Elegoo Mars 4 DLP (honest) review & Anycubic D2 comparison

Elegoo has finally answered the challenge laid down by Anycubics D2, giving us their Mars 4 DLP. This is a technological leap forward for Elegoo, so how does the Mars stack up against the competition? In this review, I not only take my usual honest and no-punches-pulled look at the Elegoo contender, I also compare with Anycubic second DLP, the D2.
🔹 ELEGOO MARS 4 DLP 🔹
Elegoo EU ▶ tinyurl.com/5fnem3z3
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🔹 ANYCUBIC PHOTON D2 DLP 🔹
Anycubic Store ▶ bit.ly/3TA6bLb
Amazon UK ▶ amzn.to/3IBa2Vm
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🔹 MY STEP BY STEP 3D RESIN PRINTING GUIDES 🔹
0️⃣ - Introduction ▶ • 3D Printing for Beginn...
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🔹 DISCLAIMER 🔹
This product was given to me, free of charge and without obligation. No money has changed hands and the only agreement made was that I video an INDEPENDENT review, expressing my own personal and above all honest thoughts on the product. The opinions stated are my own, based upon my observations of items I have actually reviewed. I cannot form judgements about items I have not seen.
#3dprinting #3dprinter #resinprinting #vegoilguy #vog

[@alertedcoyote7892]

Honestly, this is the guy whose opinion I wait for. Not afraid to call BS when he sees it, not afraid to praise when it deserves it. Perfect reviewer.

[@HayashiKaiji]

I think DLP is the right way to go. Even if it looks 'a bit too voxel' under a microscope, I think it's an easy fix in the future if they actually go to a lower micron as well as fine tune the anti aliasing. However, I think what we really need the most AT THIS MOMENT are the Quality of Life improvements that the Athena Printer has.

[@joeargyle]

They could actually fix this by slightly de focusing the projection. I used DLP machines in the past that used a traditional HD DLP projector paired with custom lenses. Build size was small but resolutions were great. When setting up those machines it was possible to literally see pixel grid lines in the projected image. A slight de focus made them disappear. I never had to fiddle with anti aliasing or blur & there was no noticeable loss of detail in my prints. I have the Mars 4 DLP now, it has no focus adjustments & the focus is sharply set to the build platform. The prints are crisp but not nearly as smooth.

[@TheMoondougie]

My experience with the 4 DLP too. VERY crisp, but I need to be able to smooth the voxels.

[@emilcost8613]

I'm just as impressed with your skill in design as I am with this DLP printer. The more I watch reviews with DLP machines, the more I want to delve into resin printing. The cleanup is what discourages me the most though. I would have to stick with the water soluble resins because I don't want to mess with alcohol washing. Anyway, great review as always!

[@ThePhiphler]

You still need to deal with the waste, it just smells less. I agree that DLP seems like the more mature technology, having the actual screen residing just beneath the resin vat is a giant liability, and the increasingly meaningless screen resolution numbers seem to mask the actual performance of LCD printers (12k printer apparantly printing worse than 8k in tests etc).

[@DelahayeChristophe]

Be careful, the water in contact with resin still has to be processed as it if was alcool + resin, it can't be flushed into the drains as it's dangerous for aquatic life. Alsowater washable resin are of very poor quality and break easily !

[@glenmicallef8559]

That's exactly what I did, have been happily resin printing for a few months with water washable resin and am very happy with the results. I've never used regular resin so I cannot do a fair comparison, but water washable resin (from Elegoo & Anycubic) has never let me down or gave me reason to consider other resins. Hope this helps. PS pls note it is still toxic & needs proper PPE & disposal procedures like regular IPA resin

[@Bushido_90]

Thank you for the awesome comparison, you definitely helped me make up my mind! And I found your video just in time for the Black Friday sales as well! Got myself a Mars 4 DLP for the astonishing price of 275,99 Euro, that has to be an absolute bargain!

[@hk6562]

Great video thanks! I was waiting for this ended up getting the D2 at a crazy deal and couldn't resist, I'm looking to possibly get into jewelry your videos are very helpful. God bless and keep up the good work!

[@vogman]

You won't be disappointed. If you've watched any of my metal casting video, recently I've been using almost exclusively the D2 because for me nothing could beat it's quality. I'm now happy the Mars 4 can match it... but it can't beat it 😁

[@MichaelCassidy1973]

I cancelled my M5s pre-order last week and was deciding between buying mini 8ks or the D2. The D2 is 629 dollars for UK/EU buyers, the Mars 4 DLP was 450 dollars with discount code. So I just ordered the Mars 4, thanks for the unbiased reviews.

[@vogman]

A better quality printer for less money. You made the right decision. Whist the M5s has many merits, it can't touch these DLPs for print quality in my opinion.👍👍👍

[@juanofthekind]

Epic video. I really appreciate the amount of time you put on each video.

[@joeargyle]

I recently purchased the Mars 4 DLP but I won't be keeping it. It's a well built machine that is capable of great prints. A lot of these reviews comment on the sharp/clean results, & those statements are true. In general the Mars 4 DLP printed as expected. However, there is still something to be said for resolution. The first test I gave the machine was a piece that required very fine text. The Mars 4 DLP wasn't really able to pull it off. The text was legible but it didn't have the fidelity I'm used to. I had to re-run the job on my Epax x1-4k. I realize this is a specific use case, & I really can't knock the Mars 4 DLP for falling short. Its prints are sharp but it can be limited by it's low (by today's standards) resolution. Overall I think most users will be pleased with the machine but I did experience two problems. 1. Resin splashing from the vat onto the acrylic cover. I don't have this issue with any of my other resin machines but it was a consistent problem with this printer. 2. Strange halo artifacts surrounding elements of the print. I have no idea what caused this, it's not something I've seen a similar example of. The artifacts were not consistent. I printed full build plates of items in the same orientation, some pieces had it others didn't. I think this issue was probably unique to my machine. After experiencing this problem I came to the conclusion that this printer was not for me.

[@jameskillbot2867]

Strange as I’ve had the opposite experience of my Saturn 8k not producing text as sharp.

[@bensgizmo2960]

Thanks for the comparison. If i didn't already have the D2, I'd likely give this one a try. It will be fun to see how the DLPs compair to the Mars 4 Ultra 9K. Decided to take a chance on it with the hopes the build quality will be similar. Speaking of quality, I always enjoy the quality of your videos!

[@vogman]

My GUESS is that the 9K should be better. I hate the way Elegoo are blindsiding their customers lately, denying them access to independent reviews whilst hitting them with QVC style "get it whilst you can" style marketing... especially as only a couple of days later the latest ChiTuBox debacle was uncovered (strange how that appeared AFTER the showcase - cynic that I am). I have no reason to believe it will be anything other than a wonderful printer. I don't know if I'll ever get one to review, but I certainly hope some other free-speaking channels will. Hopefully they'll put my fears to rest, and yours I'm sure. My gripes are aimed at the sales tactic, not the printers. As shown here, Elegoo can and do make excellent machines. If the 9K is correctly squeezed into this exact same carcass (it is a Mars case after all), then I think you'll have yourself an amazing printer 😁👍👍👍

[@emilcost8613]

I agree that vogman's reviews are a testimony to excellence in reviewing these printers. I run and make a cup of coffee before I settle down and watch his reviews. As an armature video editor myself, I can appreciate the hard work that goes into making a video like this one.. well done indeed!

[@3dtechnologies153]

Self leveling, larger format dlp is what we need.

[@youtubevanced4900]

Self levelling is fairly pointless. Once a printer is level you never touch it again. Heated vat and larger format DLP is what we need.

[@agentcee688]

​@youtubevanced4900 I wouldn't say pointless, but its not a revolutionary feature that changes the game either. I personally appreciate it, sometimes on other printers you have to re-level if you're resurfacing the build plate, replacing the LCD, or if one of the adjusting screws somehow got loose over time. Also some people are just really bad at leveling, it kind of makes it dummy proof.

[@HunterValleyDan]

Well done again Geoff! It makes me wonder though, are we getting to the limits of practicality? I've never used a professional grade printer, or seen how those prints compare under magnification. But it seems that we are nearing a 'crossover' threshold into professional quality. But at a significantly reduced cost. It seems to me that the future for us average users, will be simple but useful improvements to functionality. Eg. Athena. My 2c anyway... 😁

[@andrewweber958]

I love this channel!!! Your journalism is amazing.

[@vogman]

Thanks Andrew. That's very kind of you.

[@Oversoul225]

I haven't watched the video yet, given it was uploaded 30 seconds ago. But I did just buy one of these yesterday, and waiting for delivery. Hoping not to be disappointed lol

[@vogman]

In honesty, either choice is good. Same machine different brands 😁😁😁

[@christophersteen1873]

Awesome review as always!

[@krzysztofmathews738]

Great review! I just got the Mars 4 DLP earlier this month as my very first resin printer, and I have to say that I have been very pleased with it.

[@markhickson9087]

Great review. I'll consider the Mars as my next small printer.

[@Glurgi]

Just what I needed, thank you!

[@vogman]

Happy to help!

[@metalfrog591]

Oh, I have looking forward to this.

[@mr.wonderpain6431]

A dial indicator would be a fantastic way to measure the z axis wobble. It may be overkill but it would certainly give you a very trustwory way to find out if machines have it. It could also measure the accuracy of the movments. Just a thought love ya vog!

[@tonywharton5220]

Great review Mr V

[@antoniomromo]

Fantastic as always good sir.

[@vogman]

Thank you kindly!

[@vasylkashuba9451]

I just bought Anycubic D2 last weekend 😢. I don't feel bad, but the small things like usb for airfilter and the metelic tray are definitely great, sad that I don't have them in D2 😔

[@Lecrocay]

Don't feel bad. I have this one and the two screws ball joint is a pain in the ass, it moves and prints fails a lot. I ended up using my old photon 4k

[@mk1479]

Thank you for your honest reviews as always! However, both printers do not have any WiFi connectivity which is present in other "lesser quality" printers (Nova3d for instance). What gives?

[@manuelgrutsch9584]

Hey vogman. Thanks for the review! Very informative as always. I currently still use a mars 2 and was looking for an update for a while. My most important criteria is low failure rate. Would you for that case recommend a DLP printer or the GKTwo (or maybe even athena) because of the built-in heat regulation?

[@vogman]

From my experience, assuming the printer is properly levelled with a well dialed-in resin, most failures are the fault of the print-providers. You get a pre-supported model and you expect it to print. It's rare I don't find myself having to re-support them. I'll probably get lots of angry replies for saying that, but it's just my experience. If I print a tested model, it works every time. If I get a new pre-supported one, it's anyone's guess. Miniature providers... test your prints before inflicting them upon your customers! So to answer your question, the printers themselves are surprisingly reliable. The user is the first point of issue and as you're experienced, that shouldn't be an issue... so after that it's the prints themselves.

[@manuelgrutsch9584]

I see :D Thanks for the insight!

[@dwwolf4636]

​@@vogmanWhat's IT Mantra again ? PEBKAC. Problem exists between keyboard and chair.......

[@VMinoda]

OMG YES. THANK YOU!

[@markmorgan8378]

VogMan to the rescue!

[@vogman]

Where brooding darkness spreads its evil wings, VogMan writes a stern review and hides in the shadows 😁😁😁😁😁

[@preddes6522]

​@@vogmanany chance you can try and review a NOVA3D Whale3

[@tarikincefikir]

Vogman thanks for the amazing reviews. How abouth for phrozen 12k upgrade? What do you think for 12K print verticalization issue? What is source of the problem, hardware or software?

[@vogman]

I think the Phrozen idea to provide a 12K upgrade kit for the Mighty 8K is an excellent one, and I even offered to do an upgrade demo / review video for Phrozen. Unfortunately they made it very clear to me that I was NOT an important "influencer" and declined my offer. I guess they're sore because I described their Mini 8KS as disappointing. If you tell the truth about Phrozen, you clearly get punished for it. The vertical lines are a puzzle though I'm not sure it's 12K related. I've been hearing comments suggesting it's actually the release liners. I guess more investigation is needed 😁

[@gzaros]

How about Mars 4 DLP versus the Mars 4 Ultra?

[@eBiCrafter]

Thank you

[@ninjachin]

Thanks for the review cause I'm looking for an economic good resolution printer to replace my second anycubic mono 4k

[@thebeersandthebees]

Knob size is definitely an important metric. They should really plaster that over all their advertising.

[@SteveSearle]

😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@techclub8528]

I really like my Mars4 DLP. I have both the D2 and this,

[@vogman]

I'm sure you'll agree the printing is equal, but the build quality of the Mars is better. Good for them 😁

[@techclub8528]

@@vogman totally agree easier to use the build plate is more like a shrunk down Saturn 2.

[@bensgizmo2960]

My D2 build plate never clamps down real securely. You have to really crank the knob down.

[@draglorde]

Great video, thanks for sharing! Why get DLP vs a very high res printer, such asthe mono 6k? The extra sharpness? Do you know a decent way to recycle/upcyle resin supports?

[@sprocket5526]

DLP has 20k hour lifespan vs 2k hours. Resin spilling on your screen won't ruin a DLP. And no you can't recycle hardened resin.

[@draglorde]

@@sprocket5526 thanks! I also realized that exposure settings are more forgiving with DLP, making it easier to use :)

[@Vormulac1]

I'm planning to replace my Anycubic Mono X 6k with a smaller higher spec printer to go with my Saturn 2 - this Mars 4 DLP is looking like a good contender.

[@BrickBazooka]

don't you like your pmx6k anymore? I have one too, but I think its outdated. I'm hoping for DLP Printers that size

[@takeoazuma7185]

Hey, I am à total beginner in 3d printing and of course I have à problem. Can you tell me what I'm doing wrong when the mars 4 dlp says "inconsistent slicing and projection exposure" and don't start printing after that ?

[@anubiscorrin7559]

Hi VogMan. I'm very new to 3D printers and I've been watching your reviews for some time now. And I was very interested in getting one to make some Marvel figures but with amazing detail. Should I go for Anycubic DLP since I'm just starting or get the Elegoo model?

[@devlaminckx3382]

If you get the Anycubic, do know that their Anti Aliasing only works with Photon Workshop and not with Lychee or Chitubox or another slicer. Which saddens me because I have 3 Anycubic printers, one of them is the D2.

[@anubiscorrin7559]

@@devlaminckx3382 So Anycubic doesn't work with Lychee? That's a bummer. That's the best slicing program

[@TheMoondougie]

Vogman, what slicer are you using? I prefer Lychee over Tango, but I can’t see any difference in the smoothness of the prints I do with Lychee, regardless of which AA settings I try. Any ideas/suggestions?

[@devlaminckx3382]

What kind of printer are you using? If it is an Anycubic printer,AA only works with Photon Workshop. I used to have the same problem.

[@TheMoondougie]

@@devlaminckx3382I’m using the Mars 4 DLP

[@TheWhitde]

Almost bought a LCD based resin printer but the life of the LCD and replacement cost seems crappy... also I'd rather a bulb just blow than pixels become non-optimal.

[@svenolovnystrom2351]

I want exact dimensions from the cad model . Dimensions with tolerance , what is a proper tolerance?

[@Recommendedforyouall]

Great to see other 3D printing companies are coming out with their own versions of affordable DLP printers- though I do wish they’d make them bigger. Big thanks for the reviews by the way! Your review of the AnyCubic Photon Ultra single handedly convinced me to get one myself, and I loved it so much that I even bought a second one- for only $200!!

[@vogman]

DLPs rock... that's all there is to it 😁

[@dailyprophet6641]

Does the elegoo require importing and VAT paying on receipt? was tempted.

[@gus.smedstad]

What I want to know is how effective that little air filter is at reducing fumes. My wife can't stand the smell of silk PLA in a FDM printer, let alone a resin printer.

[@adof7257]

so, how loud is the z-axis? i have a sonic mini 4k and the axis and fan are damn loud.

[@_mdb_]

With the $50 off it comes in around £350 which seems like a steal to me. I am rather tempted to make the jump to make it my first resin printer. Thanks for the review 🫶🏼

[@NathanBest]

I'm curious as to the printing speeds and exposure settings... do they print faster than their LCD counterparts?

[@vogman]

Honestly Nathan I haven't noticed any difference. I don't find them amazingly quick, nor do I find them slow, so I guess these DLPs are similar in speed. Exposure times will vary according to the resin and again, I've limited experience there as I tend to stick with the same few... but by and large, little to no difference I'd say 😁

[@NathanBest]

@vogman That's super helpful, thank you!

[@christianjohnson3205]

What size layer height are you printing on?

[@GustavLjungdahl]

the print speed how fast are they?

[@TheStonehammerFiles]

the US Amazon site has both printers at the same price at the moment.

[@Amipotsophspond]

you should have compared apples to oranges by the end print and the price of printer the range if the DPL is ~$500 then a ~$500 LCD doing the same print should show regardless of stated micron print size.

[@davidc3150]

What would you say about the first photon ultra vs this two. Obviously the newer ones are better, but how much? Since the price tag of the original ultra is quite accessible right now. That's why I ask.

[@vogman]

The Ultra is good, but it's not as good as these. If it's your first printer, then go for it, you'll be wowed. But if you've already dipped your toe in printing, you'll know the differences between these printers is subtle, but also clear to those who seek perfection.

[@davidc3150]

@@vogman thanks. So the difference to the D2 being the same brand just comes to the achievable detail? Or the build quality is also far superior?

[@ScytheNoire]

Let me know when a 13" screen comes out. These other ones are too small for statues.

[@smokehead5318]

so are You saying that 50um DLP produce better quality than sonic mini 8K? I have been talking to a guy who showed me that DLP didnt generated super small details that non DLP did, so I do not know.

[@JohnJones-oy3md]

3:24 - "Foucs". lol

[@vogman]

Spelling? There's usually a few slip by. 🤪

[@gzaros]

You say 0.5/0.3 layer height, but the graphic shows 0.05/0.03 layer height; which one is it?

[@uvz6539r]

What holds me back from the dlp is the price. 450usd is still alot.

[@BrickBazooka]

but it last you longer and it saves you energy costs

[@suryasontyana6515]

Is this printers suitable for gold jewellery ornaments? Please reply what's the price

[@vogman]

Absolutely. I do a lot of jewellery casting and I use DLPs as the clarity of detail is so fine. If you check the description below the video, you'll see price links for both printers.

[@southerndime333]

cheers biggus voggius

[@vogman]

👍👍👍

[@catnamestaken]

Cool

[@vogman]

👍👍👍

[@zenster1097]

Wow. Does Elegoo know any other planets than Mars?

[@jasoncombs3232]

I will always be a Elegoo man.

[@vogman]

Brand loyalty in this case is well justified 😁😁😁

[@shardperson3777]

Having seen up close comparisons of warhammer-style 32mm minis printsd on both, i find it dishonest to compare the D2 and Mars 4 to the Mini 8k. The mini 8k prints looks visibly better. The extra sharpness also makes drybrushing and washing very problematic

[@vogman]

That's no doubt correct. The light bleeding effect of LCDs naturally fuzzes detail. Where people are going wrong is saying, "This fuzzed print is better." It isn't. It's a flawed print that merely happens to match your needs. It's better to have a truer, more accurate print and from there you can CHOOSE how to fuzz things out. As I showed here, 0.30 height and full AA are very accurate, but smooth enough for dry brushing 😁😁😁

[@shardperson3777]

@@vogman Tbh I also think the light bleed is being exaggerated by a lot of people, on a regular Photon Mono with Siraya Tech Navy Grey I get prints where I can see the individual voxels with no problem, they're as sharp and detailed as every macro shot I've seen of the D2 The only upside I've seen so far is the AA seems to actually work, since that's something a lot of printers can struggle with

[@mattblack6736]

@@shardperson3777 I guess the other positive is the DLP light source is supposed to last 10x longer than MSLA and with only 25% of the wattage, so it really pays dividends with heavy use.

[@clutch2827]

Don't think DLP is ready for prime time yet.

[@PerdixDesignLtd]

But, but, what about the pixelation??

[@vogman]

If been waiting for it... I deliberately avoided the word 😁😁😁😁😁

[@redheadsg1]

I bet that it still using Chitu board ....

[@vogman]

Without a doubt, but there's no wifi with these machines so the recent CBox scandal doesn't apply 😁

[@devonnejewelry_com]

I just love how you get "Stupidly close" so I can see actual detail.

[@vogman]

You do jewellery. You understand the importance of "stupidly close" 😁😁😁😁😁😁

[@devonnejewelry_com]

@@vogman that I do 🤣🤣

[@Roger-uw1pj]

How's the customer service of these two brands if you are in need of getting your printer serviced?