Large Format (A1) Printing

[ANiceEnglishman]

I have to look into a requirement / desire to print posters etc in large formats - up to A1.

My gut feeling is that it would be cheaper to use a local print shop and that this would provide better quality than any printer we could afford but does anyone do this in house?

[Tricky_Dicky]

A1 is pretty big printing and I think it boils down to convenience and budget. Printing on that size is not like a normal printer, it needs proper profiles, the correct ink and paper and maintanence to go with it. A large format Epson/Canon can provide amazing quality, but at upwards of £2000 for the machine, £300-£500 for a set of inks, then heads and paper unless you are printing a lot every day I would use an external company.
If it's for displays and exam work then a pro lab would probably be better and allow you to setup an account for the school. I use Loxley colour in Scotland and the prints that come back are always superb with a very quick turnaround time.

Rich