Experience the power and speed of the Epson Stylus Photo R800. Print brilliant archival quality glossy and matte photos! The world's first printer with 1.5- picoliter ink droplets and up to 5760 x 1440 optimized dpi, this revolutionary performer gives new meaning to quality and detail. And, it provides eight individual cartridges, including matte black ink and a unique gloss optimizer, for professional results every time - no matter what the paper type.Durable Epson UltraChrome Hi-Gloss pigment inks deliver long-lasting portraits, landscapes and more on virtually any media, including ink jet printable CD/DVDs and 4" and 8.3" roll paper. It also prints borderless photos in convenient, frame-ready sizes. And, with innovative PRINT Image Matching II technology, you'll get brilliant prints automatically from popular digital cameras.The Epson Stylus Photo R800 offers groundbreaking quality and performance, for perfect prints made to last. With Epson Software Film Factory, Epson Print CD software, and premium ICC Profiles, this affordable ink jet offers a complete photographic solution for many creative projects. Whisper-quiet operation and fast built-in connectivity make it an ideal fit for any home or studio, while high-speed performance makes it the perfect printer for quickly creating show-stopping high-gloss prints.
With the R800 inkjet photo printer from Epson, you can print professional quality photos from the comfort of your own home. With its fine 1.5-picoliter droplet size, the R800 delivers resolutions up to 5,700 x 1440 dpi for exceptionally detailed and accurate prints. You can also print directly onto inkjet-printable CDs and DVDs, adding a professional look and feel to your media.
Print speeds are as fast as 17 ppm, while a 5-by-7-inch photo can take as little as 45 seconds. The R800 can print borderless photos in a number of popular sizes, and accepts a wide variety of plain and photo papers, as well as transparencies and envelopes. The input tray holds up to 100 sheets of regular paper, up to 20 sheets of photo paper, up to 10 envelopes, one transparency, or one printable CD/DVD.
Designed to last, Epson's UltraChrome Hi-Gloss pigment inks deliver photos with an expected life of up to 80 years. The software bundle includes Epson Software Film Factory as well as the PRINT Image Matching II Photoshop plug-in, designed to optimize prints from a wide variety of popular digital cameras.
The R800 connects to your computer via either USB or FireWire and has a 25,000-page monthly duty cycle. Compatible with both PC and Mac operating platforms, the R800 comes backed with a one-year parts and labor warranty.
What's in the Box
Epson Stylus Photo R800 inkjet printer, one cyan ink cartridge (T054220), one magenta ink cartridge (T054320), one yellow ink cartridge (T054420), one photo black ink cartridge (T054120), one matte black ink cartridge (T054820), one red ink cartridge (T054720), one blue ink cartridge (T054920), one gloss optimizer cartridge (T054020), CD print tray and Epson Print CD software, roll paper holder accessory, printer documentation, Premium ICC profiles, CD-ROM containing printer drivers and software (Windows and Macintosh); printer cable not included
1 Absolutely the best prints from digital pictures!
I just upgraded from the Epson 1270 1440 dpi printer to the Epson R800. While I loved the 1270 color prints, I find the R800's print's absolutely amazing! Even 8 x 10 blowups from a cropped 4Mega Pixel jpeg, zoomed to 2x it's cropped size, show absolutely no pixelation or edge artifacts (jagged edges to objects); and the gloss cartridge really finishes the pictures so they are undistinguishable from lab photos!
While the individual color cartridges cost around $14.00 each for genuine Epson, it may actually work out no more expensive than replacing the 6 color 1270 cartridge ($35) when one color runs out.
Great product, Epson!
2 Great printer for the money.
I have read the other reviews and wanted to throw my opinion in. We have purchased one of these printers at work. I have turned out some really nice stuff on them. However,...
The one reviewer who said that the artwork on the discs is flat is correct. It is dull compared to the brilliant colors on the glossy paper I use for the Jewel case inserts. Still it looks alot more professional than the stick on labels that were previously used. I haven't seen anyone mention the fact that it does only print to PRINTABLE CD/DVD's. Don't buy this thinking you are going to slip in the leftovers from that spindle you bought (unless you slap the label on first of course).
The printer does only print on cd/dvd's using the Epson software. Near as I can tell other label software assumes you are using a sheet of paper and use a software based template. That template is in a corner of where a sheet of paper would be. The Epson however, prints on a special disc tray that sits in the center. The two techniques seem incompatible. This was a little frustrating as the Epson software was limiting in the design aspect as it has poor support for graphic formats such as PNG or TGA with transparenies in them.
As a work around,I have been using roxio to design my discs then "save lable design as image file". Then I bring the finished image in and plunk it down in the Epson software. I'm certain you could do the same thing in Photoshop/Illustrator, if you had the proper template.
As for the travel play in the insert tray (try saying that 10 times fast), the Epson appears to use a system to calibrate the tray position at each printing (Infra-red I am guessing)
I have only had the printer for two weeks so I cannot attest to claims of track marks or other problems that some have claimed after having the printer for months.
3 So far, it's great!
Got this printer for a gift, without doing research on my own. What a thrill! Have had no trouble with ink as one reviewer said. Yes, it's expensive; it's not a toy. This is also not what I'd recommend if most of your printing is text. There are cheaper ways to send your 2000-page first novel to fifty relatives. This is THE ONE Professional photogs use for archival prints. It's NOT an ink jet printer, this ink is made of pigments, not dyes, and will not fade when used with the premier line of Epson photo papers. It prints cds perfectly, and I'm using old cheap ones with the stick on labels to clean out my supply rather than buy the printable ones. The programs for those never got right on the margins like this Epson R800 does. I did have just one photo that came out too red. It was a red toned pic of roses and the whole thing printed ruddy. But, that's adjustable with the Adobe photoshop CS software, and every other photo I've done has magnificent color and brilliant resolution. It's a keeper. I'm just a beginner as a photographer, but this makes me look good.
4 Awesome printer.
I can't believe how great my pictures are...
This is a top notch photo printer. I've waited and read a lot before buying this puppy but I couldn't be happier.
I'm stunned at the few negative comments here. They're probably coming from people using cheap compatible ink cartriges and non-Epson paper.
You can't go wrong. Go ahead and buy the R800.
5 R800 is unreliable, too expensive & variable quality
This is my second--and last--Epson printer. I've had this junk since July, 2004.
I would have bought a Canon or an HP this time around but bought the R800 Epson (the stinkin' four HUNDRED dollar Epson) for one reason: it prints directly onto DVDs. The tipping point to decide on the $400 model? It has pigment inks that will last longer...IF THE INK EVER DECIDED TO COME OUT AND ONTO THE PAPER. But I'm yelling.
Because I have had so many failed prints, I lost interest in printing and the printer sits idle and unused most of the time. Thus the print heads dry and clog up. I can't tell you how much ink (at $95 per complete cartridge set replacement cost) I have wasted in bad prints because the printer heads malfunctioned or the color came out wrong.
At first the print quality was stunning. Then it simply started printing too red. I contacted Epson "support" (what a joke) who eventually said they were having problems with the SP2 XP upgrade messing with the Epson driver. I downloaded the new driver. Still way too red. Flesh tone came out bright red and over saturated. It was so frustrating I simply quit printing and decided to take my Nikon D70's files to a photo finisher. Faster, cheaper and more reliable.
Believe me, don't bother with a printer if you think 1) it's cheaper or 2) faster. It's neither. And it's not even better in quality depending on how good your photo finisher is. A good color photo will last longer than any inkjet print. More durable and water resistant, too.
But I bought the R800 so I could print onto DVDs.
So tonight, knowing I had not used it in weeks, I wisely ran the Print Head Utility and verified that the heads were cleaned and unclogged (wasting yet more precious ink in the process). I then printed out a passably good DVD. Don't think it's anything to write home about: the print quality on a printable CD or DVD is not anywhere near glossy photo paper. Photo printing onto a DVD is dull and flat...not very exciting at all. But at least it's not on peel-and-stick label paper.
I printed a second DVD right away. True to form, even after the head cleaning routine, the black head cloged half way through printing and the lower half of the DVD is shot. Thanks again Epson. Even after the head cleaning routine (that takes about five minutes) it fails again and ruins a $1.50 printable 8x DVD. It's done this to many pieces of high quality glossy photo paper, too, wasting ink, paper, money and time. What a piece of garbage.
And it happens again and again. I just want to scream. And Epson support is nowhere to be found.
And just try figuring out all the color settings. Good luck. Let's see, under Color Management in print setup, should I use Color Controls, PhotoEnhance or ICM mode? If I use the ICC/ICM profile, should I select "off" or "applied by Printer Software"? What's the difference and when does one use which setting? Who knows? I dare you to find the documentation that even explains the sttings, much less actually helps you make a good print the first time.
Now, if you don't mind printing three or four to get one, go for it. And keep your wallet out. Those massive .5cc "tanks" (that should more accurately be called thimbles) empty faster than you can say "Replace Ink Tanks for $95." I love the way Epson puts a sales web link right in the print window titled "Buy Ink" so you can go straight to the Epson site and plunk down full price plus shipping for more ink that will clog and be blown out the head cleaning utility, and then clog anyway.
If you have to buy an Epson, don't waste your money on the R800. Get the $100 model R200. That way when you throw it away it won't hurt so bad.
Never Epson again.
6 No problems here...
An earlier reveiw trashed this printer listing several specific complaints/problems he/she's had including a bad experience with Epson's tech support. I've been using the R800 for about a month now and have no complaints about this well built machine. My CD/DVD printing experience has been very positive and I have several beauitifully rendered disks to prove it. I've not only used Epson's included CD printing software, but have tried, with success, several other 3rd party CD/DVD printing software applications. All worked very well. I have used the printer on both the USB and the Firewire ports with equal success - I prefer the Firewire connection because I think it's a little faster. Photos and text print very well on plain or photo paper also. I really don't have any complaints about this printer. And tech support ( I had a question about some of the print set-up instructions in the manual) was helpful - and free. After about a 5-minute phone wait, I received friendly and helpful assistance.
I'd recommend this printer to a friend.
7 Outstanding with instant gratification!
I quickly rationalized this purchase when I grew disappointed with my local lab processing. I had asked that they not modify my digital photos and yet they continue to make their own corrections. If you own a digital SLR and a good image editing program you can pump out some outstanding prints that rival your local lab. Epson has announced a newer version of this printer that will allow for even larger prints than 8X10, if it performs as well as the R800, count me in!
8 Outstanding Quality
This may not be the best printer for you if you are primarily interested in quick and easy snapshot printing, and the print quality is mediocre (at best) for text. But with a color-calibrated monitor, Photoshop, and the right color profiles, this printer can produce amazing photgraphic prints that rival those from a photo lab. Third-party support is excellent, with a wide range of icc profiles available from paper manufactuers including Ilford, Red River, Moab, and others. Epson's pigment inks produce archival prints that will last for 100+ years without fading.
9 life-like reproduction
I have done a lot of research in determining my choice in photo printers. I looked at the Epson R800, Canon Pixma IP8500 and HP's 8450. I also tested those printers at the local stores. By and far, the Epson R800 produced the best fidelity of reproduction. Certainly the Canon produced nice prints, was fast, and inks are cheap, but the Epson had the best quality prints. The Epson's prints also seem to last the longest. The HP had a lot of extras but didn't do so well on the color reproduction.
So if you want quality, take the Epson. The best on-line review of the above printers will be found in Tom's Hardware guide, if you are interested.
10 jowct
This printer is every bit as good as most of the others say. But it is not a bonanza in a box. Yet. All by itself, the printer will quietly turn out workmanlike prints that are frankly pretty ho hum. However, extraordinary printer software such as Qimage (disclosure--no relationship whatsoever--just a rabid user) together with attention to color management will pay huge dividends in prints that truly jump out and grab you. Only with the two working together will the true potential of this printer really materialize. The proof of the pudding: my wife was sure I must have secretly bought a really expensive camera to obtain such dramatic improvements. You'll never, ever go back to film
11 No Cable Get Your Own
This is a fine printer for giclee of artwork on any kind of paper even small sized Arche's. However, be aware when you purchase it that there is no USB or Firewire cable with the printer. You'll have to buy your own to get it up and running. Order one when you order the printer unless you already have one. You need a hi-speed USB 2.0 cable or a firewire 1394 cable.
12 Incredible print quality!
I have been using this printer with my Canon 20D camera. The results are amazing. They look just like a photographic print. Extemely sharp, excellent color reproduction.
This printer doesn't have some of the fancy features like being able to print directly from a memory card, but this is not what it is for; if you are serious about photography, have your own digital darkroom, and you want excellent quality prints, this is the printer for you.
13 what went wrong?
First off: I've had this printer for around 4 months now. I'm on a Mac, running 10.3. I used to have an Epson _80 (can't remember the exact model), which printed great for it's price, but just died on me one day. I have used various other Epsons in the past, all with fine results.
I first tried to print some cds using their seperate printing tray technique. What is needed is their tray, with some arrows that match up with some arrows on the printer. The tray guide, I found, was sloppy, there is a lot of 'play' from left to right, almost 1/4". Why? I have no idea why the tolerances are not stricter. That was a MINOR issue. This is where it got tricky, costing me time and $$ talking to their customer service, which is NOT toll-free. My printer would NOT print on cds (you have to use their no-frills cd printing program in order to print on cds). I kept getting error messages, some saying I needed to talk to the "Chooser", which is a term from previous vesions of OS on Macs. The printer/cd program will not work with a firewire connection. The printer worked fine with all other programs. When I talked with customer service (four times), they had conflicting reports from what I read, word-for-word, out of the manual. They had me deleting support files, retreading steps I had gone over with the previous support rep. Ordering a new cd tray. Nothing worked. The problem was never resolved. I decided I would keep it to see how the normal printing jobs would work.
I started printing some pictures and other, normal stuff. It has worked ok - colors are great, pictures looked warm and detailed. All of a sudden I started seeing big track marks all the way down the page! They are from the rollers. It looks like crap. I can't believe that for $400 a printer works like this. Outrageous, I say. Piece-o-crap.
14 Disappointed
I was very disappointed in my new Epson R800. My Epson Color Stylus 900 printed better pictures. This model leaves a film over the pictures even when using the photo glossy paper. The pictures have a dull appearance to them rather than a nice glossy crisp print. Also, it eats ink like candy and each cartridge, (there are 8 of them) costs around $14 - $15 apiece depending on where you purchase them. I wish I had my Stylus 900 back however, it served me well for 7 years. Dixie
15 Epson Stylus Photo R800 Inkjet Printer Review
I generally like the Printer. It is very quiet, so much so that I often wonder if it has stopped. The only real noise is the ejecting and auto-feeding of the papers.
It also uses quite a bit of ink but probably no more than any other high quality printer. It is photo quality when printing on the special photo papers... decidedly lower quality when you print photos on plain paper.(text is excelent on either) Plain paper has little difference between photo and draft versions of photos(and they are distinctly fuzzy on plain paper) so I suggest tests be done on plain paper in draft mode. The Gloss cartrige should never be used on plain paper. (I haven't tried matte paper yet) Glossy paper with Gloss selected in options appears like a true photo. (By itself that is, I haven't done a side by side compairison yet. But I expect it will stand up to such a test)
If the price is too high consider getting a referbished machine. Same Warranty but Epson doesn't allow you to return referbished items. I'd go that way if you're sure you want the smallest drop inkjet printer (just 1.5 picoliter per drop) with a lot of options.(roll paper is available to make panarama photo prints)
Some more of those options include five distinct settings in the basic printing menu and many ways to tweek your printout/photo giving hundreds of combinations to choose.It has many options for color adjustment, although it is a bit complicated to tell it to turn off the color adjustments other option have check box style selection/deselection (You can easily print out Iron Ons with the one button "Mirror Image" control)
And it is the most advanced system I have seen... it'll be a long time before the technology becomes obsolete.
16 Best printer I've had yet
After my Epson 960 went south on me after less than one year, I called Epson and they talked me into an exchange for this printer (for an additional $150 which I thought was a good bargain) This printer is outstanding. Although the best prints come from Epson papers, I've found equally good prints from Staples brand glossy papers and much less expensive. My two complaints are mediocre quality of prints on printable CDs and the cost of inks. I tried using generic inks on my Epson 960 and I think that's what damaged the printer so now I am sticking to only Epson inks. I've subsequently found out that, that's how Epson makes their money....not by the cost of printers but by the cost of their inks. I have already purchased enough ink for the R800 to buy 3 printers. Such a ripoff!
17 Fantastic Results - Superb Prints - Solid Printer
My previous printer was an Epson Stylus Photo 700 (1998). It gave good results, but alas, technology marched on and left me behind. Being a research freak, I read every review I could find and decided to pony up the bucks for the R800. I have several years of darkroom experience and know what it takes to turn out a really good print. Reviews by professionals indicated that I could expect outstanding results. Folks, I'm here to tell you, they didn't lie. Almost all the reviews recommended using Epson's Premium Glossy Photo Paper (Free shipping for $25.00 or more at Amazon, 100 4x6 for 13.69 and 20 8x10 for $14.42 - do the math! Best prices around)and the results are outstanding! I have a supply of various Kodak inkjet photo papers and the results are good, but not great. I use them for proofs now. The results with Epson paper are worth the price of admission. Now do yourself a huge favor, READ THE MANUAL, cover to cover. When your print properties come up, EXPERIMENT - don't hesitate to use the advanced tab. Ignore the warning box that tries to scare you away, the best is yet to come. Have fun, turn off the high speed printing, (wow, what a difference) click on some boxes, make some changes - folks you're gonna be surprised! Click on the drop down arrows and check out what Epson calls vivid. Look at the subtle differences in the finished product. The gloss optimizer cartridge is worth its weight in gold. With a little practice, you'll be turning out Custom Lab results. Epson has been known for making printers that are stingy with ink usage while turning out a quality finished product(anybody out there ever tried to keep an HP inkjet in cartridges without taking out a second mortgage?). That low thirst level is apparent in these cartridges too. The moral of the story is: BUY IT - but don't tell anyone where you got those fabulous prints - your friends will be pestering you to do all their prints too.
18 Most Fantastic Printer I Have Found Yet
After having gone through Lexmark, Canon and HP printers, I decided to try the Epson R800 and I couldn't be more thrilled!! We have a business that I need to be able to print transfers on my printer and this printer outdoes itself for crisp clear, permanent inked transfers. All of the other printers I have had used water based dye inks which have had issues with washing, and the Ultrachrome pigment based inks are perfect for long lasting designs. And as for photos - WOW!! They look professional as if they just came out of the photo lab. It's also great for CD's - I bought a stack of printable CD's and they turn out looking like you bought them in the store. Installation was a snap with Windows XP and I have found no disadvantages so far with this printer. Everything I have tried consistently comes out looking professional with this printer although the 8 individual cartridges can be pricey at around $14.00 a piece. Still, if thats the price for quality work, I guess I will pay it gladly!!
19 Good, but finicky. Solved CD/DVD printing problem!
I also had horrific problems trying to print CDs/DVDs. Spent the better part of a day trying to get the printer to accept a disc. Tried everything I could think of. It was a Sunday, and Epson Customer Service was closed. Checked internet for a solution; no solution, but discovered it was a common problem. Finally decided to return printer. After I had uninstalled it, I thought about trying a firewire connection instead of USB. Re-installed with firewire. . . and it worked!
Also discovered that not all plain, and photo papers work well. Kodak and HP photo papers were blotchy. Canon paper printed nice. Epson paper printed great!
20 Good printer
I've had this printer a couple of months now but haven't printed a whole lot of photos on it.
Setup was quite quick following the instructions provided. Using glossy premium paper from both Epson and Kodak I was able to print excellent pictures.
I wanted the longevity of the type of ink this printer uses (up to 80 years under glass is claimed). The pics aren't as vivid as dye-based inks but are still acceptable.
With digital printing there are variations in how a print will appear depending on camera settings, printer settings and how your software interprets the preceding info. It took a bit of trial and error to print pics of my daughter that didn't look like she had bubble-gum all over her lips. Once it's figured out things work well.
Only thing I'd add to the wish list would be the ability to print over 8x10. The pics really are good enough to frame so I'd like to be able to do something larger.
21 One significant disappointing feature
Half the reason I bought this printer was to print out my music CD projects. BUT, you cannot (as far as I can tell) use other labeling programs besides the supplied Epson one. OK, not that big a deal EXCEPT the Epson program will not import the song titles from a CD Text encoded disc (or from the internet via the CCDB). So am I supposed to actually TYPE all these song titles into the CD? Come on, Epson, get with the program.
I've only had the printer one day, so am still evaluating. It does appear to make very good prints on Epson Premium Glossy paper. The print quality on the TDK CDRs I bought is a washed out look. I'm trying to find out how to get more color there (Epson does say they don't pump as much ink onto the CDRs as the printer would onto regular paper due to absorption problems I assume).
Just my initial cut/thoughts on this printer.
22 I'm in love!
I have owned many printers...but I have to say I love this printer the best so far. It's so versatile. The prints on Epson photo glossy paper look like they just came from the lab. I'm still amazed after two weeks.
Prints on coated inkjet CDs are a bit under saturated. Also if you want the best quality and water proof photos you have to use Epson paper.
This is a wonderful printer for photo enthusiasts and the geek who wants the novelty of printing on CDs. However if you do not intend to print on a regular basis do not buy this printer. The pigmented ink will clog the head with infrequent use.
I would give it five stars if it were a bit faster. I still love it though.
23 Fantastic !!!
Awesome photo quality prints! Not the fastest printer for word processing, etc, but certainly fast enough. Multiple ink cartridges helps save $$ on ink. R800, along w/ Epson glossy photo paper = professionally developed-looking prints, that are waterproof as well !!! Can't go wrong w/ this printer. I use it for photo prints, as well as, a general all-purpose printer, which I have hooked up to a wireless print server in my home, for all to use. DVD/CD printing has also worked flawlessly since I got it (about 3 months ago) No problems. Just awesome!
24 Photos and CD/DVD Printing -- This thing is Awesome!
I have had my r800 for around two months now and let me tell you this thing is awesome (and I have had quite a few printers in my day).
CD/DVD printing is really why I bought it but the photos are top notch. I have printed over 300 Cd-R and DVD-R and they just look Terrific. I also have printed DVD Cases and 8x10 photos that just amaze me at the clarity.
Price for cartridges are still kinda of high (was supposed to be $8 each but they are $12-$15) -- Eight cartridges so if you want the most bang for your buck I think Canon has some nice choices(This can be expensive). Overall I feel this is the best photo and cd/dvd printer under $1000 --
25 Very pleased
I am very pleased with my Epson R800. This is my second Epson and I am retiring my HP photo printer for this one. I have had it for about 3 weeks and it is wonderful. Prints are gorgeous, very fast with printing documents and extremely quiet. My only problem is I cannot get it to properly print envelopes (#10). Could someone who owns this printer be of assistance? Other than that, it is a great printer.
26 Pricey, but WELL worth it
I previously owned a Canon S800 photo printer with six dye-based inks, and have been quite pleased with it. However, all of the fade-resistant claims are based on keeping the print behind glass or plastic; if you do, the claims are true, and I have 3-year old photos that still look perfect. HOWEVER, tape them onto the refrigerator or on your office wall, and they'll be visible faded in <1 year.
Enter the pigment-based UltraChrome inks. I've only had my printer for 1 month, so I can't really say how long they'll last when "naked", but so far they look absolutely fantastic. I agree with the other reviewers, so I won't bother to re-iterate what they've written, except to rave about the quality, smudge-resistance, saturation of colors (and blacks!), and the glossy-optimizer. I rub my fingers/thumb over a printout versus a traditional 4x6 photo and can't tell the difference at all. Wipe a wet finger over it, and NO SMEAR at all.
These inks are pricey (the old razor blade business model), and per print are probably more expensive than traditional photographic prints (4X6's). But, if you want to print your own, especially enlargements, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this printer.
27 Very Good Results After 2 Weeks
This is the printer that Epson's 2000p and 2200 should have been. My results have been nothing short of brilliant. As always with Epson, best results are obtained with Epson-brand paper, but the quality of prints on Staples generic photo paper are still better than anything else I've ever seen from an inkjet printer. Buy this printer.
28 Great Print Quality, Worst Customer Service, Won't Print CDs
The photo print quality is very good. It exceded my expectations.
But... I couldn't get it to print CDs. ( Still can't using my replacement R-800 ).
After over an hour with customer service, on my dime, they determined it was broken. Why this took an hour, I don't know. The transferred me to customer service and I spoke with the rudest customer support person I have ever dealt with. The print quality is great, just hope you never have a problem. THE WORST CUSTOMER SERVICE EVER!!!
29 Picture Perfect
The printer arrived yesterday...
The Good:
1. No-glitch installation with XP (less than 15 minutes from box
until my first print)
2. Colors have been very accurate every time using both the
supplied software (mediocre) and Photoshop. The skys are
gorgeous, dot-free and beautifully colored.
3. The new glossy mode works very well-- there is no problem at
all with these prints when viewed at angle (a frequent
problem with pigmented inks).
4. Super quiet and very fast.
Questions / Problems:
1. Have not tried with other non-Epson papers. As of yet, there
are still very few papers w/ included ICC profiles. So the
range of papers may be limited for some time (particularly
for matte and art papers) unless you are comfortable with
tweeking and profiling.
Overall: A+ 5/5 ... I have seen a lot of prints and these are
at least as good as any on the market for under a
thousand.
30 I'm BLOWN AWAY
I have been shopping for a high-end consumer printer for my wife for about 3 months now. My wife is into photo-scrapbooking, so high quality prints that last a long time are our main goal.
I had looked at the high-end consumer printers from Canon and HP, but decided against them due to reported ozone fading problems (Canon) and star-wheel marks on the HP 7960 which I saw myself on the test prints at the local retailer.
I was about to buy a high-end dye sublimation printer when I saw some reviews of the R800. Now that I've owned one, I have to say this is by far the best photo printer I've ever used.
It's FAST - 4x6's print in about 45 seconds
It does TRUE borderless prints (no tear-offs)
The colors are life-life and saturated
Pigment ink promises long life and freedom from ozone fading
And it's unexpectedly QUIET!
I've notice NO banding or digthring at all.
The gloss is excellent and comparable to glossy photo paper
Can print onto CD's (I haven't tried this)
Can take roll paper (but no cutter)
Consumables seem to cost about $40-$50 per 4x6, or $1.50-$1.75 for an 8x10, which is a bit high, but not out of line with competitors.
I HIGHLY recommend this printer. Prints made with the EPSON premium glossy photo paper are out of this world.
31 Little Hercules
This is really an outstanding photo printer. I've been really impressed with the quality of the photos that this guy produces. When I first read that it had a 1.5 picoliter droplet size I was pretty amazed and you can really see the clarity in the prints. I've been a fan of Epson's chrome inks which is used on the 2200 as well. With a matte black and a gloss optimizer inks, this makes the R800 a very versitle printer as well. Too many times have I bought a printer that does exceptional well on one type of paper and sub-par on another. The chrome inks are also rated to last 80 years as well. At first, I didn't care for the abilty to print cd/dvd directly on the printable discs, but after using it, I've really become fond of the option. My only knock on the R800 is that it doesn't do formats larger than your standard 8 1/2 by 11. Though I realize that is what the 2200 is for, I wished the R800 did wider formats are well as I am more impressed by it's print quality. Either way if your looking for a somewhat proffessional printer for photos, I'd really reccommend the R800, you won't be disappointed. The 2200 is also a great printer for wider formats and if you're just interested in the cd/dvd printing capablity, Epson also makes a R300 that does it as well for a much better price
32 Outstanding capabilities, Remarkable Results!
I love this printer! I bought it for two reasons - the reviews it received for its photo printing quality, and for the simple fact that I can print directly on my CDs and DVDs. Skipping the labeling part of burning a CD is such an amazing thing - and the quality of the picture burned on the CD/DVD is nothing short of Outstanding. It takes a bit longer to print on the CD, because the printer draws the CD into the housing and checks the alignment of the CD for a few seconds before printing. The result is worth the wait, as I did not have to even manually adjust the print position on the CD (using the software-based adjustment within Epson Print CD). The box included 3 of the Epson Borderless Glossy 4X6 photo paper, and this is an awesome idea. I took my favorite picture, and printed it in under a minute in amazing quality. The picture is a dead giveaway for a standard developed photo, and did not need to be cropped or otherwise cut after being printed - It went straight into my 4X6 frame with no other manipulation. I love it!
The things left to be determined are: 1. How long will I be able to go before having to buy ink, and 2. Will the ink on the photo last as long as Epson claims it will last.
In short, if you do a lot of CD or DVD burning, or you want a printer that can handle photo printing and give you a borderless, effort free 4X6, %x& or 8X10, this printer is for you!
33 Worth the wait
I really wanted a great photo printer about two months ago. I looked at the Epson R300, but couldn't find any in stock online or in stores. When I visited the Epson web site and found out the R800 was due in February, I did some research on this model and found several favorable reviews on the pre-production version. Although I normally hesitate on buying new models before the public has had a chance to test them out, I am incredibly happy I got this printer. I use Adobe Photoshop Elements 2.0 to touch up my digital photos (made with a Sony DSC-F717). This printer works incredibly well with the changes I make. What I see on the monitor is what comes out of this printer - vibrant colors and great detail. I recommend using Epson Premium Glossy Photo Paper. My pictures look better than photo developing at any store. When I told my friends that I made these at home, they couldn't believe it. I'm getting ready to frame some fantastic 8" by 11" outdoor shots. The printer was a snap to install, and it's nearly whisper quiet. The only noise I hear is when the paper is initially loaded in by the feeder. After that, silence, and I typically forget I'm printing at all until I come back and notice my photos are sitting on the exit tray. I own an Epson C60 that I still use for text printing, and by far the R800 is easier to print photos with. The printing options are a lot more user-friendly than the Epsons of old. Plus, the quality of my 4" by 6" family snapshots are better than those portable dye-sublimation printers made by Kodak and Canon. Beautiful, beautiful pictures!
34 Didn't wait long enough.
Wow! I just got my Epson 2200. I should have waited for the R800. Even better quality, better form factor and prints CD's too.
Whatever you buy, make sure it has the Epson UltraChrome inks.
