Opinions on Large Format Printers

[Soocom1]

So without making too much of this, what is the opinion of anyone who uses a LF printer?

keep in mind I am still a bit weary of large ink printers and would prefer silver but the cost is prohibitive and paper scarce these days.

So what kind of printer does anyone use for prints larger than 17" x "x"?

 

[webestang64]

I use an Epson 9900 at work. Fantastic printer but it is "large", 44". Epson does have the 24" 7900 model. Best thing is it prints a very true black-n-white. I also use Imageprint rip.

https://epson.com/For-Work/Printers/Large-Format/Epson-Stylus-Pro-9900-Printer/p/SP9900HDR

 

[480sparky]

Unless you're going to make a lot of large images frequently, I don't think you'll find it worth the headache. Modern print cartridges will gum up if not used regularly. I prefer to have a local lab make anything over 8x10.

 

[Derrel]

How many 16x20 (or larger) prints could be purchased for the cost of a LF printer and a set of ink carts.?

 

[snowbear]

42" HP Designjets at the office. Not really for photos but we have coated photo paper. A heavy bond is in them for the maps.
I should run off a photo print next week while the boss is away.


Plotters by Charlie Wrenn, on Flickr


Map Printing by Charlie Wrenn, on Flickr

 

[Soocom1]

42" HP Designjets at the office. Not really for photos but we have coated photo paper. A heavy bond is in them for the maps.
I should run off a photo print next week while the boss is away.


Plotters by Charlie Wrenn, on Flickr


Map Printing by Charlie Wrenn, on Flickr

Engineering or GIS / Assessor's Office?

 

[snowbear]

42" HP Designjets at the office. Not really for photos but we have coated photo paper. A heavy bond is in them for the maps.
I should run off a photo print next week while the boss is away.


Plotters by Charlie Wrenn, on Flickr


Map Printing by Charlie Wrenn, on Flickr

Engineering or GIS / Assessor's Office?

GIS. We provide services to County agencies; the planning department is a bi-county agency and are the group that handles requests from the public.
The map pictured is a First Due Area wall map for one of the Fire/EMS Stations.

 

[Soocom1]

<---Sandoval County Assessor's Office.
Mapping Super.

 

[Original katomi]

I share thought on an early post, is it going to be worth it? I use a3 as a norm and as most of my prints are short life, eg comps or display I use 3rd party inks. For large images I have a brill print shop any size I like ok it costs
But
A I don’t have all that ink to pay for or various paper stock to worry about getting damaged
B if I want something different like my outdoor photographs I just ask for it I don’t have various rolls of paper,plastic etc
C. Space at home. I have limited amount of room and the footprint of LF printers can be huge
D I sat down and worked out the cost per print, num of prints per year did need reg LF prints
Is it going to be worth it! Not only in costs GBP/Doller/Euro but in hassle and worry have you thought about the cost of keeping extra inks. How easy are they to get, delivery times.
Hope these thought help, you can change print labs but once you have paid for a LF printer well it’s yours
Is there a company who rents these? Eg a few months at a time I know our office used to rent the laser printer/copy machine on a all inclusive deal

 

[Original katomi]

Large Format Printer Leasing and Hire | HardSoft
Just did a quick web search there are a few above is just one for example only I don’t know it or have any connection

 

[SCraig]

Oce Colorwave 500 at work. Prints polymer ink on anything from bond paper to mylar to Tyvek. Also has a built-in wide format scanner (color at 300 DPI) 42" wide by something like 7' long. Also have an old HP inkjet that seldom gets used and a couple of color laser printers that will print tabloid size (12" x 18") that get heavily used.

 

[Jeff G]

In my experience, Epson puts out the nicest photographic quality prints in the large format market. That is not to say that other manufacturers don't put out nice stuff, I just prefer Epson's quality.

 

[mrca]

I have an Epson P7000 that prints 24"wide and on rolls so looong panos. A fine art portrait printed on epson legacy platine with these inks has a 200 yr life for color 400 for b&w. It is an heirloom to be passed through generations. I can charge between 350 and 450 for a 20x2o matted. My typical sale is about $7-800 for 3 prints as a set. They usually want more. It doesn't take too many prints to pay for a 2300 printer and 1k in ink to start up. Now, learning to make fine art prints takes time and practice. But I know exactly where my printer has detail in blacks and whites for each paper and can adjust my print accordingly. My monitor has brightness set by a IOne studio, then calibrated by it. I have custom profiles for each paper for each printer. I printed a 13x19 for my portfolio today, no test print. It was dead nuts on. There is more to the printing experience than cost. If you arent printing, you are missing really getting to finish the photo process. Printed a shot the other day I took 3 years ago and occasionally looked at in my cell phone, no big wup. After I printed it and was dry, placed it under tracing paper to let it off gas. Every time I passed it, could make it out through the tracing paper and had to pick it up, take it to the window and wow. Printing does that to your work. And if you print it yourself, the work is all yours. Probably why I tied my own flies.

 

[SCraig]

We use an HP DesignJet T730 36-in Printer for our large formats. Very happy with the quality of the investment.

Scott Craig - Nashville, TN - Nikon Stuff
Print site: Philadelphia Printer 215Prints.com

And just for anyone who is interested, I am ***NOT*** the person who made that post nor do I know why he has my name as part of his signature line. I would love to know the answer to that question though so the post has been reported.

 

[limr]

We use an HP DesignJet T730 36-in Printer for our large formats. Very happy with the quality of the investment.

Scott Craig - Nashville, TN - Nikon Stuff
Print site: Philadelphia Printer 215Prints.com

And just for anyone who is interested, I am ***NOT*** the person who made that post nor do I know why he has my name as part of his signature line. I would love to know the answer to that question though so the post has been reported.

Some spammers just lift text directly from the site they are spmming and include it in their post to make it seem like a legit message.

I have removed the link from the quoted material so no one will accidentally follow a spam link.