Wide Format Inkjet.

[Todd]

Hi all, I know most of you have a wide format inkjet printer here, but I wanted to share my experience.  I have had an epson 9600 that I have used and maintained very well for many years.  It had recently started become unreliable, Like most Epsons, occasional clogging is just a part of life.  A nozzle check and a head cleaning usually clear it up.  So I decided it was time to move on.  Apparently the newest generation of epsons are plagued with head failures.  Many people do not experiences this, but it seems like a larger then normal percentage of people do.  So, I ruled a new Epson out.  I ended up purchasing a refurbished HP Z6100 from a local tech.  Here in the States, these machines are typically acquired by large printing companies via lease, and maintained as part of the contract, and the end of the lease they are auctioned off.  New they sold of USD $8000, putting them out of the price range of most photographers and photo labs.  Refurbished they sell for much less.

 

They are work horses.  The color is good, the ink is cheap, and this thing just goes and goes.  And it prints fast.  No matt black change over. Due to the multiple (user replaceable) print heads, nozzle failures do not even show up in the prints.  When they start to, you just replace the head for $150.  FLAAR has been extolling the quality and value of SAM ink now for several years, I have some coming to try out. 

 

I guess my point is, if you decide to get a new wide format printer, I highly recommend you check out an HP.

[Todd]

Sorry about the double post.  I am not sure how that happened.

[theberah]

Thanks for the info Todd

[jorm]

Hi all

 

I had HP Z3100 but it gave up after heavy use, so i bought Canon IPF8300 and wow i should have done that earlier, ink cost is not the half of the HP and everything from loading the paper to driver settings are much better in the Canon.

 

That is my experince

 

Jens

[nash]

I`ve had two Canon IPF6300 this year died on me this year both with a fried motherboard and inkhead replacement. 

 

Luckily the second printer still has six months warranty left.

 

So Epsons with blocked head problems and Canon with Motherboard problems.

 

Which other printer would we go for?  HP

[Todd]

A little follow up. 

I have been using SAM ink in the z6100.  I read a few FLAAR reports and decided to try it out. The color and durability is excellent.  The ink is very inexpensive.  Full price is $150 for 700mm!  You can probably get it cheaper if you order direct from Singapore, but I would rather purchase from a US reseller.  They have sells from time to time, but full price is still a great value.

 

I would say the only weakness this printer has had is that it did not come with a USB port, only a network connection.  The problem is that when my network goes down, or either the computer or the printer gets turned off, getting it all to reconnect is a real nightmare.  Eventually it works, but there is no rhyme or reason to it.  I started doing some checking around web, and I learned that HP does have a USB card (HP Q5680A) but putting my hands on one was challenge since none of the local service guys new anything about it.  I finally found an independent tech who routinely orders parts from overseas and was able to source one from Asia.  It cost $175 and was here in a week. They guys name is Tom Bush and his business is designjetpartsfast.com

After doing quite a bit of inkjet and lab repair over the last few years, installing it took about 2 min.  Consulting the service manual was not required.