The Mars 5 Ultra is the entry-level precision MSLA machine in Elegoo’s lineup — designed for tabletop miniatures, jewelry masters, and small precision parts where FDM surface finish is insufficient. At $189, it’s the lowest-cost path to resin printing with a recent-generation mono LCD. The 153×77×165mm build volume is compact; you’ll batch-print miniatures 4–8 at a time rather than one large model per run.
What It Does Well
A mono LCD at this price point delivers cure times under 2 seconds per layer. The practical result: a 165mm tall print at 0.05mm layers runs in roughly 4–5 hours. Older LCD resin printers with 2560×1440 screens needed 6–8 seconds per layer — the mono screen cuts print times dramatically.
For D&D and Warhammer scale miniatures (28–40mm), the Mars 5 Ultra’s XY resolution produces level of detail that’s impossible to match on FDM: chainmail, facial features, fine text on bases, thin spear shafts. The 153mm wide plate fits a party of five 28mm heroes with room for bases.
The tilting FEP release mechanism reduces peel forces compared to direct vertical separation, which improves success rates on thin cross-sections and reduces FEP wear.
Where It Falls Short
153×77mm is the primary constraint. It’s narrow — models that are wider than 70mm in one axis need to be rotated diagonally to fit. Large miniatures (mounted cavalry, dragons, large busts at 75mm+ scale) require splitting or switching to a larger machine like the Saturn 4 Ultra.
Resin printing requires a workflow that FDM doesn’t: liquid resin handling (gloves, ventilation), IPA washing, UV curing station, and FEP film maintenance. The Mars 5 Ultra costs $189 but the first-time setup (wash station, cure station, safety equipment, initial resin) runs another $80–150. Factor this into the total cost.
165mm build height means tall narrow models (wizards with staves, mounted knights) may require tilted orientation to keep within height limits.
Resin Notes
Standard resin: 1.5–2s exposure, 6–8s bottom layers. Anycubic and Elegoo branded resins are pre-profiled and work reliably out of the box. Third-party resins require exposure calibration — use a matrix test print to find the right exposure time.
ABS-like resin: 2–2.5s exposure. The higher tensile strength makes it appropriate for parts that need to survive mild mechanical stress. More brittle in thin cross-sections than standard.
Water-washable resin: 2–3s exposure. Eliminates IPA washing — rinse in water instead. Print quality is marginally softer on fine details. A good choice for high-volume printing where IPA cost and disposal adds up.
Castable resin: 2–3s exposure. Requires calibration of the burnout protocol before using for investment casting — test with a small piece before committing expensive casting metal.
vs. the Competition
Anycubic Photon Mono M7 ($299): Similar build volume, 10K resolution (vs. lower res on Mars 5 Ultra), higher price. The M7’s resolution advantage matters primarily for very fine details — sub-0.05mm features — that most miniature scales don’t require.
Elegoo Saturn 4 Ultra ($399): Larger build area (218×123mm), 12K resolution, tilting vat, significantly more expensive. Choose Saturn 4 Ultra when you regularly need to print models wider than 77mm or batch sizes larger than 6–8 miniatures.