Epson r2000 or r1800

[Monochrom]

Hi, i´m considering purchasing a printer, i have the posibility to buy a used r1800 or a brand new r2000, i guess these printers are not so new in the market but there´s no other chance around here.

Please give me your experiences on these machines.

Thanks!!!

[Bob Michaels]

Epson has two series of color printers: 1800 / 1900 /2000 series and the 2400 / 2800 / 2880 / 3000 / 3800 / 3880 series.

The 1800 / 1900 / 2000 series has one dilution of black (K) plus a gloss optimizer. I do not have personal experience with this series but everyone says they are good for color printing and not so for b&w.

The 2400 / 3880 series have 3 dilutions of K plus the ABW or Advanced Black White printer driver. These are good for color but really excel with b&w prints. I have used 2400's for about 6 years and could not ask for more printing my b&w images for exhibits. I use the standard ink and no 3rd party print software.

So if you are only going to ever print color and never b&w, the 1800 / 2000 series will do. But if you are ever going to print b&w, the 2400 / 3880 series is what you want.

I always buy Epson refurbished printers direct from Epson.com They are as good as new and come with complete new inksets. Here in the US, their prices are very competitive and have free shipping.

If you ever consider a used printer from a 3rd party, remember the first thing you will need to do is pay around US$120 for a new inkset. Then you have questions if the printer has any problems. At that price point, they are basically unrepairable, you just replace.

Remember, the consumer inkjet printer financial model is referred to as the "Gillette Razor Blade model". That is where you sell the original at cost or below then make it up on the consumables once you have them locked in.

BTW, what you do in your image editor is critical and a lifetime learning process. A digital printer does the same thing as an enlarger in the wet darkroom. The quality print you get has little to do with the hardware and everything to do with your experience and talent.

[Monochrom]

Hi Bob, thank you very much about sharing your experince with me.

I´ve been using photo software since 1997.
Never bought a photo printer such as the above mentioned because for many years they couldn´t match the final output i wanted, today i feel it´s far better in many ways.

I´ll try to get me a 3880 but they´re far expensive that the r2000 also there are not many options around here concerning refurbed or used gear...

Well, thank you again, it´s been very helpful

Bye!

[ray*j*gun]

Bob,

I have a follow up question, do the refurbished printers come with printer cables and software for set up? Also, I just looked at the Epson site and I don't see refurbished printers as an option.

Thanks!!

[Bob Michaels]

I do not think cables come with any Epson printers now as they are standard USB cables. I seem to have a box full of various lengths.

There is always a software CD with all Epson products, even refurbished. I never use it and always download the latest driver from the Epson website if I need one.

To see what Epson has on sale direct or refurbished, (USA) go to Epson.com, select USA, choose "Epson store" from the bar at the top, then select "clearance center" from the drop down collection.

Edit: I note that today (Aug 9, 2012) Epson has refurbished 2000 for $349 and refurbished 3000 for $599. Remember that the 3000 has much larger ink carts so basically you are getting about $150 more worth of ink in the initial purchase.

[ray*j*gun]

Bob,

Thank you that is VERY helpful!!

[ray*j*gun]

Bob,

I just ordered the R3000......if you do have extra cables I would like to make a deal on one if you don't mind....and thanks again!

[Bob Michaels]

Ray: USB cables are so cheap and available at any electronics or big box retailer that it is not worth mailing one.

[jonasv]

Damn RFF... I didn't even know 'prosumer' B+W printers existed, up to A3+...

and on top of that, they turn out to be actually good?

damn you all... gotta go and count my pennies...

[Brian Puccio]

Originally Posted by ray*j*gun

Bob,

I just ordered the R3000......if you do have extra cables I would like to make a deal on one if you don't mind....and thanks again!

Do you realize you can buy a six foot USB cable for less than $2? It will cost $2.54 on top of that to ship. Cheapest one Best Buy has on its website that's available in store is almost $14.

[rhl-oregon]

[quote=Bob Michaels;1918146].... if you are ever going to print b&w, the 2400 / 3880 series is what you want.

Bob, I've been paying attention to your experience/advice with the 2400, since I am about to buy something from this series.

Right now it appears to me that the main difference between the $600* 3000 and the $1150** 3880 is the 3880's ability to handle 17" wide vs 13". The (duplicate) inksets that are bundled = about $285 value in each printer--a nice proportion of the 3000 price tag! So the 3000 looks like the best value for a new B/W printer.

Any thoughts about this comparison?

(BTW I do have a local friend/colleague who's very very happy with his 3880 investment, but he's the chief photo-professor in the U-Oregon Art Dept, and at a stage in his career where he's making archival prints of all his work--very different priority from me.)

*$600 with August rebate of $150, either from Epson, B&H or Staples

**B&H price, free shipping

[ray*j*gun]

Thanks Bob...and Brian thanks for the heads up on the cable!

[Bob Michaels]

Originally Posted by rhl-oregon

................... Right now it appears to me that the main difference between the $600* 3000 and the $1150** 3880 is the 3880's ability to handle 17" wide vs 13". ...................

I have never missed the ability to print larger than 12x18. My upcoming most recent exhibit has 34 prints, either 10x12.5 or 9x13.5 in 16x20 frames and one 12x18 print in a 20x28 frame for the entrance window. The reason for the one larger print is that I already had the frame from the only other print I made that size in my life. It was too large to hang anywhere.

Those big prints sound nice in theory but become impractical to hang. (and we live in a large house with 16' tall walls)