Art & card printing - How a bigger printer helps, Epson WF-C8690 A3+ pigment ink printer test

Can a larger office style printer produce satisfactory artwork and greeting card prints?
Will a larger printer save you time and make it easier to increase your print volumes.
Looking at the Epson WF-C8690, Keith shows how the more robust paper feed can take a stack of card stock, using the Epson Durabrite colour pigment inks,
Using a custom ICC profile, print quality on a a thick etching style paper is very good for colour images.
This video is one of a series associated with Keith's review of the WF-C8690 as an artwork scanner and printer rather than just as a multifunction office printer.

[@1simonmatthews]

I loved the results but the prints were much slower coming out than I thought they would be after reading the specs for that model. I notice you said the settings don't have to be set to max. So how much could the print time be speeded up whilst still being high enough quality to sell, do you think? And roughly how long would it take to print an A4 card on A3 stock? Thanks! 🙂

[@KeithCooper]

No idea on timings - the huge printer was only here a while. The only info I have is in the main [written] review

[@bunglebonce5354]

Can I send you some card that I use in the post for you to test?

[@KeithCooper]

Sorry, no - it goes back to Epson on Wednesday

[@Pozi_Drive]

My very affordable HP SmartTank 559 would have had zero problems with these prints and it cost EUR 250. And is a lot smaller.

[@KeithCooper]

Sure, maybe - but not remotely similar in very many ways.
- Dye/pigment ink mix as opposed to all pigment inks
- Small scanner
- Consumer level reliability and duty cycle - i.e. not made for heavy duty use.
Different needs, different products - the HP is simply aimed at a very different market, where 'very affordable' is a feature... ;-)
Remember I'm looking at this printer as a potential option for business use.

[@Pozi_Drive]

@@KeithCooper When you are a true artist, trying to live off your work, you just go to a professional copy-shop or - company.
A 16" x 24" photo on 3mm dibond material would cost me 25 quid, quantity 1. If I order 10 the price drops to 12 quid.

[@KeithCooper]

Then obviously this printer is not for you...
I'm not saying people 'should' use it, I'm testing it to see what it can be used for and what sort of results you can get from it.
I'll leave the business choices to another day - this review is based on quite a lot of questions I've had about the utility of such printers.

[@maximilianlindner3319]

@@Pozi_Drive How do you make greeting cards with that large and thick print? Would be interesting to hear.

[@Pozi_Drive]

@@maximilianlindner3319 I can print A4 size sheets, no problem.