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First printer, any advice?
Hi, Just starting to add printing to my business, and looking at a few models – it seems Roland is very popular and has good reputation (and excellent print quality for the money).
Some Job requireements at the moment:
POS posters 2/3/r color
Large Prints / Posters for Photographers
Maybe some fine art reproduction
Motorsports vehicle wraps/livery
small type vinyl cutting (Acrylic Pos displays)
Pounc patterns for variety of things
Pen Plots (or prints)
Paper cut letters for templates for hot-wire foam cuttingConsidering the Versacamm 30" (and possibly the 54" if I can make space!)
and also considering the Soljet ProII which seems to be more aimed at the fine art reproduction. Cool market if you want to move to Cornwall (and I do) or other artists colony type areas…
but the big question is …. IS there really that big a differenc in the print quality between versacamm and soljet proII ? (as there is between the price of a 30" versacamm and the 54" soljet.
I was well impressed at the Demo, with the quality at 720 dpi but I had only ever used a Gerber edge before for signs (not so impressive on the photo quality print)
Any experience is helpful, I have read many comments in this forum, but though good to get a straight answer.
cheers
Dan -
5 Replies
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For your pounce , pen plots and what not, a cheap 1200 wide cutter is all that is required.
Full colour printing, I have the sc540 converted to techink full solvent.
Print quality is superb using eco inks or Solvent. The difference is the fumes. Eco inks have none, whereas solvent has plenty and requires good ventilation.
The eco max has good reports, but the full solvent has less need for laminating in some situations.
Hope that helps
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Thanks shane,
I think solvent is out of the question at the moment, I am working from a garage attacheched to an office (with my other businessa and a couple staff), and although good ventilation is possible, it is a residential environment with two neighbors that might get a bit fussy if there is even a hint of fumes.
I dont’ want to really compete with the long term outdoor stuff at the moment, but am concerned about the fine art and large print / poster size photos. how much a difference do the 6 colour have on the bright and highly saturated colors of an oil painter, or other fine artist?
I don’t think typical photos will make much difference, but I know some acrylics and artists colours are very very bright and colourful. they won’t want to lose that effect if at all possible.
do you think the sp300v will do the trick? or am i really going to have to splurge for a sc545ex to win the artists and photographers business.
oh yeah
quote :For your pounce , pen plots and what not, a cheap 1200 wide cutter is all that is required.Do you mean that the Roland will not take pounce tools? I’ve limited space and a single cut/print tool has got the be the way forward until we grow into a bigger unit.
cheers.
dan
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quote :also considering the Soljet ProII which seems to be more aimed at the fine art reproduction. Cool market if you want to move to Cornwall (and I do)ive got one and work in cornwall and none of the artists i have met have got any money being a keen photographer my self i can see the difference between the machines but the 4 colour machines are very very good for every thing except the real fussy ones and still the best bit of kit for the artists is the bigger epson pigmented printers.
your list of requirements i think require several different machines.chris
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quote Chris Wool:quote :also considering the Soljet ProII which seems to be more aimed at the fine art reproduction. Cool market if you want to move to Cornwall (and I do)
ive got one and work in cornwall and none of the artists i have met have got any money being a keen photographer my self i can see the difference between the machines but the 4 colour machines are very very good for every thing except the real fussy ones and still the best bit of kit for the artists is the bigger epson pigmented printers.
your list of requirements i think require several different machines.chris
I think Chris is right. I don’t think one will do everything you want.
Something like the HP5500 is top rate when it comes to doing fine art stuff. We have a company here that specialises in that sort of thing, and they have several HP5500 running full time doing reproductions alone.
As far as 4 colour Vs 6 colour. I had a 4 colour HP3500 that I was happy with until I compared it to my 6 colour 540ex. The 6 colours come into there own when you are talking pastal shades or skin tones I think.
If you want very very vibrant colours, pigment inks are probably the answer.
My 540ex does not run a pounce tool as best I know. I’ve never asked either to be honest, but I’ve never seen a tool to do it either.
cheers
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Thanks guys, I’ll give the pounce tool a try once we get going.
the rest looks like it will do just about all that we want, maybe not specialising in one particular thing, but a good all rounder.
THANKS everyone for all you help,
hope to talk more with some of you.
cheers.
dan
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