3880 review

[keith_cooper]

After a few weeks loan of the 3880 from Epson UK, I've written up a review with my thoughts on using the printer
SP3880 review

Compared to the 3800 I looked at a while ago, I'd say it was a bit more reliable in loading thick paper, but it did take a while to get the knack for perfect feeding.

If I had a lightly used 3800 I would not rush out and get one, but would certainly suggest that people thinking of getting a 2880 (which I looked at a few months ago) should think seriously about the 3880.

There are print improvements over the 3800, but without careful checking, and with 'natural' images I'd be hard put to point them out to most people in a blind test.  I always remember from selling prints, that people who buy them don't check dither patterns with a loupe ;-)

Hope there are some aspects of the article of interest...

[KirbyKrieger]

Thanks.  Very helpful.  Enjoyed your thoughts on "What you like" vs. "What sells" as well.

Cheers.

[AlanShaw]

Thanks Keith. Very interesting review.

I've been thinking of getting a 3880 for a while now. That's edged me a bit closer.

[eronald]

Thanks Keith. Very interesting review.

I've been thinking of getting a 3880 for a while now. That's edged me a bit closer.

Got one. Nice printer. Manual paper feed via rear is very tricky.

Edmund

[keith_cooper]

Got one. Nice printer. Manual paper feed via rear is very tricky.

Nope, can't really agree about the manual feed - no real problems with quite a lot of sheets run through it.

It -does- take some care in paper preparation and feeding, but (for the machine I tested) it didn't irritate me - which is my rough and ready usability guide :-)

[artobest]

Another good review, Keith. I always find your site well worth the visit. I especially like the rollover images.

As for paper feeding, there's usually a knack. I've owned a Z3200 for quite a while (mostly printing from rolls), and I'm only now getting the hang of feeding cut sheets. The clue is in the manual: "Guide the sheet into the printer[as it feeds in]; this is especially important with thicker papers." Not sure whether this is also true of the 3880. It has certainly made all the difference to me.

[Alan Goldhammer]

Got one. Nice printer. Manual paper feed via rear is very tricky.

In two months of use I have had only two misfeeds resulting in a "paper skew" error.  Both occurred with matte paper that had a slight curl on the edges which I didn't fully straighten.  I had a lot of experience with the Epson 2880 that has a similar (but less robust) feeding mechanism and find the 3880 much better in that regard.  Two things that help getting a reliable feed: the paper must not have any curl to it (check the corners if the paper has been stored for a long time as they curl up) and make sure you brush both sides of matte papers to get rid of any residual dust.  When you insert the paper, make sure that you exert the same pressure across the top or sides of the paper and that the right side is lined up with the edge guide.  It is a little tricky but with practice you can get close to 100% accurate feeds.

alan

[eronald]

Nope, can't really agree about the manual feed - no real problems with quite a lot of sheets run through it.

It -does- take some care in paper preparation and feeding, but (for the machine I tested) it didn't irritate me - which is my rough and ready usability guide :-)

Sorry Keith, but mine just keeps saying error, error, error, and I have to take the paper out, push it back in etc etc. It does work eventually, but that part is no fun. I have this issue in particular with the Hannemühle Photo Rag paper.

Edmund

[keith_cooper]

Sorry Keith, but mine just keeps saying error, error, error, and I have to take the paper out, push it back in etc etc. It does work eventually, but that part is no fun. I have this issue in particular with the Hannemühle Photo Rag paper.

Edmund

Try cleaning the feed rollers - paper dust can easily cause this. I've heard several people suggest brushing papers first.

I have used thick paper that's had a light spray of my favourite roller cleaner before running it through a printer.

[StuartOnline]

Sorry Keith, but mine just keeps saying error, error, error, and I have to take the paper out, push it back in etc etc. It does work eventually, but that part is no fun. I have this issue in particular with the Hannemühle Photo Rag paper.

Edmund

Edmund

I have had the 3880 since October and at first I had the same problem feeding paper through the rear manual feed.
Would get errors each time I tried using the rear manual feed.
Could not find anything in the owners manual.
Then by chance on the printer I pushed on Menu then Printer Setup then Paper Size Check.  I set Paper Size  to Off.
After doing that I have not had any problems feeding paper with the rear manual feed.
If you have not tried that maybe doing that will resolve your problem.

Stu

[eronald]

Thank you Stu!

Edmund

I have had the 3880 since October and at first I had the same problem feeding paper through the rear manual feed.
Would get errors each time I tried using the rear manual feed.
Could not find anything in the owners manual.
Then by chance on the printer I pushed on Menu then Printer Setup then Paper Size Check.  I set Paper Size  to Off.
After doing that I have not had any problems feeding paper with the rear manual feed.
If you have not tried that maybe doing that will resolve your problem.

Stu

[keith_cooper]

Then by chance on the printer I pushed on Menu then Printer Setup then Paper Size Check.  I set Paper Size  to Off.
After doing that I have not had any problems feeding paper with the rear manual feed.
If you have not tried that maybe doing that will resolve your problem.

Stu, is this on Mac or PC? I've not got the printer to test any more :-( ...but it's a tip I'd happily add to the review if you've some details? I just tested on a 10.6 Mac and didn't get the problem.

[StuartOnline]

Stu, is this on Mac or PC? I've not got the printer to test any more :-( ...but it's a tip I'd happily add to the review if you've some details? I just tested on a 10.6 Mac and didn't get the problem.

Keith,

I am currently running from a MacBook Pro 2.66 15" with 8GB DDR Ram  OS X 10.6.3.
However with that said these changes I did where done via the Epson 3880 Printer itself and not on computer. So I am not really sure if having a PC or a Mac would make any difference. Had all those errors using the manual feed until I changed the paper size to off. Errors stopped.
 

Stu

[keith_cooper]

Keith,

I am currently running from a MacBook Pro 2.66 15" with 8GB DDR Ram  OS X 10.6.3.
However with that said these changes I did where done via the Epson 3880 Printer itself and not on computer. So I am not really sure if having a PC or a Mac would make any difference. Had all those errors using the manual feed until I changed the paper size to off. Errors stopped.
 

Stu

Great - I'll add a note to the review - thanks

[William Walker]

Edmund

I have had the 3880 since October and at first I had the same problem feeding paper through the rear manual feed.
Would get errors each time I tried using the rear manual feed.
Could not find anything in the owners manual.
Then by chance on the printer I pushed on Menu then Printer Setup then Paper Size Check.  I set Paper Size  to Off.
After doing that I have not had any problems feeding paper with the rear manual feed.
If you have not tried that maybe doing that will resolve your problem.

Stu

Hi Stu

Thanks for that tip - I also battled to get the paper to feed, tried your setting, and, so far - no problems.

William

[eronald]

Got one. Nice printer. Manual paper feed via rear is very tricky.

Edmund

OK, I'll amend *my* printer review to:

Nice printer, needs one unobvious menu setting for manual paper feed to work properly.


Which leads me to the interesting question of why this bug has not bitten lucky Keith while driving some of us totally batty? , and why it didnt bite 3800 users?
There have been rumors that US and European models are not quite identical.

Edmund

[StuartOnline]

Great - I'll add a note to the review - thanks

Keith,

I saw in your review you have added the solution I came up with for rear feeding problems.
Hopefully this will help others that come across this problem.

Stu

[StuartOnline]

Hi Stu

Thanks for that tip - I also battled to get the paper to feed, tried your setting, and, so far - no problems.

William

William,

Glad this solution has worked for you. Hopefully this will resolve the rear feed problem for others.

Stu

[keith_cooper]

... Which leads me to the interesting question of why this bug has not bitten lucky Keith while driving some of us totally batty? , and why it didnt bite 3800 users?
There have been rumors that US and European models are not quite identical.

I'd suspect that the fact that I usually only test a printer in a review with OEM supplied papers is one reason. Whilst I did try out some third party papers, I'd not got any to specifically review, for the few weeks I had the 3880.

One of the reasons I like to follow topics about printers I've written about is to catch anything like this that might only show up with more prolonged use.

Curiosity drives me so far, but printing off lots of sheets of my own paper could get expensive with bigger printers ;-) ... and there is a limit to the number of friends who will take A2 prints, even if free.

[eronald]

I'd suspect that the fact that I usually only test a printer in a review with OEM supplied papers is one reason. Whilst I did try out some third party papers, I'd not got any to specifically review, for the few weeks I had the 3880.

One of the reasons I like to follow topics about printers I've written about is to catch anything like this that might only show up with more prolonged use.

Curiosity drives me so far, but printing off lots of sheets of my own paper could get expensive with bigger printers ;-) ... and there is a limit to the number of friends who will take A2 prints, even if free.

But - why isn't the same bug biting all those users of the "old" 3800?

Edmund