Epson, Canon or HP A3 printer?

[ChrisS]

I'm looking to buy an A3 photo printer in the UK for under £500. I've read various reviews of the R2400, Pro 9500 and the B9180 (including the "Three Pigs" one) and can't see that there's much to choose between them in terms of print quality. I'm new to photo printing and can't possibly choose between them on personal preference, as I have none (though it might help to know that my photographs are primarily of the sea). So my decision comes down to the following:

1. Does it matter that the Epson is an old model and - from threads I've read on this site - likely to be replaced soon? Should I wait for a new model from Epson, or just buy the Canon or HP?

2. Is it worth thinking about how much ink the different printers use? Is any that much cheaper than the others? Does the Epson waste loads of ink cleaning itself?

3. Is it worth thinking about the range of papers that each printer supports? If so, does the Epson have the biggest or best range of supported papers?

4. OR: in the end, is it best just to buy the cheapest of the three?

Thanks

Chris

[RogerW]

I use the 2400 & it's great.  Other people I know who have the same say the same.  But so would users of the others I guess!

My 2400 is now running a Lyson continuous ink system to keep the cost down.  Whatever printer you get, it's worth assuming that the makers aim to recoup much of their cost in ink cartridge sales so look for the running cost of your chosen few.

[neil snape]

IF the 2400 fits the bill, you will have no real regrets, maybe just a little envious of those who wait until the next ones are released.

The overall image quality of any of the three "little pigs" is comparable and good enough to cover all types of photography.
 All three can produce sellable prints.

All three have different features though and that is where you should research the feature set you prefer.

Epson is not the least expensive to print on.

Epson do however perform better on more types of paper than HP and Canon. There are also a lot of user profiles floating around for Epson, but now there are forums for HP where you'll find many profiles too.

You might want to look at my review on the 9180 on my site.

[duraace]

If you can afford it, the Epson 3800 is in the "Pro" category, uses larger ink cartridges so is more cost effective, and doesn't need a pallet when delivered (i.e. fits on a desk).

[ChrisS]

Thanks for your replies. There really doesn't seem much between them and the 3800 is quite a lot more money. Maybe Epson are shortly going to resolve the question for me...

Chris