Tuesday, January 17, 2023

Shop Notes: 2023-01-17 - 4K vs 8K

 I was curious to see what, if any, the upgrade to an 8K 3D printer would bring. Given the build plate is almost the same size between the two printers (the 8K being less than an inch wider than the old 4K version), the 8K should  result in more detail in the printed model, at least in theory,  In practice whether more details reveal themselves in the print depend on whether the details exist in the 3D model, and whether the cured resin allows for more refined details.  The real world is fuzzy, so more pixels in the digital space does not necessarily translate to more details in meatspace.

Since I had the dragon head already printed in 4K, I printed off the same head in 8K, just to compare apples to apples.   This image is the result, with the 8K on the left (foreground), 4K on the right (background).


It is not quite as easy to see in the photo, but in real life the details on the 8K version are indeed more defined. There is a marked increase in definition on the skin texture, especially around the eyes and the snout.

So the 8K definitely provides me with more details in the final print.  This should translate into more details in the painted model, and in the final image made with this model.   Exciting!

I think the decision to spend the extra money to upgrade to the 8K printer was the right decision.