The more you tell us about the needs you have and what you will use wide format or professional scanner for, the easier it is for us to pinpoint which scanner and which wide format printer are ideal for your situation, we can perhaps save you from making an expensive mistake!

If you need help deciding which large format printer and/or professional scanner is optimal for your situation, or what inks are archival and long-lasting, just fill out the form below. Nicholas Hellmuth, senior review editor of the FLAAR Digital Imaging Technology Center , will do his best to answer you within 48 hours by sending the information to you in Adobe Acrobat PDF download format via e-mail. Don't worry about paying FLAAR, we are non-profit and neither ask for nor receive payment. Answering your questions is part of our public education program.

First level reports Survey Form (so you get the FLAAR evaluations in PDF format)
You can write auf Deutsch, en Español, en Français or in Italiano; reports themselves are in English
Please complete the required fields *

Yes, Please send me the following reports. You can  choose 5 reports from a variety of titles and topics from the List of FLAAR Reports. Help, have FLAAR decide what reports are most appropriate (use this option if you prefer for the FLAAR editors to decide which are the most appropriate titles to send you, based on your needs and your situation).

Your needs, your preferences, what kind of printer are you looking for?

PLEASE USE YOUR OWN WORDS TO DESCRIBE HOW CAN WE BEST ASSIST YOU?* What do you intend to print? What are your main interests? The more detail you provide, the more we know what people want. This allows us to continuously unpdate and improve all the reports. WHY ARE YOU RESEARCHING TODAY? * I intend to buy soon I am researching to buy later I just want to learn more

WHAT FEATURES AND OPTIONS DO YOU SEEK in a wide format printer? * Your comments here help Nicholas with suggestions for his upcoming book, as well as provide ideas to incorporate in updates to the reports. What capabilities do you need; what kinds of results does your clients ask for? Nicholas Hellmuth will read every word; the more we know the easier it is to assist you. Here is where you personally can influence the features in the next generation of printers, RIPs, or inkjet media. FLAAR feels that it is useful to educate printer manufacturers too. What is your idealized dream wide format printer? We read every word; the more you write the easier it is for our staff to realize which extra bonus reports we ought to send you. WHAT PROBLEMS, PRINTER QUIRKS, INKS OR PAPER DO YOU NEED TO AVOID ? * What do you NOT like about each brand you are considering? If a newbie that's fine. But help us by providing some commentary about what situations you wish to avoid. Here again you can tell manufacturers what does not work with their products. The more of your experience you relate here, the easier it is for FLAAR to know how many additional FLAAR Reports you might wish to receive free (out of the list of free reports)..

DO YOU ALREADY OWN A WIDE FORMAT PRINTER(S)? If so, which brand (and model if you know it)?* NO Yes, which brand(s) and model(s)? I am new and don't yet use a wide format printer (24" or wider)   I use only desktop printer so far : letter size or 13 x 19 inch, A3 size equivalent in Europe WHAT SIZE DO YOU PRINT? (Width)* (don't worry, our university sends reports at no cost whatsoever) If what you are looking for is not in one of the categories listed here, just let us know what you intend to print and explain how we can help you in the HELP field, below. Undecided / Not sure 41-47 inches (Average cost US $10-12 K) 13 x 19 inches (The smallest size we cover) 48-64 inches (Average cost US $15-25 K) 24 inches (Average cost US $2-5 K) 65-73 inches (Average cost US $15-30 K) 30-40 inches (Average cost US $4-8 K) 74 inches and wider (Average cost US $20-300 K)

COMPUTER OPERATING SYSTEM: Select as many as you actually work with Linux MacOs Unix Windows Other

In order for us to send you the reports and follow-up, helps to know how to reach you

COMPANY NAME : (if applicable) MAIN BUSINESS ACTIVITY:* (Photo studio, prepress, sign shop, quick print, in-plant corporate, independent, hobby. We need help here understanding what category of business you do yourself.) Explain in detail; we read every word. However you do not have to be a company to get the FLAAR reports. We send to individuals. WHAT KIND OF BUSINESS ARE YOU ?* Individual, printing as hobby Church, organization, advocacy group, other non-profit Business (commercial sized company) Individual, printing as home-based business, second business, retirement business I manufacture printers, RIPs, inks, or media Government, including military, police, fire, parks, etc Educational, library, museum Growing company (3 people and growing) Student (you still get all the reports) Other, be specific

NAME* E-mail  * Telephone Street City State Zip Country*

Help information | If you want more help, tips, and follow-up, just ask.

DO YOU NEED ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FROM THE COMPANIES WHICH HAVE BEEN SELECTED AS KNOWLEDGEABLE IN THESE FIELDS? mark only those you wish to be contacted about. Fine art giclee or photo-realistic printer Printer for signs, posters, banners Printers for following purpose Printers for CAD, GIS, drawings, maps Contact for info on laminating equipment Contact for information about color management & ICC color profiles Assistance with discussion of options in scanners Contact for info on trimmers and cutters     Other products would you like follow-up about? Help in FLAAR training courses for printers, inks, media, and RIP which you already have?     What kind of courses and training in wide format printing do you feel you need? Help us provide the courses that most interest you by letting us know what you are looking for.   If you were taking a training course, would you prefer:   A weekend course personally with Nicholas Hellmuth Take his course in the comfort of your home via the Internet   Visit a wide format printer tradeshow and spend two days with Prof. Hellmuth learning about the printers directly in the booth of each manufacturer Help with discussion of options in RIP software   Do you already have a raster image processing (RIP) software? * If you don't know brands don't worry, just write "I need help on distinguishing the brands" No Yes If you are already comparing, which brands? Do you need more information about Raster Image Processing (RIP) software? No Yes information to decide whether I need a RIP Yes, information to compare brands of RIP´s Help in selection of the appropriate inkjet media and inks. I am new and don't yet use a wide format printer, nor media, nor ink either.   What paper, canvas, media do you already use? * Sorry, no ink experience If you know what brands you already use, let us know which kind of media you now use comes from which brand name. What media do you want to learn about for possible future use? what other kinds of material do you want to print on with your wide format printer. Would you like to have personalized additional information provided for you and your company about how to avoid headaches by selecting the appropriate media? Do you wish to add new products (by using exotic new media) so your company can earn more profit? What are your common media headaches? What kinds of ink, media, and printer causes these problems? If you are new to wide format, what headaches with paper do you wish to avoid when you buy your first wide format printer. Still no experience with ink or media. I hope to learn later on. If you already use a printer, what disasters with paper, canvas, vinyl, backlit etc, horror stories, or problems with inkjet media do you wish other people to know about so they won't make the same mistake. Your experiences assist us in updating reports and preparing our upcoming book on wide format inkjet printing.

Benefit for filling out this survey form, you will receive within 48 hours automatic download full-color reports by Nicholas Hellmuth via Adobe Acrobat PDF format. This is a service of Francisco Marroquin University, Digital Imaging Resource Center (FLAAR). YES, I want FLAAR Reports by Nicholas Hellmuth and have filled out the Survey Form in exchange for the reports. I understand that survey statistics are utilized to better understand markets and applications. In return for the FLAAR reports I allow FLAAR to use my comments to update and improve the coverage in FLAAR material as well as to assist manufacturers understand the flaws of their current products so better products can be offered in the future. First we send you several first level FLAAR report(s) on the topics that you hav selected. Next, if you have requested assistance with digital imaging equipment, then we select support staff from a pertinent partne company that can best follow-up directly with you. They will contact you with additional counsel based on the questions you have asked. NO, I do not wish any follow-up on outside product information, but wish to auto-download the free reports from the links below* By choosing the NO option you indicate you do not wish any follow-up from third-parties. Although you do not need to send this inquiry form to obtain the free auto-download reports, we have no way to know what additional FLAAR information to send you unless you tell us where you need help in digital imaging. By sending this form, you only receive notification directly from FLAAR, including new publications or future university courses on printing, scanning, color management, and digital photography or additional survey forms (which bring additional FLAAR reports at no cost). I understand that survey statistics are utilized to better understand markets and applications. In return for the FLAAR reports I allow FLAAR to use my comments to update and improve the coverage in FLAAR material as well as to assist manufacturers recognize the flaws of their current products so better products can be offered in the future. You will receive up to 5 FLAAR reports in exchange for sending in this survey form. If you checked No follow-up, please download the following reports yourself; because they are auto-downloads, the FLAAR staff will not send them to you; you can get them directly yourself. You will receive up to 5 FLAAR reports in exchange for sending in this survey form. SEND If you checked No follow-up, please download the following reports yourself; because they are auto-downloads, the FLAAR staff will not send them to you; you can get them directly yourself. Click here for a free auto-download the list of FLAAR reports. Click here if you wish to get sample comments from people who have read the FLAAR reports. Click here for an auto-download of "who and what is FLAAR" Click here for auto-download of syllabus on course Digital Photography as Input for Wide Format Printer Output. All reports are in full color and only in electronic format. Please note that there are two kinds of FLAAR Reports. Abstracts, lists, and certain other introductory reports are all free. However anything in a series is sold only as part of that series. Generally, for every series which has a cost, there is one free introductory report or abstracts version which is free. This way you can sort of try before you buy. You will never be charged for any report which our staff send to you as a result of filling out this form. All first level reports (the ones you receive as a result of this form) are provided by our university in response to your survey form. All abstracts are likewise free; there is no obligation, none whatsoever, to purchase any series.

Sorry no reviews on cheap letter-size desktop printers; we are no longer able to answer questions about small desktop printers. Please understand.

You will receive free reports from the first level material. If you wish additional reports and don't want to bother filling out any forms, you can order second level reports directly from www.wide-format-printers.NET.

If you need help on how to prepare digital images to feed your wide format printer (what resolution do you need), then you should sign up for the FLAAR course on "Digital Photography as Input for Wide Format Inkjet Printing Output."

Your inquiry form will be answered by the FLAAR staff at the university. We will send you all the pertinent reports in convenient PDF format. Since our offices are scattered around the world we can't always telephone you for a follow-up. Also, our staff of 15 people are working on evaluating equipment... or answering your e-mail. Thus to provide additional information on media, inks, RIP´s, lamination, trimmers-cutters and details on printers that are of interest to you, we have found pertinent experts at the leading large format printer trade shows who can answer your questions personally. As soon as we ourselves send you the informative tips and help, we will forward your e-mail so your questions can be answered as follow-up by our partners more thoroughly.

Please do NOT send us e-mail's asking where to repair equipment, where to get images printed, or how to handle Photoshop. For the latter questions please look under "Training" in the index to each of our sites.

UPDATED: July 23 2002, Nov 22 2002

FLAAR network easy access menu

cameras-scanners flaar.org flatbed-scanner-review.org digital-photography.org large-format-printers.org fineartgicleeprinters.org laser-printer-reviews.org maya-archaeology.org maya-art-books.org wide-format-printers.net Bad link, missing photos, misspellings, report to webmaster. Errors of fact or omissions, report to review editor. Privacy Statement. Background of FLAAR review policies, Copyright FLAAR© 2001-2007 . Meet Dr.Nicholas Hellmuth , Who and what is FLAAR. Updates on wide format printers from March 2004 onward are contained in the FLAAR Reports. We update these reports constantly, so check out the over 87 titleswhich are now available from our university. Additional updates from winter 2005 onward are also being put into the FLAAR Report Series in PDF format and are available on www.wide-format-printers.NET.