Buyers Laboratory Inc. (BLI) has revealed the Winter 2011 “Pick” winners in the wide-format category, with honours going to HP and Canon. BLI’s “Pick” awards are presented semi-annually to the products that perform the best in their respective categories throughout BLI’s in-depth lab testing. During the test, BLI evaluates all critical performance areas, including reliability, image quality, productivity, ease of use, paper handling, print drivers and administrative utilities, among others.
The Winter 2011 Wide-Format “Pick” winners are:
- Hewlett-Packard Company, HP Designjet Z6200 Photo Printer for Outstanding Colour Inkjet Wide-Format Production Photo Printer
- Canon USA Inc., Canon imagePROGRAF iPF6350 for Outstanding Colour Inkjet Wide-Format Small Workgroup Photo Printer
HP Designjet Z6200 Offers Blistering Productivity and Superior Colour Quality
Offering the fastest print speeds ever recorded for a wide-format photo printer in BLI testing, the HP Designjet Z6200 Photo Printer was selected as BLI’s “Pick” for “Outstanding Colour Inkjet Wide-Format Production Photo Printer.” The unit did not sacrifice quality as a result of its unparalleled productivity, delivering excellent photographic image quality on numerous media types. To be sure, this eight-ink 60-inch model, which is also available in a 42-inch version, produced a wider than average colour gamut as well, employing HP’s new chromatic red ink in place of the traditional cyan.
“The HP Designjet Z6200 is a remarkable wide-format printer that can easily handle the demands of a busy print shop,” said Joe Tischner, BLI wide-format printer analyst. “The printer’s numerous color management tools are especially noteworthy, enabling very easy media calibration and ICC profiling. The unit’s unique Pantone colour emulation is also great for accurate colour matching.”
“HP is delighted to receive the Buyers Lab ‘Pick’ award for ‘Outstanding Colour Inkjet Wide-Format Production Photo Printer’ for the HP Designjet Z6200 Photo Printer, an award reflecting the positive feedback we have consistently heard from our customers,” said Antonio Moreno, product manager for the HP Designjet Z6200 Photo Printer in the Graphics Solutions Business at HP. “The device is a true workhorse with speeds up to 50 percent faster than its predecessor, the HP Designjet Z6100 Printer, and the versatility to deliver a wide range of applications, including those that demand the best quality.”
Canon imagePROGRAF iPF6350 Demonstrates Exceptional Image Quality and Impressive Ease of Use
The Canon imagePROGRAF iPF6350 was chosen by BLI as a “Pick” award winner for “Outstanding Colour Inkjet Wide-Format Small Workgroup Photo Printer based on its glowing overall performance during BLI’s lab test, and not the least of which for its excellent colour and black-and-white print quality. This 24-inch, 12-colour printer produced exceptional photographic quality prints. Technicians were impressed not only with colour photographic output, but with the neutral gray tones exhibited on monochrome prints and in particular the prints’ lack of bronzing.
Canon has made numerous improvements to the imagePROGRAF iPF6350, which ultimately garnered the unit an excellent rating for ease of use. “Whether loading rolls or cut sheets, this printer is extremely user-friendly, and navigating the redesigned control panel is a lot easier,” said Tischner,. The unit’s new Accounting Manager was also a prominent feature recognised for its straightforward design and robust functionality, offering end users valuable cost-per-job data.
“Canon is pleased that the imagePROGRAF iPF6350 has been recognised by BLI with the 2011 ‘Outstanding Wide-Format Colour Inkjet Small Workgroup Photo Printer’ ‘Pick’ award for delivering the colour quality, precision and speed required by the graphic arts and photography markets. From detail-oriented monochrome images to vibrant, large-format output, the flagship imagePROGRAF 12-colour line reflects Canon’s commitment to bringing comprehensive imaging solutions to end-users of all types,” said Jim Rosetta, vice president and general manager, Imaging Systems Group, Canon USA.
