Epson SP3800 1440 vs 2880dpi and uni vs bi directional printing

[Tonka]

If anyone wants te read about this topic:

http://www.outbackphoto.com/printinginsights/pi045/essay.html#20070212

Says it all for me I guess.

I could'nt tell the difference from an super-A3 Epson pro semigloss print.

Picture was taken with Canon 350d (8mp), so a bit of detail was lost perhaps with blowing up the picture.

Perhaps the finest setting can help with a B&W print, with better MPIX on gloss paper.

Any comments?

Cheers.

Tonka.

[Jager]

Well, they (dpi and uni-vs-bi-directional) are really two separate issues.  Taken either together or separately, I think they probably comport with most of our observations.  Neither set of options generally introduce significant change in output quality.

That said, this article is very dated, using a printer long since superceded, with a very old printer driver, and using what most of us today would consider a low-resolution image file.  Printing larger, with higher resolution files, on current papers designed for high ink loads, may show more difference.

Print speed and/or saving money on inks are certainly important to a service bureau, and probably to many others.  But for me, as an individual printer striving for the highest possible quality I can achieve, the little bit of time I might save, or the tiny amount of ink, pale in comparison to everything else that goes into creating a fine art print.  I'll continue to use the best-quality settings available, even if the benefit is hardly discernible.

[Rhossydd]

That said, this article is very dated, using a printer long since superceded,

As the OP owns this particular printer, it's quite appropriate for him to use the quoted review to assess his options.

With respect to the printer being 'long since superceded' isn't particularly accurate or helpful. Epson's current desktop A2 pro printer is the 3880 which is very little different to it's predecessor featured in the quoted review. When the 3880 was first released most reputable reviews said the differences between the two models were very small indeed and there was no pressing reason for existing 3800 owners to consider upgrading, just a minor improvement to certain areas of the gamut extremes.
To a large extent the 3800 remains one of the best desktop printers in current use and has an outstanding reputation.

I'll continue to use the best-quality settings available, even if the benefit is hardly discernible.

Your choice.
If using the extreme high quality settings costs more in ink, takes longer and the improvements can only be discerned with a loupe, it seems an unnecessarily obsessive choice.

[Jager]

As the OP owns this particular printer, it's quite appropriate for him to use the quoted review to assess his options.

With respect to the printer being 'long since superceded' isn't particularly accurate or helpful. Epson's current desktop A2 pro printer is the 3880 which is very little different to it's predecessor featured in the quoted review. When the 3880 was first released most reputable reviews said the differences between the two models were very small indeed and there was no pressing reason for existing 3800 owners to consider upgrading, just a minor improvement to certain areas of the gamut extremes.
To a large extent the 3800 remains one of the best desktop printers in current use and has an outstanding reputation.
Your choice.
If using the extreme high quality settings costs more in ink, takes longer and the improvements can only be discerned with a loupe, it seems an unnecessarily obsessive choice.

You're, of course, entirely correct Rhossydd.  I certainly meant no disrespect to your printer model, Tonka!  I owned the 3800 for a number of years and was entirely pleased with it.  And it's absolutely true that the 3880 offers little in the way of improvement.  Certainly not enough for most of us to 'upgrade' (I didn't until forced to when my 3800 went kaput).

My larger point is that the results obtained in the article's test may have changed, given the changes in inkjet printing in the interim.  Apologies for not being more gracious in conveying that!

And Rhossydd, I'll reluctantly admit to that label of being a tad obsessive at times!  

All the best...

[howardm]

dont forget that printers are lifetime rated for # of carriage movements so by going 'uni', you effectively 1/2 the lifetime.

Until any one of the following conditions is met.
• 12,000 pages (A2 plain paper fine mode)
• 1,600,000 paths (carriage movement)
• 5 years

[Rhossydd]

• 5 years

I bought one of the first 3800s in the UK in November 2006 and it's still working very well.

Any other urban myths you want to share ?

[howardm]

those #s are a direct cut-n-paste from the Epson service manual so save the 'urban myth' nonsense.

Did you expect the printer will simply stop working on it's 5th anniversary?

[Rhossydd]

Did you expect the printer will simply stop working on it's 5th anniversary?

No, did you ? If not, why bother posting it ?

[howardm]

to simply indicate that Epson does specify a lifetime # of carriage movements and they put the 5 year # in the same block of reliability #s.

If you have a problem w/ the #s, talk to Epson, not me.


Can we get back to meaningful discussion instead of pissing?

[Tonka]

Hi all..

In another post I said I was new here.

I've been active on other fora (mainly about motorcycles though) but it already feels like home here 

[Jager]

Not to further derail your thread, Tonka, but what motorcycle(s)?  Along with photography, that's my other enormous passion.

(and in a lame-assed attempt to maintain a hint of relevance in the printing section of a photography forum... my bikes have been one of my most-photographed and printed subjects over the years... ;-)

[Tonka]

Hi Jager..

BMW R1100GS and Yam XT250 ('80)