Epson R2880

JohnR

So I find that I can get this printer for $379 after rebate. :huh

I'm REALLY tempted by this because I use these printers at school and they really print out well! But, am I being tempted by printer lust or would this be a good asset to have?

I know that it's cheaper to get prints from somewhere else (Smugmug, etc) but the ability to print RIGHT then is so tempting! I could see using it for my client's work and charging just a little bit more.

But is that not a wise decision? Should I just stick to using Smugmug for ease of use and cheaper costs for me?

(If you want to know how I can get it that cheap, short answer is Newegg + $200 Epson rebate)

Miguel Delinquento

It depends on how you personally balance the initial printer cost with the operating costs of the consumables with the value of your time. Include in the latter department the learning curve involved with post-processing for this particular printer (or any printer really).

They can practically give away the printer: it is the consumables you will be purchasing over time that will cost you. Ink, papers, maybe a trimmer, storage space for the paper and new prints. Add to that a calibration device if you don't use one (yet).

I would recommend you first estimate all the time and costs (include postage) involved, and then project what your fees would have to be to provide a fair profit. Then see if that is worth your time. Then decide whether you would like printing enough to do it that often.

Personally I think that an excellently processed image output on a superior pigment printer is superior to most popular outsourced jobs. But to do that right takes a lot of learning curve. If you have the time, budget, skill and desire, go for it.

M

Ekaj

If you print large, I find it really hard to believe that it is cheaper to print using a lab.

CatOne

Ekaj wrote:

If you print large, I find it really hard to believe that it is cheaper to print using a lab.

The price per successful print is a little less to print. So if you're getting it set up for a print and ripping off 100 copies, you're right.

I don't tend to print every day, so if I got a couple weeks without printing I have to do cleaning cycles that cost me $20 in consumables. And then I screw up color management on a print or two, so that by the time I get the first print, it's easily 5x the cost of a lab print. From them on it's advantage printing until I'm done printing in that session.

I have a 3800 which cost me like $1500 and I've made probably 20 prints from it to date over 2 years. That's roughly $75 per 11x17" print, and I'm running low on ink. I'm actually going to sell it for this reason.