Epson recently introduced the new R1800 13" wide printer. A larger version of the popular R800, this new printer offers many outstanding features.

What It Will Do

The R1800 can print 4x6 up to 13x19 standard sheet sizes. It is capable of roll feed, as well as custom size printing up to 44" in length. This printer uses the UltraChrome Hi-Gloss inkset designed for long print life and brilliant color reproduction. It offers borderless printing for 4x6, 5x7, 8x10, 8.5x11, 11x14, 12x12, and 13x19. Print speeds are quite fast. For example, a full 8x10 will print in 2 minutes 40 seconds at Best Photo quality. Not bad at all considering the Epson 1280 does that in about 8 minutes! Our print timing is based on an 8meg file printed on a Pentium 4 machine.

Inks onboard include: Cyan Magenta Yellow Photo Black Matte Black Red Blue Clear Glosser

What is New

The red and blue inks are the same as on the R800 and offer the widest color gamut for a pigment based printer. The matte black and photo black inks are always available, while Light Black has been eliminated. (this is unlike the Epson 2200 where you were forced to change tanks to change between photo and matte black, and light black was always available)

The glosser cartridge is what makes the R1800 compatible with glossy paper. A print is sprayed with this clear coating, which effectively solves the gloss differential and bronzing problems experienced by previous UltraChrome printers. The glosser can be turned on and off, and does not function well with matte or artistic papers.

What is it Good For?

We are glad you asked! The Epson R1800 and smaller R800 have a pretty specific purpose in life - printing high quality photos on photo glossy and satin media. Of course, you can print just about anything on these printers including artwork, greeting cards, calendars, and much more. But, if you had to pin down what they do best, it would be photos on good glossy or satin paper.

Should I Consider an R1800

Certainly! For the money, this printer is no less than revolutionary. Consider this: The cost of an 8x10 print on good glossy paper on the R1800 is about $1.00 with ink. A full 13x19 will cost no more than $5.00 printed! Take the convenience, speed, and comparative cost of a lab print and you have a compelling argument for the R1800.

Drawbacks

Black and white printing seems to suffer under the new UltraChrome Hi-Gloss setup. The loss of light black ink means neutral mid-tones are harder to reproduce. Prints on watercolor media also seem to fare worse with the new ink with noticable bronzing in very saturated areas. The Epson 2200 (we understand it will continue to be available), will be the ongoing choice for users that require the best possible black & white prints, and for users that concentrate on artistic and matte papers. For the price, it is not a stretch to simply own both.

Click to our R1800 paper and ink page