Best Wide-Format Printers

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RaggedMagnet

I'm looking for a wide-format printer capable of media widths of 36"
and greater. Can anyone point me in the right direction for which
models are currently the best (price range of say $3000-$8000).

Thanks!
 
RaggedMagnet said:
I'm looking for a wide-format printer capable of media widths of 36"
and greater. Can anyone point me in the right direction for which
models are currently the best (price range of say $3000-$8000).

Thanks!
Click to expand...

I've had nothing but good experience with my HP DesignJets:
http://www.hp.com/go/designjet

My Epsons and Oces have been less reliable and I won't go near them now.
 
I purchased an HP 1055 about three months. Output quality is wonderful. I
had a few kinks in the beginning with the multi-roll feeder, but after that
was resolved, it hasn't given me any problems.

Mark
 
Best is one of those loaded words. For some people best means fastest,
or lowest operating costs, lowest break down rate, or highly archival
inks, or, greatest image quality...

Epson produces some very reasonably priced wide carriage profession
units, which can run either dye or pigment inks.

There 24" model is called the 7600. They get you on the inks, as all
the printer companies making consumer models do.

I think the current list price, inclusive of a 7 (CcMmYKk) color ink set
is under $3000 US (list).

The 44" model is called the 9600, and is about $5000 US list.

The fact that there is no 8XXX model leads me to think a 36" model could
eventually be in the work, but they have never had one and its been
years, so who knows.

I know of a number of people who own them and a very pleased with the
quality of the output and the reliability of the printer. They are
particularly happy with the pigment ink set (there are many 3rd party
inks also available for these printers).

There are a slew of wide carriage products out there. Many use Epson's
heads, or similar piezo designs. Thermal head designs are also out
there, from HP and others. Ink set color combinations abound, including
oranges, greens, reds, blues, etc...

Art
 
More for interest than anything, as I always like to hear from people
with direct experience, are you using pigment colorant inks in your HP
Designjet (I'm pretty sure some models are designed for pigment ink) and
if so, how does your experience compare with the Designjet and the
Epson, Also, which Epson model(s) were you using?

Art
 
What are you printing? Line drawings, GIS, photo, canvas...? What medias do
you use (bond, glossy, ...)? What do you use the drawings for (internal,
customers, ...) What applications?

Luis
 
This will be for a variety of architectural and urban planning-related
images. Some maps, some renderings of 3D models and landscapes which
will require photographic quality, some graphical and line-dominant
images.
 
The paper will also vary. We would like to use regular bond most of the
time, and glossy for final presentations.
 
[Looking for a large format (36" or larger) printer in the $3-8K range.]
This will be for a variety of architectural and urban planning-related
images. Some maps, some renderings of 3D models and landscapes which
will require photographic quality, some graphical and line-dominant
images.
Click to expand...
The paper will also vary. We would like to use regular bond most of the
time, and glossy for final presentations.
Click to expand...

You might take a look at the HP DesignJet 1000 series, or for a lower priced
alternative take a look at the 500 or 800 series. See the following for links
to spec's:
http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/us/en/sm/WF02a/18972-236251-236266.html.

Regards,
Bob Headrick, not speaking for my employer HP
 
RaggedMagnet said:
The paper will also vary. We would like to use regular bond most of the
time, and glossy for final presentations.
Click to expand...
I guess by now you know, huh?
HP rulz!

Kiah
 
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