ON TRIAL
critical to have the paper loaded into the rear, manual feed and not the auto sheet feeder as the latter approach will truncate the image, even though it looks OK in the print preview. This isn’t mentioned in the user guide.
Print time at Level 5 (with high speed print- ing switched off0 for an 832x360 mm image on 950 x 431 mm paper was 29:40 minutes. The 6.0 millilitres of ink used was calculated to cost $7.44 in return for a rather sizeable print. At the end of printing the paper will remain on the fully extend- ed receiving tray so it’s safe to attend to other matters during the printing. The two prerequisites for rear-feed printing are adequate space and having the paper well flattened out after cutting down from a roll. Curled paper can be loaded, but it can lead to head strikes.
Job information is accessed by the printer’s LCD read-out panel. By working through ‘Printer Status’ and ‘Job History’, data for the last ten prints can be accessed, including the amount of ink consumed to 0.1 millilitre accuracy. If the graphic representation of ink levels isn’t to your liking, the menu will show the percentage remaining for each cartridge.
Epson’s UltraChromeK3 inks may not enjoy quite the same longevity ratings as the HP
Printing a series of favourite prints and comparing the results from other printers is my preferred way of making assessments. Provided the appro- priate media is selected and all printing settings are correct, the Stylus Pro 3880 certainly turns out great results with minimum fuss.
The Epson Velvet Fine Art paper is 100 percent cotton rag, has an acid-free base and a bright white surface. Expensive as it may be, this paper is something special and would be my first choice for fine-art printing in both colour and black and white when using the 3880. The Epson UltraSmooth Fine Art paper is also a favourite, but its base colour may be a little too yellow
for some tastes.
The Verdict
The beauty of the Epson Stylus Pro 3880 lies just not in its elegant appearance, but in its ease of set-up and its printing capacity. The major- ity of users will probably opt for Epson’s own media and can confidently adopt the included profiles and follow the let ‘printer manages colour’ method. Those who prefer other media merely install the appropriate ICC profile, turn off colour management via Mode>Custom>Colour
Clockwise from top left:
•The maximum user-defined paper size is 431.8x950 mm, but paper must be inserted from the rear manual feed.
•Final print preview ensures all is well.
•The ‘Quality Options’ page allows for the selection of one of five print quality levels plus a high speed printing mode.
•The print progress display includes a graphic rep- resentation and also shows both the printing time remaining and the ink levels in each cartridge.
•Manual adjustments can be made via the Color Controls panel.
•Page layout is the second print panel.
•Print panel.
Controls>Off and let ‘Photoshop Manage Colour’ with the profile locked in.
Priced at $2195 the 3880 is tantalising enough for those contemplating a new or replacement A3+ printer. Although the 3880 is more cost- efficient with inks compared to an A3+ printer it’s important to appreciate this advantage doesn’t come into play until a large volume of prints is produced. Anyone requiring just A3 or A3+ size prints would need to carry out some calculations with regard to the initial outlay and the on-going ink cartridge costs.
In many respects the Epson Stylus Pro 3800 could be regarded as ‘entry-level’ to the A2 for- mat because it lacks some of the features
of bigger and higher-end models such as a roll paper feed, larger ink cartridges and a built-in colour calibration device. But being relatively affordable and far more compact, this printer allows many more photographers to move into the A2 format. Significantly, there are no compro- mises in print quality. 
with no UV filtration) for the Premium Glossy paper is 85 years, for the Ultrasmooth it’s 108, the Velvet is 166 and the Premium semi-matte is rated at 67 years. In album or book storage the ratings are between 200 to 300 years.
Flying Colours
| | All the usual tests we conduct were passed with |
| | honours – and include using various paper types |
| | including dual-sided with back-to-back registration |
| | marks for book work, large prints and border- |
| | less prints. The ‘canned’ profiles were accurate |
| | and didn’t require any test strips. I’m not one for |
| 34 | printing test charts because there are so many |
| variables involved and a truly helpful evaluation |
| |
| | is hard to achieve. There is an improvement in |
| | colour gamut compared to the 3800, but it would |
| | take special instruments to find the differences. |
Printer Type: A2+ format (17 inches wide) for photo-quality prints via a nine-colour pigmented inkset (but eight cartridges in use at any one time with auto switching between matte black and photo black).
Maximum Resolution: 2880x1440 dpi.
Ink Cartridges: Individual per colour, 80 millilitre capacity. Epson UltraChromeK3 VM/VLM pigments. Colours are photo black, matte black, cyan, light cyan, vivid magenta, vivid light magenta, yellow, light black and light light black. Smallest droplet size is 3.5 picolitres.
Paper Sizes: Borderless printing on cut sheets from 150x100 mm up to A2. Printer cannot accept paper rolls. Maximum custom print size is 432x950 mm.
Interfaces: One USB 2.0 high-speed connection
and one Ethernet connection. Acoustic Noise: 39 dB (A).
Main Features: Micro Piezo print head with
180 nozzles per colour, variable droplet sizing, AccuPhoto HD2 screening, LUT Technology, five print quality levels and two speed modes, Advanced B&W mode, auto matte/photo black ink switch- ing (according to media type), head alignment and maintenance sensors.
Dimensions (WxHxD): 684x257x376 mm (closed).
Weight: 19.8 kilograms (without ink cartridges or media).
Price: $2195 (inc. GST). Ink cartridges are $99 each.
Distributor: Epson Australia, telephone
1300 131 928 or visit www.epson.com.au
