Fantastic comparison! These printers really go head to head despite the different tech behind them. Since you mentioned that the ultra is sharper because of being a DLP, in my opinion it would also be very interesting to compare prints of primitives like cubes and spheres. Would a cube on the ultra look very slightly sharper? Would a sphere on the mini 8k look slightly smoother? Maybe it's an interesting test! 😁
Good content as always. As a man who prints small volume in high detail. I will be looking into investing in a DLP, but might wait for the next generation having just forked out for the 8k, Only problem with that kind of thinking is, if everyone does it, there might not BE a 2nd generation DLP.
The comparison I've been waiting for. Nice work! I'd wager if you plan on painting your prints the mini 8k might be a slightly better option because of the better surface smoothness.
I'm not so sure there... I think you'd struggle to see any surface imperfections with the naked eye, and even if you did, one coat of primer would bury them. 😁
I suspect that for me, who wants an ultra smooth finish on small pieces while keeping detail, the mini 8k is the better choice due to the stepping. Both are fantastic printers, and i look forward to the future with them :)
I'm SO happy that consumer DLP is starting to become a thing. I really can't wait till Phrozen comes with their own answer to the DLP race. I also hope the relative new Rocket 1 kickstarter is also going to have an influence on the tech for resin printers.
All I know about the Rocket is that they don't want me to review it. I did ask several times. Since I pointed out the Z Wobble issue with the Mars 3, companies have realised I speak honestly and frankly in my reviews, pointing out the good and the bad. Some companies, it seems, don't want me to comment on there goods. Makes me wonder why 😁😁😁😁😁
Excellent presentation. For someone like me that is just getting ready to purchase my first printer. This video was a huge help and gave me more to look at before I purchase. I had no idea of the DLP printer. I do not need large parts so the Anycubic might be what I need. Thanks.
I cant hold my smile when that jab to your wife with the video editing timing for the resin face , office people wonder why im smiling like and idiot to a 3d printer review
I was very interested in a Photon Ultra because of the dlp tech but my enthousiasm was curbed by 2 factors. 1) The pronounced layer lines. Most reviews show huge chunky prints and even if they are detailed they are still huge compared to a real 28mm or 32mm mini. Im really concerned that those pronounced print lines will spoil the fun unless you are going to heavily prime the mini and that anyway would diminish the small edge that this printer has over the 8k detail wise. 2) The availability. Anycubic put their dlp project behind a crowdfunding wall that many people (most actually) are unwilling to climb. They had a minimal advertising campaign and a disasterous live presentation by a chinese lady that could not speak english and a random (spanish?) guy that mumbled. They never actually answered any of the serious technical questions and the whole demonstration just damaged Anycubic's image and led me to believe that they didnt care enough for the project. It might be far fetched but if a company completely fucks up a presentation and doesnt believe enough in one of their products in order to finance its development maybe its a sign that they are not really going to provide decent support. Its like they had a little Frankenstein experiment, made us pay for its development and then continued working on their ''real'' projects. I can go and get the Mini 8K from a local dealer 20min drive from my house. Have him display it for me, call in if i have a question and send it back if I have any troubles.
As jeweler, That roughness and voxels of the ultra are quite a big problem to fix even after polishing. You could not polish the intricate parts of the model without damaging the details. I prefer waiting the elegoo mars 3 DLP if someday they will release it because until now, all elegoo did is an annoucement of a dlp printer the Day of the anycubic ultra kickstarter launch. Maybe elegoo didn't even started the project at that time and only make a statement with a picture of a DLP sticker on their mars 3 LCD.
Fantastic comparison. Your clear, structured, properly edited and articulate presentations are well appreciated. You've seriously upped your photography game as well, great stuff! 20 Squid coming your way. Cheers!
Thorough review as always and glad you came down on the side of the Ultra as that is where I put my money! Now if only Anycubic would send me the darned thing...
I’m curious how the DLP print would look with smaller layers. To get the same smoothness that’s provided by blurring in the 8k, you might have to reduce layer height and take twice as long printing.
If any of you want a Wham Bam build plate go onto their site and subscribe, enter your email info, and check the box next to the Mini 8K model. I went to order one and they don't have them listed yet. Thank you for the detailed comparison and close-ups because it confirmed the Mini 8K is the right choice for me. Now I need Lychee slicer too and hope they have an option for the Mini 8K as well.
Thank you so much for this comparison! Im in the KS for the ultra, and its a very negative community due to so many new to how KS works lol, cant wait for it to ship and to show off your vid to them
Please do a comparison with AA - most people will be using AA and it could potentially rewrite this whole comparison. If the ultra can produce a smooth or smoother surface with AA it would be a clear winner for those who want only to paint smaller models. I know the human eye struggles to see those layer lines on an unpainted model but as soon as you apply a wash it becomes very easy to see the difference.
I guarantee when painting you'd see no difference. The texture I'm referring too is massively magnified. And primer and paint and there'd be no texture see 😁
I really like the ultra and the fact that DLP is becoming cheaper and making its way into our homes. For me, honest opinion and for my application the sharp edges = print lines and if you want to get rid of them, you will probably have to coat it with at least one layer of filler and at that point you are basically at the same quality as with Mini 8k and with mini 8k you have much bigger build plate. Right now I am using Saturn and Creality LD-002R and for my printing projects like props and 25 - 30cm statues I usually go with Saturn because of the size. But in the future I would definitely give a try to the Ultra or any other DLP with bigger build volume :D
Now, one year later, what are your thoughts? Experiences? Comparisons with the D2 perhaps? I ask this now because the ultra is available for a price that I can't ignore, I am very strongly considering it..
I have searched all over the Internet, but there is no Chinese comparative evaluation. Thank you very much for your evaluation. Compared with the two machines, it seems that the details of 8K are better. I think I will choose mini8k.
I'm really glad I watched this before my 8k arrived. You probably saved my build plate 😂. Also, I didn't know about the longevity thing. That's good info to have if someone plans on printing everyday, fulfilling orders. Many many thanks for all the videos as of late. That ring by Juan was also very cool.
Juan is a talented and really great guy. I printed his ring for this video too, but I struggled to get good photos, so I left them out. But here in my hands, the detail is amazing 😁
@@vogman I got another email saying till end of July now (and then two weeks ish with tracking number).. so I've opted for a refund.. :( I dunno how they can be taking orders for the 8k Mighty when they can't fulfill the Mini pre-orders from last year. Crazy! (The estimated shipping time will be in September for the Mighty, yeah Sept 2025!!)
Excellent review! I have a Mini 8K waiting to first off its first print, but I am definitely excited about the DLP technology evolving for hobbyist use!
I am still waiting for my mini. I figured the comparison would go this way. I will most likely get a 2nd resin printer when the Mars dlp is available. Thanks for another great video.
I suspected that outcome because that's what we saw in your first vid on ultra. It's so sharp that it starts to have problems because of that. Now will you be able to check how ultra reacts to antyaliasing and image blur?
When photos are low resolution/blurry and you apply a sharpening filter you will get a visually sharper and more detailed image, but when zoomed in you see it's a mess of pixels whereas the original image will look nice and smooth. I think this is exactly what we're seeing here, so I'm going to go ahead and agree with you on which ones actually better
I avoid using Sharpening filters for than reason. It can distort the image. Unfortunately what you see is what RUclips creates, not what I do, so there's a little loss of definition there too. 😁
Personally, i was more than willing to take the resolution hit by getting the Ultra, because that lifespan is just too good but they ended the kickstarter two days early on me, so i ended up going with the Mini 8k. I really think that once the DLP hits 4k, it will become the standard.
The argument for or against is kind of like Antialiasing in video games. The more antialiasing you turn on, the more "smooth" or "blurry" or "less sharp" the image gets, but i argue that a smooth image or slightly blurry is closer to real life through our eyes than seeing constant shimmering and jagged edges in what is supposed to be an accurate recreation of reality in a video game. it's distracting. In terms of the printer, the Ultra makes it look more like a print, and the Mini 8k makes it less obvious which is what i personally want. No layer lines, i want it to look like it was cast or something.
ok so i was almost set on the photo mono 2 (and i've seen your review). but it turns out the ultra is discounted on banggood at the moment. 180€, so even cheaper than the photon mono. so, for you, it's clearly a superior printer? i've unfortunately not found any mono/ultra comparison.
The thing with the photon ultra, is that it technically has 80 micron resolution, except that it has a special shifting system that exists on most dlp printers with the TI chip, so it technically has 40 micron pixel pitch if you factor this in.
Would have like to see a full plate (or something similar) comparison. I get that the sizes are different, but from my understanding, DLP excels at single pieces and suffers when the print is stretched across the full plate. So if you print a full plate of miniatures on the Ultra, are they still slightly better than the Mini 8K printing that same size of items?
I can assure you Tom, in both cases the plates were filled. I've yet to see any sign of this mythical deterioration I keep hearing about. IF IT EXISTS then it's shown in the models printed on this video. There's no way I had time to print one thing at a time 😁
Great Comparison! Happy bought the 8K. But will exchange it when the DLP has some iterations. Like bigger built plate and maybe also an higher resolution.
just a question .... regarding water washable resing? Did you try that on DLP printer or not? I think aboud Ultra or D2 (probably just Ultra, not sure if I want to invest 2 times more now), but I wonder if it will work fine or not with water washable resin
I am having issues getting my prints to stick to the whambam plate. Would you have any suggestions for me? I have my bottom layers set to 15 layers with 40seconds per bottom layer and 2-3 seconds for the rest of the layers.
@@vogman In the meantime, I'm busy wearing out my 8K Mini! Your reviews and comparisons are really good. I doubt Formlabs will ever have you review a machine. You're way too honest.
Hi. Can you tell me how to get the print quality you show? I have photon ultra dlp. I made the same settings as you show and the lines from the layers are still visible. Do I need to set Anti-alias to 16? I set it to 1 as you show your settings, but the lines from the layers are still visible .
Thank you so much for this! This is the video I look forward to the most in this field, I have chosen ultra and through this video I think this choice is reasonable in the long run and personal printing level.
I missed the kickstarter for the ultra. I've been waiting for it to come on sale for everybody else. 😓 I talked to any cubic and they said keep an eye on their website that it should be sometime this year.
It seems we are at a good place when it comes to resolution vs price in this industry. I would suggest that companies now focus on better AI and slicing software to maximize print success ratio so that the printing process can be more plug and play. Auto supports, built in temperature regulation, self-leveling… you drop in a stl on one end, and out comes a print-ready file with all the supports and settings done for you by the AI with a 99% success rate… now THAT would be impressive! Awesome video as always! I almost spit out my drink when you mentioned the favorite kid comparison hahaha!
I noticed you mentioned commercial "DLP" resins in the video as being a pro for the Ultra. Have you tested any of those 385/365nm commercial resins on the Photon Ultra? Despite using a DLP system to control light hitting the resin, the manual for it claims to use a (same as other consumer/prosumer grade LCD SLA printers) 405nm LED light source through that DLP chip, instead of something deeper into UV; whereas the commercial DLP printers and resins are usually 385nm if not 365nm. Of course, it really comes down to how wide of a wavelength band the resin in question will reactively cure at, and how wide of a wavelength band the light source actually puts out, vs its quoted peak/operating wavelength. Theoretically, any "DLP" resin that would print fine with the Photon Ultra would probably print equally fine with any consumer grade LCD SLA based desktop 3d printer, but apparently not all 385nm resins will print reliably on 405nm printers (or at least so claim various manufacturers/etc). It would be interesting to see this actually tested, and cross-tested.
verry welcome comparrisin ! One thing i had in mind, about the lcd light bleed of the sonic, they also use a led projector with a mirror. they asume that prevent light bleed as much as possible. isn’t that a little step to the dlp technology ? (like a morph lcd, lcd projector, dip projector)
Phrozen are a clever bunch, well worth keeping an eye on. I can't pretend I understand the technology well enough to judge exactly what the mirror is for. It could simply be a space saving feature. But whatever it's use, it works amazingly well. As for the pixel blurring, that's just a generalisation about LCDs. 😁
A big problem is that Anycubic jumped the gun hyping their DLP printer. As of today, only reviewers have received the Ultra with none being shipped out yet to even super early bird backers on the kickstarter launch. Phrozen which launched a month later than Anycubic is already shipping out to consumers. I have already received my Mini 8K and love it. I agree that the build plate grips too hard but so far my prints with Sirayatech cast have been outstanding! The people will buy what is available and if Anycubic can't hurry and get the ultra to consumers, then newer DLP's will quickly make it obsolete.
I do agree with you there Daniel. I've been bothered by how slow they've been. It's a real shame. If they're not careful, Elegoo will launch an improved DLP before the Ultra hits the market.
Interesting video. I recently purchased an Anycubic Photon Ultra and have been working with Anycubic Craftsman resin. I would like to test with Phrozen Aqua 4K resin and I was wondering if you could give me the settings you used?
Amazing comparison and one that left me even more perplexed than before. Any chance you could upload the hirez photos you took somewhere? I'm curious about those voxel lines. They look like they have sharp edges on the SM8K as opposed to rounded edges you'd expect to see if we were dealing with blurred image from the lcd
I'm personally looking for the day we get a DLP with great resolution in the size of a Jupiter or the 8k Mega, or about 200x200x350 or there abouts, with a resin dispenser like the Jupiter. No screens to replace, wider UV resin options, fast and efficient.
Just received my Mini 8K.... fantastic quality construction with dual "Z" rails. Likely DLP is the future for desktop resin printing, but I wasn't impressed with the Ultra's build quality. (had initially ordered the Ultra, but cancelled in favour of the Mini 8K)
hi..I want to work in the lost wax casting industry for the manufacture of gold rings and others, so what should I buy from printers? is sonic mini 8k or photon
Thanks for creating and sharing this. Very helpful. Questions: Did you try out anti-aliasing on either and if so what difference did it make in print quality. The Anycubic certainly looks sharper, I'm wondering if anti-aliasing would smooth the pixelation while keeping the detail?
I tend to never use AA simply because I like detail, and AA can so often remove this in an haphazard attempt at smoothing. So no, there was no AA here. However, I agree, I think using AA could make a difference here.
Great video! Out of curiosity, I'm not sure if you had many failures as you were dialing in resins or in the course of printing, but did you find either printer more reliable and user friendly?
I've cast using both and I'm pleased with both. I can't say "this one is best" here as castable resins rarely print as well as ordinary resins, so a lot more experimenting with brands and settings is necessary. But right now, I'm delighted with both for casting 😁
Glad to have a quality comparison between the two, thank you. One question: Does the comparison stay when scaling ie. highly detailed 6-8mm scale wargaming pieces? I ask in part not just for quality comparison but also because the limited build plate size on the Ultra becomes less of an issue.
I rarely worry about scale perfection if I'm honest. A very quick look at the prints on my desk shows they same pretty consistent across both printers. Unusually where accuracy is concerned I say the same thing to everyone... use just one printer, just one resin type and keep a fairly constant temperature. Then fine tune dimensions using the slicer software. It works 😁
Thank you for comparing the devices. I have a question about the dimensional accuracy. The DLP is supposed to be not quite so accurate, which is rather not so good for dimensional models. Thanks.
I can't imagine why anyone would think that about DLPs. These are the printers that industry uses. Traditionally they've been too expensive for home use. That's changing now which is very exciting. 😁
Awesome comparison, both printers are fantastic, one question regarding the smaller build plate on the ultra, would it be possible to print larger models in pieces instead? Like printing just the arm of a bigger model, then printing the other arm etc. (I'd imagine it depends on the specific model)
Terry my knowledge of industrial resins is none existent. However, as a general rule, all such things trickle down into the domestic market over time. So it's a safe bet there's some exciting things out there for us to play with... extra strong, extra flexible, perfectly transparent, weather resistant... who knows 😁
Time will tell buddy. Any sorry, I printed your ring for inclusion in this video - and it looks amazing. But you know I'm struggling with my photography right now. I just couldn't get a good image 😁
I would like to see a test between the mars 3 4k and the sonic mini 8k, it would be amazing. But while there isn't, I'd like to ask your opinion, is the difference between the two big?
If you check out my review of the Ultra ruclips.net/video/eAf0mpF9Nww/видео.html you'll see me sneakily comparing a Skull Ring print by the Mars 3 with the Ultra. Trust me, it's in a different league.
Biggest question I had after watching this video - Why was I not subscribed? I watched many of your videos and was certain you had my sub. Well, now you do! An important question to ask is how well Support is for a printer. I have had very good experience with Phrozen although it can take some time due to the different time zones but they worked really hard....
Great content! I've a question... Could the Ultra be so sharp to cause more patterns on metal casting? I'm waiting my Ultra and just curious. Now I've a Mars 2 Pro but pretty happy anyway.
I've cast with both printers without issue. Castable resins are rarely as precise as ordinary resins, so some of that amazing detail will be lost anyway. But do remember, the images were VERY magnified here 😁
![Anycubic Photon D2 DLP 3d resin printer [HONEST REVIEW]](/img/1.gif)
Yes, the video I've been waiting for. Thank you VOG for taking the time to do these videos.
No problem. Happy to help. 😁
@@vogman I do agree I think DLP is the future, more specifically Elegoos high res and larger DLP printer. The Ultra is just to limiting on size.
Fantastic comparison! These printers really go head to head despite the different tech behind them. Since you mentioned that the ultra is sharper because of being a DLP, in my opinion it would also be very interesting to compare prints of primitives like cubes and spheres. Would a cube on the ultra look very slightly sharper? Would a sphere on the mini 8k look slightly smoother? Maybe it's an interesting test! 😁
A very interesting thought 😁
Good content as always. As a man who prints small volume in high detail. I will be looking into investing in a DLP, but might wait for the next generation having just forked out for the 8k, Only problem with that kind of thinking is, if everyone does it, there might not BE a 2nd generation DLP.
I hear you. I really want to see the DLPs fully explored 😁
That's not a reasonable fear
The comparison I've been waiting for. Nice work!
I'd wager if you plan on painting your prints the mini 8k might be a slightly better option because of the better surface smoothness.
I'm not so sure there... I think you'd struggle to see any surface imperfections with the naked eye, and even if you did, one coat of primer would bury them. 😁
Damn, the intro joke had me laughing hard, great video as always man!
Many thanks 😁
I suspect that for me, who wants an ultra smooth finish on small pieces while keeping detail, the mini 8k is the better choice due to the stepping. Both are fantastic printers, and i look forward to the future with them :)
In the hand, honestly you'd never tell. And when I cast with them, again I've noticed no issues. 😁
I'm SO happy that consumer DLP is starting to become a thing. I really can't wait till Phrozen comes with their own answer to the DLP race.
I also hope the relative new Rocket 1 kickstarter is also going to have an influence on the tech for resin printers.
All I know about the Rocket is that they don't want me to review it. I did ask several times.
Since I pointed out the Z Wobble issue with the Mars 3, companies have realised I speak honestly and frankly in my reviews, pointing out the good and the bad. Some companies, it seems, don't want me to comment on there goods.
Makes me wonder why 😁😁😁😁😁
I was looking for a comparison video of these two! Thanks for this video and for the timestamps/chapters as well!
Glad it was helpful!
Excellent presentation. For someone like me that is just getting ready to purchase my first printer. This video was a huge help and gave me more to look at before I purchase. I had no idea of the DLP printer. I do not need large parts so the Anycubic might be what I need. Thanks.
Brilliant review Geoff!! Well balanced and to the point... you should have a million views my friend.
Thanks Dan. Unfortunately I forgot to drive over a brand new iPhone, so I don't think I'll reach a million views 😁
I cant hold my smile when that jab to your wife with the video editing timing for the resin face , office people wonder why im smiling like and idiot to a 3d printer review
I was very interested in a Photon Ultra because of the dlp tech but my enthousiasm was curbed by 2 factors.
1) The pronounced layer lines. Most reviews show huge chunky prints and even if they are detailed they are still huge compared to a real 28mm or 32mm mini. Im really concerned that those pronounced print lines will spoil the fun unless you are going to heavily prime the mini and that anyway would diminish the small edge that this printer has over the 8k detail wise.
2) The availability. Anycubic put their dlp project behind a crowdfunding wall that many people (most actually) are unwilling to climb. They had a minimal advertising campaign and a disasterous live presentation by a chinese lady that could not speak english and a random (spanish?) guy that mumbled. They never actually answered any of the serious technical questions and the whole demonstration just damaged Anycubic's image and led me to believe that they didnt care enough for the project. It might be far fetched but if a company completely fucks up a presentation and doesnt believe enough in one of their products in order to finance its development maybe its a sign that they are not really going to provide decent support. Its like they had a little Frankenstein experiment, made us pay for its development and then continued working on their ''real'' projects.
I can go and get the Mini 8K from a local dealer 20min drive from my house. Have him display it for me, call in if i have a question and send it back if I have any troubles.
I'm getting a lot of questions along the lines of "are these as good as a 'real' min?"
I'll have to test the theory 😁
Thanks for another honest non biased review.
No problem 👍
Thanks for putting this comparison together. Very informative. Great job!
Thanks for watching! 😁
Thanks so much. You are the first person who explains something about xy resolution. Great video.
As jeweler, That roughness and voxels of the ultra are quite a big problem to fix even after polishing. You could not polish the intricate parts of the model without damaging the details. I prefer waiting the elegoo mars 3 DLP if someday they will release it because until now, all elegoo did is an annoucement of a dlp printer the Day of the anycubic ultra kickstarter launch. Maybe elegoo didn't even started the project at that time and only make a statement with a picture of a DLP sticker on their mars 3 LCD.
You may be right. I've only cast in bronze from the Ultra, but I've had no problems 😁
Currently what printer are you using ?
Fantastic comparison. Your clear, structured, properly edited and articulate presentations are well appreciated. You've seriously upped your photography game as well, great stuff! 20 Squid coming your way. Cheers!
Thank you very much! I certainly appreciate any support. Many thank 😁😁😁
Thorough review as always and glad you came down on the side of the Ultra as that is where I put my money! Now if only Anycubic would send me the darned thing...
Honestly, it's a game changer 😁
I’m curious how the DLP print would look with smaller layers. To get the same smoothness that’s provided by blurring in the 8k, you might have to reduce layer height and take twice as long printing.
You're absolutely right. I used 0.025... with 0.01 we may have seen a whole different outcome 😁
If any of you want a Wham Bam build plate go onto their site and subscribe, enter your email info, and check the box next to the Mini 8K model. I went to order one and they don't have them listed yet. Thank you for the detailed comparison and close-ups because it confirmed the Mini 8K is the right choice for me. Now I need Lychee slicer too and hope they have an option for the Mini 8K as well.
Thanks for the detailed and easy to follow comparison. Totally makes sense 👍
Many thanks 😁😁😁
Great stuff! I was waiting for this comparison video for some time and it was very helpful! Thanks again VOG! :D
My pleasure! 😁😁😁
This review made me buy the Photon Ultra and it's insanely good!!! Thank you ❤
Glad you love it 😁
Thank you so much for this comparison! Im in the KS for the ultra, and its a very negative community due to so many new to how KS works lol, cant wait for it to ship and to show off your vid to them
It will be worth the wait for you. It's an amazing printer 😁
Please do a comparison with AA - most people will be using AA and it could potentially rewrite this whole comparison. If the ultra can produce a smooth or smoother surface with AA it would be a clear winner for those who want only to paint smaller models. I know the human eye struggles to see those layer lines on an unpainted model but as soon as you apply a wash it becomes very easy to see the difference.
I guarantee when painting you'd see no difference. The texture I'm referring too is massively magnified. And primer and paint and there'd be no texture see 😁
I really like the ultra and the fact that DLP is becoming cheaper and making its way into our homes. For me, honest opinion and for my application the sharp edges = print lines and if you want to get rid of them, you will probably have to coat it with at least one layer of filler and at that point you are basically at the same quality as with Mini 8k and with mini 8k you have much bigger build plate. Right now I am using Saturn and Creality
LD-002R and for my printing projects like props and 25 - 30cm statues I usually go with Saturn because of the size. But in the future I would definitely give a try to the Ultra or any other DLP with bigger build volume :D
The lines I'm talking about here are so small, a coat of primer would bury them. 😁😁😁
Now, one year later, what are your thoughts? Experiences? Comparisons with the D2 perhaps? I ask this now because the ultra is available for a price that I can't ignore, I am very strongly considering it..
just got the photon d2, the d2 basically is hd while both of these are sd
It’s an exciting time for the printers in this space. These companies are climbing over each other to be on top. My ultra should be here sometime soon
Absolutely. And you'll love it 😁
I'm looking forward to seeing more DLP printers, as I'd love to get one and the Ultra just isn't in stock anywhere.
exactly what i was looking for!!!
Glad I could help 😁
I have searched all over the Internet, but there is no Chinese comparative evaluation. Thank you very much for your evaluation. Compared with the two machines, it seems that the details of 8K are better. I think I will choose mini8k.
I'm really glad I watched this before my 8k arrived. You probably saved my build plate 😂.
Also, I didn't know about the longevity thing. That's good info to have if someone plans on printing everyday, fulfilling orders.
Many many thanks for all the videos as of late. That ring by Juan was also very cool.
Juan is a talented and really great guy. I printed his ring for this video too, but I struggled to get good photos, so I left them out. But here in my hands, the detail is amazing 😁
Thank you! I asked for this in one of your previous videos!!
Happy to help 😁
Jelly you're printing with the phrozen 8k mini, I am still waiting for my Phrozen mini 8k to arrive..... bought it in Oct 2021!!
Ouch. That's quite a wait... but it will be worth it. It's a great printer 😁
@@vogman I got another email saying till end of July now (and then two weeks ish with tracking number).. so I've opted for a refund.. :(
I dunno how they can be taking orders for the 8k Mighty when they can't fulfill the Mini pre-orders from last year. Crazy!
(The estimated shipping time will be in September for the Mighty, yeah Sept 2025!!)
Excellent review! I have a Mini 8K waiting to first off its first print, but I am definitely excited about the DLP technology evolving for hobbyist use!
I agree. DLP certainly sounds like a game changer. 😁
I am still waiting for my mini. I figured the comparison would go this way. I will most likely get a 2nd resin printer when the Mars dlp is available. Thanks for another great video.
Thanks for watching 😁😁😁
Another great review, VOG! Thanks for your unbiased work
No worries 😁
I suspected that outcome because that's what we saw in your first vid on ultra. It's so sharp that it starts to have problems because of that. Now will you be able to check how ultra reacts to antyaliasing and image blur?
Anoder thing is that texture ultra leaves is gonna show when painting miniatures with popular quick techniques like washing and drybrush
That texture is so fine I can't imagine it would survive primer, never mind the first layer of paint 😁
Thank you sir,we have been waited so long
Sorry it took me so long. Twice the work here 😁
@@vogman it's okay sir,last but not least
When photos are low resolution/blurry and you apply a sharpening filter you will get a visually sharper and more detailed image, but when zoomed in you see it's a mess of pixels whereas the original image will look nice and smooth.
I think this is exactly what we're seeing here, so I'm going to go ahead and agree with you on which ones actually better
I avoid using Sharpening filters for than reason. It can distort the image. Unfortunately what you see is what RUclips creates, not what I do, so there's a little loss of definition there too. 😁
Personally, i was more than willing to take the resolution hit by getting the Ultra, because that lifespan is just too good but they ended the kickstarter two days early on me, so i ended up going with the Mini 8k. I really think that once the DLP hits 4k, it will become the standard.
I think DLP is the way printers will go... but time will tell 😁
I actually did not catch what the difference was other than the DLP had sharper pixels but lower resolution.
The argument for or against is kind of like Antialiasing in video games. The more antialiasing you turn on, the more "smooth" or "blurry" or "less sharp" the image gets, but i argue that a smooth image or slightly blurry is closer to real life through our eyes than seeing constant shimmering and jagged edges in what is supposed to be an accurate recreation of reality in a video game. it's distracting.
In terms of the printer, the Ultra makes it look more like a print, and the Mini 8k makes it less obvious which is what i personally want. No layer lines, i want it to look like it was cast or something.
True... and I confess I haven't played with AA with either printer. I rarely do. I love detail too much 😁
ok so i was almost set on the photo mono 2 (and i've seen your review). but it turns out the ultra is discounted on banggood at the moment. 180€, so even cheaper than the photon mono. so, for you, it's clearly a superior printer? i've unfortunately not found any mono/ultra comparison.
thanks for the comparison.
also interesting to measure if deformation on X Y and Z
but but the ultra is not for sale, or am I missing something and it's actually available for sale somewhere?
But you can't even buy the Anycubic Photon Ultra anywhere. It was a Kickstarter product only.
At the moment, yes, that's true.
The thing with the photon ultra, is that it technically has 80 micron resolution, except that it has a special shifting system that exists on most dlp printers with the TI chip, so it technically has 40 micron pixel pitch if you factor this in.
I have to take your word for that. I just know it prints great 😁
Would have like to see a full plate (or something similar) comparison.
I get that the sizes are different, but from my understanding, DLP excels at single pieces and suffers when the print is stretched across the full plate. So if you print a full plate of miniatures on the Ultra, are they still slightly better than the Mini 8K printing that same size of items?
I can assure you Tom, in both cases the plates were filled. I've yet to see any sign of this mythical deterioration I keep hearing about. IF IT EXISTS then it's shown in the models printed on this video. There's no way I had time to print one thing at a time 😁
Thank you
Great Comparison! Happy bought the 8K. But will exchange it when the DLP has some iterations. Like bigger built plate and maybe also an higher resolution.
The next generation of home DLPs will probably spell the end of LCDs... they really are that good 😁
just a question .... regarding water washable resing? Did you try that on DLP printer or not?
I think aboud Ultra or D2 (probably just Ultra, not sure if I want to invest 2 times more now), but I wonder if it will work fine or not with water washable resin
Hi which printer would you recommend for jewellery printing please
I am having issues getting my prints to stick to the whambam plate. Would you have any suggestions for me? I have my bottom layers set to 15 layers with 40seconds per bottom layer and 2-3 seconds for the rest of the layers.
I'm definitely anticipating a larger, higher resolution DLP. Thanks for the review!
They will come 😁
@@vogman In the meantime, I'm busy wearing out my 8K Mini!
Your reviews and comparisons are really good. I doubt Formlabs will ever have you review a machine. You're way too honest.
Hi. Can you tell me how to get the print quality you show?
I have photon ultra dlp. I made the same settings as you show and the lines from the layers are still visible. Do I need to set Anti-alias to 16? I set it to 1 as you show your settings, but the lines from the layers are still visible .
Thank you so much for this! This is the video I look forward to the most in this field, I have chosen ultra and through this video I think this choice is reasonable in the long run and personal printing level.
You'll love it 😁
Great video, thank you very much! One question, for a beginner which one would be easier to handle?
I missed the kickstarter for the ultra. I've been waiting for it to come on sale for everybody else. 😓 I talked to any cubic and they said keep an eye on their website that it should be sometime this year.
They are on Aliexpress now.
Hell yeah another great video to watch :D
😁😁😁
It seems we are at a good place when it comes to resolution vs price in this industry. I would suggest that companies now focus on better AI and slicing software to maximize print success ratio so that the printing process can be more plug and play. Auto supports, built in temperature regulation, self-leveling… you drop in a stl on one end, and out comes a print-ready file with all the supports and settings done for you by the AI with a 99% success rate… now THAT would be impressive!
Awesome video as always! I almost spit out my drink when you mentioned the favorite kid comparison hahaha!
Many thanks 😁
Just joined your Patreon.... thank you for great content. (very pleasant voice)
Welcome aboard! All support is very gratefully received 😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁
In your opinion which is better for jewelry?
Awesome review as always.
Glad you enjoyed it 😁
I noticed you mentioned commercial "DLP" resins in the video as being a pro for the Ultra.
Have you tested any of those 385/365nm commercial resins on the Photon Ultra? Despite using a DLP system to control light hitting the resin, the manual for it claims to use a (same as other consumer/prosumer grade LCD SLA printers) 405nm LED light source through that DLP chip, instead of something deeper into UV; whereas the commercial DLP printers and resins are usually 385nm if not 365nm. Of course, it really comes down to how wide of a wavelength band the resin in question will reactively cure at, and how wide of a wavelength band the light source actually puts out, vs its quoted peak/operating wavelength. Theoretically, any "DLP" resin that would print fine with the Photon Ultra would probably print equally fine with any consumer grade LCD SLA based desktop 3d printer, but apparently not all 385nm resins will print reliably on 405nm printers (or at least so claim various manufacturers/etc).
It would be interesting to see this actually tested, and cross-tested.
Entonces muchachos, cual es mejor?
Only if anucubic would be little faster with providing with ordered ks printer... Wait I hurtful.
Great video as always. Thx
We need a resin printer torture test: resolution and clearance, overhangs.
There's plenty out there, but none I've ever really enjoyed using.
Any chance of you doing a Photon M3 Max vs Sonic Mink 8k?
verry welcome comparrisin !
One thing i had in mind, about the lcd light bleed of the sonic, they also use a led projector with a mirror. they asume that prevent light bleed as much as possible.
isn’t that a little step to the dlp technology ? (like a morph lcd, lcd projector, dip projector)
but i have chosen mu favorite :D thanks for this compassion, that was really what i needed.
Phrozen are a clever bunch, well worth keeping an eye on. I can't pretend I understand the technology well enough to judge exactly what the mirror is for. It could simply be a space saving feature. But whatever it's use, it works amazingly well. As for the pixel blurring, that's just a generalisation about LCDs. 😁
A big problem is that Anycubic jumped the gun hyping their DLP printer. As of today, only reviewers have received the Ultra with none being shipped out yet to even super early bird backers on the kickstarter launch. Phrozen which launched a month later than Anycubic is already shipping out to consumers. I have already received my Mini 8K and love it. I agree that the build plate grips too hard but so far my prints with Sirayatech cast have been outstanding! The people will buy what is available and if Anycubic can't hurry and get the ultra to consumers, then newer DLP's will quickly make it obsolete.
I do agree with you there Daniel. I've been bothered by how slow they've been. It's a real shame. If they're not careful, Elegoo will launch an improved DLP before the Ultra hits the market.
Interesting video. I recently purchased an Anycubic Photon Ultra and have been working with Anycubic Craftsman resin. I would like to test with Phrozen Aqua 4K resin and I was wondering if you could give me the settings you used?
Amazing comparison and one that left me even more perplexed than before.
Any chance you could upload the hirez photos you took somewhere? I'm curious about those voxel lines. They look like they have sharp edges on the SM8K as opposed to rounded edges you'd expect to see if we were dealing with blurred image from the lcd
I'll try and get some good photos (which is tricky for me). If and when I do, I'll post them on Instagram 😁
@@vogman much appreciated
I'm personally looking for the day we get a DLP with great resolution in the size of a Jupiter or the 8k Mega, or about 200x200x350 or there abouts, with a resin dispenser like the Jupiter. No screens to replace, wider UV resin options, fast and efficient.
Who can say what's around the corner 😁
Curious about metal casting comparisons too! The sharpness and layer lines of the DLP, vs the slight fuzziness of the LCD?
I've cast with both printers. The videos are online 😁
Just received my Mini 8K.... fantastic quality construction with dual "Z" rails. Likely DLP is the future for desktop resin printing, but I wasn't impressed with the Ultra's build quality. (had initially ordered the Ultra, but cancelled in favour of the Mini 8K)
Those rail are nice aren't they. Very sturdy. For me it's the best LCD I've come across. You'll love it 😁
Nice comparison thanks! where did you get that jumping spider ring from?
hi..I want to work in the lost wax casting industry for the manufacture of gold rings and others, so what should I buy from printers? is sonic mini 8k or photon
The size of a voxel is called 'definition'. The 'resolution' is voxel count in one of the main axes.
Thanks for the info 😁
Thanks for creating and sharing this. Very helpful.
Questions: Did you try out anti-aliasing on either and if so what difference did it make in print quality. The Anycubic certainly looks sharper, I'm wondering if anti-aliasing would smooth the pixelation while keeping the detail?
I tend to never use AA simply because I like detail, and AA can so often remove this in an haphazard attempt at smoothing. So no, there was no AA here. However, I agree, I think using AA could make a difference here.
7:02 why is the ultra print all squished down while the phrozen sonic isn't?
Camera angle. One or two degrees with a macro lens makes a massive difference.
Has anyone heard when the Anycubic Ultra will be available to purchase?
Great video! Out of curiosity, I'm not sure if you had many failures as you were dialing in resins or in the course of printing, but did you find either printer more reliable and user friendly?
Both equally reliable 😁
Thank youfor the Review
No problem 👍
What about casting results? You do a lot of casting. What would be your go to printer and what resin?
I've cast using both and I'm pleased with both. I can't say "this one is best" here as castable resins rarely print as well as ordinary resins, so a lot more experimenting with brands and settings is necessary. But right now, I'm delighted with both for casting 😁
Glad to have a quality comparison between the two, thank you. One question: Does the comparison stay when scaling ie. highly detailed 6-8mm scale wargaming pieces? I ask in part not just for quality comparison but also because the limited build plate size on the Ultra becomes less of an issue.
I rarely worry about scale perfection if I'm honest. A very quick look at the prints on my desk shows they same pretty consistent across both printers.
Unusually where accuracy is concerned I say the same thing to everyone... use just one printer, just one resin type and keep a fairly constant temperature. Then fine tune dimensions using the slicer software. It works 😁
Excellent video. It may just come down to price and availability for me as they both look so good.
That's a major factor for anyone 😁
So in short - wait for refined and larger DLP :)
That's up to you. I can only state the facts as I see them 😁
Thank you for comparing the devices. I have a question about the dimensional accuracy. The DLP is supposed to be not quite so accurate, which is rather not so good for dimensional models. Thanks.
I can't imagine why anyone would think that about DLPs. These are the printers that industry uses. Traditionally they've been too expensive for home use. That's changing now which is very exciting. 😁
Awesome comparison, both printers are fantastic, one question regarding the smaller build plate on the ultra, would it be possible to print larger models in pieces instead? Like printing just the arm of a bigger model, then printing the other arm etc. (I'd imagine it depends on the specific model)
Yes Erik, you can definitely reposition models or section them off for easier printing 😁
Nice review thank u
My pleasure 😊
Isn't the Photon 6x more comparable, with an even larger print volume?
The industrial resins, in a nutshell, which resins show big advantages vs LCD resins?
Terry my knowledge of industrial resins is none existent. However, as a general rule, all such things trickle down into the domestic market over time. So it's a safe bet there's some exciting things out there for us to play with... extra strong, extra flexible, perfectly transparent, weather resistant... who knows 😁
Can you imagine a mega 8K DLP oh my god, I see it in the near future.
Time will tell buddy. Any sorry, I printed your ring for inclusion in this video - and it looks amazing. But you know I'm struggling with my photography right now. I just couldn't get a good image 😁
@@vogman I’ll take care of you with the photography aspect
I would like to see a test between the mars 3 4k and the sonic mini 8k, it would be amazing. But while there isn't, I'd like to ask your opinion, is the difference between the two big?
If you check out my review of the Ultra ruclips.net/video/eAf0mpF9Nww/видео.html you'll see me sneakily comparing a Skull Ring print by the Mars 3 with the Ultra. Trust me, it's in a different league.
Biggest question I had after watching this video - Why was I not subscribed? I watched many of your videos and was certain you had my sub. Well, now you do!
An important question to ask is how well Support is for a printer. I have had very good experience with Phrozen although it can take some time due to the different time zones but they worked really hard....
Thanks for subbing 😁😁😁
Great content! I've a question... Could the Ultra be so sharp to cause more patterns on metal casting? I'm waiting my Ultra and just curious. Now I've a Mars 2 Pro but pretty happy anyway.
I've cast with both printers without issue. Castable resins are rarely as precise as ordinary resins, so some of that amazing detail will be lost anyway. But do remember, the images were VERY magnified here 😁
Wonderful review.
Thank you! Cheers! 😁
you sound like the bloody how its made guy.
today.... on 3d printer showdown.