The quality of the wide format print from the ENCAD printer is awesome.

Everyone in our office wanted to take the first large format Encad color prints home to hang on their walls. All the visitors who came to the F.L.A.A.R. photo studio to see the wide format color printer in action asked for sample prints to take back to their museums, universities and offices. Everyone else on the college campus wanted prints for their own use as well.

Once you have a wide format printer inside your own office, or at least accessible via network, then your whole outlook on the use of digital images changes quickly. The ability to produce professional exhibit quality posters, banners, and giant enlargements quickly and easily transforms your productivity. Actually if the printer is in your in-house graphics department or repro shop you can send images over the network (especially at night and on weekends when the network is less clogged).

If the printer is somewhere else in the city, and you have to drive over, or send files on a Zip disk or CD, then it may be so inconvient that you don't want to bother. But if the printer is just a mouse click away (if you are a network) then you can print and have your poster, sign, or banner ready within a few minutes (presuming that everyone else in your building is not also sending images to print as well).

The ENCAD Nova Jet Pro 36 wide format printer with EFI Fiery PostScript RIP

Already two years ago Roger Berg (Creative Photo of Columbia, Missouri) reported that most of his customers actually prefer an ENCAD print to a Cibachrome print from a traditional darkroom. Indeed, photographer Eldon Leiter, of Sedalia, Missouri, now has many of his exhibit prints done on an ENCAD instead using of traditional darkroom prints.

Del Fox, Director of Technical Services, BCC, capably hooked up the Mac to the Fiery to the Encad. The particular Encad we have is a color inkjet printer with 36" capability. The ENCAD NovaJet Pro system is so good you can produce exhibit quality prints in your own office. Why bother with a darkroom when you can print directly from your computer? All the key instructions are neatly printed on the lift-up cover of the printer. We did not bother with a take-up roll since normally we print basic posters, signs, and simple enlargements. Also, to dry the prints I prefer to have the entire surface exposed to the air. It is easy enough to pull the print out a little on the floor if you are printing a banner-sized job.  dozens of internal links to digital photography themes helpful external links related to digital color printing.

The EFI Fiery RIP. This is the hardware Raster Image Processor which operates the wide-format printer. It is a dedicated server. Think of a RIP as a separate computer dedicated to taking care of doing the best possible job to create large sized color prints. The Fiery RIP has its own processor inside. Operating on a network, it receives the file(s) from the main computer (in our case, a Macintosh). Within about 2 minutes the Fiery has taken ahold of the entire file, and immediately releases the Macintosh. This means you can continue to work on something else while the RIP processes the file and runs the ENCAD. Wonderful, no more waiting for the printing to be through (we tried a Hewlett-Packard printer and it took a lethargic 60 minutes+ to print). Xerox, Savin, and most other high-end color copier companies have recognized that the EFI Fiery RIP is the industry leader. Indeed the EFI Fiery RIP (in its various models) is the #1 seller in the world for its type of server. This means you can get service, and technical help, worldwide. Actually, the Fiery RIP runs flawlessly on its own. Many people prefer a software PostScript RIP such as BEST, Onyx PosterShop, Ilford RIPStar, or PosterJet (DCS Software). Check out www.wide-format-printers.org for more information.

Provided by ENCAD and EFI to allow the F.L.A.A.R. digital equipment testing program to show how digital printers can help museums, university print shops, and other photographers as we approach the new era of digital photography and desktop publishing. comprehensive directory of outside links for DVD, CD-R, digital imaging, dye sub, laser printers, giclee Fine Art Printers, RIPs extensive links for digital imaging, camera equipment, photo studio equipment, flatbed scanners, tips, reviews, recommendations.

Most recently updated Aug. 8, 1999.
Previous updates early 1998, March 16, 1999.