I want to move from the Epson R2400 to a larger format printer need to choose between the 3880 and 4880. I'd like to be able to print panoramas longer than 22" and to be able to switch easily between matte and luster papers. I'm wondering what others have done. I'm just using this for personal purposes and don't make a high volume of prints.
My sense is that the 4880 is overkill for my use and I would go for the 3880 in a heartbeat if I could be confident that making larger that 22" prints works in practice. It apparently supports up to 37.4" [presumably cut from a roll of paper]. Do you find that it is particularly tricky to make this size print?
On the other hand, If you have a 4800 / 4880, do you attempt to stick with either matte or photo black and avoid the cost of switching inks? Do you find that the printer uses a relatively large amount of ink in cleaning cycles? Is this offset by the ability to use 110 ml ink cartridges vs the 80 ml cartridges of the 3880? Are there other things I should worry about if I choose this one?
I've printed longer prints on the 3800 by cutting from a 17" roll of paper and it's no problem. You just have to hold the paper as it starts going through and then make sure it doesn't fall on the floor after it prints.
People who switch a lot between mat and photo black buy two 4880s. Wouldn't that be a pain?
Another thing about the 3880 versus 4880 -- the 3880 is smaller and lighter. You can move it by yourself. And it's quieter.
If you want to switch between matte and luster look at the Canon iPF5100, built like the 4880, 130ml carts (90ml to start), no penalty for going between matte and photo papers. You also get roll paper with this printer, can print to 55 ft.
BTW the 3880 will print to 37 inches using a custom paper setting.
BTW, with the 4880, most use the 220 ml ink cartridges. That'w where the savings are for ink.
I do switch between matte and photo, but my print volume makes it OK. I still hate having to switch, just for the waste.
The 3880 is a lot more like your R2400 - which I still have and still love it for small stuff. The 4880 handles paper quite differently and may surprise you somewhat.
I would recommend the 3880 (cut sheets, borderless, etc.) for most folks as the differences are far more than paper length. The 4880 really is designed as a roll printer for commercial uses.
Hope this helps, but if you could test both printers first - maybe at a larger reseller, then that would most likely make the decision easy. Best of luck.
I've read that some of the 3880 Colorburst RIP software allow longer prints than standard the 37.4 inches. The longest I would go would probably be 48". Does anyone know whether the version that comes with the Graphics version does this? I did look at the Canon printer and it is appealing as well. Any downsides to the Canons? I like their cameras...it just seems like their printers haven't quite got the market foothold that Epson does and this would be a big purchase for me.
Just be aware that if you do not print every single week on the 4880 it will clog up. The 3880 has a presurized system the 4880 does not.
I had a 4800 for a year and went a few weeks without printing - it clogged up so bad I could not unclog it myself, and I tried all the tricks in the book and outside the book. I would never buy another non-pressurized printer.
I find Epson to look better overall than others especially in B&W.
Wow - that is a deal breaker for me. I called Colorburst and learned two interesting things about the RIP that ships with the Graphics version of the 3880.
1) It overrides the Epson choices and permits any length print.
2) It does not permit the use of any profile other than the ones supplied by Epson. I believe this means that one can only use Epson papers for oversized prints. .
They sell an upgrade for $500 that eliminates the profiling restriction.
I have the 4880 with ImagePrint and love it. I'd used the RIP on my 2200 and it was the only way I could get decent gloss prints out of it.
If the 3880 was available when I wanted to upgrade I PROBABLY would have bought it instead of the 4880 - I'm not a pro, but at times do quite a lot of printing and need/want pro quality. The 4880 is indeed a beast of a machine - I even got the stand for it so it REALLY is big.
I've had a few clog issues, but nothing that wasn't fixable. If I don't print for a few days I run a nozzle check - not a big deal at all. I did my first power clean yesterday and it was fine afterwards, but I'm sure it went through a bit of ink.
I LOVE roll printing with a RIP - so very cool to just throw the images on the roll paper image in ImagePrint and have it come out perfectly. ImagePrint's paper profiles are great, and if you have a paper that they don't have a profile for, they'll make one for you.
So... glad I have the 4880 but would probably have gone with the 3880 if it was available then (didn't want the older ink/tech/drivers of the 3800). If you're going to switch between matte and gloss black and AREN'T a high-volume pro shop, the 3880 is probably the way to go (I don't do matte so it doesn't matter to me). The 3880 will fit on a counter top - the 4880, not so much.
Both are great. All this assumes you're printing with Photoshop CS4 and have a color managed system - if not, it won't be pretty. Pro printers need to be treated as pro printers and are designed to be used in a properly balanced system with software that understands monitor and paper profiles.
I use both 3800 and 7880 (quite similar to 4880) and the 3800 is much easier to use. Savings on inks are minimal. It's cheaper and smaller. Ink changing on the 4880 is absolute pain in the arse, and basically you can't do it, unless your client will pay for it. BTW my 7880 never clogs up, no matter how long unused. W
Just be aware that if you do not print every single week on the 4880 it will clog up. The 3880 has a presurized system the 4880 does not.
***********
Thanks for the explanation...I love the 4880 but it will clog if not used. I could let my former 3800 sit for months and restart with out a clog. No so with the 4880. Of course that fact will get me off of my a** to do more frequent printing. :>
I've not read in any review or in any Epson literature about the concern that the 4880 does not have a pressurized ink system and the 3880 does. Where is this coming from? I KNOW that the ink in the 4880 is pumped, under pressure one would assume, from the tanks to the printhead. Is there something else that the 3880 has in this regard?
From the Epson literature, BOTH the 3880 and 4880 printheads are described the same - with ink-repelling technology. I don't see a mention of a pressurized system in either printer's literature.
The 3880 DOES have "HD2 screening technology," while the 4880 just has "HD screening technology." Am I missing something else?
What the 4880 has that the 3880 does NOT have is the paper suction that holds paper flat - that was a feature I really wanted, especially since I wanted to print on roll paper and the suction would keep the paper curl at bay. Oh, and I wanted to be able to print on rolls - REALLY convenient!
My 4880 occasionally has minor clogs, and yesterday needed a power cleaning. Even with this it is SO MUCH BETTER than any other Epson I've had (Photo, Photo EX, 1200, 2200, 800, 1800 - so I've done my fair share of head cleanings!).
I've read posts by people with 4880s who claim never to have had a clog. Maybe they use theirs more than I do... but even with the few clogs I've had, it is night and day better than others I've used.
Is there some literature or review that talks about the 4880 having non-pressurized heads? Can you point to it?
