Epson R2880 A3+ printer preview

[DPNow]

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Epson’s new R2880 A3+ photo printer has a big reputation, in the form of the popular R2400 it replaces, to live up to. We’ve been studying what Epson has to tempt us with the R2880 and it looks mainly good. Read on for our detailed preview.

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[JSR]

Bit of a disappointment that this is little more than a cosmetic change to make the printer use smaller cartridges and adopt the "vivid magenta" inkset.

The press release says that the printer has "New Epson Micro Piezo print head". If it has a brand new print head, can they explain why the heck it's still necessary to change ink cartridges and flush loads of ink every time?

From what I've read, the cartridges are even smaller than before (the 11ml of the R1900/1400 rather than the 13ml of the R1800/2400). Needing to swap cartridges is going to waste as much ink as the ludicrous situation of the R1900 using more GOP than its predecessor.

If I was cynical, I'd say that Epson are replacing perfectly decent printers with new ones that have smaller cartridges in order to get more money out of the poor punter. There seems to be no real reason for either of Epson's recent replacements - the R1900 or the R2880. I'd hoped that their rapid revolving door policy of bringing out replacements for no good reason was limited to their A4 models. Now it seems to apply to 13" models, too.

It's sad to see a company that was once a good two years ahead of their nearest rival being reduced to cosmetic changes. It took two years for HP to bring out an answer to the R2400 (the B9180). Yet, Epson are now apparently just floundering around - not bothering to rise to the gauntlet thrown by their rivals. What did they do with their two years head start on HP? Little more than laurel-resting, it would seem.

Whatever happened to the company that was at the head of its game and producing innovative products?

I've used Epson printers since the mid-90s and swear by them (both inkjets and colour lasers). It's sad to see what's going on, it really is.

[micomlar]

I could not agree with your comments more!

I have been using the EPSON brand all the way thru their dot matrix days and on into the present days printers. I thought the little 800 was an awesome little printer for the money. So decided to spring for the R1800 about 5 years ago and I had never seen a $600.00 spraying style system print as impressive as that 1800 I was in Love

It died, through no fault of its own (water damaged) so sprang for the R1900. What a awesome let down

Now I am looking at the 2880 or 3880 and neither one scares me on price, but I have such expectations for the Epson line from the past (until the 1900 anyway) and if Epson lets me down again, I'll not buy another. If I could buy a new 1800 and be guaranteed ink cartridge availability for a few years, I believe I'd go back to that and forget anything else Epson produces.

My Nikon D70 is not much different. Bought it new. Went to Iraq for a year. Came home, put in a fresh battery, fired it up and it just flashes a green LED at me. Turns out the software had a bug, so off to Nikon (free) it goes. I get it back, turn it on and half of the preset lighting modes do not work. Auto mode works when it feels like it... And so on. You get the picture

Not finicky about swapping cartridges and if it takes a little longer to print, for the quality I expect and have paid for, so be it. I am not running a business, just a serious hobby guy. BUT, by God, I expect results for the money I am shelling out and lately, EPSON is right there with BP

[Ian]

Originally Posted by micomlar

I could not agree with your comments more!

I have been using the EPSON brand all the way thru their dot matrix days and on into the present days printers. I thought the little 800 was an awesome little printer for the money. So decided to spring for the R1800 about 5 years ago and I had never seen a $600.00 spraying style system print as impressive as that 1800 I was in Love

It died, through no fault of its own (water damaged) so sprang for the R1900. What a awesome let down

Now I am looking at the 2880 or 3880 and neither one scares me on price, but I have such expectations for the Epson line from the past (until the 1900 anyway) and if Epson lets me down again, I'll not buy another. If I could buy a new 1800 and be guaranteed ink cartridge availability for a few years, I believe I'd go back to that and forget anything else Epson produces.

My Nikon D70 is not much different. Bought it new. Went to Iraq for a year. Came home, put in a fresh battery, fired it up and it just flashes a green LED at me. Turns out the software had a bug, so off to Nikon (free) it goes. I get it back, turn it on and half of the preset lighting modes do not work. Auto mode works when it feels like it... And so on. You get the picture

Not finicky about swapping cartridges and if it takes a little longer to print, for the quality I expect and have paid for, so be it. I am not running a business, just a serious hobby guy. BUT, by God, I expect results for the money I am shelling out and lately, EPSON is right there with BP

The 3880 (I use a 3800) has much larger cartridges (mounted statically separate from the print head carriage) and I'm very pleased with the performance and economy of mine.

Ian