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Competitive Alternatives
Let’s now take a look at the key competitors in the large-format printing marketplace.
HP DESIGNJET Z6100 PRINTER SERIES
Pros: This production printer offers high-speed throughput, long unattended print runs, and durable pigment inks. The
embedded spectrophotometer enables users to recalibrate the printer and assists operators in creating their own media
profiles. To support color and job management functions, the DJZ6100 comes with more software and workflow options
than its predecessors.
Cons: Though HP boasts that the printer is capable of speeds up to 1,143 ft.
2
/hr., those claims are limited to printing
on plain paper and may require a reduction in output quality–making the DJZ6100 printer’s high-speed mode potentially
impractical in a print-for-pay environment. Because aqueous printers function as the high-quality print engines in most
pr
oduction environments, a printer’s performance when producing high-quality graphics on coated stock and glossy
paper is perhaps more relevant. When printing in best mode on glossy paper, the
DJZ6100 slows down to 98 ft.
2
/hr.
At 105 ft.
2
/hr. for 2400 x 1200 dpi output, the iPF9000S printer will produce high-quality images faster on coated media
and glossy paper. Media handling on the DJZ6100 is limited to roll feed only and it doesn’t have borderless printing.
Without a cut-sheet media feeder, productivity is compromised by limiting the operator’s versatility and media options.
HP has no sub-ink tank system or Economy Color Print Mode.
Canon also takes a different approach to calibration. Whereas the Canon solution is an easy-to-use process that takes
only
10-20 minutes to automatically apply adjustments across all the printer’s media types, HP’s process is more complex
and laborious, requiring repetition for each media type, 20 minutes each.
Other factors such as power consumption that’s 84% higher than the imagePROGRAF S-Series printers, print-heads
with fewer nozzles (16,896 in the DJZ6100 vs. 30,720 in the Canon printers), and a much smaller hard drive mean that the
DJZ6100 printer’s overall productivity may be lower and operating costs may be higher than the imagePROGRAF S-Series
printers. Starting at $9,995 for the 42” version and $15,995 for the 60” version ($12,495 and $18,500 for the PostScript
®
versions), HP’s DJZ6100 Series are also more expensive to purchase than the iPF9000S printer and iPF8000S printer,
making the Canon solution a more affordable option.
HP DESIGNJET Z2100 44" PHOTOPRINTER
Pros: Available only in 24” and 44” versions, the 8-color Z2100 is positioned by HP as a high-quality printer for all types
of large-for
mat applications, with a par
ticular focus on photography
. Customers interested in archival printing may be
attracted by HP’s claims that prints will last up to 200 years without fading and are water-resistant on certain types of
media. A built-in spectr
ophotometer can be used by operators to calibrate the printer and create their own
ICC pr
ofiles.
Along with the printer, the
$5,595 price includes an HP ProPrint Plug-in for Photoshop, the Printer Driver, and HP Color
Center software for color management functions. HP does not offer a PostScript version of this printer model.
Cons: While some attractive features are included with the Z2100, HP has unfortunately left several important customer
requirements unaddressed. While the Z2100 can achieve an optimized resolution of 2400 x 1200 dpi, the normal mode
for this printer is just 600 x 600 dpi. Another important factor that affects the printer’s performance is the number of
nozzles available to eject ink onto the media. W
ith only 8,443 nozzles spr
ead acr
oss all eight ink colors, the
Z2100 has
far fewer nozzles than the Canon printers, which have 30,720. More nozzles help make the Canon print-heads more
reliable and enables high-quality output, even in high-speed print modes.