Printer
RDOC
size images and don't want to spend a fortune. Please give me some
suggestions. Thanks! I am printing for my own pleasure and not for
business use, but enter the images in a camera club competition that
is not for money prizes but for fun.
Alan Browne
Epson 3800 or R1900.
Of course then it depends on what you call "a fortune".
I bought a used 3800 (via Craigslist) with ink carts about 50% full for
CAD$750. Then I spent another just under $600 on a full set of carts (9
of them). These carts hold 80ml of ink (why they are more expensive)
OTOH, they last a hell of a lot longer than the typical home printer
carts. (New, it's about $1300 - $1400 with a full set of carts).
My ink cost is close to 1 cent per square inch printed. So a 13x19"
print would cost $2.47 (though I print that size paper to 11x19" most
often ($1.87).
As it happens I very often print on 13x19" paper (cheap stuff is about
$3/ sheet) to 11x17 (1" border). Better paper runs 5 - $10 per sheet or
more.
Over the long run (I print on average 1 to 2 large sheets a week and any
number of smaller proofs and 8.5" x 11" sheets) this printer is saving
me it's cost every year v. lab prints. I've had it 2 years now. It has
gone months without printing and then printed clog free. (I've had a
clog exactly once in two years - and it was immediately following an
identical print that was perfect).
I do sell the odd print so that also offsets my personal printing but
sure does not pay for it.
Anyway, the above is probably more than you're thinking about, but if
you do spot an Epson 3800 at a good price, leap on it. Over the long
term it's worth it.
Consider then, the Epson R1900 - new is about US$600 with a full set of
carts.
RDOC
wrote:
I was looking at the Epson R 1900, the Canon Pixma Pro 9000 and HP
Photo Smart Pro 8850. Do you have a preference here of these three?
JD
I use a lower priced Epson Stylus Photo R280($100) and I really like it.
The prints are as good as any photo lab print. I compared them.
I did a quick search of the three printers you're looking at and they
all seem to be pretty nice printers.
Since you only plan to use this for your own use, you might want to
research how much the cartridges cost since all three appear to use 8 of
them. My Epson only uses 6 cartridges but they cost more than the
printer. But it's worth it since the prints are so good. And I don't
print high quality pictures very often.
Is there some place you can go see the three printers or will you buy
them online? And what kind of printer do you currently use?
--
JD..
RDOC
I was going to buy it online if I get the Canon or the HP and the
Epson I was going to get at Staples due to $150. rebate. I have both
an old HP Laserjet and a Canon inkjet and I am happy with both but I
want a large format printer now.
JD
You're not going to make this easy, are you? With the $150 rebate, the
Epson would be the lowest price, correct? and since you're buying at
Staples, if you don't like the Epson then it would be pretty easy to
return, no? And the rebate is a Staples "easy" rebate. I've had good
luck with those.
The online rebate says: Purchase dates: 10-04-2009 through 11-28-2009.
Epson sells the cartridges for $13.29 and if you buy three or more at a
time then you get free overnight shipping.
I don't work for Epson or Staples, but I use both. Staples won't be
happy if you return the printer but they'll give you 14 days to decide.
And they have some kind of ink rewards where you can return up to 10
empty cartridges a month for a $3 each rebate. I just wait until I get
10 empties and get a $30 discount card.
Let's see if anyone else comes along with a different suggestion.
--
JD..
RDOC
I agree about that the Epson being the cheapest here. The rebate is
good up through 11/30/09 and if I order the printer today at Newegg it
is $399.
JD
I'm seeing $499 at Newegg, this morning.
When I buy something that I'm not sure about keeping, I'll go with
Staples or BestB since they will allow me to return it.
Did you consider the Epson Stylus Photo 1400? $200 at Staples ($300 with
a $100 instant rebate).
Don't let me talk you into Epson. Everybody has their favorite.
--
JD..
RDOC
I guess I have to try the Epson.
JD
You initial request was for a photo inkjet that makes 13 by 19 inch
prints that you plan to enter in a local camera club competition for fun.
The R 1900 for $400 after the easy rebate will give you eight cartridges
and the ability to use roll media. It offers pigment ink and adds the
Red and Orange inks. One of the cartridges is a "Gloss Optimizer" and
two of the cartridges are black, one Matte black and one Photo Black.
Epson says that means "improved vibrancy" and "optimum color gamut."
The 1400 for $200 after the $100 instant rebate will give you six
cartridges but no roll media. You get one black, and instead of the red
and orange you get light cyan and light magenta. And they're not pigment
ink but they are "high definition" ink "optimized for photo printing."
I guess it depends on what your "competition" is printing with and how
much you want to spend. If you're using a point and shoot camera then
the 1400 would be great but if you're using a more pro-sumer type camera
and working with raw files, etc., then the 1900 might be better?
Again, Staples will probably complain and might charge you a restocking
fee but they should let you return either or both printers if you're not
happy with the output.
Be sure to post back with what you finally buy and if you like it. Thanks!
--
JD..
Alan Browne
No. I just know the Epson 3800 gives fantastic results. The R1800 had
a good rep (and I assume the R1900 is as good or better). The R1900 can
print from roll paper (the 3800 can not) - roll paper is cheaper than
sheet, but can be a pain to flatten [there is a widget to flatten roll
paper post-print, but it's a couple hundred bucks or so].
The Canon's are excellent, perhaps more vivid printing.
(I have a small Canon MP530 printer/scanner/fax for documents. I've
printed a couple photos for kicks from it and you could not, offhand,
tell the difference between the $1.4K Epson 3800 print and the less than
$100 Canon print. But the 3800 is my photograph printer and on an ink
basis cheaper, thought the high end Canon's should have a similar ink
cost to the 3800).
<rant>
I have eschewed HP generally for years - the way they package products
is always made to leverage sales of support items (esp. ink and paper).
HP paper sucks. I mean it is REALLY bad stuff. HP scanners,
printers, everything, comes with software that infects your computer
with hooks and crap you never imagined could exist, never mind fail to
work and otherwise choke your machine.
</rant>
HP was a great scientific and engineering instrument co. before they
decided to spin off that section (Agilent) and focus on PC's/printers
and office gear.
Alan Browne
Does not match the OP's print size requirement.
I'm pretty sure an Epson 3800/R1900 print will outlast R280 print over
the long term. It's not the printer - it's the inks. The R280 uses
dyes where the 3800/R1900 use pigment based ink. Dyes fade quicker than
pigment.
The R280 claims 200 years - when the photo is properly kept in an album.
Pigment inks will last well over 100 years - when on display.
Horses of very different hues.
JD
I'm aware of horses and their varying hues. I used my printer as an
example to say I have great results with Epson printers. I suggested he
go with the Epson 1400 since he's more of a serious amateur than
anything else.
Good to hear that HP still can't produce decent software for their
printers. Somethings never change.
--
JD..
RDOC
Thanks for the great info and help it is really appreciated and I am
going to go with the Epson 1900. Now with that in mined I have one
more question about whose paper and ink do you suggest I use? I ask
that question since I know third party stuff is much cheaper than
Epson's but is it as good in quality? Once again thanks.
Alan Browne
> Thanks for the great info and help it is really appreciated and I am
> going to go with the Epson 1900. Now with that in mined I have one
> more question about whose paper and ink do you suggest I use? I ask
> that question since I know third party stuff is much cheaper than
> Epson's but is it as good in quality? Once again thanks.
There is no 3rd party ink for epson pigment prints that I know of.
Don't ever, ever, ever, ever, ever fall into that trap with a pigment
printer. You will likely damage the printer.
PW
What is up with PC World's reviews? I am also looking for a "casual"
color printer that I can print the occasional brochure, letterhead,
biz cards, photos. I am reading this November's issue and 4 of the
top 5 inkjet printers are HP printers with an Epson WorkForce 40 being
#5 (HP Photosmart D7560 being number one). But if you read the
article they say (at least to me) they like the Officejet Pro K8600dn
for $200 ($350 total) more but from what I can see, it is not made
anymore. Newegg doesn't carry it and I searched Amazon and all I got
were supplies for it.
I just don't trust their reviews at all any more, software or hardware
- especially anti-virus, anti-spyware, and firewall reviews. And
their redesigned website seems like it's just a pay-per-click webstie.
Try finding current, relevent reviews there.
-pw
JD
>
> Thanks for the great info and help it is really appreciated and I am
> going to go with the Epson 1900. Now with that in mined I have one
> more question about whose paper and ink do you suggest I use? I ask
> that question since I know third party stuff is much cheaper than
> Epson's but is it as good in quality? Once again thanks.
I only use Epson ink and I buy it from Epson:
If you buy three or more cartridges they give you free overnight shipping.
To print my photos, I use Epson paper. They keep changing the name on my
paper but I use a photo paper that comes in 4.9 mil in thickness with a
flat finish to proof my pictures then I use a glossy photo paper that
comes in 9.4 mil for the final print. The numbers are SO41062 and
SO41649. I buy both at Staples. 8.5 X 11.
Please message back after you've purchased and printed with your new
Epson, I'd like to know what you think about it and how it compares to
your current photo printer(s).
--
JD..
JD
>
> What is up with PC World's reviews? I am also looking for a "casual"
> color printer that I can print the occasional brochure, letterhead,
> biz cards, photos. I am reading this November's issue and 4 of the
> top 5 inkjet printers are HP printers with an Epson WorkForce 40 being
> #5 (HP Photosmart D7560 being number one). But if you read the
> article they say (at least to me) they like the Officejet Pro K8600dn
> for $200 ($350 total) more but from what I can see, it is not made
> anymore. Newegg doesn't carry it and I searched Amazon and all I got
> were supplies for it.
>
> I just don't trust their reviews at all any more, software or hardware
> - especially anti-virus, anti-spyware, and firewall reviews. And
> their redesigned website seems like it's just a pay-per-click webstie.
> Try finding current, relevent reviews there.
>
> -pw
Printer reviews always seem to favor the more expensive photo printers
and sometimes the cheaper Epson works just fine for amateur printing.
I really like my Epson Stylus Photo R280 but they don't make it anymore.
The Epson Artisan 50 seems to be the same printer with a new name.
Newegg has it for $110.
Staples has the Epson Stylus Photo 1400 for $200 which appears to be
similar to my R280 but it prints up to 13 inches wide.
--
JD..
PW
What I forgot to mention is that I go to NewEgg, Amazon, etc.. and
check out the user reviews of the items that PC World reviews and they
don't "sync". Most often the users rate the products low, sometimes
just one star out of 5. So, I don't know what the folks at PC World
are smoking.
I, on the other hand, have never had luck with Epson printers but
great luck with Brother printers. I would never buy another Epson
product again.
-pw
JD
Whatever works for you. I'm not familiar with Brother printers. 8-)
--
JD..
RDOC
I will due that but it won't be fast but less than a month, thanks
again you have been a big help and I really appreciate that.
JD
You're more than welcome and I hope you like your new Epson printer!
That's really my only concern.
If you find the time to come back and give us your opinion, that would
be great. Don't worry about it.
--
JD..
Alan Browne
>
> What is up with PC World's reviews?
I don't think they are the best source for specialized eqt. such as fine
photography printing, cameras, etc. They also get a lot of advertising
from the likes of HP, Canon, Epson, ... so they are unavoidably biased.
PW
Seems that way to me too.
Thanks,
-paulw