If you have questions about what large format fine art printer or giclée printer to buy, you have come to the right place.

Questions?
If you need help, FLAAR can provide the answers you seek by means of the review reports and comparative product reviews. The review editor is an internationally known art historian, has done professional photography in museums throughout Japan, Europe, across the USA and Canada, and in Latin America. Indeed Nicholas Hellmuth has been doing art photography in the main archaeology museum of Guatemala for several decades. His research institute is headquartered at the university there. The rest of the year he does research on digital imaging hardware and software from his office in Germany, at Bowling Green State University or at Francisco Marroquin University; he is Visiting Professor there as well as Research Associate at Washington University in St Louis, Missouri. Questions flow in from readers every day and on weekends as well. Typical questions are:

"We are looking for a wide format printer to use for fine art application in a college...something which will give good results, low production costs, archival inks, and be able to handle fine art papers."

"I am still pondering the real value of upgrading to the pigmented inks for the Epson 9000.. Please let me know your views on this and your comments...

"What fine art printer should I chose to do paintings?"

"Which printer is best to reproduce photographs at museum quality?"

"I am new to all this and need some help figuring out which equipment is best for large format printing?"

Answers? Get up to 6 free FLAAR Firts Level Reports in handy Adobe Acrobat PDF download.

How do people like the information they receive in return?

"Thank you very much for the detailed information. Greatly appreciated..."

"Thanx for all the info. You've helped me narrow things down."

"Wow Nicholas...Thanks so much for the in depth info..."

"Wow! Thanks for the information. Very helpful..."

"I am truly overwhelmed and appreciative of all the information you have sent me on large format printers. It definitely has given me a framework to set my search on..."

What are the common problems and misunderstandings?
The most common dilemma is the people who believe the claims about "speed" and the infamous misinformation that a piezo system is supposedly better than a thermal inkjet system. The claims made for piezo head "speed" has been exposed as hype by FLAAR tests at trade shows as well as FLAAR tests in our various studios.

About half the people clearly believe at least much of the clever advertising they run into in PR releases which mascaurades as reviews.

Fortunately the other half are justifiably skeptical of claims of 200 years longevity and "prints as good as a darkroom print" Europeans are especially distrustful of exaggerated claims. Everyone, irrespective of country, would like to know what an actual functioning art studio uses. People who write in want to know from someone else who already has experience.

If you want factual information about the true advantages and the actual disadvantages of each large format system, its as easy as sending us an e-mail. The FLAAR reports are humerous because how else can you describe a sales rep who is mis-representing the features of a printer in order to lure you into buying something you don't really need.

Need help deciding? Just entering the world of wide format printers?
Need some tips, some help?

Last checked : Sept. 24, 2003
Previous updates: Jan. 15, 2003, Aug. 18, 2001