Epson ET-8550 - 8 week update
p.1 #1Epson ET-8550 - 8 week update
I've had the printer for approximately seven or eight weeks now. I've printed roughly fifteen 12x18, six 8x10 and around a dozen at 4x6. The quality of the prints continues to amaze me. I've had a few minor hiccups worth mentioning. Around four or five times while printing a 12x18, the printer paused part way through for an extended period of time. Perhaps three minutes or more. It then just continues on until done and the print is perfect. I have no idea if this is the printer, my PC or my network. It's not a big deal but I am curious. Now, one of those times, the pause was really long. Perhaps ten minutes. I didn't touch a thing on the printer or the PC. Eventually, the print aborted. The message was something generic like "an error has occurred". This wasted about half of the 13x19 sheet and that bit of ink of course. All in all, I'm still super impressed by this thing and I would purchase it again tomorrow.
Sep 18, 2026 at 05:04 PM
p.1 #2Epson ET-8550 - 8 week update
I always use a separate computer wired to a photo printer to avoid wastage. Even an older laptop will do. I would not necessarily trust Wi-Fi especially if anything else is on that same network. A printer is probably not high on the default QoS priority.
The 17x25+ prints were not cheap to make. On small prints I might not care.
EBH
The 17x25+ prints were not cheap to make. On small prints I might not care.
EBH
Sep 18, 2026 at 08:07 PM
p.1 #3Epson ET-8550 - 8 week update
EB-1 wrote:
I always use a separate computer wired to a photo printer to avoid wastage. Even an older laptop will do. I would not necessarily trust Wi-Fi especially if anything else is on that same network. A printer is probably not high on the default QoS priority.
The 17x25+ prints were not cheap to make. On small prints I might not care.
EBH
This makes a lot of sense. Right now, I don't have room for the printer where the PC is. I'll need to figure something out.
Sep 18, 2026 at 08:30 PM
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p.1 #4Epson ET-8550 - 8 week update
My 8550 is connected via wireless network to my PC workstation.
Now my 44" pro-4100 is hardwired, but the smaller printers work fine on the wireless network.
I have never had a problem with pausing.
Printer use is coming up on 3 yrs- and over 3000 prints. Most are 5x7" notecards, a few hundred are larger. I just purchased my 2nd set of inks- (total of 3 including the ink that came with the printer.)
The only issue I have had is a couple paper feed issues/jams. That is when I am trying to use a heavy matt paper.
A couple of jammed nozzles that took some cleaning- even with heavy useage.
All in all a workhorse that just prints and prints and prints.
gary
Now my 44" pro-4100 is hardwired, but the smaller printers work fine on the wireless network.
I have never had a problem with pausing.
Printer use is coming up on 3 yrs- and over 3000 prints. Most are 5x7" notecards, a few hundred are larger. I just purchased my 2nd set of inks- (total of 3 including the ink that came with the printer.)
The only issue I have had is a couple paper feed issues/jams. That is when I am trying to use a heavy matt paper.
A couple of jammed nozzles that took some cleaning- even with heavy useage.
All in all a workhorse that just prints and prints and prints.
gary
Sep 25, 2026 at 05:33 AM
p.1 #5Epson ET-8550 - 8 week update
gchappel wrote:
My 8550 is connected via wireless network to my PC workstation.
Now my 44" pro-4100 is hardwired, but the smaller printers work fine on the wireless network.
I have never had a problem with pausing.
Printer use is coming up on 3 yrs- and over 3000 prints. Most are 5x7" notecards, a few hundred are larger. I just purchased my 2nd set of inks- (total of 3 including the ink that came with the printer.)
The only issue I have had is a couple paper feed issues/jams. That is when I am trying to use a heavy matt paper.
A couple...Show more →
What are your thoughts on heavier matte paper ... how heavy is "too heavy" and it struggles, best to stick around xyz-ish kind of thing. That, and how does the IQ on matte (dye inks vs. pigment) come across?
My 8550 is connected via wireless network to my PC workstation.
Now my 44" pro-4100 is hardwired, but the smaller printers work fine on the wireless network.
I have never had a problem with pausing.
Printer use is coming up on 3 yrs- and over 3000 prints. Most are 5x7" notecards, a few hundred are larger. I just purchased my 2nd set of inks- (total of 3 including the ink that came with the printer.)
The only issue I have had is a couple paper feed issues/jams. That is when I am trying to use a heavy matt paper.
A couple...Show more →
What are your thoughts on heavier matte paper ... how heavy is "too heavy" and it struggles, best to stick around xyz-ish kind of thing. That, and how does the IQ on matte (dye inks vs. pigment) come across?
Sep 25, 2026 at 06:38 AM
p.1 #6Epson ET-8550 - 8 week update
8550 feeds matte papers fine up to about 300gms. At 310 I had some random jamming. Over 310- jammed.
I never had a jam or misfeed below 300gms. Not one. 300gms is my cutoff.
On this printer, matte papers do not look as good as rc papers-imho. Matte, to my eyes, looks better on my 12 ink pigment printers. However, as I say that--- I print 7x10" note cards as gifts each Christmas. Requests keep growing- so I am up to about 100 boxes of 10 cards for this year. These are printed on red river matte card stock. They look fine. I have gotten feed back from around the world from these- they end up all over. People love them- so they must look ok.
On RC papers color looks really good, black and white looks pretty good.
I will say these dye inks will fade a little. I had a framed 12x18" print hanging in our foyer for about a year. Bright Florida sun, no glass or protection. After a year it still looked fine--- but when I took it out of the frame the sky had clearly faded when compared to the areas covered by the matte. My pigment prints do not fade in the same environment. So, I would never sell a print from this printer--- but I have given 1000's away, and hope to continue.
Great little printer. It just keeps printing along.....
gary
I never had a jam or misfeed below 300gms. Not one. 300gms is my cutoff.
On this printer, matte papers do not look as good as rc papers-imho. Matte, to my eyes, looks better on my 12 ink pigment printers. However, as I say that--- I print 7x10" note cards as gifts each Christmas. Requests keep growing- so I am up to about 100 boxes of 10 cards for this year. These are printed on red river matte card stock. They look fine. I have gotten feed back from around the world from these- they end up all over. People love them- so they must look ok.
On RC papers color looks really good, black and white looks pretty good.
I will say these dye inks will fade a little. I had a framed 12x18" print hanging in our foyer for about a year. Bright Florida sun, no glass or protection. After a year it still looked fine--- but when I took it out of the frame the sky had clearly faded when compared to the areas covered by the matte. My pigment prints do not fade in the same environment. So, I would never sell a print from this printer--- but I have given 1000's away, and hope to continue.
Great little printer. It just keeps printing along.....
gary
Sep 25, 2026 at 08:00 AM