HP Designjet Z6100 Specs
HP Designjet Z6100 - the 60” model is pictured on the left, and the 42” model on the right.
This is HP’s replacement for the popular Designjet 5000 and 5500. HP came out with their Designjet 5500 the same year (2001) that Epson introduced their model 10000 Stylus Pro printer. Both printers were slated as “fast”, but the HP truly was faster for most banner and sign production work—about twice as fast. Despite HP’s apparent speed, Epson was quick to point out that when the HP 5500 was printing at its best photo quality setting, the Epson 10000’s comparable quality setting was faster (and Epson was right). In fact, for professional “photo lab” quality printing, the Epson was much better, and the model 10000 still had two additional higher-quality printing settings for the really critical eye—endearing it (and the 9600 and 9800 models that followed) it to photographers and fine artists.
The HP Designjet Z2100 and HP Designjet Z3100 series printers that HP introduced last Fall were HP’s answer to Epson’s 9800 and 7800 printers, and they offer some additional features Epson doesn’t have, i.e. full-time dual-black ink (matte and photo) plumbing.
Despite HP’s impressive line-up, they still needed a “photographic” printer that was also speedy enough (and wide enough) to attract those in the banner, sign and display industry. The new Z6100 appears to meet that need with its “Double Swath” printing technology—yet it still might have the quality to satisfy the critical, photo “print sniffers” and fine artists. If this is the case, HP will have a great cross-over product with the Z6100.
Here is HP’s 4-page Data Sheet (1.7MB PDF) for the Designjet Z6100.
I do not have a manufacturer’s suggested retail price for the 60” and 42” models, but might have it later this week…
Posted by Royce Bair on 04/10 at 10:13 AM
Next entry: Fujifilm enters industrial inkjet market
Previous entry: New HP Designjet Z6100 Printer series