A3 printer buying advice

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Hi,
Thinking of getting the Mrs an A3 printer for chrimbo. She has recently finished a creative imaging degree and is planning on producing some images to hopefully print and sell, perhaps on eBay.

I have seen a few A3 printers about and was wondering if any were worth it, I can't afford the hiogher end models, so was wondering if anyone has any experience of the entry level models.

I've been looking at:
Canon iX6550
Epsom B1100
and possibly even the Epsom Stylus Photo 1400

Any comments or recommendations of other models welcome.

Thanks
 
My contribution would be; don't do it!

Home printers, especially the lower-end are horrible devices and you'll spend most of your time and money flushing heads, cleaning and trying to maintain the thing.

I have a printer for office functions, and send all print work off to a reputable professional printers. Works out considerably cheaper and they take care of colour reproduction etc.
 
I use a Canon iX7000 in the office.

We have had it for about a year and it is a great printer.

I can't agree with kea2's opinion about always flushing and maintaining, we use it regulary and never a problem, turn it on and prints what you ask.

Can be expensive on high saturation colour prints, but is worth it, it gives a really good reproduction of what you are trying to print.

I know the iX7000 is twice the price of the Canon iX6550, but they won't vary a great deal in quality i would suppose?

I love Canon printers, great value to buy and running costs are generally acceptable.

Hope this helps.
 
I can't agree with kea2's opinion about always flushing and maintaining, we use it regulary and never a problem, turn it on and prints what you ask.

This is a really good point and I should have clarified, if you use them regularly, they're not bad and don't have as many issues, but occasional use, and you'll just end up cleaning it all the time as the heads dry out etc etc. :cool:

I still maintain for home or occasional use, you shouldn't bother. :D
 
agree, unless its something thats going to be used heavily it might cost in the long run. If your Mrs. is gonig to print when she gets an order, it might be worth her using a quality controlled printing service. All she would need to do is build it into her cost and give an adequate shipping time. I only have an A4 printer i mainly use it for CD printing for clients DVD's. the Odd print if its a rush job. Its an all in one so digitizing contracts etc is a breeze.

I have known people to buy large format printers and once the novelty wears off after a few prints and the real price is shown after a few ink tank replacements they have shifted it, the price for prints is worth it for the odd print.
 
Not sure how it compares in price and quality but I have a Canon Pro 9000 - now in version 2.

Have found it to be a superb printer for both A3 and A4. As said probably not the cheapest way to get large prints but the cartridges aren't too badly priced and as they are all individual colours of course you just buy the one you need.

I tend to use it in bursts depending on how often I go out but have never found it blocks through lack of use.
Still a great feeling to see a nice A3 roll out!

There is also a continuos(sp?) ink system available for it.
I use Marrutt paper with it and the results are very good and pretty close to screen which is calibrated.
 
As above, I'm quite happily using a 9000 MkII with a refillable cartridge system. That way, you get to choose your own ink rather than just being lumbered with whatever ink is in your random cheap compatible cartridge.

Personally, I use this kit married to this ink (which seems universally highly regarded, and support is excellent), though the next time I order some ink, I'll also get these, as they should be less messy than using the syringes - on that note, in order to avoid multi-coloured fingers for a few days, I'd make sure you also get some vinyl gloves or something!
 
Or whilst you are waiting for the business to establish itself consider using a company like DSCL - possibly cheaper than doing it yourself when you consider ink, paper, test prints etc.
 
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