Looking for advice on wide format printers

[Reading-Print]

Hi there,

I am looking at adding wide format printing to my business, I would love some advice as to what are some of the best printers to look at. A friend of mine said to look at the Hp Designjet z6200? any help would be much welcomed

Damian

[pisquee]

For pigment, solvent or sublimation?

[Reading-Print]

Hi Pisquee

For pigment

[Justin]

Great printer if you have the budget and requirement to justify it. Personally I still have my eye on a Z2100.

[phoenixalpha]

The Z2100 is a good printer. I have one and the inks are a problem as they are quite pricey, and you cant get bulk inks in the UK.

[mags1892]

Youd always be better off in the long run with an epson especially if you use a good ink. If you keep a good ink and look after the machine it will last many years, My 9880 is 12 years old and going like a train . Im a reseller for Epson Canon and HP , if youre using proper ink id go canon and id lease , if youre going third party ink id go epson and use a GOOD ink not chinese imported dross or even a well know british ink which is garbage.

[Reading-Print]

Thank you everyone for your advice, So what would be the best wide format printer to buy? for quality/price of inks and papers I would be using proper ink

[Reading-Print]

Hi phoenixalpha

Have you had any problems with your Z2100?

[mags1892]

Thank you everyone for your advice, So what would be the best wide format printer to buy? for quality/price of inks and papers I would be using proper ink

My suggestion would be CANON for pigment we do a lease scheme which covers you for all parts and materials for three years, all you pay for is INK and paper and you pay for that AFTER youve used it. If you went third party id go against canon as noone will repair it on third party inks. There are loads of Epson engineers who would.

[phoenixalpha]

Nope not a problem at all. Its all swings and roundabouts with large format printers. I currently use only HPs but in previous employers only Epson. Epsons are nice and reliable - heads never really fail. Inks are stupidly expensive and when they do break down.... they break down and its a big cost. HPs on the other hand - heads fail regularly but are pretty much disposable with some of the heads for the smaller HPs I have cost maybe £10 for a new head. It's much of a muchness really. HPs are really cheap and easy to fix, but they do tend to fall over a bit. Epsons are more expensive initially but are complete workhorses. The z2100 I have is nice, fast and really good colour reproduction with 8 inks BUT getting those inks is the kicker unless you want to spend £50-60 per colour per 130ml cart. Mind you the 12 colour Epson I used to use cost £200 per 350ml ink cart.