People of GITP Lend me your Help with 3d Printing Selection! FDM or SLA!

I have been 3D printing using a public lab for a while (Cubepro and a Makerbot) and decided to invest in my own 3D printer.

However I can't decide between SLA and FDM. If my Printer is FDM its gonna be the Prusa MK3...however SLA keeps taunting me with its high precision printing.

But on the SLA end it looks more expensive but the precision...its so good. In addition 3rd party Resins do seem to be available that are much more comparable in costs to Plastics.

My MAXIMUM Budget is 2500 Dollars, so I want something within that price range.

Any pointers or recomendations?

SLA limits your materials selection, too. An FDM printer with a heated platform can print in Nylon, PLA, ABS, PETG, flexible polymers, or PLA impregnated with various materials like wood, metal, or things that make it conductive. Just within Nylon, Taulman has several varieties of filament with different balances of tensile strength, durability, and ease of printing. By contrast, SLA has... several slightly different resins that are all by their nature vulnerable to UV light.

SLA is great as a specialty tool, but I'd never want it to be my only option.

I'm looking forward to when SLS gets down to similar pricing to today's mid-low SLA printers. Yes, SLS is also a bit limited in materials, but it produces strong, durable parts that can be used in machines.

Even if/when SLS becomes cheap, I'll probably still recommend FDM for a first or standalone printer.