DIMA Digital Printer Shoot Out Results!
By
Kim Brady, The Imaging Resource
(Tuesday, February 13, 2001 - 17:01 EST)
Every year, dozens of printer manufacturers pit their wares against the competition, in a two-day, one-on-one Shoot Out sponsored by the Photo Marketing Association and DIMA, its digital imaging group. You'll see some familiar names among the winners, with a pretty fair representation across the board.
DIMA hosted its annual Printer Shoot-Out at the PMA 2001 Convention and Trade Show in Orlando this week. Winners were chosen from among 28 participating companies who were given the same digital files made by Quality Chrome Imaging Center, Charlotte, NC. Each company was asked to provide their printer specification information, such as printer type, RIP, and color management, as well as the output media and ink/toner/dyes used. Trade show attendees voted on 108 resulting prints displayed on the trade show floor, making their decisions based on print quality, production parameters, and price. The 2001 winners are as follows (by category):
PHOTO PRINT:
- Small Format (less than 11 inches)
Printer: Fuji Pictrography 3500, Fuji Photo Film U.S.A. Inc.
Paper: Fuji, Fuji Photo Film U.S.A. Inc.
- Wide Format (11-35 inches)
Printer: Durst Epsilon 30
- Wide Format (36-49 inches)
Printer: Durst Lambda 130, Durst Dice America
Paper: Kodak Color Metallic, Eastman Kodak Company
- Wide Format (50+ inches)
Printer: Light Jet 430, Gretag Professional Imaging
Paper: Fuji Type CD, Fuji Photo Film, U.S.A. Inc.
INKJET:
- Small Format (less than 11 inches, $199 or less)
Printer: Epson, Epson America Inc.
Paper: Tetenal Portrait Paper 240g, Tetenal Vertriebsgesellschaft mbH
- Small Format (less than 11 inches, $200-$300)
Printer: Epson Stylus Photo 890, Epson America
Paper: Epson Premium Glossy, Epson America
RIP: Epson AcuPhoto Halftoning, Epson America
- Small Format (less than 11 inches, $400 or more)
Printer: ColorSpan Giclee PrintMaker FA, MacDermid ColorSpan Corp.
Paper: Xtremegamut 9 mil Gloss, Advanced Media Corp.
RIP: ColorSpan RipStation 700, MacDermid ColorSpan Corp.
- Medium Format (12-35 inches)
Printer: ColorSpan Giclee PrintMaker FA, MacDermid ColorSpan Corp.
Paper: Xtremegamut 9 mil Gloss, Advanced Media Corp.
RIP: ColorSpan RipStation 700, MacDErmid ColorSpan Corp.
- Wide Format (36-49 inches)
Printer: ColorSpan Giclee PrintMaker FA, MacDermid ColorSlpan Corp.
Paper: Xtremegamut 9 mil Gloss, Advanced Media Corp.
RIP: ColorSpan RipStation 700, MacDermid ColorSpan Corp.
- Wide Format (50-72 inches)
Printer: Ilford Novajet 850i, Ilford Imaging U.S.A., Inc.
Paper: Ilford IJPI-GP7, Ilford Imaging U.S.A, Inc.
RIP: Ilford Pipstar, Ilford Imaging U.S.A., Inc.
- Grand Format (more than 72 inches)
Printer: Vutek 2360SC, Ilford Imaging U.S.A., Inc.
Paper: 3M Commercial Graphics
RIP: 3M Scotchprint Graphic Maker V. 5.0
DYE SUBLIMATION
- Small Format (less than 11 inches)
Printer: Kodak 8670 Dye Sub, Eastman Kodak Company
Paper: Kodak Extratherm, Eastman Kodak Company
CREATIVE APPLICATION
- Printer: Accuplot 3800, Mile High Engineering Supply
Paper: Accuplot EPQ, Mile High Engineering Supply
Paper: PostScript Plus for Accuplot, Mile High Engineering Supply
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