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Greater functionality is key
Home improvement shows have influenced people’s desire for bright printed canvas
The large format print (LFP) market is growing, with demand driven by accessibility and availability. From photographers to copy shops the market offers something for everyone. So what changes can we expect over coming months?
Canon Business Solutions’ head of UK professional print marketing, Ben Milford, said: “The LFP market is experiencing some exciting growth with new technologies paving the way for improved print quality and speeds. This growth is driven by not only the volume of printer sales, but also print throughput. All of the main three competitors are continually introducing new printers and technology and this is increasing quality in an evolving marketplace.
“One major trend currently taking place is the fact that the market is shifting away from solvent ink based printers towards aqueous ink based. Canon has carried out research that has found that approximately 80 per cent of large format printing is for indoor use, thus reducing the need for solvent printers. The quality that can be achieved with a 12 colour aqueous pigment ink system, such as Canon's LUCIA inks, far exceeds solvent because of the exceptionally wide colour gamut, making this an exciting proposition for printers.
“Aqueous printers can run a variety of media from glossy photo to pop-up banners and art canvas making them much more versatile and delivering a range of exciting output. With more functionality and better results people are starting to realise what can be achieved from the printers. Canon has invested heavily in LFP over the last few years and the company has grown from around three per cent market share in 2004 to an estimated 16 per cent by the end of 2007. Canon has launched eight new models in 2007 and now provides a printer for every segment of the market from CAD/GIS through to production, making it ideally placed with its printers, technology and resellers to capitalise on this growth and expand its market share even further.”
Key segments
The LFP market can be split into four key segments: photography, proofing, production and CAD/GIS, with all four segments showing signs of rapid growth. It is important to note there are machines that suit all areas so printers should look carefully at their capabilities.
In the photography section, Canon offers its iPF5100 and 6100 models, featuring an enhanced ink system to reduce graininess and bronzing: crucial for black and white photography. Canon’s devices have in-built colour calibration, while its Kyuanos technology is designed to ensure consistent colour quality. The machines also suit proofing applications.
A work of art
Regarding photography, there is demand to decorate living spaces with fabulous art and originals. By being able to capture, print and mount our memories on canvas, large format printing is enhancing people’s life like never before.
Richard Lewis is managing director of canvasRus, the retail arm of Portobello Art, which grew from the popularity of the photo-to-canvas trend and is one of the first UK companies to offer this service to the public.
From its early beginnings the company was printing around six pictures a day on a trusty (now retired) HP Designjet 2500. Today it runs up to 300 pictures on four HP Designjet 5500s and has ordered a new Designjet Z6100. Not surprisingly the popularity of home improvement shows offering affordable design ideas influenced people’s tastes and bright printed canvases on muted, plain walls gave birth to the photo-on-canvas fashion.
Richard added: “CanvasRus and Portobello Art work well together and it is this main core customer, the corporate branding, which is our bread and butter. However I’m pleased to see a new audience emerging, the family audience, whose demands for canvas art of family or children portraits with a twist has exploded.”
Although the family-orientated customer takes another big slice of its pie, canvasRus, with its history, experience and knowledge of digital printing, also has its more serious side, providing graphic and photographic professionals whose requirements can be more challenging.
One for everyone
As mentioned earlier, some machines suit a variety of needs. Epson’s 64in Stylus Pro 11880 fits this bracket, having been designed for the photography, fine art and proofing markets. It is also the world's first large format printer to feature Epson's latest printhead technology and UltraChrome K3 ink with vivid
magenta.
The micro piezo thin film printhead was launched last 2007 and is optimised for pigment ink technology. The eight-colour inkset features a new formulation of UltraChrome K3 with vivid magenta, widening the colour gamut. The Stylus Pro 11880 incorporates nine 700ml individual ink cartridges, with automatic switching between photo and matte black. Each cartridge features a status LED.
The machine also benefits from a new gigabit Ethernet interface which delivers fast data transfer speeds, coupled with the on-board data processing module. The addition of Epson Super Halftone technology, a new screening algorithm, further improves image tone and definition.
The combination of features and inkset make the Stylus Pro 11880 one of the most advanced digital large format printers on the market and it is certainly one which we expect to see more of in the coming months.
A new level
Roland is another name to look for. Its new SolJet Pro III printers in 74 and 64in models are the company’s fastest SolJet’s to date, combining speed with six-colour CMYK+LcLm image quality.
Head of product management, Brett Newman, said: “The new SolJet Pro III XJ series is precision engineered for the demands of today’s fast-paced, quality-driven marketplace. XJ series printers take productivity and performance to a new level with maximum print speeds of up to 42.6m2/hr and stunning image quality in every print mode. With the XJ, print houses and sign makers can capture the fine details critical to indoor graphics while producing the dense, rich colours required for vivid, high-impact outdoor graphics.”
The XJ series indoor and outdoor graphics including posters, PoP displays and fine art. It supports coated and uncoated media from vinyl and banner to backlit film, canvas and paper.
And finally
It is never easy choosing the right print technology and with so many different models now available the decision has never been more difficult.
The good news is that each machine has its own exceptional
capabilities and you will be able to find the right match. We keep hearing the digital print market is coming of age and in many ways this is true. There has never been so much
choice, with printers fortunate enough to be particular about what they want. Don’t settle for second best, make sure you pick a machine which does exactly what the manufacturer claims. That way you can ensure the results will be the best you can offer.
www.canon.co.uk
www.canvasrus.co.uk
www.perfectcolours.com
www.jbmc.co.uk
www.epson.co.uk
www.rolanddg.co.uk
