Epson Stylus Photo R1800 Inkjet Printer
I agree completely with all the positive reviews and I used HP printers up until recently. The positive reviews are not overstated. I do have one thing to add. If you read all of the reviews, you will notice that the only negative reviews were made by non-photographers. This is important.
The Epson R1800 is made for pro photographers and serious amateurs. As a photographer I know put it, HP printers are designed for mass consumer use. If you want to print out some pictures to put in your scrapbook, send grandmother, or give a friend, get an HP. If you plan to sell your pictures, you need an Epson R1800 or R2400.
The Epson 1800 will produce prints that look like they came from a photo lab, reproduce file detail, and reproduce the colors in the original file to a degree that only an expert could tell the difference. This is not an overstatement. To the trained eye, the improvement over current HP photo printers is dramatic.
The Epson 1800 is, however, much harder to use, and for this level of color accuracy, must be used with something that corrects your monitors output to display accurate colors, such as Pantone's Eye-One. You must use Epson inks and papers, download the latest driver and paper profiles, use the software settings properly, and you must use it with Photo Shop or Photo Elements to do the printing. This is why I state that this printer is for pros and serious amateurs and if you just want to print nice pictures, use an HP.
On a final note, if you read a lot of high end printer specifications, it gets very confusing. Epson produces several high end printers. They all produce professional level results, and the differences in the photos they produce, are so subtle that only a professional can tell the difference. Even then, experienced users can compensate for those differences and produce results that are virtually indistinguishable from other high end printers. In the end, it all boils down to the fact that color and print quality are a matter of your perception and preferences. The Epson 1800 has the power to adjust your photos to look just the way want.
I moved up from the dye-based 1200 to the R1800 about two years ago, having tried and returned an Epson 2200 because of bronzing on the glossy prints(bronzing is a brownish tint that appears when you hold the print at an angle under certain lighting conditions)
The R1800 uses a "gloss optimizer" coating to reduce the bronzing ...Problem solved. The glossy prints produced by this printer do actually look like "real photos". Since this is a pigment, rather than dye printer, the prints should last for a while, even when exposed to air.
I've had no fading or discoloration on any print yet. The prints are pretty much waterproof, while I wouldn't dunk them in the bath tub, drops of water/moisture do not get absorbed or mix with the ink coating. (If you get a dye print wet, it will run). This is particularly good if you print your own business cards. Cards I've printed w/other printers would smudge easily.
My biggest surprise with this printer is the great detail and saturation I've been able to achieve using matte paper(Epson Enhanced Matte/Ultra Premium Mate). Most printers are better at handling one type of media, this one seems to be very well balanced.
Mechanically, I've had no problems so far after hundreds of large prints; ink usage is not bad with the individual tank system. No head cleaning problems at all. I do run the printer every few days even if I don't have to to keep the heads from clogging.
I haven't personally used either the Canon or HP professional photo printers, so can't really offer a comparison. I can say that the R1800 exceeds either the Epson 1200 series or the 2200 printers.
By the way, I bought this from Amazon and as usual got excellent price and shipping time.
The Epson R1800 has been nothing but trouble for me. I'm in the printing business and wanted to use this for proofs but have never been able to get this printer to print colors correctly. We have tried every setting and every type of paper, but the colors always come out wrong. The software is terrible. It is very un-intuitive.
I think I'll stay with HP printers from now on.
This printer prints beautiful colors and detail. The inks are still a bit expensive, but hopefully the price will go down as more stores begin to carry them and the product isn't as new. This printer can also print on cds, which is very useful.
This printer is, for the most part, pretty user-friendly. You can usually solve most problems by following a step by step process when prompted (when inks are low) or by clicking on the printer utility function to perform a cleaning (when there are streaks on the paper), etc...The only problem I have had with this printer is that sometimes after I send a file to print the printer will just run a blank page through and then tell me that the paper is out or was loaded incorrectly. I then reload it, and it may take 4-5 times before the printer will actually print. Also, sometimes a message will pop up after I send a file to print that says, "Communication error," but does not explain the cause of the problem. You are left to guess why the file isn't printing.
I knew about these nuisances when I purchased this printer, but the quality of the prints is such that I am willing to put up with a few quirks.
I have previously owned an Epson, and returned again since this was the only product in its category that had all the features I needed. It is incredibly quiet, and prints very quickly, no matter if it is a Speed or Quality print you are sending to it. It prints up to 13" x 19" sheets or even on rolls of banner paper and printable CD's.
I am really amazed at the quality of prints from this printer. The colors match my computer exactly which I struggled with on previous printers I've had. It uses less ink than I anticipated. Overall, this printer is a winner!
There are already specs and such on this page. So I wont even get into that, you already read it up above.
This printer is just amazing. Everyone always compliments the print quality. Colors are just amazing. I have yet to use the wide format capability, but I have no doubt it will be just as great.
GOOD:
just about darn near everything.
color
speed
quality
consistency
BAD:
THIS THING EATS INK
i've never seen a printer go through ink like this, but it is WELL WORTH IT!
OVERALL:
if the specs and price match what you are looking for, you will be pleased. Its just an awesome printer
I am on my second R1800 printer...and still the print quality is very, very poor!! It took at least 4 months with multiple, multiple phone calls and three sets of ink cartridges for Epson to finally diagnose a problem and send me another R1800 printer... I have given the new printer many many chances to print out a decent picture but it just can't. My R1800 sits just above my hp 8250 and I print out the same picture on both printers using same settings....and of course my $100 hp wins every time....at least 50% more vivid pictures, and much closer to the actual colors on my calibrated monitor.
The only thing going for this Epson is its wide format...but still I have had nothing but disppoinment and poor quality from this Epson.
Everyone complains about the ink use and it drives me nuts. Epsons have the best quality and horrible ink use because for the same reason, piezoelectric technology.
Every other inkjet company uses thermal technology which basically heats a pocket of ink to the boiling point and pushes out the remaining ink. This leads to rogue ink vapor and a fixed droplet size. Look inside a HP that has been around a while and you will see that the whole machine is coated inside with condensed ink vapors. When HP (Canon, Lexmark etc) need a larger drop they just squirt out multiple drops, a less effective method of control.
Epson's piezoelectric technology uses crystals that have variable flex depending on the current applied. This allows for fine droplet size control. Epson is the only printer company that can produce variable droplet size. This impacts the quality of the print and leads to Epson's quality lead. This also gives Epson more flexibility in the inks they choose to use since they don't have to make ink that can boil. This is why they were the first to produce pigmented inks.
The down side to this technology is that the print head are expensive to make and hence Epson is also the only company to make a inkjet that doesn't have user replaceable print heads. Anyone who has set aside an HP or Lexmark for any period of time knows that the ink starts evaporating if a head isn't used and the head gets clogged permanently. Epson is not immune from this problem but since you can't replace it they have to prevent the head from clogging in the first place. Their solution is to occasionally flush the head to prevent build up of ink solids. This leads to the 'mysterious' ink use people complain about. Each cartridge has a separate head and each head must occasionally be either used or flushed. If you were to use an HP your unused colors eventually would become clogged and you would have to replace the head or cartridge with head to get it working. It is a trade off.
I've had this printer for over a year. My complaints are the same ones you'll find anywhere on the net: Prints, even HQ, often show banding and fine lines. Cleaning the printer drains ink disproportionately fast - six cleanings can suck up $125 in ink! Banner printing, even borderless, is easy.
CD and DVD printing is a nightmare - the provided software is impossible to use - the CD/DVD's are consistently 1" to 1/2" off! I had to create custom templates is Photoshop and Corel Draw in order to print on these. After doing so, the quality was great - and I was able to print on narrow spindle CD's and DVD's (not possible with the included software.)
Overall, it's a "you get what you pay for" printer.
everything as expected. great color, the only thing that I found difficult was using paper from the manual hadler and the roll of paper does not allow a 24 inches roll, maximun is smaller.
If I were to have one mid priced printer, the R1800 is the one. From text to 13"X19" prints in one package. I use the printer primarily for digital photos and print them from photoshop. Once you get your settings right, amazing photographs are yours. This is my 5th Epson printer. I also have a smaller R320, which I use for smaller and less important projects. The R1800 is a beautiful machine.
I bought my Epson R1800 two years ago. Overcoming my initial driver issues with it, I was able to produce beautiful, luscious, large format prints that always made me smile. Occasionally, I'd run into a few profile problems. But these, like the atrocious ink usage, were taken in stride. The Epson r1800 was a beautiful, dependable, functional printer that produced prints that rivaled digital prints made through other printing companies. I was happy.
Not being able to print a simple piece of black text because the magenta was out?
That's okay. It's a $15 investment into a good future photo.
Having it self clean and drink up 2 ink cartridges while still having 2 others clogged?
It's okay. It's cool. It's a great printer.
Yes, I took everything in stride until one ordinary night - the night the printer died while I was printing my photography sales catalog and portfolio. It simply decided to completely FORGET HOW TO LOAD PAPER. At first, the paper feed rollers would catch and feed the sheet straight through, not printing at all. Then, the paper feed rollers would engage themselves, but not load any paper. I tried to fix this from the unit itself as well as from the computer to no avail. Searched the Epson site online, searched the internet, everywhere. Found other people with the same issues even used canned air to clean the rollers. No help.
Calling Epson for support? They won't help you until you pay $9.99 to ask your question. Then, the only thing they can do is to help you reinstall the driver and give you instructions on how to mail the thing in.
Now, my printer is sitting discarded on the floor while I have to try not to throw it out the window. My advice? Read the reviews. This printer is bulimic on ink but gives beautiful prints - until it dies on you after two years. I would say save your money and invest in the Epson Stylus Pro 3800 but the choice is up to you. Just be sure to get the extra insurance if it's offered at the place of purchase. Chances are, you're going to need it sooner than you think.
Amazing print quality, better than most lab prints. Ink runs up a tab until you put in a CIS(continuos ink System) Should have waited for the R2400.
I have been an Epson printer user for years, but I'm having trouble with matte printing on my new R1800. They seem to have a hazy look if you're not looking at them straight on. I'm waiting on Epson customer service for a reply.
I have used Epson printers for several years. My Epson 1280 died and I decided to purchase the R1800. I also considered Canon and HP in my decision making. The R1800 is much faster than the 1280 and I like the idea of separate ink cartridges for each color. I have printed several photos and other basic word documents. The color is outstanding. The R1800 seems to be conservative on ink useage. I have printed several 11"x17" photos. Best results are on glossy paper.
This printer is remarkable. I originally purchased it because of the wide format printing. But the clarity and extreme detailed printing of all size prints is awesome. I am very happy with this printer. I look forward to many years of printing with it.
I wanted this not for the oversized printing ability but because archival quality and near-perfect prints are very important to me as scrapbooker. Despite the stereotype of women in appliqued sweaters running amuck with deco-scissors - many scrapbookers are actually accomplished photographers and clean graphics and perfect photos are of the utmost importance.
The R1800 delivers both in spades.
I have printed a 8.5x11 LO on the R1800 and compared it to the exact same file previously printed at a lab (and previously quite acceptable to me). the R1800 print is clearer, brighter, and "crisper" with the truest color on both color and black and white prints.
I am finding that premium luster paper is my paper of choice - but I very much appreciate the samples of "glossy photo" and "matte" paper Epson includes in the box.
The USB was also a nice bonus and I was impressed that it was included.
I have no long-term experience but in the two weeks I've owned this printer I have been very, very impressed.
I purchased this printer because I like to make party invitations and other custom-size items. The R1800 said it could print a multitude of sizes and various papers (matte heavyweight, glossy, regular etc.). It also promised the capability to print bleeds.
I have had nothing but trouble performing these tasks. About 60 percent of the time I get an error message that the media is loaded incorrectly, when just seconds before it printed the same document just fine and no paper adjustment has been made. And I don't get these messages with just design programs (indesign, photoshop or acrobat). I have also had errors printing simple letters from microsoft word on normal 8.5x11 paper. There seems to be no rhyme or reason to the problem, and I have read of others getting this false error message as well.
Yes, I have reloaded the drivers. I have re-created documents from scratch. I have saved them as jpgs and opened them in other programs. Nothing works. This printer has been an enormous disappointment to me, especially considering the price tag.
I have now owned and used the Epson R1800 for two months. Apart from a single incident where the computer lost access to the ink, I have had no problems. I followed the instructions, which were clear enough, and had no trouble with installation.
I find the quality exceptional. Even with a linen tester, I can find no problem with image or color. I would recommend the printer based on that, alone.
I have read complaints that the printer uses up a lot of ink printing normal documents, and that it will not print once a cartridge is used up. I suggest this misses the point of the printer. First, using this printer for daily documentation is a bit like using a photostat machine for printing stacks of photocopies. I suggest that professionals use a less expensive printer for daily documentation and use this one for printing oversized photographs, posters, and other projects that require superior printing in color. Secondly, if I am printing out a stack of images, I want the printer to turn off if it is on the verge of printing poorly because it is running out of a color.
I did test this printer against an HP Photosmart. I felt that the Epson's image quality and color control was better (but the test was less than fair -- the Photosmart is a couple of years old).
In short, this is the best printer for producing photographs I have owned to date. The photographs I print are at least as good as custom prints I have received in the past -- but I never have to wait for the print, and if I see something I want to modify, I am not oppressed by the cost of another print.
Dave
I was asked to take and sell pictures at a local amateur softball tournament. Needing a printer and wanting something to fit for personal uses I decided to invest in the Epson R1800. Over all I am happy with my choice.
This printer takes up a lot of space being 24" long, 16" deep, and 8" high when in a closed state. Open the tray for printing and the printer becomes close to 24 inches deep. I have a large antique library table for a desk and this printer takes up close to a third of the available space. Other printers with similar printing abilities are also large, so the Epson R1800's size is normal, just be prepared for its space requirements.
Set-up was simple and straight forward. I was ready to go and testing the prints in 10-15 minutes. The prints came out just as good as or better than sending to the lab. I am comfortable with sending my printing to the lab, but since I needed the images immediately to sell I had to print instead. Expect individual smaller images to cost more in comparison to lab prices. The trade off is that you get to control how the image is printed and you don't have to wait nearly as long. The printer, plug, ink cartridges, firewire cable, matte sheet support, roll paper holders, single sheet guide, CD/DVD tray, small CD insert, CD position check paper, software CD-ROM, and the user's guide are included in the box. If you do not have an available firewire port, you can purchase a USB to firewire cable.
Printing larger images is a breeze and can end up costing more in line or better than lab pricing. With the ability to use roll paper, a 13" by 44" panoramic image is a possibility. Okay so that may not be a common print job, but 8x10s or 8x12s roll off the printer in a couple minutes with ease. How about a 4x6 in under a minute? The 5,760 x 1,440 optimized dpi resolution ensures crisp and clean images, but of course this printer won't make a bad image good. This made it possible for me to offer framed 8x10 images at the tournament. With the ability to print CDs/DVDs I could have offered professional looking picture disks too.
The ink cartridges are individual tanks of yellow (T054420), magenta (T054320), cyan ( T054220 ), matte black (T054820), photo black (T054120), red (T054720), blue (T054920), and the gloss optimizer (T054020) help keep costs down. Just replace the empty tank when needed.
As an amateur photographer, the print speed and quality made this printer a great match for my needs. I was able to sell the images at the tournament and recover half my investment. I lost money so to speak, but I got a great printer in exchange. I highly recommend this printer for any photographer interested in producing their own high quality prints.
PROS:
High quality prints in minutes
Printing option Versatility
Simple and straight forward set-up
CONS:
Desk space hog
Excellent for printing photographs, much quicker than my older Epson. Individual color ink cartridges seem like a good idea, but I haven't printed enough to tell how long they last. Disc label printing works just as advertised. All in all, a very fine product! Highly recommended for printing photos and labels.
One of the advantages with Epson 1800 printer is the speed. I have been printing 13 X 19 formats for my portfolio and really like it. I did not have problem installing this printer except getting all 8 different ink cartridges into right slots and secure the cartridge cover with clicking sound.
I find Ilford galerie gloss photo papers work better as far as drying time and superb print quality. I am happy with this printer and so with Amazon. I got this printer with a free super saver shipping which will take 7 working days in just 4 days.
I'm very happy with this photo printer. It took a little work to get the results I was looking for, but it is worth the time ink and ( about 20 sheets ) paper. I get the best results with Epson prem semigloss paper for color and B&W . I was anble to use a friends Canon i9900 to print the same photos on both printers so I could do a side by side. In my openion the Epron R1800 beat the Canon at producing detail and color accuracy and the Canon produced more Vivid colors, but the prints didn't look as professionalas the R1800 prints. Black and White photos on the R1800 were very good, but the Canon couldn't compete as all. I had heard Canon prints faded in a few years so I took prints from both printer and set them in the sun for two full day. The Epson's faded a little but the Canon's looked much worse. I've printed about 200 A4 sheets so far and no major problems yet.
Easy install, no need to install any overbloated software. Great printouts on glossy and matt photo paper. Read the Manual on solving color managment problems if you use Photoshop CS2 so that what you see on the monitor is what you get. If you use Photoshop Elements it has a setting just for the epson R1800. Prints beautifull lables on TDK matt white DVD's with the included software. you can use nero's label making software but you must set the paper type to (epson stylus photo R800 A4) so that it is centered on the disk. All in all the best wide format photo printer I have seen .
I agree with those who have posted here about the incomprehensible ink waste one encounters using this printer. Unless you are independently wealthy this thing will suck the life blood out of you. It goes through ink like a drunken sailor goes through cheap rum.
And why in the heck does it stop dead in its tracks when it runs out of glossy optimizer and all I want to do is print a black and white copy of a list? This is just plain incompetence on the part of Epson.
Admittedly, it does do a beautiful job of printing when it isn't making you want to take a sledge hammer to it. I doubt I'd ever buy another Epson after this one gives up the ghost. In fact, I may just sell the danged thing so that I can get my blood pressure back to normal.
While Epson printers have improved, so has their shady use of ink. Don't print a lot of color with this printer? Then stay away. It uses color ink whether you print color or not.
Where the ink goes, I have no idea; perhaps it doesn't go anywhere; but the software decides you've used the ink. How can you really know, after all, since the cartridges aren't clear so you can check for yourself.
Not using any matte paper? The 1800 doesn't care and I've already had to replace this cartridge after NEVER printing on matte paper.
Desperately need to print a simple text document with NO color involved. Don't expect Epson to care because if any non-black ink is out, YOU CAN NOT PRINT that simple text document.
This is like being charged for mileage you don't drive, gas you didn't use, and tires that never left the parking lot.
Epson makes fine products, but the deceitful and criminal (yes, I use the word correctly) makes them a truly disgusting company. They are not honest. No one who works for them can claim to be honest. My main regret is, most other printer companies are no better.
Excellent product. Worked perfectly out of the box. After tweeking it, got excellent prints from original artwork. Color match was very good. In order to prevent the ink from drying out I used the nozzle check every day. This uses very little ink and is a handy feature. The professional artists whose work I reproduce in prints are delighted with the results that Epson produces.
I chose this printer after talking with Epson's technical service people. For those who want to print in color, it is the top choice for quality (other than their commercial line over $1,000.). The main features of this printer are the new extremely small ink drop size and the fact that it uses pigment-based inks rather than dye-based inks used in the lower end of the line and almost all competitive machines. The pigment-based inks do not fade when exposed to light and are considered "archival". There is no need (as Consumer Reports suggests) to reprint your photos every 1 or 2 years. These prints will not fade for 200 years. That's good enough for me!
I don't care paying for the ink which already caused a lawsuit against epson, but if I have a document to print in black and I need it only to be reproduced in black and white, why in the world would not allow to print it if I have a brand new black in cartridge if the cyan is empty. You have to have ALL cartridges full in order to print black only. Nice to know their phliosophy but I don't think will earn them more customers.
What a tremendous piece of machinery that has been engineered and manufactured to prefection. I have and still use an Epson R200 for my other photography printing needs. The R1800 now allows me to make larger and higher quality prints for public display and commercial use.
I debated between the R1800 and R2400, but ultimately selected the R1800 as it was the better tool for my need. I do think that Epson has beat its competitors with high-end, "prosumer" quality photographic printers. The total cost of ownership (TCO) of the printer was also a consideration, as was the availability of quality non-Epson products for the R1800.
I would highly recommend the R1800 to anyone who has need for a professional grade photo printer. If the need is more quality black and white than color then consider the R2400.
Amazon offered the best legitimate deal, including shipping, handling and post purchase support for this and all their other products. Shop wisely, shop Amazon.
Hi have only had my printer for a month but I really am enjoying it. I have been using it for printing my digital scrapbooking. The only problem I had with it was I starting using the IEEE wire and it only caused me problems. My husband went and got me a printer cable and no problems since. Really great quality pintouts. I would recommend this item.
Very easy setup and worked right out of the box. It has met all of my expectations and the photo quality is awsome. The reviews I read from the pro's were right on. This is the second Epson I currently own (the other is a 1280) and the Cannon I had previously went in the trash after about six months of inking problems with a third party continuous inking system. There was nothing wrong with the inking system, but if I didn't turn on the printer every day and print something, the photos looked terrible. I've not had these problems with the 1280 or 1800 continuous systems. I feel the Epson quality is very superior to other printers I have used including HP. Also, the ordering experience with Amazon was as smooth as anyone would want. This survey of satisfaction is a testamony that they care about the quality of the products they sell and the level of their customer service. Aloha.
This is a quality printer that just keeps ticking. eas in use with a quality format for all types of photo imaging.
Quit looking and buy this one!
I sell prints in galleries both online as well as at a brick and mortar gallery, and before purchasing this printer, I was seriously considering the pro oriented Epson R2400 and the HP Designjet 30. I decided on the Epson R1800 because of its better glossy output and the Wilhelm Image Research predicted print longevity of up to 200 years without fading on some Epson papers. This same prediction applies to the Epson R2400 as well, however, from the sample prints that Epson sent me, I didn't like the glossy output of the new K3 inks that the R2400 uses -- the highlight areas where there is hardly any ink laid out on the paper show no gloss, and when viewed at an oblique angle, the latter are disturbingly dull. I must admit however that, were my work exclusively Black and White on matte paper, there would be no better printer for the purpose than the Epson R2400, or the 4800, and the 7800 pro series. My choice, was determined by my work, comprised of color in both glossy and matte, as well as B&W at which, with the proper profiles, the Epson R1800 is very capable. Many pros with the same needs as mine use the R1800 as their standard printer.
One problem with the printer is that it has somewhat of a drinking problem -- not so much while printing, but every time it is powered up after a period of non-use it goes automatically into a cleaning cycle, whether needed or not, and that consumes a lot of ink. To overcome this, I leave my printer on around the clock. It uses very little power when idle (2 Watts -- less than a night light). To prevent printhead clogging, I print at least a nozzle check printout (using very little ink) every day, and so far I have not had any problems with either clogging, or excessive ink consumption. To protect the printer from possible damage caused by power outages or surges, I have it connected to a UPS Battery backup surge protector.
Although I gave a 5 star rating to this printer, based on its superior output, the caveat still remains about its excessive ink consumption if turned off and on frequently. I do not hesitate to recommend this printer to any savvy photographer, though a beginner is likely to face a rather steep, but worthwhile and not impossible learning curve.
You can't beat the picture quality for the price.
Make sure you use high quality paper it makes a huge difference
I meant to give it 5 stars but they would not let me change it.
This is a wonderful printer. Very easy to use. Beautiful color. I would recommend this printer for anyone, beginner to pro. The ink is slightly expensive, but it prints out beautiful pics in many sizes...up to 13" wide.
The problem with Epsons and OTHER fixed head printers are:
The head (nozzle) is a permanent fixture and as such it will always clean its self. This at first this doesn't sound bad but....It cleans its self by blowing LOTS of ink through the nozzle and you use their ink it ends up being lots of wasted $$$..
The other problem you may run into is; IF they set for a long ( and that time varies ) the nozzle can become clogged, then unless you know how to work on one... More $$$$
Look for a printer with print head cartridges (a LOT of HP's are like this) the cartridge cost is usually a bit more than inkwell one's BUT they do not SELF clean
and waste ink, so in the long run it costs you less, also each time you do have to replace a cartridge you get a new print head.........
The reason I "picked on" Epson is: I read somewhere that they were trying to stop after market print cartridges. Tho I do NOT know if this indeed true.....
I purchased the R1800 a few months after it came out. It was much more expensive then, but well worth it. It is flat out the best printer I have ever owned. The photo print quality is superior, the gloss top coating feels no different than when i have photo's printed at the local lab and I especially like the direct print on CD or DVD, so much that I have a ton of afterburner labels and non-printable DVD blanks I will likely never use.
If your taking pictures at 7 mega pixel or higher, the 13x19 photos and 11x17 photos (on photo paper) are amazing - you'd think you got them at a professional studio.
One problem I have had is finding ink cartridge replacements in local stores - i've only ever found them at Staples online - Office Max and Office Depot consistently don't have them in stock... So when i buy them, I buy 3 of each color and the gloss at one time.
tom
I was having a hard time deciding between the canon i9900 and the epson r1800, sounds like both would be good. After a lot of reading and reviews in photography mags I went with the Epson and couldn't be happier. I was already using a Canon i850 and found some fading of the prints when left on the fridge so the Epson inks' longevity was a plus. They also offer a few nice paper size and finish options that the Canon lacks. The prints have been perfect and rarely require reprinting to touch up poor color rendition. So far so good. Very happy with purchase.
recently upgraded to the R1800 from a previous Epson photo printer. I was amazed at how large the printer is, it was bit shocking even tho I read the measurements! As for the print quality, it is amazing! I have not tried the other models above this one so I can not compare it to any more expensive Epson printers, yet it is a better printer than the photo 820. If you don't need the large format printing, then I would suggest the R800. I am new to digital photography and photo printing so I speak from an amateur's point of view and my opinion is that this is more printer than I need! I just need to catch up to all its abilities!
Colors and print quality are amazing. I went through the first two ink cartridges after about 25 (11x17) prints. Photo Black and Cyan. The gloss optimizer went pretty soon after. The prints look like C-prints from a lab and the overall quality difference from the 2200 is amazing. I would definately recommend this product to any aspiring photographer or graphic artist.
Another excellent large-format Epson printer. This replaced my Epson 3000. The 1800 is much faster, and less prone to nozzle blockages and paper jams. Although the 1800 does not have Postscript, it does an excellent job of rendering EPS files.
this is the absolute best printer i've ever used. it makes the hewlett packards at work look like a barbie playbake oven next to a viking. the only thing it won't do is have dinner ready for me when i come home, and that will probably be included in the next upgrade. the quality is amazing, it's fast, it's quiet & its trays fold closed when you're not using it (so the cat can't sleep in the paper tray). epson is the best, accept no less.
I UPGRADED FROM A H.P. PHOTOSMART 7550, THERE IS NO COMPARISON.
THE INK IS MUCH LESS FOR PROFESSIONAL LOOKING PHOTOS. PAPER STOCK
IS AWESOME, MANY TO CHOOSE FROM.
PRINTER IS FAST ENOUGH FOR WHATEVER.
I'M SO PLEASED WITH THIS PRINTER AND THE PROFESSIONALISM FROM EPSON...
I bought the R1800 to replace the an older model, Epson Photo Stylus 1200 and this printer is simply amazing. The prints are incredibly crisp over the whole range of Epson papers. The photos are great and the borderless works perfect. It was well worth the investment for my needs. The only complaint is the Epson software, it is simple to use but it's clunky with too many options too scattered throughout the different menus.
Best printer for high quality printing of photographs. Printing 13" X 19" Collages is very easy and exceptional high quality. Easy ability to print on the face of CD and DVD's. Super quality and reliable printer. This is my second Epson printer.
I have used an Epson Photo 870 for several years with good results. However my decision to upgrade to this printer has turned out to be a very good one. I have been using 11x17 premium glossy photo paper with stunning results. The printer is fairly fast and pretty easy on ink. I have read reviews where people complain about the black and white prints from this printer, but since I have no plan to print B&W, I don't care. If you want to print color photos I really don't see how you can do any better than this R1800.
Just got mine from Amazon 2 days ago for $470 + free shiping!
First I fed a roll paper, and thanks to my stupidity, I had paper jam. I fed the roll paper cover paper instead of actual photo roll paper. Unfortunately my first attempt on the first letter size print was horrible. yellow and green lines all over.
However, after two more of 4x6 prints, it cleaned up the head all by itself and the picture quality blew me away!
The sky color came out natural and rich, skin color smooth and natural, etc., Many review I saw on the internet mentioned they had better prints on high grossy paper than matted paper. However my prints on matted paper were even better than grossy ones.
The printer was very quite and fast. I only used Photo setting, not "Best Photo" settings. I heard that someone say the quality is almost same and it'll only waste ink....
Anyway, at even regular photo setting, this printer is trully amazing.
After reading the reviews here as well as on other web sites, I have no doubt that this printer works great with Photoshop CS. However, I never got a single good printout from this printer using Illustrator CS or InDesign CS on my Macs. Color saturation levels were truly awful no matter what I did to fix them. Playing with Gamma didn't help much, either. I have heard that the pigment based inks used with this printer will by nature print lighter and compensation will be necessary. Perhaps this is true. However, I need a printer that I can use today without spending hours messing with saturation levels and "faking" colors so they'll print the way I want them. No other Epson printer that I've owned has had this kind of problem.
My guess is Adobe and Epson need to figure out what's going on and fix this issue ASAP. Until I know it's fixed, I can't recommend this printer to anyone except perhaps Photoshop users, and even then it's only because others recommend it for Photoshop.
Sooooo, if you're going to use this printer for what it's made to do -- print photographs, and print them well -- go for it. If you're a graphic designer or do anything with publishing and need a printer that can work with apps other than Photoshop, perhaps the printer will work better for you than it did for me but I have to mention that you MAY have problems.
I ordered this printer two weeks ago, and am I glad I did.
I read a few reviews on Amazon plus did some research at online review sites before deciding to pull the trigger. I couldn't be happier with this product. You have to see the output for yourself to believe the awesome quality.
My step daughter had to take photos of important events in her life to school this week for a class project, so we spent some time going through our digital photo albums looking for pictures she could use. She selected 10 pictures and I printed them for her on the R1800 using Epson 4x6 premium gloss photo paper; they looked better by far than what I get at the photo lab.
One word of caution: you need to be sure that your printer and your printing application's color space settings are configured compatibly for the best results.
I highly recommend this printer for anyone who wants to print high quality photos for any occasion.
Great printer and getting photo quality prints. Easy to use. It is a lot bigger than my previous printer, also an Epson, but wonderful if you are into quality photo printing.
it was my first photo printer. i have been uploading images to snapfish and shutterfly for years now, with mediocre results. after purchases the epson printer, i was floored. i can't even believe how great this item is. the matte paper is just exceptional and comes highly recommended. images are about as close as you can get to the way they look on the computer when you upload. this printer blew away my highest expectations!
I like to think I know computers and understand digital photography... This printer has a way of really making you feel below average, at least at first. Once you take the time to read the manual (yes, actually read the book that comes with it) you will understand what a powerful printer you have purchased. In fact any buyers remorse at the price will go out the window! This thing rocks and makes the most wonderful quality prints I have ever seen. They are photo shop good! I mean online digital camera site good. The ability to print 13" X 44" blows my mind. My wife scrapbooks and that is why we bought it, but when paired with a good photo software like Microsoft Digital Image Suite, or Photo Shop it really comes to life. This printer delivers images that I never thought possible from a home model... and yes as a true skeptic I did a side by side comparison with my Dell photo printer...needless to say my wife and I have relaced all the pictures in all our frames around our home with this archival quality prints!
Last note, don't make this your primary blank and white word docment printer...the ink is just to much and runs out a little too quickly!
The best color printer I have ever owned. Prints beautifully on DVD's.
I own an R1800. The matte prints are outstanding and the printer is quick, but the glossy prints are not up to par with dye based printers. Even with the glossy overcoat the images look cloudy. This would be fine but Epson sells this as an outstanding glossy printer.
If you need a matte printer, this printer offers top quality right out of the box. Be careful using the Epson Watercolor paper because it is too thin and doesn't aborb the ink well. I use non-Epson papers that are much thicker and the R1800 delivers outstanding results.
Although I haven't tried 13 x 19 prints yet (the paper hasn't arrived), my brand new R1800 has printed everything I've thrown at it with an almost perfect match to my color-balanced monitors. The drivers are intuitive in OS X, and I'm getting better prints directly from Photoshop than I ever have. I've included 4 x 6 prints in batches of print house photos, and nobody has been able to tell the difference. (Although I think mine are a bit better, since I can control the output to my liking.) My 8 x 10 matte prints are simply amazing, and I'm not-so-patiently awaiting the arrival of my 13 x 19 luster paper.
This is a good choice for an avid enthusiast like myself.
Being a photographer/graphic designer, I have always used Epson printers and was very happy with my old Stylus 1280 - however, the R1800 completely blew it away! The quality of the prints are stunning to say the least. I would recommend this printer to anyone without hesitation.
I use my printers for reproduction of photo prints and for printing images I created with my Fuji S2 camera. I had been using an Epson 1280 - now defunct.
The 1800 was easy to set up and use and produces a print of superb quality.
I am delighted with this printer!
[...]
This is a great printer. It creates beautiful prints but it takes lots of ink and it wasn't the easiest to get the prints and the monitor even close. I used almost an entire bank of ink achieving this process and I had to remove the PIM software.
I purchased this printer knowing it would be a great printer for small/medium sized prints, and it absolutely is! The Gloss optimizer really kicks ass. The large format Epson printers don't compare to the quality the R1800 puts out, and I should know because I also use an Epson 10000 on a regular basis.
The other reason worth buying the R1800 is that you will astound clients with stunning CD/DVD printing. I've printed on a variety of inkjet writable discs and every time the results blow me away!!
The downside is the small ink cartridges disappear quickly and the banner paper loading is kind of hit or miss, it should have a micro adjust knob or something or a visual aid lining up the paper at the head-stops.
But whatever, I'm very satisfied with my purchase...
I am a scrapbooker and I purchased this printer because of its ability to print 12"x12" paper. Everything I've printed has been top quality. I've completed 3 digital scrapbooks (24 pages in each)in the short time I've owned this printer. It handles my 3"x5" photos just as beautifully as 12"x12" photos. Any scrapbooker would love this printer. Be sure you review just how big this printer is. The footprint is larger than any other printer I've had. This printer also prints right onto CD's (you must buy special ink-jet CD's). HP has a printer similar to this one, but only prints up to 11" wide, and it does not have the ability to print on CDs - and the HP costs just a few dollars less than this Epson. Much more "bang for the buck" with the Epson R1800. Just a side note: There are 8 ink cartridges, and of course, they won't all empty at the same time. So I've purchased a couple extra of each (with a few more photo black). I printed 400 4"x6" photos before I had to replace a cartridge. The cartridges retail for about $15 each - but I found a website that bundles 12 for about $67. I've been an HP user for years and I don't think this Epson ink usage is much different than I'm used to. I highly recommend the R1800.
The Epson Photo R1800 Is everything I expect in a quality product. It does a fine job in turning out a great print in any size mode.
I bought my R1800 two weeks ago and it's fabulous! I've been doing quite a bit of photo retouching in PhotoShop and was anxious to see some of my work in large format. The resulting output totally exceeded my expectations! I was also surprised at the speed at which such fine output was generated. I was somewhat concerned about the cost of maintaining an 8-color system as the cost of replacement cartridges ranges between $12.99 and $14.99, but I've done quite a bit of printing and the color levels have barely budged (and I use the setting for the highest print quality). This is truly a great printer for digital photographers, scrapbookers, and PhotoShop enthusiasts like me. It's an incredible piece of equipment.
I ordered the eagerly awaited R1800 on first day of availability from Amazon. When shipped, item arrived dead. Printer carriage did not move into position, so ink cartridges could not be loaded. Defective printer was returned to Amazon (which promptly credited the return, including postage).
On this single anecdotal incident, I do not fault either Epson or Amazon. Stuff happens. Perhaps damage in shipping. I merely provide this information for consumer information, in case other buyers have the same problem.
My star rating is nominal, since unit received did not function at all
The Epson R1800 is built like a tank. Upon first inspection out of the box, you will be suprised at it's size. Set-up out of the box was a breeze. About 10 minutes of unwrapping everything and software installation and I was ready to print.
The first prints came out amazing. I used to work in a one hour photo lab with a Noritsu QSS-3011, basically the Cadallic of mini-lab printers. The best of the best. I am college student majoring in photography so quality is #1 to me. I would always print my pictures at the lab and fine tune each print so I would get the best. With this printer, I get nearly the EXACT SAME QUALITY. Which is nothing short of amazing considering we are talking about a lab machine that is in the costs of tens of thousands of dollars. The prints that I have printed from the R1800 rival the quality of that from the Nortisu lab printer.
The 8 inks provide a cost effective method instead of replacing one expensive color tank when just one color runs out. You can just replace whatever color you run out of.
The R1800 prints bordless sizes up to 13" in width. It can print panoramics from 4" to 13" from rolls of paper. Imgaine having a 13" by 44" panoramic on your wall! With the R1800, it's just that easy.
The R1800 can also print on CD's, which is a neat feature, but one that I probably won't use too much until I get ready to graduate and create portfolio CD's with my work on them.
5,760 x 1,440 optimized dpi resolution is what makes these prints so amazingly crisp in quality.
The speed of the printer is pretty impressive too. 11x14's in under 3 minutes? 4x6's in under 45 seconds? Yes please!
I believe the best paper I've used with R1800 is Epson's Premium Luster paper. It's semi glossy with a sheer luster to it that makes the color and contrast hold of the paper look amazing.
If you are even an amatuer photographer and care about the quality of your printers and are in the market for an at home studio printer, you cannot go wrong with the R1800. I would reccommend nothing else.
I agree completely with all the positive reviews and I used HP printers up until recently. The positive reviews are not overstated. I do have one thing to add. If you read all of the reviews, you will notice that the only negative reviews were made by non-photographers. This is important.
The Epson R1800 is made for pro photographers and serious amateurs. As a photographer I know put it, HP printers are designed for mass consumer use. If you want to print out some pictures to put in your scrapbook, send grandmother, or give a friend, get an HP. If you plan to sell your pictures, you need an Epson R1800 or R2400.
The Epson 1800 will produce prints that look like they came from a photo lab, reproduce file detail, and reproduce the colors in the original file to a degree that only an expert could tell the difference. This is not an overstatement. To the trained eye, the improvement over current HP photo printers is dramatic.
The Epson 1800 is, however, much harder to use, and for this level of color accuracy, must be used with something that corrects your monitors output to display accurate colors, such as Pantone's Eye-One. You must use Epson inks and papers, download the latest driver and paper profiles, use the software settings properly, and you must use it with Photo Shop or Photo Elements to do the printing. This is why I state that this printer is for pros and serious amateurs and if you just want to print nice pictures, use an HP.
On a final note, if you read a lot of high end printer specifications, it gets very confusing. Epson produces several high end printers. They all produce professional level results, and the differences in the photos they produce, are so subtle that only a professional can tell the difference. Even then, experienced users can compensate for those differences and produce results that are virtually indistinguishable from other high end printers. In the end, it all boils down to the fact that color and print quality are a matter of your perception and preferences. The Epson 1800 has the power to adjust your photos to look just the way want.
I moved up from the dye-based 1200 to the R1800 about two years ago, having tried and returned an Epson 2200 because of bronzing on the glossy prints(bronzing is a brownish tint that appears when you hold the print at an angle under certain lighting conditions)
The R1800 uses a "gloss optimizer" coating to reduce the bronzing ...Problem solved. The glossy prints produced by this printer do actually look like "real photos". Since this is a pigment, rather than dye printer, the prints should last for a while, even when exposed to air.
I've had no fading or discoloration on any print yet. The prints are pretty much waterproof, while I wouldn't dunk them in the bath tub, drops of water/moisture do not get absorbed or mix with the ink coating. (If you get a dye print wet, it will run). This is particularly good if you print your own business cards. Cards I've printed w/other printers would smudge easily.
My biggest surprise with this printer is the great detail and saturation I've been able to achieve using matte paper(Epson Enhanced Matte/Ultra Premium Mate). Most printers are better at handling one type of media, this one seems to be very well balanced.
Mechanically, I've had no problems so far after hundreds of large prints; ink usage is not bad with the individual tank system. No head cleaning problems at all. I do run the printer every few days even if I don't have to to keep the heads from clogging.
I haven't personally used either the Canon or HP professional photo printers, so can't really offer a comparison. I can say that the R1800 exceeds either the Epson 1200 series or the 2200 printers.
By the way, I bought this from Amazon and as usual got excellent price and shipping time.
The Epson R1800 has been nothing but trouble for me. I'm in the printing business and wanted to use this for proofs but have never been able to get this printer to print colors correctly. We have tried every setting and every type of paper, but the colors always come out wrong. The software is terrible. It is very un-intuitive.
I think I'll stay with HP printers from now on.
This printer prints beautiful colors and detail. The inks are still a bit expensive, but hopefully the price will go down as more stores begin to carry them and the product isn't as new. This printer can also print on cds, which is very useful.
This printer is, for the most part, pretty user-friendly. You can usually solve most problems by following a step by step process when prompted (when inks are low) or by clicking on the printer utility function to perform a cleaning (when there are streaks on the paper), etc...The only problem I have had with this printer is that sometimes after I send a file to print the printer will just run a blank page through and then tell me that the paper is out or was loaded incorrectly. I then reload it, and it may take 4-5 times before the printer will actually print. Also, sometimes a message will pop up after I send a file to print that says, "Communication error," but does not explain the cause of the problem. You are left to guess why the file isn't printing.
I knew about these nuisances when I purchased this printer, but the quality of the prints is such that I am willing to put up with a few quirks.
I have previously owned an Epson, and returned again since this was the only product in its category that had all the features I needed. It is incredibly quiet, and prints very quickly, no matter if it is a Speed or Quality print you are sending to it. It prints up to 13" x 19" sheets or even on rolls of banner paper and printable CD's.
I LOVE this printer! This is the third Epson printer that I've owned and all have preformed well but this one far exceeded my expections. The ICC profiles that I downloaded from Epson for use with Photoshop and the use of Epson paper have made all my photographs pop, so much so that I want to reprint them all.
I'm quite pleased thus far with this unit; the quality of color and relative speed
are just what I wanted. I'll have to wait and see how ink consumption is, and
I need to order more paper from Epson; whose paper is not widely available in
office supply stores.
This is, hands down, the best photo printer I have ever owned or used. I'm a "serious amateur/semi-professional" photographer and this printer delivers the high quality images I demand.
Epson provides an excellent "quick start" guide that made setup a breeze. It went from box to printing in a matter of minutes. The most time consuming part of the whole installation was waiting for the inks to "charge" after installing the cartridges.
One thing you should keep in mind when purchasing this printer is that it's BIG and HEAVY! You're going to need a large, sturdy stand or table to put it on and leave it. You're not going to want to move it very often; it's just not practical. Also, you're going to need quite a bit of room in FRONT of the printer for the paper tray. That's something most folks who've never owned a wide format printer don't think of.
I primarily use Epson papers, and when used in combination with the Epson Premium profiles, get prints that rival any I've seen from professional print houses. I'm partial to the "Ultra Premium Presentation Paper Matte" (also known as "Enhanced Matte Paper"), but also like the Premium Glossy and Luster papers. I've also used Kodak papers with outstanding results.
So far, I haven't used the roll paper feature, so I can't comment on it's performance. I have used the CD/DVD print mode a few times and it worked flawlessly (I actually have an Epson R220 that I use as my regular CD/DVD printer). I've also used the single sheet feed to print on canvas and it works like a champ.
The only "complaint" I have (and the reason I only gave it 4 stars instead of 5) is that it drinks ink like a camel at an oasis. I would strongly suggest buying a spare set of inks at the same time as the printer. If you're like me, you'll start printing like crazy as soon as you see the quality of your first few prints, and will blow through the included inks before you realize it. I've been using it so much that I broke down and ordered a continuous ink feed system made by a 3rd party vendor. Once I receive it and get it installed, my ink worries will hopefully be a thing of the past.
I considered purchasing this printer for a few months. It's not the newest printer on the market, but it is one of the best out there and it will remain that way for years to come. While the R1800 is a hefty investment, you will not regret it.
The R1800 has not let me down. I was spending $50, $75, and more at local print shops. I decided to invest in my own photo printer and this was the perfect choice. It has eight cartridges and the replacement prices are reasonable (if you can call any ink cartridge price reasonable). It has been very easy to use and it has a bunch of printing options. Best of all, it's fast. It will be able to keep up with almost any printing need. I tend to print more 8x10 photos than anything and it shoots them out quickly. I haven't seen a bad photo come out of this printer.
I purchased this printer 18 months ago. I use it mostly for draft, inhouse, prints. Occasionally for photo quality prints, but not much. After about 6 months, I started having to clean the head.
Needless to say, I will NEVER buy another Epson, nor recommend any Epson to anyone.
I replaced it with an HP1020, non color printer for my inhouse papers. It was only $99 at Staples. Less than the darn ink I stuck in the Epson.
I've used HP, Xerox and many other brands of printers.....
everything as expected. great color, the only thing that I found difficult was using paper from the manual hadler and the roll of paper does not allow a 24 inches roll, maximun is smaller.
If I were to have one mid priced printer, the R1800 is the one. From text to 13"X19" prints in one package. I use the printer primarily for digital photos and print them from photoshop. Once you get your settings right, amazing photographs are yours. This is my 5th Epson printer. I also have a smaller R320, which I use for smaller and less important projects. The R1800 is a beautiful machine.
I bought my Epson R1800 two years ago. Overcoming my initial driver issues with it, I was able to produce beautiful, luscious, large format prints that always made me smile. Occasionally, I'd run into a few profile problems. But these, like the atrocious ink usage, were taken in stride. The Epson r1800 was a beautiful, dependable, functional printer that produced prints that rivaled digital prints made through other printing companies. I was happy.
Not being able to print a simple piece of black text because the magenta was out?
That's okay. It's a $15 investment into a good future photo.
Having it self clean and drink up 2 ink cartridges while still having 2 others clogged?
It's okay. It's cool. It's a great printer.
Yes, I took everything in stride until one ordinary night - the night the printer died while I was printing my photography sales catalog and portfolio. It simply decided to completely FORGET HOW TO LOAD PAPER. At first, the paper feed rollers would catch and feed the sheet straight through, not printing at all. Then, the paper feed rollers would engage themselves, but not load any paper. I tried to fix this from the unit itself as well as from the computer to no avail. Searched the Epson site online, searched the internet, everywhere. Found other people with the same issues even used canned air to clean the rollers. No help.
Calling Epson for support? They won't help you until you pay $9.99 to ask your question. Then, the only thing they can do is to help you reinstall the driver and give you instructions on how to mail the thing in.
Now, my printer is sitting discarded on the floor while I have to try not to throw it out the window. My advice? Read the reviews. This printer is bulimic on ink but gives beautiful prints - until it dies on you after two years. I would say save your money and invest in the Epson Stylus Pro 3800 but the choice is up to you. Just be sure to get the extra insurance if it's offered at the place of purchase. Chances are, you're going to need it sooner than you think.
Amazing print quality, better than most lab prints. Ink runs up a tab until you put in a CIS(continuos ink System) Should have waited for the R2400.
I have been an Epson printer user for years, but I'm having trouble with matte printing on my new R1800. They seem to have a hazy look if you're not looking at them straight on. I'm waiting on Epson customer service for a reply.
I have used Epson printers for several years. My Epson 1280 died and I decided to purchase the R1800. I also considered Canon and HP in my decision making. The R1800 is much faster than the 1280 and I like the idea of separate ink cartridges for each color. I have printed several photos and other basic word documents. The color is outstanding. The R1800 seems to be conservative on ink useage. I have printed several 11"x17" photos. Best results are on glossy paper.
This printer is remarkable. I originally purchased it because of the wide format printing. But the clarity and extreme detailed printing of all size prints is awesome. I am very happy with this printer. I look forward to many years of printing with it.
I wanted this not for the oversized printing ability but because archival quality and near-perfect prints are very important to me as scrapbooker. Despite the stereotype of women in appliqued sweaters running amuck with deco-scissors - many scrapbookers are actually accomplished photographers and clean graphics and perfect photos are of the utmost importance.
The R1800 delivers both in spades.
I have printed a 8.5x11 LO on the R1800 and compared it to the exact same file previously printed at a lab (and previously quite acceptable to me). the R1800 print is clearer, brighter, and "crisper" with the truest color on both color and black and white prints.
I am finding that premium luster paper is my paper of choice - but I very much appreciate the samples of "glossy photo" and "matte" paper Epson includes in the box.
The USB was also a nice bonus and I was impressed that it was included.
I have no long-term experience but in the two weeks I've owned this printer I have been very, very impressed.
I purchased this printer because I like to make party invitations and other custom-size items. The R1800 said it could print a multitude of sizes and various papers (matte heavyweight, glossy, regular etc.). It also promised the capability to print bleeds.
I have had nothing but trouble performing these tasks. About 60 percent of the time I get an error message that the media is loaded incorrectly, when just seconds before it printed the same document just fine and no paper adjustment has been made. And I don't get these messages with just design programs (indesign, photoshop or acrobat). I have also had errors printing simple letters from microsoft word on normal 8.5x11 paper. There seems to be no rhyme or reason to the problem, and I have read of others getting this false error message as well.
Yes, I have reloaded the drivers. I have re-created documents from scratch. I have saved them as jpgs and opened them in other programs. Nothing works. This printer has been an enormous disappointment to me, especially considering the price tag.
I have now owned and used the Epson R1800 for two months. Apart from a single incident where the computer lost access to the ink, I have had no problems. I followed the instructions, which were clear enough, and had no trouble with installation.
I find the quality exceptional. Even with a linen tester, I can find no problem with image or color. I would recommend the printer based on that, alone.
I have read complaints that the printer uses up a lot of ink printing normal documents, and that it will not print once a cartridge is used up. I suggest this misses the point of the printer. First, using this printer for daily documentation is a bit like using a photostat machine for printing stacks of photocopies. I suggest that professionals use a less expensive printer for daily documentation and use this one for printing oversized photographs, posters, and other projects that require superior printing in color. Secondly, if I am printing out a stack of images, I want the printer to turn off if it is on the verge of printing poorly because it is running out of a color.
I did test this printer against an HP Photosmart. I felt that the Epson's image quality and color control was better (but the test was less than fair -- the Photosmart is a couple of years old).
In short, this is the best printer for producing photographs I have owned to date. The photographs I print are at least as good as custom prints I have received in the past -- but I never have to wait for the print, and if I see something I want to modify, I am not oppressed by the cost of another print.
Dave
I was asked to take and sell pictures at a local amateur softball tournament. Needing a printer and wanting something to fit for personal uses I decided to invest in the Epson R1800. Over all I am happy with my choice.
This printer takes up a lot of space being 24" long, 16" deep, and 8" high when in a closed state. Open the tray for printing and the printer becomes close to 24 inches deep. I have a large antique library table for a desk and this printer takes up close to a third of the available space. Other printers with similar printing abilities are also large, so the Epson R1800's size is normal, just be prepared for its space requirements.
Set-up was simple and straight forward. I was ready to go and testing the prints in 10-15 minutes. The prints came out just as good as or better than sending to the lab. I am comfortable with sending my printing to the lab, but since I needed the images immediately to sell I had to print instead. Expect individual smaller images to cost more in comparison to lab prices. The trade off is that you get to control how the image is printed and you don't have to wait nearly as long. The printer, plug, ink cartridges, firewire cable, matte sheet support, roll paper holders, single sheet guide, CD/DVD tray, small CD insert, CD position check paper, software CD-ROM, and the user's guide are included in the box. If you do not have an available firewire port, you can purchase a USB to firewire cable.
Printing larger images is a breeze and can end up costing more in line or better than lab pricing. With the ability to use roll paper, a 13" by 44" panoramic image is a possibility. Okay so that may not be a common print job, but 8x10s or 8x12s roll off the printer in a couple minutes with ease. How about a 4x6 in under a minute? The 5,760 x 1,440 optimized dpi resolution ensures crisp and clean images, but of course this printer won't make a bad image good. This made it possible for me to offer framed 8x10 images at the tournament. With the ability to print CDs/DVDs I could have offered professional looking picture disks too.
The ink cartridges are individual tanks of yellow (T054420), magenta (T054320), cyan ( T054220 ), matte black (T054820), photo black (T054120), red (T054720), blue (T054920), and the gloss optimizer (T054020) help keep costs down. Just replace the empty tank when needed.
As an amateur photographer, the print speed and quality made this printer a great match for my needs. I was able to sell the images at the tournament and recover half my investment. I lost money so to speak, but I got a great printer in exchange. I highly recommend this printer for any photographer interested in producing their own high quality prints.
PROS:
High quality prints in minutes
Printing option Versatility
Simple and straight forward set-up
CONS:
Desk space hog
Excellent for printing photographs, much quicker than my older Epson. Individual color ink cartridges seem like a good idea, but I haven't printed enough to tell how long they last. Disc label printing works just as advertised. All in all, a very fine product! Highly recommended for printing photos and labels.
One of the advantages with Epson 1800 printer is the speed. I have been printing 13 X 19 formats for my portfolio and really like it. I did not have problem installing this printer except getting all 8 different ink cartridges into right slots and secure the cartridge cover with clicking sound.
I find Ilford galerie gloss photo papers work better as far as drying time and superb print quality. I am happy with this printer and so with Amazon. I got this printer with a free super saver shipping which will take 7 working days in just 4 days.
I'm very happy with this photo printer. It took a little work to get the results I was looking for, but it is worth the time ink and ( about 20 sheets ) paper. I get the best results with Epson prem semigloss paper for color and B&W . I was anble to use a friends Canon i9900 to print the same photos on both printers so I could do a side by side. In my openion the Epron R1800 beat the Canon at producing detail and color accuracy and the Canon produced more Vivid colors, but the prints didn't look as professionalas the R1800 prints. Black and White photos on the R1800 were very good, but the Canon couldn't compete as all. I had heard Canon prints faded in a few years so I took prints from both printer and set them in the sun for two full day. The Epson's faded a little but the Canon's looked much worse. I've printed about 200 A4 sheets so far and no major problems yet.
Easy install, no need to install any overbloated software. Great printouts on glossy and matt photo paper. Read the Manual on solving color managment problems if you use Photoshop CS2 so that what you see on the monitor is what you get. If you use Photoshop Elements it has a setting just for the epson R1800. Prints beautifull lables on TDK matt white DVD's with the included software. you can use nero's label making software but you must set the paper type to (epson stylus photo R800 A4) so that it is centered on the disk. All in all the best wide format photo printer I have seen .
This printer does not print tiled documents from either Indesign or Illustrator. It also is very hard to set the page set up for the printer because the driver written for this printer conflicts with the settings in the print dialog box of the software. I have seen this happen in both Illustrator and Indesign. Very frustrating. I called Epson about this, they told me to call Adobe who told me to call Epson. I'm really sorry I remained loyal to Epson and didn't opt for the Canon.
I first saw this printer in action when I saw someone turn a digital photo into a digital painting using Corel Painter (seeing the results from that software product, Painter, is what made me start looking at Corel software products for photos) and then printed it out on matte paper. Wow!!! Very impressive! The water color paints were amazing and the colors printed out were so vibrant and realistic, that I had to get this Epson Photo R1800 printer.
I've had a few HP printers before but realized the photo colors were off with the HP so I went to an Epson Photo 825 and side by side comparison of the same photos printed on the 825 and HP were so distinguishable. I've gone to Epson now for photo printing and won't go back. I even had the Epson Picture Mate which was a great printer but limited you in size. Plus, now that I have the the R1800, I can still print the samller 4x6 photos my wife needs for scrapbooking, but even quicker.
I've used the R1800 on glossy photo paper and mattte paper and they both give beautiful results. I've also used it for printing onto DVDs. Worked just great. Very easy to do. There are 8 ink cartridges and I've replaced them several times (all of them, but typically not all at the same time), but they are reasonably priced and I do seem to get a lot of photos printed with them.
The printer has both a USB connection and Firewire, I've only used the USB connection, and its fast. It looks great and prints great. I absolutley love this printer. If you're going to do a lot of photo printing and want the versatility to print many different sizes to many different photo papers, I would highly recommend this printer.
You know I'm not much for technical terms but this printer is great - I use it for business and it does me well. I was a bit skeptical and you know a review I read on here there's someone complaining about epson making it harder to use other papers with their printers is absolutely true. I called HP technical help and had a level 1 tech help me - he could not answer ONE question I had... BOO on HP's techinical support but this printer was built well - it's not the best but for the money and for the print it's beautiful - sucks on ink usage for what I do but hey it works! It's a beast as far as size and it's beautiful I love it! It works well with other types of paper you just have to sit ya but down and search ... again I called EPSON to see what media this printer can deal with the guy had no clue so don't bother calling them because they don't even know! There are a lot of papers out there that this printer is able to use you just need to research ;)
I hope this helps somebody out there!
I have used the Epson 1800 with Photoshop CS2 on both a Windows and Mac machine. In both cases the prints are outstanding. It's important to calibrate your monitor and also use the specific profiles that Epson provides to match your paper. Otherwise you'll get less than stellar results and blame the printer. You may also want to print in 16-bit so your prints turn out that much more spectacular.
I recently started using Epson Velvet Fine Art paper and despite what Epson may say, this printer is NOT acceptable if you want great results. Getting the paper to feed properly is the initial pain, and I can rarely get it to feed properly in 1 or 2 tries. The larger problem is with printing gradual tone changes. The R1800 just can't cut it and prints a hazy, non-textured area. The appears many times with hair when using a softbox. I also have the R3800 and ALL of these problems went away.
Anything I mentioned is strictly for printing through Photoshop and turning off any other color management that may be available.
Over the years I've tried HP, Canon, Brother, and Epson printers. The Epson 980 is still my workhorse printer which I've had for over 5 years. My mission was to find a new printer for color photos that had the same strengths as the 980: solid build, ease of use, quality printing, and fast output. The Epson R1800 has met my expectations in every way. Excellent color, fast output, and great build. Highly recommended!
What a tremendous piece of machinery that has been engineered and manufactured to prefection. I have and still use an Epson R200 for my other photography printing needs. The R1800 now allows me to make larger and higher quality prints for public display and commercial use.
I debated between the R1800 and R2400, but ultimately selected the R1800 as it was the better tool for my need. I do think that Epson has beat its competitors with high-end, "prosumer" quality photographic printers. The total cost of ownership (TCO) of the printer was also a consideration, as was the availability of quality non-Epson products for the R1800.
I would highly recommend the R1800 to anyone who has need for a professional grade photo printer. If the need is more quality black and white than color then consider the R2400.
Amazon offered the best legitimate deal, including shipping, handling and post purchase support for this and all their other products. Shop wisely, shop Amazon.
Hi have only had my printer for a month but I really am enjoying it. I have been using it for printing my digital scrapbooking. The only problem I had with it was I starting using the IEEE wire and it only caused me problems. My husband went and got me a printer cable and no problems since. Really great quality pintouts. I would recommend this item.
Very easy setup and worked right out of the box. It has met all of my expectations and the photo quality is awsome. The reviews I read from the pro's were right on. This is the second Epson I currently own (the other is a 1280) and the Cannon I had previously went in the trash after about six months of inking problems with a third party continuous inking system. There was nothing wrong with the inking system, but if I didn't turn on the printer every day and print something, the photos looked terrible. I've not had these problems with the 1280 or 1800 continuous systems. I feel the Epson quality is very superior to other printers I have used including HP. Also, the ordering experience with Amazon was as smooth as anyone would want. This survey of satisfaction is a testamony that they care about the quality of the products they sell and the level of their customer service. Aloha.
This is a quality printer that just keeps ticking. eas in use with a quality format for all types of photo imaging.
Quit looking and buy this one!
I sell prints in galleries both online as well as at a brick and mortar gallery, and before purchasing this printer, I was seriously considering the pro oriented Epson R2400 and the HP Designjet 30. I decided on the Epson R1800 because of its better glossy output and the Wilhelm Image Research predicted print longevity of up to 200 years without fading on some Epson papers. This same prediction applies to the Epson R2400 as well, however, from the sample prints that Epson sent me, I didn't like the glossy output of the new K3 inks that the R2400 uses -- the highlight areas where there is hardly any ink laid out on the paper show no gloss, and when viewed at an oblique angle, the latter are disturbingly dull. I must admit however that, were my work exclusively Black and White on matte paper, there would be no better printer for the purpose than the Epson R2400, or the 4800, and the 7800 pro series. My choice, was determined by my work, comprised of color in both glossy and matte, as well as B&W at which, with the proper profiles, the Epson R1800 is very capable. Many pros with the same needs as mine use the R1800 as their standard printer.
One problem with the printer is that it has somewhat of a drinking problem -- not so much while printing, but every time it is powered up after a period of non-use it goes automatically into a cleaning cycle, whether needed or not, and that consumes a lot of ink. To overcome this, I leave my printer on around the clock. It uses very little power when idle (2 Watts -- less than a night light). To prevent printhead clogging, I print at least a nozzle check printout (using very little ink) every day, and so far I have not had any problems with either clogging, or excessive ink consumption. To protect the printer from possible damage caused by power outages or surges, I have it connected to a UPS Battery backup surge protector.
Although I gave a 5 star rating to this printer, based on its superior output, the caveat still remains about its excessive ink consumption if turned off and on frequently. I do not hesitate to recommend this printer to any savvy photographer, though a beginner is likely to face a rather steep, but worthwhile and not impossible learning curve.
You can't beat the picture quality for the price.
Make sure you use high quality paper it makes a huge difference
I meant to give it 5 stars but they would not let me change it.
This is a wonderful printer. Very easy to use. Beautiful color. I would recommend this printer for anyone, beginner to pro. The ink is slightly expensive, but it prints out beautiful pics in many sizes...up to 13" wide.
The problem with Epsons and OTHER fixed head printers are:
The head (nozzle) is a permanent fixture and as such it will always clean its self. This at first this doesn't sound bad but....It cleans its self by blowing LOTS of ink through the nozzle and you use their ink it ends up being lots of wasted $$$..
The other problem you may run into is; IF they set for a long ( and that time varies ) the nozzle can become clogged, then unless you know how to work on one... More $$$$
Look for a printer with print head cartridges (a LOT of HP's are like this) the cartridge cost is usually a bit more than inkwell one's BUT they do not SELF clean
and waste ink, so in the long run it costs you less, also each time you do have to replace a cartridge you get a new print head.........
The reason I "picked on" Epson is: I read somewhere that they were trying to stop after market print cartridges. Tho I do NOT know if this indeed true.....
I purchased the R1800 a few months after it came out. It was much more expensive then, but well worth it. It is flat out the best printer I have ever owned. The photo print quality is superior, the gloss top coating feels no different than when i have photo's printed at the local lab and I especially like the direct print on CD or DVD, so much that I have a ton of afterburner labels and non-printable DVD blanks I will likely never use.
If your taking pictures at 7 mega pixel or higher, the 13x19 photos and 11x17 photos (on photo paper) are amazing - you'd think you got them at a professional studio.
One problem I have had is finding ink cartridge replacements in local stores - i've only ever found them at Staples online - Office Max and Office Depot consistently don't have them in stock... So when i buy them, I buy 3 of each color and the gloss at one time.
tom
I was having a hard time deciding between the canon i9900 and the epson r1800, sounds like both would be good. After a lot of reading and reviews in photography mags I went with the Epson and couldn't be happier. I was already using a Canon i850 and found some fading of the prints when left on the fridge so the Epson inks' longevity was a plus. They also offer a few nice paper size and finish options that the Canon lacks. The prints have been perfect and rarely require reprinting to touch up poor color rendition. So far so good. Very happy with purchase.
recently upgraded to the R1800 from a previous Epson photo printer. I was amazed at how large the printer is, it was bit shocking even tho I read the measurements! As for the print quality, it is amazing! I have not tried the other models above this one so I can not compare it to any more expensive Epson printers, yet it is a better printer than the photo 820. If you don't need the large format printing, then I would suggest the R800. I am new to digital photography and photo printing so I speak from an amateur's point of view and my opinion is that this is more printer than I need! I just need to catch up to all its abilities!
Colors and print quality are amazing. I went through the first two ink cartridges after about 25 (11x17) prints. Photo Black and Cyan. The gloss optimizer went pretty soon after. The prints look like C-prints from a lab and the overall quality difference from the 2200 is amazing. I would definately recommend this product to any aspiring photographer or graphic artist.
Another excellent large-format Epson printer. This replaced my Epson 3000. The 1800 is much faster, and less prone to nozzle blockages and paper jams. Although the 1800 does not have Postscript, it does an excellent job of rendering EPS files.
this is the absolute best printer i've ever used. it makes the hewlett packards at work look like a barbie playbake oven next to a viking. the only thing it won't do is have dinner ready for me when i come home, and that will probably be included in the next upgrade. the quality is amazing, it's fast, it's quiet & its trays fold closed when you're not using it (so the cat can't sleep in the paper tray). epson is the best, accept no less.
I UPGRADED FROM A H.P. PHOTOSMART 7550, THERE IS NO COMPARISON.
THE INK IS MUCH LESS FOR PROFESSIONAL LOOKING PHOTOS. PAPER STOCK
IS AWESOME, MANY TO CHOOSE FROM.
PRINTER IS FAST ENOUGH FOR WHATEVER.
I'M SO PLEASED WITH THIS PRINTER AND THE PROFESSIONALISM FROM EPSON...
I bought the R1800 to replace the an older model, Epson Photo Stylus 1200 and this printer is simply amazing. The prints are incredibly crisp over the whole range of Epson papers. The photos are great and the borderless works perfect. It was well worth the investment for my needs. The only complaint is the Epson software, it is simple to use but it's clunky with too many options too scattered throughout the different menus.
Best printer for high quality printing of photographs. Printing 13" X 19" Collages is very easy and exceptional high quality. Easy ability to print on the face of CD and DVD's. Super quality and reliable printer. This is my second Epson printer.
I have used an Epson Photo 870 for several years with good results. However my decision to upgrade to this printer has turned out to be a very good one. I have been using 11x17 premium glossy photo paper with stunning results. The printer is fairly fast and pretty easy on ink. I have read reviews where people complain about the black and white prints from this printer, but since I have no plan to print B&W, I don't care. If you want to print color photos I really don't see how you can do any better than this R1800.
Just got mine from Amazon 2 days ago for $470 + free shiping!
First I fed a roll paper, and thanks to my stupidity, I had paper jam. I fed the roll paper cover paper instead of actual photo roll paper. Unfortunately my first attempt on the first letter size print was horrible. yellow and green lines all over.
However, after two more of 4x6 prints, it cleaned up the head all by itself and the picture quality blew me away!
The sky color came out natural and rich, skin color smooth and natural, etc., Many review I saw on the internet mentioned they had better prints on high grossy paper than matted paper. However my prints on matted paper were even better than grossy ones.
The printer was very quite and fast. I only used Photo setting, not "Best Photo" settings. I heard that someone say the quality is almost same and it'll only waste ink....
Anyway, at even regular photo setting, this printer is trully amazing.
After reading the reviews here as well as on other web sites, I have no doubt that this printer works great with Photoshop CS. However, I never got a single good printout from this printer using Illustrator CS or InDesign CS on my Macs. Color saturation levels were truly awful no matter what I did to fix them. Playing with Gamma didn't help much, either. I have heard that the pigment based inks used with this printer will by nature print lighter and compensation will be necessary. Perhaps this is true. However, I need a printer that I can use today without spending hours messing with saturation levels and "faking" colors so they'll print the way I want them. No other Epson printer that I've owned has had this kind of problem.
My guess is Adobe and Epson need to figure out what's going on and fix this issue ASAP. Until I know it's fixed, I can't recommend this printer to anyone except perhaps Photoshop users, and even then it's only because others recommend it for Photoshop.
Sooooo, if you're going to use this printer for what it's made to do -- print photographs, and print them well -- go for it. If you're a graphic designer or do anything with publishing and need a printer that can work with apps other than Photoshop, perhaps the printer will work better for you than it did for me but I have to mention that you MAY have problems.
This is hands down the best printer I have ever come across. It prints so fast I thought I had forgotten to uncheck the "High Speed" option. It prints so well that I have heard comments such as "Wow, you wouldn't find better in a magazine!" from a very experienced photographer. As a university level photography student myself, I have to agree. I could "cheat" and turn in my assignments done on digital instead of wet process darkroom if I wanted to, with this printer, and nobody would be the wiser. Not that I would, but I could. Then again, maybe the images being "too perfect" would give them away...
This printer produces such high quality that even with a magnifying loupe you can't see any dots at all. It is literally smoother than most film prints I have made, even at large sizes, and even with very slow films (50, 100). I found the color calibtation confusing, since it is present in two places, and in spite of trying all combinations of profiles and such, only achieved accurate colors when I turned it off.... oddly enough. However you achieve your color calibration, this printer produces fantastic colors that are impeccably accurate.
Gloss Optimizer is positively a brilliant thing, its effects wonderful to behold. Almost entirely removes metamerism.
The ability to print on CDs is great too. It's saving me a ton of money on both ink and CD labels. For this alone I expect this printer to pay for itself within a year under the usage it will get from my business. Inks are about $100 for a complete set, but can be changed individually. The cost of ink and the ink tank size is perhaps the only thing approaching a negative I can come up with about this printer.
I am positively thrilled with this printer. Hands down, amazing. I would reccommend it to anyone who wants to be able to produce images of stunning clarity and quality. Well worth what I paid for mine. I am absolutely thrilled.
I've output only on the Enhanced Matte paper (11.7 x 16.5) so far, and I'm very impressed with the results. I recently purchased a CanoScan FS4000US 35 mm negative scanner on EBay and had a bunch of 62 MB files I wanted to print. The RS1800 blew me away: the color almost exactly matched the image on my calibrated screen, and the detail was incredibly clear. There was some grain in my scans, but fortunately the printer seemed to blend some of the coarseness out of the picture. I don't know if this is a good thing or not, but it suited me just fine.
And I really like the way the printer closes itself up like the ultimate dust cover. Everything gets fairly dusty in my office, and this feature is worth a lot. Setting up was very easy. The only point I'd make is that you need to firmly push down on the ink cartridges until you hear and feel a loud click; otherwise you won't be able to close the cover over them. Don't worry, you won't break anything by pushing a little harder to get that click. And the output tray is spring loaded, which is very cool, but you have to be fairly conscientious about how you push it back in, which isn't very intuitive.
I'm near the end of the first set of cartridges (included with the printer), and I can imagine that the price of ink is going to start adding up after a while. I'm looking into a continuous feed system (can't recall the name right now) that saves a bunch of $$ on ink. Don't try using 3rd party cartridges: I tried the Staples brand in a Stylus Color 820 and the magenta clogged up after I'd used less than 1/3 of it (but they kindly refunded my money). So I'd be cautious about using a compatible cartridge in the R1800 too.
Very happy with the printer so far. It performed like a champ from the very start.
The printer is very easy to install. I have tried out a few types of paper (glossy, matte and velvet fine art) and got great results. I use the paper specific print profiles for all prints. 90% of the images look perfect without any adjustment.
Very useful for getting some prints without the need to go to the lab, and great for proofing of my design projects. See samples at yeestudio.com
The R1800 is the big brother to the R800 (which I also own). The R1800 does everything the R800 does and then some. The reason I bought it is it's ability to make 13 inch prints. I have made some impressive prints with it. It's a little faster than the R800 and a lot faster than Epson's older 13 inch printers; I can make a 13x19 print in about 10 minutes (using the slow print mode). But it's really print quality and size that matters and this printer delivers. I really can't think of anything negative to say about it other than a 13 inch print soaks up a lot of ink. If you want a 13 inch printer this is the one to get.
I cannot emphasize enough how good this printer is! Whether you are printing 4x6 or 13x19, this printer gives Photo lab quality. As a semipro photographer, I have tried different ink jet photoprinters. This is the ONE! With 8 ink cartridges, you can replace only the one that is empty, saving money. And that is only one aspect. You can use 4 inch wide rolls of glossy photopaper and run off all the proofs you need. It also contains red and blue ink as well as matte and glossy blacks and a gloss enhancer cart.
The only thing lacking is a port to print directly from your camera card. But since I almost always make touchups with Photoshop, this is unimportant to me.
This is a serious printer for serious photographers. If you are using a simple point and shoot camera, and only take family snapshots, the R1800 may be over-kill, but if you make photographs to be displayed in your home, or for others, this is your printer.
Paul M.
I ordered this printer two weeks ago, and am I glad I did.
I read a few reviews on Amazon plus did some research at online review sites before deciding to pull the trigger. I couldn't be happier with this product. You have to see the output for yourself to believe the awesome quality.
My step daughter had to take photos of important events in her life to school this week for a class project, so we spent some time going through our digital photo albums looking for pictures she could use. She selected 10 pictures and I printed them for her on the R1800 using Epson 4x6 premium gloss photo paper; they looked better by far than what I get at the photo lab.
One word of caution: you need to be sure that your printer and your printing application's color space settings are configured compatibly for the best results.
I highly recommend this printer for anyone who wants to print high quality photos for any occasion.
Great printer and getting photo quality prints. Easy to use. It is a lot bigger than my previous printer, also an Epson, but wonderful if you are into quality photo printing.
it was my first photo printer. i have been uploading images to snapfish and shutterfly for years now, with mediocre results. after purchases the epson printer, i was floored. i can't even believe how great this item is. the matte paper is just exceptional and comes highly recommended. images are about as close as you can get to the way they look on the computer when you upload. this printer blew away my highest expectations!
I like to think I know computers and understand digital photography... This printer has a way of really making you feel below average, at least at first. Once you take the time to read the manual (yes, actually read the book that comes with it) you will understand what a powerful printer you have purchased. In fact any buyers remorse at the price will go out the window! This thing rocks and makes the most wonderful quality prints I have ever seen. They are photo shop good! I mean online digital camera site good. The ability to print 13" X 44" blows my mind. My wife scrapbooks and that is why we bought it, but when paired with a good photo software like Microsoft Digital Image Suite, or Photo Shop it really comes to life. This printer delivers images that I never thought possible from a home model... and yes as a true skeptic I did a side by side comparison with my Dell photo printer...needless to say my wife and I have relaced all the pictures in all our frames around our home with this archival quality prints!
Last note, don't make this your primary blank and white word docment printer...the ink is just to much and runs out a little too quickly!
The best color printer I have ever owned. Prints beautifully on DVD's.
I own an R1800. The matte prints are outstanding and the printer is quick, but the glossy prints are not up to par with dye based printers. Even with the glossy overcoat the images look cloudy. This would be fine but Epson sells this as an outstanding glossy printer.
If you need a matte printer, this printer offers top quality right out of the box. Be careful using the Epson Watercolor paper because it is too thin and doesn't aborb the ink well. I use non-Epson papers that are much thicker and the R1800 delivers outstanding results.
Although I haven't tried 13 x 19 prints yet (the paper hasn't arrived), my brand new R1800 has printed everything I've thrown at it with an almost perfect match to my color-balanced monitors. The drivers are intuitive in OS X, and I'm getting better prints directly from Photoshop than I ever have. I've included 4 x 6 prints in batches of print house photos, and nobody has been able to tell the difference. (Although I think mine are a bit better, since I can control the output to my liking.) My 8 x 10 matte prints are simply amazing, and I'm not-so-patiently awaiting the arrival of my 13 x 19 luster paper.
This is a good choice for an avid enthusiast like myself.
Being a photographer/graphic designer, I have always used Epson printers and was very happy with my old Stylus 1280 - however, the R1800 completely blew it away! The quality of the prints are stunning to say the least. I would recommend this printer to anyone without hesitation.
I use my printers for reproduction of photo prints and for printing images I created with my Fuji S2 camera. I had been using an Epson 1280 - now defunct.
The 1800 was easy to set up and use and produces a print of superb quality.
I am delighted with this printer!
[...]
This is a great printer. It creates beautiful prints but it takes lots of ink and it wasn't the easiest to get the prints and the monitor even close. I used almost an entire bank of ink achieving this process and I had to remove the PIM software.
I purchased this printer knowing it would be a great printer for small/medium sized prints, and it absolutely is! The Gloss optimizer really kicks ass. The large format Epson printers don't compare to the quality the R1800 puts out, and I should know because I also use an Epson 10000 on a regular basis.
The other reason worth buying the R1800 is that you will astound clients with stunning CD/DVD printing. I've printed on a variety of inkjet writable discs and every time the results blow me away!!
The downside is the small ink cartridges disappear quickly and the banner paper loading is kind of hit or miss, it should have a micro adjust knob or something or a visual aid lining up the paper at the head-stops.
But whatever, I'm very satisfied with my purchase...
I am a scrapbooker and I purchased this printer because of its ability to print 12"x12" paper. Everything I've printed has been top quality. I've completed 3 digital scrapbooks (24 pages in each)in the short time I've owned this printer. It handles my 3"x5" photos just as beautifully as 12"x12" photos. Any scrapbooker would love this printer. Be sure you review just how big this printer is. The footprint is larger than any other printer I've had. This printer also prints right onto CD's (you must buy special ink-jet CD's). HP has a printer similar to this one, but only prints up to 11" wide, and it does not have the ability to print on CDs - and the HP costs just a few dollars less than this Epson. Much more "bang for the buck" with the Epson R1800. Just a side note: There are 8 ink cartridges, and of course, they won't all empty at the same time. So I've purchased a couple extra of each (with a few more photo black). I printed 400 4"x6" photos before I had to replace a cartridge. The cartridges retail for about $15 each - but I found a website that bundles 12 for about $67. I've been an HP user for years and I don't think this Epson ink usage is much different than I'm used to. I highly recommend the R1800.
The Epson Photo R1800 Is everything I expect in a quality product. It does a fine job in turning out a great print in any size mode.
I bought my R1800 two weeks ago and it's fabulous! I've been doing quite a bit of photo retouching in PhotoShop and was anxious to see some of my work in large format. The resulting output totally exceeded my expectations! I was also surprised at the speed at which such fine output was generated. I was somewhat concerned about the cost of maintaining an 8-color system as the cost of replacement cartridges ranges between $12.99 and $14.99, but I've done quite a bit of printing and the color levels have barely budged (and I use the setting for the highest print quality). This is truly a great printer for digital photographers, scrapbookers, and PhotoShop enthusiasts like me. It's an incredible piece of equipment.
I ordered the eagerly awaited R1800 on first day of availability from Amazon. When shipped, item arrived dead. Printer carriage did not move into position, so ink cartridges could not be loaded. Defective printer was returned to Amazon (which promptly credited the return, including postage).
On this single anecdotal incident, I do not fault either Epson or Amazon. Stuff happens. Perhaps damage in shipping. I merely provide this information for consumer information, in case other buyers have the same problem.
My star rating is nominal, since unit received did not function at all
The Epson R1800 is built like a tank. Upon first inspection out of the box, you will be suprised at it's size. Set-up out of the box was a breeze. About 10 minutes of unwrapping everything and software installation and I was ready to print.
The first prints came out amazing. I used to work in a one hour photo lab with a Noritsu QSS-3011, basically the Cadallic of mini-lab printers. The best of the best. I am college student majoring in photography so quality is #1 to me. I would always print my pictures at the lab and fine tune each print so I would get the best. With this printer, I get nearly the EXACT SAME QUALITY. Which is nothing short of amazing considering we are talking about a lab machine that is in the costs of tens of thousands of dollars. The prints that I have printed from the R1800 rival the quality of that from the Nortisu lab printer.
The 8 inks provide a cost effective method instead of replacing one expensive color tank when just one color runs out. You can just replace whatever color you run out of.
The R1800 prints bordless sizes up to 13" in width. It can print panoramics from 4" to 13" from rolls of paper. Imgaine having a 13" by 44" panoramic on your wall! With the R1800, it's just that easy.
The R1800 can also print on CD's, which is a neat feature, but one that I probably won't use too much until I get ready to graduate and create portfolio CD's with my work on them.
5,760 x 1,440 optimized dpi resolution is what makes these prints so amazingly crisp in quality.
The speed of the printer is pretty impressive too. 11x14's in under 3 minutes? 4x6's in under 45 seconds? Yes please!
I believe the best paper I've used with R1800 is Epson's Premium Luster paper. It's semi glossy with a sheer luster to it that makes the color and contrast hold of the paper look amazing.
If you are even an amatuer photographer and care about the quality of your printers and are in the market for an at home studio printer, you cannot go wrong with the R1800. I would reccommend nothing else.