less convenient than with Epsons, and it can not print on rigid sheets at all, which is possible but clumsy with the Epsons.

I print most of my work at 300 dpi, which makes for very fast printing and gives me prints that seem mostly limited by the file resolution.  I am told the 8400 is just as fast at 600 dpi.
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Tony Jay

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Re: Help me pick my first large format printer. Thanks in advance
« Reply #3 on: February 15, 2015, 10:16:08 pm »

If it made sense economically go with a 44" printer.

Tony Jay
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petermfiore

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Re: Help me pick my first large format printer. Thanks in advance
« Reply #4 on: February 16, 2015, 01:09:49 am »

You have already have gotten great advice...go with the 44".


Peter

dseelig

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Re: Help me pick my first large format printer. Thanks in advance
« Reply #5 on: February 16, 2015, 01:25:19 am »

Do not forget HP longest life prints by far and cheap user repalcebale heads. Loved my z 3100
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enduser

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Re: Help me pick my first large format printer. Thanks in advance
« Reply #6 on: February 16, 2015, 05:13:34 am »

After many years of wide format printing, first with HP, and then with Canon, and listening to the world of pain with Epson, I would go with  HP again if I continue large format work.
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gchappel

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Re: Help me pick my first large format printer. Thanks in advance
« Reply #7 on: February 16, 2015, 06:34:24 am »

Thanks for the nudge towards the 44", those were my thoughts as well, but just wanted to confirm that it made sense in the real world.
I have no local brick and morter stores- will be calling Tampa and Orlando FL dealers- both about 90min out.  I have not found any yet open on the weekends- only time I can go.  Work gets in the way of life.
I had not considered HP, will look around.
Thanks again
Gary
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