Tim B Posted June 18, 2009 Share #1 Posted June 18, 2009 Advertisement (gone after registration) Not sure if this is the right place for this query, but the end product of post-processing for most of us is a print so ..... My Epson R800 is a great little printer with excellent quality output. I have been trying to use some different papers, especially Hahnemule, who make some lovely surfaces. But I'm having real problems with the printer failing to feed the paper. I have tried every configuration that I can think of. I find Epson support and documentation woefully inadequate. Has anyone else out there managed to use these sorts of papers with this printer and if so, how? Any suggestions gratefully received. Thanks for reading. Tim Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted June 18, 2009 Posted June 18, 2009 Hi Tim B, Take a look here OT? Printing problems. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
borowiec Posted June 19, 2009 Share #2 Posted June 19, 2009 Tim, I use Hahnemuehle's Fine Art Baryta paper which is quite thick. I print with an Epson 4000 printer. To fit the thicker paper, you have to adjust the platen gap from Standard to Wider. On the 4000 you do that at the control panel, I'm not sure where that would be adjusted on your printer. That recommendation came from Hahnemuehle's website, by the way. Of late, even with that adjustment, I find that the paper will only go through the manual feed slot and, if it's at all humid, the paper curls and gets stuck. The printer flashed an error code, I called Epson, and they very helpfully said to take it to a service center two hours away. Assuming I had nothing to lose, I looked for advice on the internet and was able to remedy the problem. From now on, however, I only print on Hahnemuehle on dry days! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamie Roberts Posted June 19, 2009 Share #3 Posted June 19, 2009 Don't know about the 800, but on the 4000, you not only need to feed it through the manual feed but you need to adjust the platen width somehow, either by telling the printer through the driver that you've got some really thick paper there (try Epson Fibre Art or Fine Art) OR by finding where the driver or RIP lets you adjust the gap. It shouldn't stick if you do that. Don't know if the R800 is even set up for papers like the Baryta Harmon or others... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim B Posted June 19, 2009 Author Share #4 Posted June 19, 2009 Thanks for the responses. No, the R800 does not have the capability to adjust the platten gap, except insofar as an adjustment may be made by selecting various papers, matt heavyweight, premium glossy etc. Manual feeding is not possible except for printing on CD/DVDs although I have tried. But like you I find that this paper tends not to stay flat through the feeding channel. I have no problem with the excellent Hahnemuhle Glossy Fine Art Baryta, or the Ilford Galerie Gold Fibre Silk, which are of equivalent weight, but it really doesn't like the German Etching. It is a shame, because for the small sizes I generally use (sending larger ones out) the R800 is very good, and I can't really justify the cost of very large format pro printers. My printer is now showing signs of permanent failure so I need to look around for something a little more versatile. Any suggestions, anyone? Thanks again, Tim Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamie Roberts Posted June 19, 2009 Share #5 Posted June 19, 2009 Tim, if you can afford it the Epson 3800 is like having a little darkroom on a table at your side It's easily the best value Epson out there right now, IMO (though it's likely due to be replaced). If I could afford it, I'd get one of the new Epson 7900s I was very impressed with them at a trade-show earlier this year! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest WPalank Posted June 20, 2009 Share #6 Posted June 20, 2009 If I could afford it, I'd get one of the new Epson 7900s I was very impressed with them at a trade-show earlier this year! Jamie, I just got through doing my first prints on the 7900 I received last week, having taken delivery of some Hahnemuhle papers today. Granted, they are 8.5x11 on sheet (planned as submissions to the Hahnemuhle Anniversary Photo Contest), but I am absolutely floored by the quality. I used the icc profiles from the Hahnemuhle website as ImagePrint hasn't created the RIP for the 7900 yet. Should be ready by the end of this month or next. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
borowiec Posted June 20, 2009 Share #7 Posted June 20, 2009 Advertisement (gone after registration) Tim, I'm going to offer a dissenting opinion from Jamie's on the Epson 3800. I bought two of them in January for the university where I teach and will never make that mistake again. Compared to my 4000 or the current 4880, they are much less well made, all the parts are thinner and flimsier. They have been nothing but trouble for us. In particular, they tend to put down more ink than other models which causes the paper to get very wet and then to buckle, which results in the drive wheels making strike marks on the print. Maybe the 3800 would be okay for occasional use but in a high volume situation it's definitely a bad choice. There is a very good website about the 3800 where you can read about the strike mark problem: http://people.csail.mit.edu/ericcha/dp/Epson3800/index.html The problem is that there are no good inexpensive choices in that size. Unlike the 3800 or the 4000, the 4880 requires you to switch ink cartridges when you change from matte to glossy paper, which wastes a tremendous amount of ink. I keep hoping Epson will come out with a 17-inch version of the 7900 but that hasn't happened so far. I don't know much about the smaller (13-inch) Epson printers but one of those might be a better option for you. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim B Posted June 20, 2009 Author Share #8 Posted June 20, 2009 Thanks for your contributions and suggestions. I'm thinking of having a look at the 2880, but I don't know if it has the capability to use the thicker papers. Anyone use this printer? It seems, looking at Epson's products that they are not doing much for the smaller format non-pro user, who still wants pro quality in small volumes and small formats. They seem to be putting a lot of energy in the office machine multi-purpose gadgets. Their more recent models like the 1900 seem to be less well received than earlier models. I've always liked Epson's print quality (but not their ink prices), but have even been thinking about looking at Canon or HP. Still looking. Tim Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamie Roberts Posted June 23, 2009 Share #9 Posted June 23, 2009 Tim, I'm going to offer a dissenting opinion from Jamie's on the Epson 3800. I bought two of them in January for the university where I teach and will never make that mistake again. Compared to my 4000 or the current 4880, they are much less well made, all the parts are thinner and flimsier. {Snipped} Wow. My 4000 is for sale; I've never had a less reliable printer, and that includes the Epson 2000P I'm sure it's built better than the 3800, but I don't move either of them around a lot... and I've never had an Epson break to date. Course, I'm not running university classes on mine either... and my 5 year old has so far stayed away from the printer Here, anyway, the 4000 clogs a lot--even with regular use, and I prefer the K3 inkset. The 3800 has been brilliant, and while my volume isn't insane, it is reasonably high. For the money, I think it's a fine machine. Now--one caveat. I must admit I've been going by what other people say about the Epson driver--I always use a RIP. So I don't worry about how much ink gets laid down on matte art papers (never had a problem with gloss / baryta style papers) like Arches or Epson Fine Art because I ink limit in the RIP... Maybe that's the difference? I've never seen the "pizza wheel" marks on my prints mentioned in the (very good) page linked either. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamie Roberts Posted June 23, 2009 Share #10 Posted June 23, 2009 Jamie, I just got through doing my first prints on the 7900 I received last week, having taken delivery of some Hahnemuhle papers today. Granted, they are 8.5x11 on sheet (planned as submissions to the Hahnemuhle Anniversary Photo Contest), but I am absolutely floored by the quality. I used the icc profiles from the Hahnemuhle website as ImagePrint hasn't created the RIP for the 7900 yet. Should be ready by the end of this month or next. I can't tell you how jealous I am The prints I saw at the show were amazing, and they were showing off some pretty hard to print stuff (deeply saturated and variated cyans for example). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpattison Posted June 24, 2009 Share #11 Posted June 24, 2009 Guys, what is it with Epson? I can't believe people use them these days, they are so much hassle. Try an HPB9180, fantastic straight out of the box, no PK/MK ink changes, built in ink flow system, large capacity cartridges etc. Made for hahnemuhle! John Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim B Posted June 24, 2009 Author Share #12 Posted June 24, 2009 Interesting suggestions, guys. Thanks. No one has suggested Canon - what about the 9500 MkII or even 9000 MkII? They sound good, especially the 9500. It takes all kinds of media; no black swapping for Mono printing on matt or glossy; 10 inks ... Any comments? Tim Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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