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Archive 2013 · Epson 3880 or 4900?

  
 
rabbitmountain
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Epson 3880 or 4900?


Hello everyone,
For my photography business, I am looking into buying a A2 printer. I've narrowed it down to Epson and the 3880 is my preferred option, based on the combination of print quality and economics. There is also the 4900. I'm a bit unsure which one to get.
3880: 1150 Euros. 4900: 1750 Euros. There's a substantial price difference. There's only a very small quality difference for normal colour prints, according to tests I've read. The 4900 appears to have better B/W blacks. I don't print every day, I would say in one month I print:
- 100 4x6
- 20 A4
- 4 A3
- the occasional A3+ or A2

I will use it on a Mac Pro.

Your help would be very welcome.

Stay good,
Ralph



Aug 26, 2013 at 12:38 AM
misster
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Epson 3880 or 4900?


Based on my experience through many years and now in my 3:rd; 4000/4400/4900:

Pros:

- excellent print guality
- decent economy

Cons:

- clogging

Hard to find an alternative if you want to use roll paper.



Aug 26, 2013 at 12:51 AM
RHPS
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Epson 3880 or 4900?


I think for your mix of print sizes the decision is very easy - the 3880. The 3880 is a sheet-feed printer that will allow you to use any size paper from 3.5x5 up to 17x25. The roll-feed of the 4900 will be of no use to you for your mix, and I'm not sure that the 4900 will print a single 4x6.

As far as economy goes, for the print quantities that you have indicated, you will be using something like 70ml of ink per month. This suggests that the savings by going to the bigger cartridges of the 4900 will be too small to recoup the extra capital cost in a reasonable time.



Aug 26, 2013 at 03:35 AM
kdphotography
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Epson 3880 or 4900?


The 4900 and its larger professional printer sibblings also have a vacuum to help hold media in place and avoid head strikes.


Aug 26, 2013 at 07:18 AM
hugowolf
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Epson 3880 or 4900?


rabbitmountain wrote:
Hello everyone,
For my photography business, I am looking into buying a A2 printer. I've narrowed it down to Epson and the 3880 is my preferred option, based on the combination of print quality and economics. There is also the 4900. I'm a bit unsure which one to get.
3880: 1150 Euros. 4900: 1750 Euros. There's a substantial price difference. There's only a very small quality difference for normal colour prints, according to tests I've read. The 4900 appears to have better B/W blacks. I don't print every day, I would say in one month I print:
- 100 4x6
- 20 A4
- 4
...Show more
"Don't print every day" and "4x6" = 3880. The 4900 won't do 4 x 6 inches, and has a strong tendency to clog when not used everyday.

Brian A



Aug 26, 2013 at 07:28 AM
howardm4
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Epson 3880 or 4900?


+1 3880

Doesn't sound like the 4900 is really a good choice in this situation



Aug 26, 2013 at 07:43 AM
JohnBrose
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Epson 3880 or 4900?


3880 is a better choice for you plus it's a lot smaller. 4900 is better if you do more printing and if you want to use rolled paper to do longer panoramics etc. The 3800/3880's I've had have been very good at not clogging.


Aug 26, 2013 at 07:47 AM
Sal Baker
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Epson 3880 or 4900?


+1 on the 3880. Almost 4 years and zero clogs = zero ink wasted on cleaning heads. Mine goes weeks/months between print sessions and simply works. Prints are stellar.

Sal



Aug 26, 2013 at 03:01 PM
rabbitmountain
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Epson 3880 or 4900?


3880 ordered. Thanks for all your insights!

Stay good,
Ralph



Aug 28, 2013 at 02:50 AM
Wilfredo
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Epson 3880 or 4900?


I have a 3880 and it has been tempermental from day one when loading thicker papers. Right now I have an exhibit coming up and unable to print. Had similar issues loading paper with Epson 2880. At this moment I am dead in the water and may have to cancel my exhibition. I would purchase the 4900 but I don't print every day and it seems clogging will become an issue.

I hope you have better luck with your 3880. I love the prints when I can get the darn thing to work!

www.BenitezRivera.com



Sep 04, 2013 at 11:38 AM
rabbitmountain
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Epson 3880 or 4900?


Hi Wilfredo,
I'm very sorry to hear that. My neighbor 2 blocks down also has had a 3880 for about 18 months now with zero problems. Hopefully I'm as lucky as he has been and I wish yours will do better in the future.

Stay good,
Ralph



Sep 04, 2013 at 12:07 PM
Wilfredo
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Epson 3880 or 4900?


Good luck. I will have to take mine in for repair, should have done that while it was still under warranty. May have to cancel the show.


Sep 04, 2013 at 12:09 PM
rabbitmountain
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Epson 3880 or 4900?


Why don't you ask a friend to print your exhibit photos? I know I would do that for a friend in need... Now that we are discussing it, I'm kinda intrigued in which photos you are going to show. Are they at a place on the internet where I can watch them?

Stay good,
Ralph



Sep 04, 2013 at 02:35 PM





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