Even in this day and age where we enjoy doing most of our image viewing online, there’s still an undeniable need for prints. Sometimes, we want a physical copy of our images — be it family photos, wedding pictures, or artistic shots that we’ve taken with our high-resolution cameras. And if we’re going to have it framed on a wall or set up as a gallery display, we need to have a good wide-format photo printer to generate high-quality prints.
Having a wide-format printer allows you to do it all on your own. Unlike the typical printer that you see at home or in most offices, a wide-format printer is generally accepted to be any machine that can support print rolls as wide as 18 to 100 inches. This means you can print blown up photos, signages, and even murals — and save on printing costs in the long run. It could even be a good idea to start a printing business if you have access to the market for it.
So if you wish to do your own large-format printing, below are the important factors that you need to consider before buying a wide-format printer.
Factors to Consider When Choosing Wide Format Printers
Printing Priorities
Before anything, assess your printing priorities. Is this going to be your first time using a large format printer or are you already a pro when it comes to handling them? Your current process and experience will definitely play a role in your future printing goals, so find out which of the following applies to you or your business:
- Buying for the first time: If you’ve decided to do the printing yourself, start a new business, or branch into a different market, you’ll need to start investing in a wide-format printer that’s both efficient and easy to use.
- Upgrading : You may find your current printer to be lacking a few modern technologies that could really help improve your production and output quality. In this case, you’ll definitely have to look for a newer or higher model.
- Adding to production: You may need an additional printer to produce a larger quantity of prints at the same time or to be able to produce a different type of material. The latter would require you to consider the next factor below.
Printing Requirements
Given that this type of printer can produce prints of many different sizes, it can be suitable for a wide range of applications. However, wide-format printer models often have very specific capabilities, so you’ll need to determine what you’re going to be using its output for. Common wide-format printing categories include:
- Photography
- Fine art
- Vinyl banners
- Indoor signage
- Vehicle stickers
- Textiles
- Murals and other wall coverings
It would help to talk to your printer provider to help you figure out your unique printing requirements.
Print Material
Determining the exact type of materials you’ll need to print will help you narrow down your choices. It will dictate the best type of ink for your printing needs and, in turn, tell you which printer options are available.
You’ll learn that wide-format printers can print on multiple other surfaces aside from paper and tarpaulins, like plastics, metals, wood, acrylic, and fabrics. And if you’re adding to your current printer setup, you should also check if your current printers’ type of ink will be compatible with your new machine.
At the same time, it’s also important that you determine the size requirements since wide-format printers have different size limitations.
Print Speed
Another essential factor to consider is print speed. This is particularly important for those who need to keep up with a significant workload. Some printers boast of faster print speeds compared to others but are often more expensive, but you’ll want to stretch your budget if you need high-volume printing at high speeds.
On the other hand, if you don’t need a quick turnaround, you could get away with a base model that meets all your other requirements.
Printer Placement
Perhaps the most apparent characteristic of wide-format printers is that they are massive, compared to your desktop printer. The largest ones, which are designed for production purposes, stand on the floor and require a lot of functional space. Meanwhile, the smallest ones are a lot more portable but still require much wider desktop space.
Some printers release volatile organic compounds or VOCs during printing and could potentially be hazardous when placed inside a packed office. So before buying a printer, consider your space as this will certainly affect the device’s delivery and functionality.
Printer Operator
An often overlooked but equally important factor that buyers should consider is the operator. Are you going to be operating it yourself or will you be assigning somebody (or a whole team) to run the workflows? The reason why you’ll need to consider this is because there will be a learning curve depending on the printer brand and model.
If you will be operating it yourself — and for the first time — it would help to purchase from a dealer that offers initial training and continuous support so you can get settled with your new machine. And if you’re going to be leaving it under the care of other people, they should first be capable of operating and taking care of your equipment.
Instead of downgrading to a device that is easier to operate, consider choosing a multi-functional one, such as a printer that will allow users to multi-task by carrying out new print jobs while other connected devices are printing. This should help take the pressure off your team without compromising your printer’s features.
There will be a lot more to consider before you decide to invest in a particular brand and model of wide-format printer, but we hope these facts will help take the guesswork out of the process. It would help to look for an equipment provider, or you can check out a few of our top-selling wide format printers on Adorama, including wide format inkjet printers.
