[alt-photo] Re: Epson printer 3880

[Diana Bloomfield]

Ah, okay; thanks, Chris. That doesn't sound good.  Oh boy. Well, I still want to get someone to look at my 3800, though I feel sure it would be expensive to fix. It looks like you can still get the 3800; oddly enough, the ones I've found cost more than the 3880. Not sure what that's about, but I did go ahead and place an order for the 3880-- so I hope I don't regret it.

 I do know someone who has a large HP printer, and it is impressive. This person is very happy with it, too, but I feel like not buying Epson is like swimming against a strong tide, really-- so, at this point-- just not worth it.  I've already done that by not falling in line with all things Photoshop (by using GIMP), which I'm really happy I did now, and it's served me very well--but talk about a strong undercurrent . . 

Anyway, thanks, Chris.  

Diana

Sent from my iPhone

On Jun 14, 2011, at 3:16 PM, Christina Anderson <zphoto at montana.net> wrote:

> Diana,
> 
> Yes, it was me, and I will recap my last year with the 3880.
> 
> Unfortunately it is not a positive experience as Kerik's but YRMV. I think you are a QTR user, correct?
> 
> I wish I had never bought it. I wish I had gotten a refurbished 3800.
> 
> It has a different ink set than the 3800, two magentas. Thus it is not an "improved" 3800, which I mistakenly thought, but a different printer.
> 
> It works fine for gum and casein, but if you are to do pt/pd you may have to up your ink density in the driver even to 50%. If you are using QTR then Kerik's praise is valid. Which means then that it is the printer driver that is the issue perhaps, not the printer.
> 
> I have to print on my Mac in CS4 as well, with the downloaded Epson driver (NOT the Apple Epson driver). Otherwise there are options not available in the driver, even with numerous driver downloads and Luminous Landscape this and that.
> 
> Now, maybe in the last 6 months ALL of this has been corrected and I am SURE that someone on this list will immediately correct me. And if you are WIndows, none of this applies perhaps.
> 
> But the problem is it will print what I term "easter egg colors"--where it should be bright magenta it comes out pale pink.And yes, I could certainly dink around and up the ink density to 50% and use it for denser processes, but that dings my chimes when I never had to do that before except for salt printing at a mere 10-15%.
> 
> It's not just a problem with printing easter egg colors, but that there is inconsistency with its doing such, whether in CS4 or CS5, on a Mac or Windows, checking 16 bit or not. In other words, workflow has to be solid and methodical.
> 
> When I want a good neg for pt/pd I go into the university and print on the 3800 there.
> 
> Very disappointed in my purchase, but like I say, for gum and casein, adequate.
> 
> In fact, if I had to compare it with all the printers I've owned, I would say it is on par with my R1800.
> 
> I just met up with Loris in Istanbul and his friend who is using an HP printer and I'm tellin' ya, HP is going to be good competition for an Epson. I do not know what HP it was and Loris could tell you as well.
> 
> Good luck in your decision, but if you are on a Mac and Snow Leopard and using the current Epson driver and not QTR, even, forewarned is forearmed. Who the heck knows about the new Lion OS..
> 
> Chris
> 
> Christina Z. Anderson
> christinaZanderson.com
> 
> On Jun 14, 2011, at 6:48 AM, Diana Bloomfield wrote:
> 
>> Hi all,
>> 
>> I've had an Epson 3800 printer for several years now-- love it, never had a
>> problem with it-- until now.  So I'm thinking of upgrading to the 3880, but
>> I remember someone here (Chris?) having trouble with their 3880,
>> specifically in making digital negatives.  Is that correct, or did I dream
>> that?  I'm assuming that the 3880 is comparable (better than?) to the 3800,
>> especially when making negatives.  Any advice here?  Is there another
>> printer that would be better?  I'm not interested in going larger than the
>> 17" carriage.
>> 
>> Thanks.
>> 
>> Diana
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