[alt-photo] Re: Recommendations for Replacement Printer? Input Needed!

Mark Nelson ender100 at aol.com
Mon Sep 26 05:41:03 GMT 2011 

Yes on the 3800 and magenta clogs. 

Mark Nelson
www.PrecisionDigitalNegatives.com
PDNPRint Forum @ Yahoo Groups
www.MarkINelsonPhoto.com

sent from my iPhonetypeDeviceThingy

On Sep 26, 2011, at 12:24 AM, Francesco Fragomeni <fdfragomeni at gmail.com> wrote:

> One more question about the 3800 vs the 3880. Do you 3800 and 3880 users
> find that one ink clogs more then the others? I've heard that one of Epson's
> primary reasons for changing to the Vivid Magenta in the 3880 was because
> there was some issue with the Magenta ink causing clogs in the 3800. Has
> anyone found this to be true? I've also heard the now the Cyan ink causes
> something similar in the 3880, do any 3880 users find this to be true?
> 
> Thanks!
> -Francesco
> 
> On Sun, Sep 25, 2011 at 10:21 PM, Francesco Fragomeni <fdfragomeni at gmail.com
>> wrote:
> 
>> Diana,
>> 
>> Thanks for you input! I would be very interested to hear what you'd be
>> willing to take for one of your 3800 printers. The 3800 seems to be the
>> favorite of all Epson printers ever and as long as Epson sticks to their
>> word on continuing to offer inks for all of their printers whether in
>> production or not then I wouldn't mind having a 3800 especially if its a
>> little easier on my wallet then buying a new or refurbished 3880 direct from
>> Epson.
>> 
>> If you wouldn't mind, please contact me directly so we can discuss it
>> further: fdfragomeni at gmail.com
>> 
>> Looking forward to hearing from you,
>> Francesco
>> 
>> 
>> On Sun, Sep 25, 2011 at 10:17 PM, Francesco Fragomeni <
>> fdfragomeni at gmail.com> wrote:
>> 
>>> Don,
>>> 
>>> Thanks for the info. I've begun looking into refurbished machines. I've
>>> received a number of recommendations to go this route and I think that is
>>> definitely something to listen to. I think I'd rather spend the money and
>>> get a new machine rather then pay to have the 4800 rebuilt.
>>> 
>>> Francis,
>>> 
>>> Thanks to you as well for the input and info. I got the 4800 for the size
>>> and then never ended up using it for that. I liked the idea of roll paper
>>> but once I began using it I began to dislike it for my purposes. I was able
>>> to check out a 4900 last week when i went to buy new ink at the local Epson
>>> supply store (ink which is now nearly depleted from trying to unclog this
>>> damn printer) and it was a nice looking machine. The people there did tell
>>> me that the purge to go from one black to another does take considerably
>>> more ink then it does in the 3880 which was a turn off. One of the people
>>> there actually hinted that he liked the 4800 better for some reason that he
>>> wouldn't let me in on which gives me even less confidence in the 4900. Glad
>>> the printers are working out for you!
>>> 
>>> -Francesco
>>> 
>>> On Sun, Sep 25, 2011 at 9:09 PM, dhbloomfield <dhbloomfield at bellsouth.net
>>>> wrote:
>>> 
>>>> Hi Francesco,
>>>> 
>>>> I think you'll probably get a myriad of responses here-- but here's a
>>>> short
>>>> version of what I went through recently.  I had a 3800 which I'd had for
>>>> years.
>>>> and it never gave me a problem-- until a few months ago (clogged magenta
>>>> and one
>>>> of the black inks).  I took the printer to a nearby place that works on
>>>> Epson.
>>>> Though they promised me a repair  within 2 days, that didn't happen.
>>>> Seem like
>>>> they worked on it forever.  Meanwhile, I bought a 3880-- brand new, from
>>>> B&H.
>>>> It arrived, and didn't work at all-- I mean, no lights-- no nothing.  I
>>>> called
>>>> Epson support. He asked me to do a bunch of stuff with it, while he
>>>> stayed on
>>>> the phone-- and, in the end, he suggested it was "probably DOA" (which I
>>>> told
>>>> him from the get-go).  He suggested I simply return it, and order a new
>>>> one.  So
>>>> I returned it, but I didn't order another.
>>>> 
>>>> Both the guy at Epson (and at the local repair shop) suggested that if I
>>>> liked
>>>> the 3800 (which I do), that I should buy a refurbished one.  They each,
>>>> independently, said that that's all they ever buy, simply because they
>>>> know that
>>>> the refurbished ones are carefully looked over and rebuilt.  So at a
>>>> reduced
>>>> price, you get what is, essentially, a new printer-- not a current
>>>> version of
>>>> whatever they're now making, of course, but the 3800 does everything I
>>>> need.
>>>> 
>>>> So . . . I bought a refurbished 3800 straight from Epson.  The cost was
>>>> not bad
>>>> at all, considering you also get a full set of inks. A week later, the
>>>> local
>>>> repair shop basically rebuilt the 3800 for me, for about $475.  So I now
>>>> have 2
>>>> working 3800's.  I think they're great printers, especially for digital
>>>> negatives. I don't mind having  one as a back-up--  though I am happy to
>>>> sell
>>>> you one of them. :)
>>>> 
>>>> So that's my story.  I'd go with a refurbished Epson 3800.  I question
>>>> Epson's
>>>> current quality control if one of their new printers/versions arrives in
>>>> a
>>>> pristine box, completely dead. I have seen Canon printers in action, and
>>>> I'm
>>>> very impressed with them.  The reason I don't go that route is - still,
>>>> at this
>>>> point- Epson seems to be at the center of everything.  At this point, to
>>>> buy
>>>> another brand, seems like inviting trouble-- too much swimming against
>>>> the
>>>> tide-- and that's just tiring after a while. That's my 2 cents.
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> ________________________________
>>>> From: Francesco Fragomeni <fdfragomeni at gmail.com>
>>>> To: The alternative photographic processes mailing list
>>>> <alt-photo-process-list at lists.altphotolist.org>
>>>> Sent: Sun, September 25, 2011 2:56:01 PM
>>>> Subject: [alt-photo] Recommendations for Replacement Printer? Input
>>>> Needed!
>>>> 
>>>> Hi all,
>>>> 
>>>> I need your help here. I have an Epson 4800 that I've had for about a
>>>> year
>>>> and a half. I HATE the thing. It gets persistent nozzle clogs no matter
>>>> what
>>>> I do which cause such a waste of ink in getting rid of them. I've read
>>>> everything on the net about preventing such clogs and I've found no
>>>> solution. I bought it used and part of me thinks something has been wrong
>>>> with it all along even though there's never been any problem with prints
>>>> it
>>>> produces. At this point, the thing has a moist sponge inside the paper
>>>> tray
>>>> to raise the humidity. This is supposed to help keep the nozzles from
>>>> clogging in dry climates (I live in Phoenix). In addition to the sponge,
>>>> the
>>>> whole printer is kept wrapped in plastic to prevent the escape of
>>>> moisture
>>>> from the sponge. This has made a slight improvement to the frequency of
>>>> the
>>>> clogs. What seemed to work for a while along with the sponge and plastic
>>>> was
>>>> to simply print off a  full color pallet maintenance print each morning
>>>> which
>>>> I do like clockwork. The maintenance print allows the printer to go
>>>> through
>>>> every color and doesn't waste anywhere near as much ink as running a
>>>> nozzle
>>>> check every day which is what the Epson rep I spoke to said to do. This
>>>> appeared to be working for about a month. No clogs! You can imagine how
>>>> happy I've been. Well yesterday, for seemingly no reason (no drop in
>>>> humidity and no skipping of the maintenance prints) the thing clogged as
>>>> if
>>>> it hadn't been used in a year. I'm talking a serious clog. I'm currently
>>>> still trying to get it unclogged and I've already wasted probably half of
>>>> my
>>>> newly bought ink. I have the print heads sitting on a Windex soaked towel
>>>> at
>>>> the moment (the ammonia is supposed to release clogs) and its been there
>>>> for
>>>> 12 hours and still clogged. Anyway, I'll keep plugging away at it.
>>>> 
>>>> Anyway, I've had it with this thing. I'm going to replace it  but need
>>>> some
>>>> help figuring out what I should go with. I've realized that I don't
>>>> really
>>>> need the size of the 4800 and I think I would be more then happy with the
>>>> 3880 or similar size printer. I thought about the 4900 but the price is
>>>> high
>>>> and like I said, I don't think I need the size. I've found conflicting
>>>> reports all over the internet regarding the 3880's predisposition to
>>>> clogs
>>>> and other problems. I've also heard reports that some Epson printers are
>>>> more prone then others to the problem of "venetian blinds". I asked the
>>>> Epson rep about this and the guy had the gall to acknowledge that one of
>>>> the
>>>> printer models is especially prone to this but refused to tell me which
>>>> one.
>>>> 
>>>> I need some guidance here. I'm trying to figure out if I should get
>>>> another
>>>> Epson or change brands. Epson is pretty undeniably the standard but I'm
>>>> hesitant to get another because of this year and a half long bad
>>>> experience
>>>> and waste of  thousands in ink. If i could confirm that the output and
>>>> rendering of a Canon or some other system would match or surpass the
>>>> Epson
>>>> systems without the incessant clogging I would have no problem looking at
>>>> another brand. My needs vary but over all 17x20 is probably all I need
>>>> but
>>>> it would be nice to have the option to go larger (which is why I got the
>>>> 4800). I vary rarely ever print anything in color so its rendering of
>>>> B&W/
>>>> greyscale is much more important to me. I use the printer to print paper
>>>> inter-negatives which I then print in the darkroom. Also I use the
>>>> printer
>>>> to print inter-positives on high quality paper like Museo which I then
>>>> use
>>>> in the darkroom as part of a copy print process. My primary concern is
>>>> the
>>>> highest quality print rendering, everything else comes second. Hope that
>>>> clarifies things.
>>>> 
>>>> I'm basically stuck between the Epson 3880 and the Canon Pro9500 Mark II.
>>>> The Canon has a smaller max  paper size but it uses smaller ink
>>>> cartridges
>>>> which purportedly keeps the ink from settling and clogging. I've not
>>>> heard
>>>> any reports of clogs with the Canon. I've seen a report that the blacks
>>>> are
>>>> not as rich on the Canon. Both printers hold photo and matte black inks
>>>> at
>>>> the same time but the Epson purges more ink when switching between the
>>>> two.
>>>> The Epson uses larger $80 ink cartridges but it has a larger max paper
>>>> size.
>>>> I've head conflicting reviews about the Epson's propensity to clog. I
>>>> don't
>>>> print everyday but I have no problem running a maintenance print through
>>>> the
>>>> printer every day to keep things flowing as long as it actually does keep
>>>> things clog free unlike with my 4800.
>>>> 
>>>> If anyone could offer insight it would be very much appreciated. Thanks!
>>>> 
>>>> -Francesco
>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>> 
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