Epson Stylus Pro 4900

10 Pages / 1.32MB

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Posted: December 2010

Like the 79/9900, the 4900 represents a major departure from the earlier models, resulting in improvements to virtually all aspects of the printer. In many ways, the new 4900 was a very predictable upgrade, since it inherits most of the core upgrades found in 7900 and 9900. While the changes may have been expected, they represent major improvements and offer a compelling upgrade to the existing 4880. The printer is almost unrecognizable as a progression of the 4880 and instead stands as the newest member of the x900 series, all of which now share the 11 ink UltraChrome HDR ink set, improved TFP print head, automatic black ink switching and incorporate a high speed rotary cutter and automatic paper feed system.

Epson Stylus Pro 7900/9900

10 Pages / 1.87MB

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Posted: November 2008

In May 2008 Epson announced two new professional inkjet printers, the Stylus Pro 7900 (24”)and Stylus Pro 9900 (44”). Far from a simple update to the existing 7880 and 9880, these printers form a separate product line, with Epson continuing to produce the x880 series. The new models build upon the existing X880 series while introducing some fairly innovative functionality. Many of the changes are focused on improving speed and reducing operating costs. At the same time Epson has expanded the color gamut with the new Ultrachrome HDR ink set featuring an orange and green ink. One very welcome change is that the new printers have been designed to allow both the Photo and Matte blacks to be loaded in the printer at all times, and switching between blacks is now a simple and quick process. The paper feed system has also been totally redesigned, including the cutter. Additionally Epson is also offering an optional spectrophotometer as an accessory for the printer. Overall Epson has made some bold moves in the design of this printer without compromising those elements that have made their professional printers so successful in so many markets. 

HP Designjet z3200

12 Pages / 1.77MB

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Posted: October 2008

In this article I will be examining the HP Z3200, HP’s latest Large format printer. The Z3200 is essentially an update of the Z3100 released in late 2006. Externally the printer appears virtually identical to it’s predecessor, yet internally the printer has been revised and upgraded. Perhaps the most obvious change Z3200 is the reformulated “Chromatic Red Type 73” cartridge which replaces the standard “Red Type 70” of the Z3100. The Z3200 also benefits from numerous tweaks to the drivers, hardware, and printer firmware that contribute to creating a noticeable better product. Due to the many shared similarities between the Z3100 and Z3200 many portions of this review are borrowed directly from my original review of the Z3100, all sections have been updated, the screen shots are new, and the conclusions has been rewritten to reflect the most recent offerings from the competition.