As someone who has also used the three three major brands for over 12 years I totally agree with this comment. I could have written it myself. Mark L. has done more by himself to explore and explain the functionality and maintenance of the Z series that the whole of corporate staff combined in my experience. Look at his website, then look at Hps website and that becomes pretty obvious.
John
Between Ernst Dinkla, John Dean, myself and several others here on LuLa, (too numerous to name), we’ve managed to provide a cobbled semblance of informal support for the Z series printers. This combined expertise, especially with Mark McCormick, Geraldo Garcia, and others, who have pushed the envelope in terms of custom profiles has made the Z all that it can be, a force to be reckoned with. There is no question that fine art printing demographics have changed, and HP corporate has other more lucrative areas to concentrate on, namely 3D, Dye Sub, and Latex printers that are a completely different market segment. I’m hopeful, along with everyone else here on LuLa that HP will continue to make these wonderful printers and inks well into the future even though HP marches to the beat of a different drummer. It’s a privilege to give back some of what I’ve gotten here on LuLa, and although I don’t have time to keep up with it all, particularly the emails, that I get regularly, hopefully my website Z3200.com will help to keep many of us afloat as the Z3100 and Z3200 printers begin to fade into printer oblivion. What many don’t take into consideration, is that these printers can act as stand - alone automated spectrophotometers, which, when coupled with the hobbled Z9+ printers makes for a formidable tool in the hands of dedicated fine art printer professionals. Kudos to Geraldo Garcia for opening our eyes to the Z’s immense capabilities. HP printers are not for everyone particularly as they can be fiddley and sometimes aggravatingly frustrating. But all printers are difficult in their own ways. The z9+ Is in its first iteration. Let’s hope that HP continues to advance this system similarly as they have the Z3100 and Z3200 printers. Thanks to the unnamed who also support this printer here: Kers, John Nollendorf, LPS computers, and many many others who continue to keep the Z Series a viable option. Enjoy it while it lasts folks. The end is near. Thanks HP for making what to thousands of independent studio photographers and fine art printers has been “the little engine that could.” Long may they run.\\\\\\\\\\\
Thanks -
Mark