HP Z2100 vs Z3100

[mwc]

One of these printers IS going to be my next purchase (44")
Any practical reason for 1 over the other?
Main function as prepress contract proofer...with a little Wide Format signage when appropriate.
I know it's goona one of these 2, both look like Tanks...and both reviewed well.

[WharfRat]

Check out which Rampage is planning to support.
(Or ORIS if you are piping through that)
I hear the Heidi RIP is supporting the 3100 now with, possibly, no plans to support the scaled down version.
Seems as if 12 colors will be more accurate than 8 in a contract proofing environment.

MSD

[kermit]

One of these printers IS going to be my next purchase (44")
Any practical reason for 1 over the other?
Main function as prepress contract proofer...with a little Wide Format signage when appropriate.
I know it's goona one of these 2, both look like Tanks...and both reviewed well.

I have 2100 running with gmg and it's great printer. Better than my Epson 9800 (in my opinion). I bought 2100 because at the time I was making decision 31 or 2100 gmg didn't have a option for dotproofing and making algorithms for proper moire free it's not easy. I did not wanted to take a chance and wait....

Today I would get Z3100 as it has bigger gamut. Not MUCH bigger but a bit bigger and you have this special coating (in case). You are running Rampage and have almost exact setup as I do. You can forget about driving Z series printer or even new Canons (ipf 8000) using Rampage ICC. Rampage doesn't support it and it never will because Rampage is not in business of inkjet printers (that's what they told me). Why would you run this with Rampage if you cannot linearize printer?

Gmg supports it (in beta) and I can help you to setup Z printer. Oris as far as I can see at their website also supports it at least as a contone.

This is current support in gmg:
http://www.gmgcolor.com/gmgcolor/284+M5d637b1e38d.0.html

[mwc]

Yeah, I'll be ditching the Rampage RPD w/ICC in favor of Gmg it seems for the contract proofing,
still will use for our HP5500 Doubleproofer however.

I'll pick the 'collective' brains here when I'm closer to the final config...if needed.

The Z3100 looks like the winner to me as well.

Thanks.

[Marktonk]

Check out which Rampage is planning to support.
(Or ORIS if you are piping through that)
I hear the Heidi RIP is supporting the 3100 now with, possibly, no plans to support the scaled down version.
Seems as if 12 colors will be more accurate than 8 in a contract proofing environment.

MSD

Hi WharfRat,

We will not eliminate the drivers for the Z2100, they will continue to be supported. It a great proofer. Next on the list of released drivers will be the Z6100 and the Epson X880 family.

Regards,

Mark Tonkovich
Heidelberg USA
Product Manager, CtP & Proofing