Printer Recommendations for printing small to large Photographs for Customers

[CSPrint]

We currently sell other framed designs to customers and want to be able to start offering a photo printing service to our online customers, any sizes from like 2x3" photos up to about 32x46". I am thinking about either the Canon Imageprograf 4600 or maybe getting an Epson Ecosolvent printer. I want high resolution photo quality output. I currently have some flatbed uv printers and two HP latex large format printers, but the resolution and quality is not good enough on those. Any advise for printers to look at?

Thanks!

 

[MelloImagingTechnologies]

Epson S80 -1440dpi

 

[Ahmed Samy Nagada]

It's better to get 2 separate printers, one for small prints like 2" x 3" and the other for large ones, as no large format printer will give you the quality needed for 2x3 like small desktop ones.

 

[Humble PM]

It's better to get 2 separate printers, one for small prints like 2" x 3" and the other for large ones, as no large format printer will give you the quality needed for 2x3 like small desktop ones.

We ended up getting a little Epson Surelab DL800 for this - 4, 5,6,8" rolls, print and cut (though only across the roll). 6x200ml carts. About £3.5k with the rip. Build quality is excellent, and runs on 65m rolls.

 

[Roland Certified Tech]

Canon will work better and last longer than the Epson. We are a dealer for both in consumer and wide format. Go with Canon.

 

[CSPrint]

Canon will work better and last longer than the Epson. We are a dealer for both in consumer and wide format. Go with Canon.

Wil the canon imageprograf 6600 give me photo quality for smaller sizes as well. I know the larger sizes it is really good. But the smaller the print the closer the customer will look at it. 4x6" will probably be the smallest.

 

[Humble PM]

6x4" is fine. Smallest roll it'll take is likely 10", so make sure you like trimming...
One of our sides is film processing, so dev, scan and print. When the surelab was down for a few days for a new print head (£300), all the lovely 6x4 glossies were coming out of a 44" Canon, on 24" rolls, to meet a scalpel and a rotatrim.

 

[Roland Certified Tech]

Yes it sure should. Do keep in mind that this is a 60 inch printer. I do agree with other people on the post about having a small printer for say up to 8 x 10 or 11 x 14 and this large printer for poster size.

Uses roll sizes from 6” - 60”

They also make this in a 44” PRO-4600

 

[Humble PM]

The 6600 is really small for a 60" printer - only a few inches wider than our old 8400 44". For the £2.5k difference between a 4600 with take up reel, the 6600 is likely the next machine in our print space (and leaves just enough room for an 80600...).
I've been printing photography and fine art work for the last 15 years on Canon machines - never had a problem with detail. Colour is excellent and dead neutral B&W, shades of grey on pretty much all media (with a moderate level of colour management / voodoo). This includes SAV and banners (with laminates), though I suspect you've already got that side of things covered.
Most of the modern rips will support it, though you might need the latest version - I'm sure RCT can confirm details.