[MW Forums]

The Epson Stylus Photo R1800 sets the standard for versatile, high-performance, large-format desktop photo printing. It’s speedy and it produces beautiful prints. It doesn’t get any better than this, and certainly not for this price. more

[Nobody]

Does Epson have color profiles available for this printer? I'm just starting into output color management, and I've had some trouble matching screen color to print color with my R800.

[ronmeyer01]

There are a number of good printers currently available. It would be very helpful to me if the Reviews included an evaluation of the cost of ink to print a full color image on a 8.5 x 11 high gloss paper. The cost of a printer is much more than the hardware cost.

[chewygoat]

I'm highly skeptical of the claim that this actually produces good looking prints. I have yet to see a single inkjet photo printer that did not produce poor results, much worse than a real print from a printing service. Admittedly a lot of people must think these inkjet printers do just fine because people still buy them, but to me the comparison to a photo printing service print is like night and day. With an inkjet photo printer, shadow areas tend to be especially poor, but overall the colors are washed out and/or off (getting accurate color is pretty much impossible). And that doesn't cover the fact that most of the time inkjets produce flawed prints and require frequent cleaning which wastes ink and drives the per print cost (and aggravation) up. I use Ritz Camera's ritzpix.com which produces great, true photo-quality results, is cheap, has no shipping costs (presuming you have a Ritz Camera near you) and gets your prints done in an hour or less, usually less. I have no idea why people buy inkjet photo printers. I have one, but it resides in its box in the basement. Every once in a while I test out the latest and greatest at the stores and they always produce lousy results. Inkjets and photos don't mix and while dye sublimation is allegedly better (but I haven't verified that), the per print cost of those printers is very high, substantially higher than printing services. I just don't get it.

[Nobody]

"I just don't get it."
Here's my thinking (based on my thinking about buying an inkjet despite agreement with most of what you've said): convenience and total ownership of the process. Convenience goes for the smaller prints, when you want to spit out one of 30 photos and post the rest on your web page. Ownership goes for the larger. There is some intangible value to having a print in a frame that you can say to yourself, your wife, your friends, I (1) took the picture, (2) edited it on my computer, (3) printed it, and (4) framed it. The whole widget is MINE. Sounds irrational, doesn't it, when you consider how much better it would look to have it developed professionally and framed professionally. Oh well. Aesthetics is hard to figure.

[kack]

When printing on a photo printer the paper you use is very important. I have been printing photos myself for years and they look very good. Bad photo prints may not be the fault of the printer. The problem could be the paper or the person operating the printer. "getting accurate color is pretty much impossible" maybe for you. It takes some effort and sometimes isnt easy but it isnt impossible.
"most of the time inkjets produce flawed prints" I dont know what you are talking about.
Inkjets and photos do mix. You just need to know how to use the printer.

[in2photo]

I just read the comments posted and wish to pass on some info that should help those having problems. I'm a professional photographer, color management expert and contributing editor to a few magazines and have been shooting digitally since 1993. The comments regarding inkjet quality while I'm sure are based on real users experiences don't represent the whole very well. Epson inkjets passed most lab based systems in quality a couple of years ago assuming people are configuring their print drivers properly (see end of message for info).
As a color management consultant this is the single most common problem I see facing people when I consult. Epsons UltraChrome inks have been tested to last longer than most lab prints as well so users can have long lasting prints in addition to great looking ones. Epson also has the most photographic papers of any other printer manufacturer and is the most widely used among pro's. Many people have monitor calibration problems that can't be blamed on a printer. Without a properly calibrated monitor you can never expect accurate prints. A way to illustrate this is to imagine going to an electronics store to buy a tv and looking at all the tv's tuned to the same chanel. They all show colors differently and the tone and contrast is different as well. You buy the tv that shows the most pleasing tones but how do you know that the tone is the same as the tv station signal is sending? You don't, you just adjust it until you see something that looks good to you. Callibrating a monitor brings it to a known state that is exactly what it's supposed to be and not a guess. I recommend the i1 display (http://na.i1color.com/index.cfm/MenuItemID/126.htm) from Gretag Macbeth for this purpose. The print profiles that ship with the R1800 and other Epson Photo Printers are the best available from any manufacturer out of the box and they even have pro versions that can be downloaded free of charge.
I do not work for Epson or Gretag but am thankful for their tools that help me do what I do. I own the 7600, R1800, R800, 2200 and more and have not used a lab in several years. My photos sell for hundreds of $$ and the control over my images I have is amazing and I can guarantee consistant quality that would be difficult to maintain otherwise.
I reviewed the R1800 for another publication and agree with the reviewers comments. It's a screaming fast printer with quality that you have to experience to believe.
Epson has a dowloadable guide to properly setting up your print drivers and the link is below, please let others know it exists so they can get great prints too.
ftp://ftp.epson.com/...ed-Workflow.pdf

[Snorkleophagus]

After much pre-research and competitive analysis, I bought my R1800 the first day it appeared on my local NYC retailer's shelf. Though I am quite happy with its quiet operation and beautiful print quality, I AM NOT HAPPY that there is no true network options for this printer that match (much less exceed) the performance of those offered some six years ago for previous large format EPSON printers.
Yes, you can use a wireless USB printer hub (I have used my Airport Express) but the speed is considerably less than either a direct connection over USB or firewire. Stability has also shown itself to be rather intermittent. My file transfer speed on my old EPSON 1270 with ethernet adaptor was considerably faster and easier for all on my network to access (until Panther, when EPSON failed to update driver and firmware for the Ethernet adaptor).

Yes, you can use the printer as a shared printer from a computer; still less performance.
And yes, you can purchase a slightly larger format printer from EPSON that is at least two years past its introduction but does offer an ethernet option for about $1500 more.
This EPSON printer's network connectivity options (or, so far, the lack of any real ones) disappoints greatly. Again, EPSON is not providing equivalent connectivity/performance options that they did six years ago.
The connectivity options offered just don't match the professional quality of output. It therefore is not at this time a good choice for any work group.
FINAL NOTE: Having found that the only network option listed on the EPSON web site was a two-year old EPSON wireless print server (that means pre-Panther), I did speak prior to my purchase directly with an Epson Representative who coincidentally was at the store promoting the arrival of the R1800. I asked questions specifically regarding EPSON recommendations for a networked environment. Was the EPSON wirless print server listed on their website required? Would it even work? Would the Apple Aireport Express work? Was there any other way to truly network the printer? She said she didn't know. I then had to ask her if there was any way she could find out. She claimed she could ask someone, but I then had to prompt her take my email so she, or someone, could follow-up. She thought that was a "good idea". I have had no follow-up.

[astromino]

Obviously, you have never seen a high-quality inkjet print. Naturally, the $89 printer that Joe Consumer picked is not going to give you professional qualtiy prints, but if you see a print from somethink like an Epson 4000 or an HP Designjet 130, it will be very difficult to see any differences to photos.
Even though most photo-lab services like Ritz, etc. produce nice glossy pictures very quickly no doubt, they often have terrible color casts (at least to my eye :-). Furthermore most photographic prints last MUCH LESS (i.e. have terrible permanence) than professional inkjet prints from printers like the Epson 4000, i.e. not hundreds of years. Even the best photographic papers like Fujicolor Crystal Archive papers (silver halide based color prints), last only 1/2 to 1/4 as long as archival inkjet papers, and most places like Ritz print on much less permanent paper. You don't have to believe me, you can look it up at http://www.wilhelm-research.com /forums/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[pnorton]

Many of us would really appreciate reviews that noted the viability of refilling printer supplies, as opposed to buying new cartridges or in the case of laser printers, toner engines. Manufacturers have been continuously trying to prevent the use of low-cost refills by requiring cartridge chips, counters, etc that won't let a refilled cartridge work, even if they are full of ink.
As several readers have noted, the cost of printing is largely in the supplies used! An extra mouse should be awarded for products that don't interfere with economical and ecological use by the owner.

[PBNJ]

R1800 is a good printer with wider color than R800.
to lower down my printing cost, I use some bulk ink solution obtained from InkRepublic.com:
InkRepublic.com R1800, R800, 1280, 2200 bulk ink solution
pretty happy with this printer and bulk ink solution.

[babyoli1]

I am writing you as you have used many Epson printers and your review of the R800 and the R1800 make them sound great.
I use a PowerBook that is 2 years old and currently have a HP Photosmart 1215. I hate that printer. It is really slow and because I use a Mac it will not allow me to change the paper to a custom size such as a 6" square as I aften do work with that size...anyway I am looking to replace that printer and I am looking for something that is not only great for pictures but that is also a good overall everyday printer as well. I am returing back to school and will be printing alot of regular text documents as well.
Can you with this printer print envelopes and also can you use custom sizes such as a 6" square? Also, how long does the ink last? would I be changing the ink tanks once a week?
I would be greatful for your help. I have gone to the local computer store and it is sad that I seem to know more about these printers than the people that work there, and I don't know all that much. I will appriciate any input that you may have.
Also, some one recommeded I buy two printers, but I really do not want the expense of two nor do I really have the room for two printers. Any suggestions will be halpful.
Thanks

[humann]

I bought this printer a week ago and I haven't gotten single decent print out of it. The stack of lousy-looking washed-out rejects on my desk is getting higher and I'm about to return this and go try a i9900. I know my way around a ColorSync profile and have used Epson printers since the mid-90's but this is ridiculous. The Stylus Photo 820 I replaced printed beautiful vivid prints compared to what I'm getting from the 1800. I'm going to try a hardware calibrator but if that doesn't work this printer is going back to the store.

[BaciCom]

I have the 2200 and I have calibrated my monitors and the printer and I am getting good results. Would you consider the R1800 and upgrade from the 2200? What are your thoughts. Thanks.