epson 3880 purchase timing caution

Folks at Northlight ( http://www.northlight-images.co.uk/printers/epson_news.html )

have today posted a caution related to Epson 3880. Something might be underfoot regarding a replacement. They advise a wait of a few weeks for those on the cusp of a purchase.

Those folks are normally fairly cautious in their rumors. Sounds like a trusted source that can't be confirmed at this time.

Jerome Stamp said:

Folks at Northlight ( http://www.northlight-images.co.uk/printers/epson_news.html )

have today posted a caution related to Epson 3880. Something might be underfoot regarding a replacement. They advise a wait of a few weeks for those on the cusp of a purchase.

Those folks are normally fairly cautious in their rumors. Sounds like a trusted source that can't be confirmed at this time.

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According to this press release by Epson some new printers should come out by the end of Epson's Fiscal Year which ends March 31st.

http://global.epson.com/newsroom/2013/news_20130619.html

The Northlight tatement could also be based upon this PR.





Bob P.

Thanks for the immediate heads-up, Jerome! It's about time for a new 3880 after nearly 5 years. It would be nice if Epson also threw an update of the R 3000 on the market without the obligatory wasteful photo and matte black flushing. If the R 2000 can do without this antiquated mechanism, one would hope the new 3*** models will too.

@ P.: I suppose some of us must have missed the thread from about a month ago ...

A.

Andrea Georgia said:

Thanks for the immediate heads-up, Jerome! It's about time for a new 3880 after nearly 5 years. It would be nice if Epson also threw an update of the R 3000 on the market without the obligatory wasteful photo and matte black flushing. If the R 2000 can do without this antiquated mechanism, one would hope the new 3*** models will too.

@ P.: I suppose some of us must have missed the thread from about a month ago ...

A.

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They would have to create a 9 channel print head which they might actually be doing. I would prefer an HDR ink set on a 17 incher like the current 3880, plus 17 " roll feed and that would be a perfect printer for me as I do not need 24" capacity.

The current PRO3880 R3000 R2880 R2400 head is 8 channels like the R2000 but unlike the R2000 which also has 8 colors the PRO 3800/3880 as well as the R2400 and R2880 and R3000 uses 9 colors so one channel HAS to share the two main blacks.

It's simply cheaper to keep the 8 channel head design. You didn't think they actually care about your wasting of a few ml of black every time your have to switch do you? I certainly don't think they do.

Joe

What i would like is a 24 inch, roll plus sheet paper using 9 color head (no ink switching) using same head tech as 3880, with built in wifi. all for $1000.

If anything, I would think now would be an excellent time to buy a 3880. It's a known quantity, a proven workhorse printer with known supplies. I bought a refurb 3880 for $850 back in December and I couldn't be happier; having two extra ink tanks will only cost me more money per print.

Aside from a new 9-channel head to avoid switching between blacks, improving the 3880 to make it worth an upgrade or even worth it versus a closeout 3880 would be a tall order.

Dan Vincent said:

If anything, I would think now would be an excellent time to buy a 3880. It's a known quantity, a proven workhorse printer with known supplies. I bought a refurb 3880 for $850 back in December and I couldn't be happier; having two extra ink tanks will only cost me more money per print.

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Having more colors does not translate to higher costs per print. A CcMmY3K printer uses no more ink than a CMYK printer.

Brian A

pcm81 said:

What i would like is a 24 inch, roll plus sheet paper using 9 color head (no ink switching) using same head tech as 3880, with built in wifi. all for $1000.

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Definitely a dream - the cheapest one is at least $2500+

Brian

Hugowolf said:

Dan Vincent said:

If anything, I would think now would be an excellent time to buy a 3880. It's a known quantity, a proven workhorse printer with known supplies. I bought a refurb 3880 for $850 back in December and I couldn't be happier; having two extra ink tanks will only cost me more money per print.

Click to expand...

Having more colors does not translate to higher costs per print. A CcMmY3K printer uses no more ink than a CMYK printer.

Brian A

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Hi Brian,

Perhaps I should rephrase: the additional inks are more carts to have to replace and maintain, and that ink gets lost during cleaning cycles as well, and the printer will not run without them. So it may not affect your exact per-print ink usage, but your maintenance cost would certainly be higher. If you do not push the gamut extremes that the orange and green inks help expand, they would not add anything other than more carts to buy. I know that in many cases orange or green may be substituted for an amount of the other pures, but at the end of the day you're still putting more aggregate mL of ink through the printer... even if not all of it goes on paper.

Plus, to be fair, the cost of paper is far more of a factor of cost-per-print than ink versus these models of printer as well.

I'm also pretty sure that a CMYK-only printer has lower ink costs in terms of ink than an eight ink printer, otherwise, why would people buy 9700s versus a 9890 or 9900? This has been a sticking point for customers that aren't fine art photographers, as even the Light inks are not helpful for the draft market, and the commercial printing contract proof market does not want the orange and greens. More inks = more nozzles to clog, more ink going into maintenance tanks, longer print times, more carts to have in stock. Whether that translates into increased running costs depends on the usage and the customer. So yes, I was being a bit hasty with that remark.

For reference, I worked on a team that developed and supported a third-party prepress workflow that drove Epson and other OEM printers directly; our proof module was the equivalent of something like QImage for the commercial printing market. So my POV is influenced by those experiences.

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http://www.dvincentphotography.com

I agree, Joe. From what I've read Epson have indicated that they've had a new printhead design in the works for a while - so I bet the new printer will have separate black channels now (Epson's and my famous last words ...). To me and many others, I suppose, the ink switch/flush/ink waste issue is the single remaining major drawback of these otherwise fabulous machines (plus the price of original inks).

And if Canon could up their game this year and sort out their fine art paper restrictions and artifically imposed paper large margin restrictions, then we'd be all the happier. The nearly 3-year old Pro-1 could be due for a replacement (although I don't hink I'm in the market for a $$$$ 12 ink set).

Andrea

Hugowolf said:

Dan Vincent said:

If anything, I would think now would be an excellent time to buy a 3880. It's a known quantity, a proven workhorse printer with known supplies. I bought a refurb 3880 for $850 back in December and I couldn't be happier; having two extra ink tanks will only cost me more money per print.

Click to expand...

Having more colors does not translate to higher costs per print. A CcMmY3K printer uses no more ink than a CMYK printer.

Brian A

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IMHO he COST of a print is not confined to the cost of the ink used to make an individual print any more than the cost of a car is confined to the materials used to produce one car!

I will also be buying another 3880 as soon as they start to runout/dump stocks to make way for a successor, on the reasoning that the 3880 has a proven track record, and the unit I purchase now will be ready to replace just about the time (say 3-5 years down the track), that its successor has had time in use to PROVE to the market that it is a worthy successor.

If Epson actually produce a better machine it will be a major miracle as performers like the 3880 are as rare as hens teeth!!

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Andrew G

Good thinking.

For those of you dying for a replacement for the 3880, you have me to thank. I bought one a month ago!

Joking aside, as a serious amateur, I couldn't be happier with the performance I've been able to achieve with this printer. I guess for the more discerning eye there will always be something better but I am very very happy with this printer.

For those of you who have yearned for a 3880 there may be some great bargains to be had if a replacement becomes available!