Thanks for your reply. A little clarification I guess would be in order
he my friend would also want to use the printer for text printing
and what not and will work on the Letter/A4 type sizes mostly

In addition to dye subs there are also the thermal transfer printers
like ones marked under the name Phaser by Xerox. I don't sell my
prints... so my opinion would be that of an amateur. If I was printing
my current volume using OEM ink... it would be more cost effective for
me to go laser, phaser, or big honking design jet. Simply put... I
estimate I would have spent $400 in OEM ink since I bought this printer
earlish this year. and it's possible I might use another $400
equilivent. The Phaser 8500 the last time I looked was about 2.5 times
the price per unit (one stick) for 3.5 times the yield... which isn't
all that bad for something that has an entry price of under $1000.
This does not include the maintance required like a replacement
printhead assembly, transfer roller, and misc consumables.

Inkjets, though they have an entry price of about $100 are not the
cheep solution they apear to be, but they do however do a fantastic job
on the right paper and upgrade to the next model is pocket change.