Epson STYLUS PRO 3880 Brochure page 3

critical to have the paper loaded into the rear,
manual feed and not the auto sheet feeder as
the latter approach will truncate the image, even
though it looks OK in the print preview. This isn't
mentioned in the user guide.
Print time at Level 5 (with high speed print-
ing switched off0 for an 832x360 mm image on
950 x 431 mm paper was 29:40 minutes. The 6.0
millilitres of ink used was calculated to cost $7 .44
in return for a rather sizeable print. At the end of
printing the paper will remain on the fully extend-
ed receiving tray so it's safe to attend to other
matters during the printing. The two prerequisites
for rear-feed printing are adequate space and
having the paper well fl attened out after cutting
down from a roll. Curled paper can be loaded, but
it can lead to head strikes.
Job information is accessed by the printer's
LCD read-out panel. By working through 'Printer
Status' and 'Job History', data for the last ten
prints can be accessed, including the amount
of ink consumed to 0.1 millilitre accuracy. If
the graphic representation of ink levels isn't to
your liking, the menu will show the percentage
remaining for each cartridge.
Epson's UltraChromeK3 inks may not enjoy
quite the same longevity ratings as the HP
pigments, but they are extensive enough. The
Wilhelm Research rating (for a print under glass
with no UV fi ltration) for the Premium Glossy
paper is 85 years, for the Ultrasmooth it's 108,
the Velvet is 166 and the Premium semi-matte is
rated at 67 years. In album or book storage the
ratings are between 200 to 300 years.
Flying Colours
All the usual tests we conduct were passed with
honours – and include using various paper types
including dual-sided with back-to-back registration
marks for book work, large prints and border-
less prints. The 'canned' profi les were accurate
and didn't require any test strips. I'm not one for
printing test charts because there are so many
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variables involved and a truly helpful evaluation
is hard to achieve. There is an improvement in
colour gamut compared to the 3800, but it would
take special instruments to fi nd the differences.
Printing a series of favourite prints and comparing
the results from other printers is my preferred
way of making assessments. Provided the appro-
priate media is selected and all printing settings
are correct, the Stylus Pro 3880 certainly turns
out great results with minimum fuss.
The Epson Velvet Fine Art paper is 100
percent cotton rag, has an acid-free base and
a bright white surface. Expensive as it may be,
this paper is something special and would be my
fi rst choice for fi ne-art printing in both colour and
black and white when using the 3880. The Epson
UltraSmooth Fine Art paper is also a favourite,
but its base colour may be a little too yellow
for some tastes.
The Verdict
The beauty of the Epson Stylus Pro 3880 lies
just not in its elegant appearance, but in its ease
of set-up and its printing capacity. The major-
ity of users will probably opt for Epson's own
media and can confi dently adopt the included
profi les and follow the let 'printer manages
colour' method. Those who prefer other media
merely install the appropriate ICC profi le, turn off
colour management via Mode>Custom>Colour
EPSON
Printer Type: A2+ format (17 inches wide) for
photo-quality prints via a nine-colour pigmented
inkset (but eight cartridges in use at any one time
with auto switching between matte black and
photo black).
Maximum Resolution: 2880x1440 dpi.
Ink Cartridges: Individual per colour, 80 millilitre
capacity. Epson UltraChromeK3 VM/VLM pigments.
Colours are photo black, matte black, cyan, light
cyan, vivid magenta, vivid light magenta, yellow,
light black and light light black. Smallest droplet size
is 3.5 picolitres.
Borderless printing on cut sheets from
Paper Sizes:
150x100 mm up to A2. Printer cannot accept paper
rolls. Maximum custom print size is 432x950 mm.
Interfaces: One USB 2.0 high-speed connection
Clockwise from top left:
The maximum user-defined paper size is
•
431.8x950 mm, but paper must be inserted
from the rear manual feed.
Final print preview ensures all is well.
•
The 'Quality Options' page allows for the selection
•
of one of five print quality levels plus a high speed
printing mode.
The print progress display includes a graphic rep-
•
resentation and also shows both the printing time
remaining and the ink levels in each cartridge.
Manual adjustments can be made via the Color
•
Controls panel.
Page layout is the second print panel.
•
Print panel.
•
Controls>Off and let 'Photoshop Manage Colour'
with the profi le locked in.
Priced at $2195 the 3880 is tantalising enough
for those contemplating a new or replacement
A3+ printer. Although the 3880 is more cost-
effi cient with inks compared to an A3+ printer it's
important to appreciate this advantage doesn't
come into play until a large volume of prints is
produced. Anyone requiring just A3 or A3+ size
prints would need to carry out some calculations
with regard to the initial outlay and the on-going
ink cartridge costs.
In many respects the Epson Stylus Pro 3800
could be regarded as 'entry-level' to the A2 for-
mat because it lacks some of the features
of bigger and higher-end models such as a roll
paper feed, larger ink cartridges and a built-in
colour calibration device. But being relatively
affordable and far more compact, this printer
allows many more photographers to move into
the A2 format. Signifi cantly, there are no compro- the A2 format. Signifi cantly, there are no compro-
mises in print quality.
STYLUS PRO 3880 $2195
and one Ethernet connection.
39 dB (A).
Acoustic Noise:
Main Features: Micro Piezo print head with
180 nozzles per colour, variable droplet sizing,
AccuPhoto HD2 screening, LUT Technology, five
print quality levels and two speed modes, Advanced
B&W mode, auto matte/photo black ink switch-
ing (according to media type), head alignment and
maintenance sensors.
Dimensions (WxHxD):
19.8 kilograms (without ink cartridges
Weight:
or media).
$2195 (inc. GST). Ink cartridges are $99 each.
Price:
Distributor: Epson Australia, telephone
1300 131 928 or visit
684x257x376 mm (closed).
www.epson.com.au