Best affordable photo quality printer

[slehning]

I am working with a digital photographer whom has landed a fairly good size account.

His needs are to purchase an affordable small format, photo quality printer, roughly 11 x 17 max size output.
He has just gotten started on his own and of coarse expense is a big issue as well.

Just looking for some opinions and or input on what others maybe using. I am well versed on the epson printers out there, and i am bias in this direction I must say. But in all fairness I will be willing to hear what others have to say about perhaps the HP's. I have heard some buzz about there products as well.

Any feed back would be appreciated.

Thanks

Steve Lehning