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Author Topic: Please help me decide on a printer  (Read 2160 times)

jzzmusician

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Please help me decide on a printer
« on: June 13, 2008, 08:16:49 pm »

Greetings,

I'm a regular lurker here and have learned quite a lot from your knowledgeable posts.  

Until now.  Now the posts are confusing me to no end so I thought I would ask for your help.

A friend who shoots professionally (and uses an Epson 7800) called the other day begging me to sell him my Canon i9900.  He had one for small prints and it died.  Thinking that now would be the perfect time to upgrade I said yes.  

I want to upgrade to a 17" printer and have read just about all I can find on what is currently available.  Not much competition.  I was ready to call my dealer and have him order me the Epson 3800 ( I don't print in large volume) and thought I would check here for any new information since yesterday.  Unfortunately for me I read the thread on how much leftover ink there is in the Epson carts when declared empty and now I am once again confused.  

I am an amateur.  Like the old days of film I enjoy making my own prints.  I also own a restaurant and would use it to make posters for the various jazz musicians that play here.  I would print menus as well, using plain white card stock.  

I don't really need a roll feeder given my volume.  Last year I am guessing I spent about 500.00 on carts for my old Canon, 14ml @ about 13.00 each.

If anybody can steer me in the right direction I promise a stellar bottle of wine the next time you get to Walla Walla.

ciao,

Bob
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fotoflynn

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Please help me decide on a printer
« Reply #1 on: June 13, 2008, 09:46:27 pm »

If your not in a hurry, I would wait and see what HP comes out with this summer.
You can always use a  Print service until then.

TF
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Tony B.

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Please help me decide on a printer
« Reply #2 on: June 13, 2008, 11:36:30 pm »

Bob, all printers leave ink in the cartridges.  It seems now someone with a 3800 decided to open a cartridge.  I have a Canon iPF5000, the ink left varies between 5ml and 12ml.  We all hope that the manufactures add extra ink knowing that some will be left.

HP does not have a 17" printer at this time so your main options are the Epson 3800 and 4880 and the Canon iPF5100.

All will produce nice prints.  Epsons can do borderless on sheets, Canon will not.  Epson 3800 no rolls, 4880 and iPF5100 use rolls.  Ink costs per ml is less with the 4880 and iPF5100, the 4880 will be less if using the 220m carts.

The 3800 is very small-only 2" wider than most 13" printers.  The iPF5100 is huge.  You think you do not need rolls but they help sometimes.  You can get 16" rolls and have 16x20 prints made with no trimming needed.  The iPF's allow very long prints if doing pano's.  Not sure on the 4880 but the 3800 is limited in length.

The iPF has both blacks and does not waste any switching papers.  The 3800 and 4880 both use ink switching between matte and glossy.

You probably used a lot of glossy with the i9900.  Once you use pigment inks you might start heading towards matte papers-they help with gloss differential.  I hear the iPF5100 is much better with gloss differential and bronzing than the iPF5000, not sure about the 3800 and 4880.

The newer epsons seem to be much better keeping nozzles clean.  

My iPF 5000 was low on ink and I needed another set so for not much more I bought a 5100.  I have not installed it yet.  But, if Epson had the next generation of the 4880 running both blacks I would have concidered it for the borderless printing on sheets.

I do not print as much as I should owning a big printer.  I am sure I use much more ink in cleanings than printing but I would expect the same to be with the Epson.

If size is an issue the 3800 is really the only option.  If size does not matter the 4880 or iPF5100 might be a good choice.

Oh, the smallest sheets the 5100 can print on is 8x10 and I also think the 4880 but the 3800 can print 4x6.

Anyways, I hope some of the information helps.  I would not worry about what you read on ink left in cartridges since all printers leave ink in the carts.  Do not let that be the reason to cross one off your list.

Tony
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