Luminous Landscape Forum

Raw & Post Processing, Printing => Printing: Printers, Papers and Inks => Topic started by: YOP92270 on June 07, 2011, 05:19:58 pm

Title: 3880 or 4880??
Post by: YOP92270 on June 07, 2011, 05:19:58 pm
Hi everybody,

I am on the hedge of buying either the 3880 or the 4880 as they fetch the same price on the 2ndhand mkt nowadays here in France but, I am a little puzzled reading several reviews and it looks like the 4880 is more for a very intensive use and the 3880 would be more appropriate for an amateur use. What would the lucky users advise me to do? Thanks a lot for your help

Brgds
Yann
Title: Re: 3880 or 4880??
Post by: francois on June 08, 2011, 03:04:29 am
One advantage of the 4880 is that it can use roll paper and the feed system is much more solid.
Title: Re: 3880 or 4880??
Post by: Sven W on June 08, 2011, 03:19:16 pm
Larger 220 ml ink charts for the 4880.
But also with an older technique, compared to the 3880 and todays 17" top model, the 4900.
I would go for the 3880.

/Sven
Title: Re: 3880 or 4880??
Post by: mfryd on June 09, 2011, 03:22:10 pm
The 4880 is a more "industrial" printer than the 3880.

The 4880 has larger ink tanks.  This translates into a lower cost per ml for ink.   if you don't print a lot, an ink cartridge might expire before you finish it.

Ink carts are rated for 2 years from the date of manufacturer, or 6 months after they are first opened.  Many people report excellent results using older carts, or carts that have been opened for more than 6 months.

Both printers can print on cut sheets up to 17 inches wide.  The 3880 can print on sheets as small as 3.5" by 5".  I believe the smallest cut sheet supported by the 4880 is 8" by 10".

The 3880 can print borderless on cut sheets.  The 4880 cannot print full borderless on cut sheets.


The 4880 supports roll paper, the 3880 does not.

Epson's printer driver limits the maximum page length on the 3880 to somewhere around 34 inches.  I believe the 4880 supports much longer page sizes.
Title: Re: 3880 or 4880??
Post by: Ken Bennett on June 09, 2011, 04:18:06 pm
Faced with the same choice several years ago, I bought the 3800. It is a much smaller unit, and fits on my desk. It handles cut sheets only, while the 4880 handles rolls, but I have not found the cost difference between sheets and rolls to be a problem. The 3800 will print on cards and smaller cut sheets down to 4x6 inches, so I can print 5x7 card stock, which the 4880 can't do.

The largest paper I have used is the 17x25 inch from inkjetart.com. It makes a nice 16x24 inch finished print. If you need to print larger than that, the roll handling ability of the 4880 might be useful. (Of course if you need much larger prints, then a 24 inch printer is indicated.)
Title: Re: 3880 or 4880??
Post by: YOP92270 on June 10, 2011, 09:41:51 am
Thanks a lot for your help! I went for the 3880!

Brgds
Yann