A3 size printer like Epson 3880?

[shootinglulu]

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Hello.
I was about to get the Epson 3880 but i realise now it is slightly too big for my office space and so my research starts all over again for a printer with similar high quality spec to the 3880 but size A3.
I would be grateful for any advice.
Thanks
Lucy

[shootinglulu]

I have just done a lot of reading and answered my own question. Should have done a search first!

[LuxBob]

and just out of interest what was the answer?

[250swb]

Yes, come on Lucy fess up, I was looking closely at the 3880 after the terrific review it had in the recent issue of 'Black and White Photography' magazine. Like you I'd measured my desk and wondered if it would really fit.

Steve

[delander †]

Assuming it is the same size as the 3800 and your desk can accommodate the width, the 3880 needs less desk space than you think as long as you dont want to feed thick flat sheets through it. It only needs 7 inches (perhaps even less) between the back of the printer and the wall, even with the alternative feed used for some thicker papers. At the front the output tray can be extended to different lengths as required.

I have the 3800 and the B&W ouput is simply wonderful.

Jeff

[wilfredo]

Mine sits on a two drawer file cabinet next to my desk. I couldn't be happier with the quality of prints I get.

[250swb]

Thanks Wilfredo and Jeff, my eye is being drawn back to it. In fact thinking again I can see how even if it is bigger than the A3 printer I currently have I can re-jig my office space to accomodate it.


Steve

[LuxBob]

I have an HP B9180. It is big, solidly made but it is the third, the first two having been replaced under warranty. It is has been a love/not quite sure about this relationship, although in BW I get nothing but superb prints. HP I believe have stopped manufacture and so it may hasten my move to a 3880 which would seem to be the logical progression.
Canon is out because although I have had problems at times sourcing ink for the HP, I have noticed in passing that inks for the bigger Canons seem to be even more scarce.
All this to say that if it is not the 3880 it might be wise to consider an Epson further down such as the 2800.

[elansprint72]

When printing B&W with the 3880, which inks are required? Sorry if that is a daft question but I'm considering buying one for B&W only work.

[250swb]

Its the Epson Ultrachrome K3 inks (with three blacks!) in 80ml cartridges Pete. Black and White Photography says they work out at about half the price of the 13ml cartidges of the 2880. Its not so much the A2 size I'm after but the larger ink tanks and the B&W ability.

Steve

[stunsworth]

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Originally Posted by elansprint72

When printing B&W with the 3880, which inks are required? Sorry if that is a daft question but I'm considering buying one for B&W only work.

Pete if it's like the 3800 it uses all of the cartridges when printing b&w.

I say all, but that's not quite right, it chooses one of two black cartridges depending on whether you're printing on glossy or matt paper.

[250swb]

Eight colours, Black, Light Black, Light Light Black, Cyan, Light Cyan, Vivid Magenta, Vivid Light Magenta, Yellow. Matte Black is optional and replaces one of the others.

Steve

[Jeff S]

Or, you can replace the Epson inks with Cone inks and shoot seven shades of black.

Jeff

[stunsworth]

Originally Posted by Jeff S

Or, you can replace the Epson inks with Cone inks and shoot seven shades of black

But why given that the Epson inks are so good at printing b&w, also allow you to print colour, and don't clog the print heads?

[Jeff S]

Originally Posted by stunsworth

But why given that the Epson inks are so good at printing b&w, also allow you to print colour, and don't clog the print heads?

Uh, 7 blacks versus 3. Clogging not a problem like earlier iterations. And, I have a 3800 printer with the Epson inks, so I understand the capabilities.

Jeff

[delander †]

I notice that Eric Chan has started making (free) B&W profiles for the 3880.

ICC Profiles for the Epson 3880 Advanced B&W Photo Driver

I use his profiles for the 3800 and I'm very pleased with the output.

Jeff

[delander †]

Originally Posted by stunsworth

Pete if it's like the 3800 it uses all of the cartridges when printing b&w.

I say all, but that's not quite right, it chooses one of two black cartridges depending on whether you're printing on glossy or matt paper.

I'm confused because it seems to me that in ABW mode it only uses the three black/grey inks. Under a loupe I see no coloured ink dots on my B&W prints.

Jon Cone seems to say the same in this link:

Re: Piezography 1pt text test: Printers and Printing Forum: Digital Photography Review

But I do use Eric Chan's B&W profiles so that maybe the reason.

Jeff

Afterthought: Steve are you printing desaturated RGB as B&W or from a greyscale file?

[stunsworth]

Originally Posted by delander

I'm confused because it seems to me that in ABW mode it only uses the three black/grey inks. Under a loupe I see no coloured ink dots on my B&W prints.

...

Afterthought: Steve are you printing desaturated RGB as B&W or from a greyscale file?

Well I print mainly b&w, and my coloured inks are going somewhere <grin>.

I print from an RGB file using the advanced black and white setting on the 3800 driver.

[delander †]

I print B&W from a greyscale image. My coloured inks are also going somewhere but I print a mix of colour and B&W.

Steve if you have not tried Eric Chan's B&W profiles they are worth a look!

Anybody found a source of cone inks in the UK? This is one of the problems - so much that is readily available in the US cant be sourced here.

Jeff

[Jeff S]

Originally Posted by delander

Anybody found a source of cone inks in the UK? This is one of the problems - so much that is readily available in the US cant be sourced here.

Jeff

Hey Jeff...nice to chat with you about something other than cropping.

These guys have many customers overseas, including UK...Welcome to InkjetMall!

A nice fellow named Wells is the best contact there to answer lots of questions about shipping, set-up, etc. You can email him at wells at inkjet mall dot com.

Also, note that they now have black inks for glossy papers as well as matte. The former (K7 Selenium inks) come with a gloss optimizer that requires two passes on the printer, but allows printing on wonderful papers like Hahnemuhle Photo Rag Baryta or Pearl. Each paper will have to be profiled for their sets. Wells is the guy to explain the process.

Jeff