From: Volkhart Baumgaertner <kyu@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
...the two main considerations would be print quality
and cost (printer, paper, ink/colors).
You may also be concerned with print longevity. Most "stock"
ink/paper combinations don't last very long -- as little as a few
months in sunlight, but no more than a few years if displayed, and
apparently not a lot longer even if kept in the dark.
Third-party ink/paper combinations are available that do better, but
(I'm sure someone will correct me if wrong) I've only seen them for
Epson printers. I don't know if this is because Epson is simply the
largest market for these materials, of perhaps if Epson stock media
is particularly prone to degradation.
All stock inks for consumer-grade printers use organic dye, which
fades. Third-party inks, and those in some expensive wide-format
printers use inorganic pigment ink, which is much more resistant to
fading.
More than you ever wanted to know on this topic is available at:
<http://www.wilhelm-research.com>
... I would appreciate any info on what printers
I should consider.
Depending on your budget, consider the Epson four-digit printer
(3000, 5000, 9000). These are well-supported in the third-party ink
market. These run from well under $1,000 to over $14,000, depending
on options.
Or if you want to make a business of it, consider the Roland
wide-format printers, since archival inks and papers are directly
supported by Roland, complete with dozens of ICC color profiles for
recommended combinations of inks, substrates, and dot density. Roland
also has one of the widest color gamuts with its Pantone Hexachrome
certified six-color ink sets.
Finally, if money is no object, look at Scitex Iris printers, but
even if you pick up a bargain used one, be aware that you can buy an
Epson 3000 every month for the cost of the Iris maintenance agreement!
: Jan Steinman <mailto:Jan@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
: Bytesmiths <http://www.bytesmiths.com>
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