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Archive 2014 · 24" Printer or 44" Printer?

  
 
uintaangler
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · 24" Printer or 44" Printer?


As I mentioned in a previous query, I own an Epson 3880 and have been very pleased with both ease of use and print quality
Increasingly, I find myself tempted by the thought of making larger prints
Obviously, the financial commitment required to step up to a good 24" printer is about half of the cost of moving up to a machine capable of making 44" prints.
Since I can currently make 17" x 22" prints in the 3880 - is stepping up to 24" wide enough or does 44" make more sense.
Based on what decent framing costs, I have a hard time imaging that I will be doing very many 44" wide prints
A little background…..


  1. I am a hobbyist, not a professional
  2. I have sold a few prints locally and would love to sell lots more prints
  3. I shoot with a Nikon D800, so I suspect if I have my technique down, I should be able to get files good enough to print at 44" wide
  4. I don't really have room for either in my home office, so either way it looks like this machine will reside in the basement


Thanks,
Bob



Jan 28, 2014 at 06:16 PM
chez
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · 24" Printer or 44" Printer?


I own both a 24" and a 44". I mostly use the 44" printer for canvas. I'd say if you don't want to print on canvas, I would stick to a 24" printer and if you ever desire for a larger print, send it out.

With that said, many of the larger format printers, especially from Epson, are designed for daily use and if you are a casual user, I would stay away from the Epson larger format printer. I have HP Z3100 printers and use sporadically, definintely not daily, and have no issues with them. I hear the same is true with the Canon printers.



Jan 28, 2014 at 06:35 PM
markbrown
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · 24" Printer or 44" Printer?


If you are not using every day stick with a printer in which the print heads are not ftempramental. My canon ipf6450 was turned off for 5 months n started back up without issue .


Jan 28, 2014 at 09:58 PM
uintaangler
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · 24" Printer or 44" Printer?


markbrown wrote:
If you are not using every day stick with a printer in which the print heads are not ftempramental. My canon ipf6450 was turned off for 5 months n started back up without issue .


I keep hearing that about Canon Printers and the opposite about the larger Epson printers



Jan 28, 2014 at 10:17 PM
Steve Perry
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · 24" Printer or 44" Printer?


Hi Bob -

I have a 24" canon IPF 6400 printer and like it a lot. Most of the time it handles my needs, but there are occasions I had a 44" printer. Really depends on what your clients are asking for IMO. I think ideally is to find a good lab (I'm still working on it ) that can handle the larger jobs, and keep the smaller stuff in house. However, I sure wouldn't mind a larger printer some days (although the logistics of shipping a framed 24x36 are dicey enough most of the time)

That said, the Epson 3880 has a great reputation, but the larger printers, not so much. I actually posted this yesterday on the pro board and I think it really applies:

"I had an Epson 7880 and 7900 - both were HORRIBLE with clogs. If you'd like to read a whole host of horror stories, google "epson 7900 clogging" (or 7880). Make sure you have a few days if you want to read everything.

I'm pretty sure I used more ink and paper trying to get the thing to unclog than I did actually printing client photos. Heck, more than once it would clog DURING a large print job - I'd print 4 or 5 16x20s and the next one would be awful - and I had to clean the heads for a half an hour - just crazy. I actually got to the point I dreaded seeing print orders because I knew it would be a huge project just to get the printer to work properly. Like I said, so yourself a favor and google it.

I literally threw my 7900 into my dumpster - it wasn't worth the nearly $2K to replace the hopelessly clogged heads.

I'm a happy owner of a Canon IPF 6400...

NO clogs "



Jan 29, 2014 at 08:57 AM
acktdi
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · 24" Printer or 44" Printer?


I have the IPF 8400 44". I use it infrequently, maybe once every 2 months. The humidity here is between 20-30% IN the house and I've had no problems with clogs. It prints great every time.

If you do sheet feeding, it seems inconvenient, so a 24" printer might be better suited. I use roll paper with it 100% and have an older 17" Canon Pixma for printing sheets.



Jan 29, 2014 at 12:43 PM
tonyep
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · 24" Printer or 44" Printer?


Avoid the epson x900 series if you're not printing regularly. The print head are so fine that they will start clogging within a week of not using.


Jan 30, 2014 at 08:58 PM
uintaangler
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · 24" Printer or 44" Printer?


Steve Perry wrote:
Hi Bob -

I'm a happy owner of a Canon IPF 6400...

NO clogs "


Steve,
What I am learning is that Epson seems to be the worst of the big three for clogging problems and the best of the bunch for no-problem printing seems to be the HP Z3200
BUT, the HP is a) more expensive and b) there are some rumors out there that HP's commitment to their Professional Photo Printer business is waning
So, it is good news to hear that your experience with the Canon Wide Format printer has been 100% positive.
Do you ever let it sit idle 2/3 weeks between print jobs?
Bob



Feb 10, 2014 at 03:59 PM
Steve Perry
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · 24" Printer or 44" Printer?


Yes, I've had it sit for a few weeks at a time (when I travel, there's no choice), so far, no issues.

I had also looked at HP, but it seems like they don't do much in the way of new printers / updates and like you say, I've seen it mentioned that they may be getting out of the business.

Still love the performance and quality of the Canon.

Steve



Feb 10, 2014 at 07:48 PM
OntheRez
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · 24" Printer or 44" Printer?


Uinta,

The problem with information provided in response to your question is that while I have no doubt each person is accurately describing their experiences there are so many variables about use, inks, paper, environmental conditions, etc., that it is hard to make a decision based upon the mixed responses offered here.

In contrast to others' reports, I finally peddled my Canon (don't remember model # but it was the largest before floor size) for $25 at a yard sale and thought I'd done good. It stunk. In contrast I replaced it with the Epson 3880 and have had only a few small problems with it - like when printing 8x10s on 8.5x11 paper it regularly likes to spit the first sheet out claiming a paper jam but push clear and it prints. In general it works a charm. I live deep in the Sonoran Desert and believe me it gets incredibly dry here. My weather station has reported 1% relative humidity on many occasion. I've never had a nozzle jam and probably run the nozzle utility about once a year. I print regularly, but not daily.

One issue with a 44" printer is that they take up a lot of room - actual floor space - plus the room needed around them need to feed and retrieve. If you put yours in the basement, you'll have to connect it with Ethernet. Given that you aren't going to print BIG very often, I'd suggest using a print service to do that sort of work. There are excellent companies out there. It's a bit like the folks that buy a $150k RV and use it say 10 days out of the year. Me? I can spend a lot of nights at a prime InterContinetal resort before I'd get anywhere near $150K.

On the other hand, like the RV if you have the bucks and the urge then you don't need to rationalize. Just get what you want. As for the knocks on Epson's larger models, I don't have direct experience but do suggest you check with a master printer like Jon Cone who gets extraordinary service out of his.

Robert



Feb 11, 2014 at 12:47 PM
Shutterbug2006
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · 24" Printer or 44" Printer?


I've owned several Epson printers since 1990. Every one of them ended up having a problem, and with every one of them, the problem was with the print head and not worth repairing.


Feb 11, 2014 at 02:11 PM
uintaangler
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · 24" Printer or 44" Printer?


Shutterbug2006 wrote:
I've owned several Epson printers since 1990. Every one of them ended up having a problem, and with every one of them, the problem was with the print head and not worth repairing.


I have heard this enough times to believe that where there's smoke there's fire
OntheRez, I too have a 3880 and it has been a dream to print with, but apparently when it comes to the larger printers, the Epsons have the most horror stories

Right now for me it is between a Canon IPF6400 or an HP Z3200

Bob



Feb 11, 2014 at 02:33 PM
Alan321
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · 24" Printer or 44" Printer?


Bob, the big Canon printers have a feature that vibrates the ink tanks occasionally while in standby mode to help prevent clogs. How often it does this varies with the humidity and temperature, which it monitors somehow. I'll probably know in 2 or 3 months whether or not my iPF6100 handled a two-year break. Fingers crossed.

My prints are for my own pleasure and are attached to a wall unframed. 24" x 36" looks impressive even with an 8Mpx image but I'mkeen to see what a 36Mpx image looks like. Worst case - I'll want a bigger printer. Reality - I cannot afford the multiple limbs needed to buy one in Australia. Also, my walls are only so big and there is no need for bigger prints until I inherit a bigger house from a rich uncle I do not know about.

If you lived in a smallish and remote town then you might be able to retrieve some costs by printing for others - especially if there are tourists visiting the area. Individual prints would be cheap enough to print for this to be profitable but allowing for the customers with poorly profiled monitors and cameras will eat into your margins and your spare time. Not something I would want to get into.

So 24" wins. Usually big enough and more affordable than 44".

That was so much easier than when I was looking to buy one for myself




Feb 18, 2014 at 09:05 AM
tweggers
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · 24" Printer or 44" Printer?


I will say I had the same luck with the Epson 7880. We sold it for parts.
Steve Perry wrote:
Hi Bob -

I have a 24" canon IPF 6400 printer and like it a lot. Most of the time it handles my needs, but there are occasions I had a 44" printer. Really depends on what your clients are asking for IMO. I think ideally is to find a good lab (I'm still working on it ) that can handle the larger jobs, and keep the smaller stuff in house. However, I sure wouldn't mind a larger printer some days (although the logistics of shipping a framed 24x36 are dicey enough most of the time)

That said, the
...Show more



Feb 18, 2014 at 11:41 AM
tweggers
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · 24" Printer or 44" Printer?


We use a Canon ip8300 and it functions great in all ways. Very user friendly. That being said if you watch you'll find deep rebates from time to time that make the 44" printer a good value.


Feb 18, 2014 at 11:55 AM
John Caldwell
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · 24" Printer or 44" Printer?


I bought a 24" Z3200 when it was first introduced, and soon regretted not buying the 44" model. The additional size of the 44" unit had me scared but, in retrospect, was a silly concern (for me). I did wind up with the Epson 9900 as our first 44" machine, and it complements the Epson 4900 was also own.

If you're not committed to Epson, for some reason, the Canon units do make great sense for the reasons mentioned. As for the Epson 900 series, and head clogs, you'll note that many people have been affected. Our solution has been to use the American InkJet Systems fluid to maintain the Epson heads, and in our hands, it's been working pretty well. If you do buy an Epson 9900, consider buying the warranty extension.

John Caldwell



Feb 18, 2014 at 03:27 PM
chez
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p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · 24" Printer or 44" Printer?


Alan321 wrote:
Bob, the big Canon printers have a feature that vibrates the ink tanks occasionally while in standby mode to help prevent clogs. How often it does this varies with the humidity and temperature, which it monitors somehow. I'll probably know in 2 or 3 months whether or not my iPF6100 handled a two-year break. Fingers crossed.

My prints are for my own pleasure and are attached to a wall unframed. 24" x 36" looks impressive even with an 8Mpx image but I'mkeen to see what a 36Mpx image looks like. Worst case - I'll want a bigger printer. Reality - I
...Show more

I'd say 24" is adequate for traditional prints on matte or glossy papers, but if you want to get into printing canvas, it is too limiting. I have both a 24" and 44", the 24 is for prints on papers and the 44" is for prints onto canvas. If you don't have interest in canvas, 24" are just fine.



Feb 18, 2014 at 04:28 PM





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