Advice on colour printer/copier for Mac environment

[Christiaan]

We've had a pretty bad run with our (A3) copier/printer situation.

One of our main problems is that we share the machine with a Quantity Surveyor; they need fast warm-up/fast print/black and white. And we need colour. These two aspects seem to be mutually exclusive.

We originally had a Canon iR2200 (b/w) which suited the QS fine but we needed colour so we "upgraded" to the Canon CLC 3220, but the feeder turned out to be hugely inferior to the iR2200 (causing no end of jams) and it can take 6 minutes to warm up after being left for a while.

We were thinking of upgrading to the Canon CLC 4040 or CLC 5151, which have the more reliable feeder (that was on the iR2200) but they take a long time to warm up too. In the process we've also been offered a Xerox 7335 which seems pretty good with regard to (Mac) drivers, warm up time and ppm, but I'm not sure about colour quality (any advice?).

So, unless someone can advise on a machine that can marry these conflicting needs we were thinking of going back to having a black and white copier and a separate colour printer. We'd lose out on the ability to colour copy but this probably wouldn't be a huge issue for us.

Has anyone got any pearls of wisdom? And can anyone recommend a good (mac-driver-optimised) A3 (or even A2) colour laser printer?

[Dexie]

We produce Masterplans and Design and Access Statements and print all our documents internally. We have a couple of OKI C9800 printers which seems to produce good quality output up to A3 will duplex and has a high print speed. The cost is relatively low compared to others on the market. It may be worth looking at.

[Petri]

One of our main problems is that we share the machine with a Quantity Surveyor; they need fast warm-up/fast print/black and white. And we need colour. These two aspects seem to be mutually exclusive.

Get two or more printers...

Incidentally, at our home office (no capitals), we have an an Epson "El Cheapo" A4 colour laser with a duplex unit. If we choose B/W, we get that; if Color [sic], we get that. A B/W print is almost instantaneous. However, an even cheaper Brother B/W laser prints almost before you say "Print".

Now, especially as comes to B/W A4 prints for QS-purposes, having a ?60 printer on each desk... Well, that depends on your hourly rates.

[Christiaan]

Yeah I think you're right. There's just no way to marry the conflicting needs in one printer without spending a kazillion pounds.

[Petri]

I thought so. Your hourly rates are just too low to afford an all-dancing, all-singing, all-in-one machine, so you have to resort to the world of flexibility, confidentiality and redundant capacity, with Less Time Spent at the Printer Room Bonding and Socialising with Coworkers while Waiting.