Large Printers - Kinkos UGH! - help!

[Debby1]

Hi all,
Whats the solution for mass production of large prints at
a discount? ( quantities of 5 minimum up to maybe 50 ).

I went into kinkos with a file ( 36 meg? ). And they hook
you up to their best printer. ok.

Well, your excited at first cause its big, fresh, and in color.
Then when you sober up, you realize it looks like something
you'd get from a third world country. Strange interpretation
of colors, resolution way down, highlights flattened,
and a cheap feel about it. Result: nothing similar to
standard 4 color poster printing.

Oh, the price was about a buck fifty for 11 x 17. Not too bad.

Everything else was a big disaapointment.

Deb.

[Polarpics]

Epson 2200. A little slower but archival and rivals the best that commercial photo stores can put out. You do control the final product.

[Debby1]

Originally posted by Polarpics
Epson 2200. A little slower but archival and rivals the best that commercial photo stores can put out. You do control the final product.

wow, really?

Will it give a 4 color printing look? Like a "real" poster?

what sizes?

what cost?

anybody know.

thanks

Deb

[Polarpics]

13" X44", 7 inks (actually 8 because you change the black to match the medium - gloss/matte) approx $700.00 USA

[steve bingham]

How big is "poster"? My Epson 7600 dye prints out 24" x 36" for less than $5 a print. With stunning photo quality that will usually surpass the very best custom lab job. The D-max is 3.08 on certain papers!!!!!!!!!!!

We need to know how big.
We need to know how how large a color gamut/D-max you need. (look like Cibachromes (dye) or like matt prints (Ultachromes)
Archival? 25 years? 100 years?

Epson 1280 (dye) 13 x 44 $500
Epson 2200 (Ultachrome inks) 13 x 44 $700
Epson 7600 (Ultachrome or dye) 24" x 150 feet $3,000
Epson 9600 (Ultachrome or dye) 44" x 150 feet $I forgot, maybe $9,000

[Debby1]

Originally posted by steve bingham
How big is "poster"? My Epson 7600 dye prints out 24" x 36" for less than $5 a print. With stunning photo quality
We need to know how big.We need to know how how large a color gamut/D-max you need. (look like Cibachromes (dye) or like matt prints (Ultachromes)
Archival? 25 years? 100 years?

Epson 1280 (dye) 13 x 44 $500
Epson 2200 (Ultachrome inks) 13 x 44 $700
Epson 7600 (Ultachrome or dye) 24" x 150 feet $3,000
Epson 9600 (Ultachrome or dye) 44" x 150 feet $I forgot, maybe $9,000

HI.

How big? Well I would LOVE the 24 x 36 size. thats real
poster. But dang, thats out of my budget.
The Kinkos 11x 17 are too small for poster.

I guess the only thing left if the 13 x (19?) size. I saw great
reviews of the epson 2200 , its about 700 bucks.

Of course I would like a bigger size, but how?

aRCHIVAL? I dont know much about that issue. I want
to hand them to people, their impressed, and they can hang
em on their walls for a couple years without the ink going weird,
etc. Dang, it should look like good 4 color work.

Deb

PS when we used ot make posters on 4 color. You get em
down to about a buck a piece. they look excellent. but you
have to order like 3000 minimum. Thats really way to many
of one look for me.

[Debby1]

Any opinions about the epson 3000?


does 17 x22 I think

[steve bingham]

Bebbie, for your use I would suggest the Epson 1280. Here's why. Although Colorlife paper only is archival to 25 years it has some huge pluses. First and foremost is a D-max potential of 3.08. Most printers, including the 2200, will only give a D-max of 2 - doing everything right. What does this mean? Extremely photo realistic prints, deep blacks, and unblown highlights. THE choice for anyone wishing to go 13 x 19 (borderless) or even 13 x 44. The prints have the potential to surpass anything you can get from a custom lab or 4 color press. The advantage to the 2200 is the archival properties of 75 to 100 years. Fine art photographers LOVE this quality and that's why it is so popular. In actuality, the 1280 would be a better choice for 98% of the photographers out there.

Cost: Around $500

[Debby1]

Originally posted by steve bingham
for your use I would suggest the Epson 1280.
Cost: Around $500

thanks a bunch. Yes, I just did a search and found some
great reviews. But If Im going to invest in a printer -
I would REALLY like poster size - not limited to 13x.
More like 24 x 36?

Is there any printer " in this class" that prints larger sizes,
too?

thanks so much

Debbie

[Debby1]

[i]
Cost: Around $500 [/B]

another question about ALL these printers. Is what will the
cost of the DANG inks be?

This to me is a huge stumbling block.

I know some printers can use afermarket inks, larger anks and a wider variety of papers. ( and apparently some cant )

So picking one with these features is VERY important to
me as well.

Deb

[steve bingham]

Yes, as I explained earlier. The Epson 7600 comes in dye or Ultachrome. `Dye inks would be similiar to the 1280 except the 7600 uses two blacks for a total of 7 inks. It weighs 95 pounds. Mine is on wheels (TV table). It is 42" wide, total. Cost is $3,000. Prints are as good as prints can get - at any cost. You need to be serious for this one.

[steve bingham]

Prints are cheaper than you can have them done - by a mile! The 7600 uses dye ink in 110ml or 220ml size, which is about 5 times cheaper than the smaller 1280 size. Paper is cheaper because it comes in rolls. It cost me less than $5 to make a 2' x 3' poster, edge to edge. This is about what it costs to make a 12 x 18 on my 1280. Actually, the square foot cost on the 7600 is at least five times cheaper than the 1280.

The problem with the 7600 is it is for professionals that make a lot of prints. WHEN you need big paper or large ink replacement it costs $$. The 7 inks can be replaced individually. Might I STRONGLY suggest a visit to the Epson site for additional information. There are many reviews out there on the 1280, 2200, and 7600.

[steve bingham]

Using after market inks is an invitation to disaster. After market papers aren't a problem. I use Ilford Smooth Pearl and love it.

[Debby1]

"" The problem with the 7600 is it is for professionals that make a lot of prints. WHEN you need big paper or large ink replacement it costs $$. The 7 inks can be replaced individually. Might I STRONGLY suggest a visit to the Epson site for additional information. There are many reviews out there on the 1280, 2200, and 7600. ""


Thanks again for all the great advice! You sure know your stuff.
As I started, to read you know posts, I thought well, okay,
the 1280 is probably good for me.

{ Even if I found a good Kinkos, or similar, it seems having
the printer at home is MUCH more motivation to use my
camera - and make good prints. and make USE of those prints.
anyone agree on this? )

However, I know the ink drag, and Im amazed the 7600 is
so much cheaper to operate. Or conversely, the 1280 is so
EXPENSIVE to operate. 5 bucks for a 13 x 19 print ! ?

( god forbid you waste a couple! )

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS - someone posted that epson is
discountinuing the 1280. I know its good, so know would
be the time to buy.

Apparently the epson 3000 did 17 x 22 , and was only about
700. But Ive read BAD reports on this printer. apparently it
was a lemon - or used the really old, inferior ink types.

GOSH - I guess Im hoping for a NEW epson, Under 700
bucks that would replace the 3000 size, and use the
cheaper inks? ( and cheaper roll paper )

I looked at reviews of the CANON s9000 ( a counterpart to
the epson 1280 or 2200 ). But the reviews are very mixed.
apparently the quality is FAR more iffy and below the epson.

dont know what to do now.

Deb

[Debby1]

Originally posted by steve bingham
Prints are cheaper than you can have them done - by a mile! .

well, as far as cost. for me, Im comparing to what the
cheapest 4 color pro printing was for posters. NOT - what
custom single prints cost.

I can get 24 x 36 , 4 color posters, close to a buck a piece.
Of course thats in large quantity.

But, It seems to me, a home do it yourselfer, SHOULD be
able to get the costs way down and similar. I think ALL those
companies RIP you off with the INKS and papers.
The problem is EPSON, has no real competition!

Why oh Why, cant some one figure out a way to get the
costs down on a 24 x 36,?

Deb

[ab7fh]

The Epson 2200 is great until you have to replace the light magenta ink cartridge. YOU CAN"T FIND THEM!!! I called Epson and they would only sell me 1 at a time and they said they won't start to hit the store shelves until the end of March at the earliest:mad: So I have a $700 printer sitting here which can't be used.

[jeffinkansas]

light magenta is out there, what is wierd is that epson is the last ones to get them.