Test Prints

I received back some test prints today. They were produce on an Epson 3800, and run with generic profiles, so in some ways can be taken as the worst case prints form this machine.

The results were fantastic, far better than I had been running from my own very geriatric printer. 

One set was printed on Epson Premium Glossy Photo Paper. This is a paper I know well as I have been using it for most of the printing I have produced over the past few years. It has a high gloss surface and looks very similar to a traditional gloss RC photographic paper. 

The second printed on Somerset Enhanced Textured paper. This looks like a water colour paper with quite a rough texture. The images printed on this have a better 'feel' than the gloss finish. 

I see that Epson have just announced the 3880 which is the next generation printer in this range. 

With the slightly improved ink set in the x880 printer range, a custom profile, and some experiment with colour space for my images.  I know I will see some fantastic prints from whatever printer I choose to buy.

Epson printers

Today I had a chance to have lunch and talk with an old friend. It has been some time since we had the opportunity to meet, so the conversation covered many areas.

What I was interested in was a new Epson printer he had purchased since I last saw him. He had bought an Epson 3800 The results that I saw were wonderful. It prints to the size I am thinking about, and the only problems with it that I can see are that it is sheet fed only, so no roll paper, and the cartridge size is 80 ml. There are 9 ink cartridges per load and they are about £45 per cart.

If I move up a printer to the Epson 4880 I would have the same print quality plus the ability to use roll media, and 220 ml cartridge at £70 per cart, it is also 9 cartridges for a full set.

The machine is larger, heavier and more expensive but cheaper to run.

I suspect that I will need to do some more research before I have an answer.