robinpeeples Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 <p>I've been researching the best photo printer for my (enthusiastic amateur) needs for a little while and have <em>almost</em> convinced myself to go with the 2880.</p> <p>I've arrived at that tentative decision because the print quality is widely praised, the media size suits my needs, this is my first printer purchase, and I'm not going to be printing major volume (can't guess exactly how many per month, but my livelihood doesn't depend on selling prints or anything). </p> <p>It's also the only one I've seen that actually fits well with my budget, but I'm slightly hesitant after reading several reviews complaining about ink cartridges needing to be replaced after only a handful of prints and a few others complaining of clogged heads.</p> <p>Conversely, I've had a hard time finding anything but glowing praise for all aspects of the 3880. Sounds like a great printer, but I don't really need the larger media size, my printing volume may not be high enough (might ultimately waste ink?), and I wouldn't be too jazzed about spending twice as much money on my first printer. It's just that the (apparent) total lack of fault found with the 3880 by users kind of makes me more concerned about the negative comments about the 2880.</p> <p><strong>Is ink usage/inefficiency/small cartridge size really a big problem for the 2880? Is it common to get a clogged head? Is it frustrating and expensive to operate (as suggested by some reviews)? If yes, is the r3000 better?</strong></p> <p>Thanks sincerely for any thoughts shared.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spearhead Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 <p>Based on what you've said are your printing requirements, I'd recommend not buying your own printer. You will get equivalent quality at a much lower cost, much lower frustration level, and with more repeatability by using an outside service for printing. I use Costco (which has printers using the Epson Ultrachrome inks and provides profiles for each specific location) and mPix, after years of doing my own printing, and I find it a far better solution. The only reasons to do your own printing at home for prints larger than 4"x6" are for high volume printing or a requirement for unusual papers. Despite using outside services for larger prints, I find it useful to have a 4x6 printer at home for quick prints for family, friends, and portrait subjects. </p> Music and Portraits Blog: Life in Portugal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robinpeeples Posted January 11, 2012 Author Share Posted January 11, 2012 <p>Thanks, Jeff. I do plan to use some unusual papers, but more than that I'm looking for immediacy I can't get by outsourcing the job to someone else. I have a lot of project plans that are on hold because they'll require tinkering and experimentation, and because I usually end up working on things late at night! I want (/have) to be cost-conscious, but at the same time I'm not looking to buy a printer because it's the cheapest way for me to get hard copies, I'm looking to buy a printer because it will be fun and fulfilling and offer a lot of freedom.</p> <p>What is considered 'high volume' printing? I haven't been able to figure that out to have something to compare my needs to.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norman_valentine Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 <p>Robin, I have had an R2880 for about 18 months, never had a problem with the nozzles. Yes, the cartridges are small and expensive but I have managed to find much cheaper original cartridges by shopping around. You can but generic cartides for next to nothing but why buy a great printer and use cheapo inks?<br> I am delighted with the quality of my prints and would never consider losing control by using an outside printer as suggested by Jeff.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pcnilssen Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 <p>I bought the smaller brother, the R1900, one year ago, and has been very satisfied with it. I think that the R2880 and R1900 use the same cartridges, at least are they quite comparable in size, 11.4ml per cartridge. I do not have a high printing volume, but I find myself changing cartridges a lot...<br> I recently bought the 3880, and read a lot about printer economy on the web before opening my wallet. It is so that printers which are low in initial costs, often have high ink cartridge costs. The price of ink on the 3880 vs the 1990 measured in NOK/ml shows that the ink costs of the 3880 is approx 40% lower - and I also got a full set of cartridges with the printer.<br> I am still on my first set of cartridges, but based on quotes from other on the net, they have exceeded the "best before"-date with 1-2 years without seeing any difference in ink quality.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharlesBecker-Toronto Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 <p>Hi Robin. I have been using the 2880 for a couple of years now and I really like it; the only drawback to me is having to swap out the photo black and the matte black cartridges which needs to be done when changing between glossy and matte paper.<br> You didn't mention printing black and white so my suggestions are as follows;<br> 1) get the 1900 if you don't print black and white (this is what I previously had before switching to the 2880)<br> 2) get the 2880 if you want to print black and white as well as colour or<br> 3) get the 3000 if it you don't want to have to change the photo and matte black cartridges and if it fits within your budget.<br> As regards clogged heads, I just started printing again after a year and a half and had no problem whatever.<br> Happy printing! regards, cb :-)</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patricklavoie Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 <p>its a excellent printer, but i will go with the newer R3000 instead; bigger ink cart, 2 black install meaning no switching manually require. a far more better investment.</p> <p>Anything below those model (1900, 1800 etc.. ) wont produce neutral BW.. so if you are into BW, you need a use epson 2200 with a RIP, or a use 2400 minimum.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlRohrer Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 <p><strong>Is ink usage/inefficiency/small cartridge size really a big problem for the 2880? Is it common to get a clogged head? Is it frustrating and expensive to operate (as suggested by some reviews)? If yes, is the r3000 better?</strong><br> No. No. No. Haven't had the 3000 so can't answer this one.<br> I bought a 2200 when they first came out and used it until just before they announced the 3000 when I bought a 2880. My experience with it has been problem free and quality excellent. If you can afford the 3880, by all means, get it, but don't get it because the 2880 is a problem machine.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patricklavoie Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 <p>the R3000 is a smaller version of the 3880. 13inch wide vs 16inch. .. price is around the 2880 (100$ more i think).. 2 black install (like the 3880), 9 ink cart, wireless printing, bigger 25ml ink cart..why would anyone would want a 2880?</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robinpeeples Posted January 11, 2012 Author Share Posted January 11, 2012 <p>Alright, thanks so much for all the great feedback! I am glad to hear that those of you commenting here have not experienced the issues reported in some of the negative reviews I read of the 2880.</p> <p>I'm feeling persuaded that the 3000 might be the best option for me, being in most ways very similar to the 2880, but with larger cartridges, automatic black switching, and wi-fi. </p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hjoseph7 Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 <p>I have a R2400 which is the older version of the R2880. Do I regret buying it yes and no. For one thing you never know when you are going to need a 16X20 print. The R2400 only prints up to a standard size of 11X14. I was thinking about trading up to the 3880, but the cartridges are about $70 each. Right now if I had a choice, I would probaly go for the 3000, since the cartriges are about $40 each. The cartriges on my R2400 will last a pretty good while if I avoid constant 8X10, or larger prints. There is also a draft button to help you save ink. Usually I buy by the set, but yellow and light grey seem to run out quicker than the other colors. </p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KenPapai Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 <blockquote> <p>The R2400 only prints up to a standard size of 11X14.</p> </blockquote> <p>Harry -- you know as well as I do the R2400 easily prints 13x19 inches as one of its standard paper sizes. Please get some of your "facts" straight (why else you think it handles 13" wide papers?)</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hjoseph7 Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 <p>Papai 13X19 is not really a standard size in my opinion. I was referring to the old standard sizes of 4X6, 5X7, 8X10, 8X11.5, 11X14, 16X20, 18X24, 20X30 etc which are easier to mount.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KenPapai Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 <p>13x19 is a perfect sized, precut paper for printing and then mounting 12x18 inch prints. Perfect! Easy paper size to find and works superbly on the R2400. Opinion or not.</p> <p>Cheers, Ken</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmyers Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 <p>Robin, have you looked at the difference in ink cost between the two? I did a comparison on this recently.</p> <p>R3000 ships with 9 ink cartridges @ 25.9 ml each for a total of 233.1 ml of ink. Replacement ink cartridge = $31.99 at one on line retailer. Ink = $1.24 per ml.<br /><br />3880 ships with 9 ink cartridges @ 80 ml each for a total of 720 ml of ink. Replacement cart = $59.95 at same retailer. Ink = $0.75 per ml.<br /><br />If you deduct the 233.1 that the R3000 ships with from the 720 the 3880 ships with, you get 486.9 more ml of ink in the 3880. If you use the 3000 price of $1.24, that = $603.76 more ink shipping with the 3880 that you were eventually going to use in the R3000.<br /><br />There is approx $230.00 difference in the printers at the same on line retailer.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patricklavoie Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 <p>Harry, when you talk about what the max size a printer can take.. you dont use the biggest standard size.. you use what the printer can use.. witch is in this case 13inch wide. 16inch for the 3880, 24 for the 7880, 44 for the 9880 and 64 for the last one i dont recall the printer model ; )</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmyers Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 <p>The 3880 is a 17" printer.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patricklavoie Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 sorry i was thinking paper roll size : ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dzaebst Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 <blockquote> <p>13x19 is a perfect sized, precut paper for printing and then mounting 12x18 inch prints. Perfect! Easy paper size to find and works superbly on the R2400. Opinion or not.</p> </blockquote> <p>Question: what matt/frame size do you use for a 12x18 print? That doesn't seem like a "standard" size (whatever "standard"means). I have been using Epson's 11.5 x 17" paper and printing to 11 x 14, for which frames are available everywhere. I do have a lot of 13 x 19 paper sitting around that I haven't used for a while...so if there is a good way to use it, that's a great tip!</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg_barringer Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 <p>Consider the cost of ink only. These costs are for Luster paper. With both printers it's less expensive to print 4x6 at a lab. 8x10 and larger is less expensive to use the Epson.<br> Here's the 2880<br> 4x6 = $0.21<br> 5x7 = $0.30<br> 8x10 = $0.70<br> 11x14 = $1.34<br> 13x19 = $2.15<br> <strong><br /></strong><br> Here's the 3880<br> 4x6 = $0.14<br> 5x7 = $0.21<br> 8x10 = $0.48<br> 11 x14 =$0.93<br> 13x19 = $1.48</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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