Epson R3880

[w_nelson]

I am thinking of upgrading to an Epson R3880. One of the principal issues I have with Epson printers is the inordinate amount of ink that is wasted when you change ink canisters. I know that changing between blacks for B&W printing requires flushing the gloss black out of the system. Can anyone tell me whether all the other colors are also "purged" at the same time?

If anyone has any comments regarding the 3880 vs. the 2880 I would appreciate your input. These are the two printers that I am considering and I am leaning heavily toward the 3880.

Thanks,

Bill

[dmora]

What?

There's no waste that i know of.

[rwzeitgeist]

Originally Posted by w_nelson

I am thinking of upgrading to an Epson R3880. One of the principal issues I have with Epson printers is the inordinate amount of ink that is wasted when you change ink canisters. I know that changing between blacks for B&W printing requires flushing the gloss black out of the system. Can anyone tell me whether all the other colors are also "purged" at the same time?

The 3880 is very similar to the 3800. The 3800 FAQ, maintained by Eric Chan, discusses the cost of switching between the matte and photo blacks. The FAQ answer asserts that the printer consumes no other inks during the switching process. That answer matches what I've read in other places,

Originally Posted by w_nelson

If anyone has any comments regarding the 3880 vs. the 2880 I would appreciate your input. These are the two printers that I am considering and I am leaning heavily toward the 3880.

Thanks,

Bill

When comparing the 2880 and 3880, take care to look at the cost of the ink cartridges delivered with the printer. The larger 3880 cartridges print a lot more photos than the 2880's, which makes the actual cost of the 3880 much closer to the cost of the 2880 + enough 2880 ink to match the number of prints available from the 3880's initial cartridges.

I found the comments on Printerville comparing the 3800 and 2880 enlightening.

Bob (happy 3800 owner)

[w_nelson]

Thanks Bob, those references were most helpful. I currently have an R1800 and have begun printing images much more frequently. The R1800 consumes prodigious amounts of ink, much of which I fear is used for "overhead" as described in Eric's excellent FAQ summary.

I don't think the cost of producing your own prints can ever compare favorably with commercial printers. However, printing is an important part of the creative art that is photography and I am willing to pay a premium to have more control. It's also fun!

Your point about the amount of ink that comes with the 3880 is well taken. One author suggests that the initial price point is what keeps most amateurs from considering this printer. When the ink supply is considered the 3800 series is really a bargain.

[johnastovall]

The big problem with the 3880 are pizza cutter marks on some fine art papers and head strikes with media that curls. The 4880 doesn't have these issues but is an ink hog when switching from Photo Black to Photo Mat and it takes time.

I await the long rumored 4900 with 10 carts and no switch in the blacks.

[w_nelson]

Originally Posted by johnastovall

The big problem with the 3880 are pizza cutter marks on some fine art papers and head strikes with media that curls. The 4880 doesn't have these issues but is an ink hog when switching from Photo Black to Photo Mat and it takes time.

I await the long rumored 4900 with 10 carts and no switch in the blacks.

Thanks for the tip. Would you say then that the printer does not handle well fine art and other papers that are thicker than usual? That would be a problem because I tend to use thick papers quite a lot.

[Lupe Talamantez]

Recently, I have been having issues with my R1800. I have now corrected a problem with prints that come out too dark by visiting this site addressing the Epson 3800 Epson 3800 Step-By-Step Printing Workflow

Just an FYI for you all. I will be exploring the rest of the links within this page.