I laughed out loud when you said you would lose your will to live if you had to test all the printers on that list...I actually paused the video so I could finish laughing! I love your videos and they are the reason I can print so well from my Epson 8550, I learned sooo much from you!
Keith you are the best reviewer here for printers and one of the best producers on youtube. Thank you so much for your hard work and brilliantly informative videos.
Epson model numbers are a nightmare and too many very similar models. That said I have one and they may not be the best photo printers, but it has freed me as I can now print lots of photos and have them on display without haemorrhaging money on ink. Love your videos and I always learn something 👍👍
Thank heavens you're still alive and kicking! I've just bought an Epson ET 3850 after about a week of faffing around trying to solve poor print quality on my 2011 Canon Pixma MX885. It seemed to print colour ok but text was appalling and when I got the dreaded error code 200 I decided enough was enough. After a lot of soul searching and recounting how few photo prints I had made over the years vs general printing I decided that the ET 3850 was a better choice for me and my wife. I decided that if I printed a photo on it and in general liked the results but would prefer it in gloss then I could send it off to a professional lab with condidence that it would be good. Thanks for the useful tips on papers in your review of the ET2850 which I think will prove very useful for my new printer. So yes, loosing the will to live - I've been there the last few days with numbers flying around my head (not least prices) and eventually I said enoughs enough I'm having this one. Now all I have to do this afternoon is set it up.
Thanks - if you've not seen it, the main [written] review of the 2850 collects together all my info on it, and includes a list of the icc profiles I created or the review. www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-et-2850-printer-review/
Loving the ET8550 with Epson paper and a range of Fotospeed papers, with their bespoke ICC profiles. A year and a bit into owning it and still not replaced all of the original inks. Used daily for office work and regularly for photo printing. May not be for everyone, but it works for me.
Very helpful! Thank you so much for explaining everything. It's been very stressful trying to decide prior to finding your video. Appreciate the time you took to explain it all, wonderful Job. 😊
Thank you for clearing that out with a graphic overview! Visited Epson´s homepage and quickly got confused by the range of refill printer alternatives..
@@KeithCooper I am really greatful for your videos as a whole. You helped me being confident buying the Eco Tank ET8500. Just got the sms: it is waiting for pick up right now! :)
Hi Keith, thanks for another very informative video. I still use my Epson R2880. This one will not last forever and hope that Epson will come up with an A2+ printer with at least the ET-8550 specifications in time.
Hi, Keith! If I'm looking for a A3 pigment ink (eco tank) printer, do I have no choise - there are only Epson 16600/16650, no alternatives? I need it to print watercolor artworks on a mate paper, not photos. Will there be a crutial difference in quality between them and P900?
The 16650 is an out and out office printer - just four inks From an image quality POV, the ET-8550 walks all over it - but that's with a mixed pigment/dye ink set - water colour artworks are just images the same as photos in this respect. At a higher level, no-one makes icc printer profiles for the 166650 - so unless you wanted to make your own and accept the limitations of the four ink system, it's simply not meant for printing images, where any notion of colour accuracy [art/photo/whatever] matters Also if you were thinking that you could use watercolour art paper for printing because they 16050 inks were pigments, think again... papers for any of these printers need to be coated for inkjet use. I have an example of reproducing a watercolour original in my main [i.e. written] 8550 review www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-et-8550-printer-review/ You can of course put pigment inks of different types into an 8550 when you set it up - but given it renders any warranty void, it's not something I'd ever try.
@@KeithCooper Thank you! It seems, that there are no other way - olnly to put pigment inks in it. About coated papers for inkjet use... How on Earth then they print on cotton paper? Some firms offer that type of prints for artists. They use Epson SC-P 9500, 9000, 20000 and UltraChrome® Inks, that are pigment inks.
Thank you! The Tyranny of Choice! So true. I’m overwhelmed but your video helped explain this line of Epson products My biggest question is about the EcoTank technology. It helps save money in the long run. Any word on how they perform and hold up vs traditional technology? I’ll look at your channel for videos on this question.
Thanks - glad it was useful. Long term testing is not something I can do but the ecotank printers are pretty much the same as cartridge ones, but with different ink-sets
Thanks for the video. I found it useful, but I guess the printer model numbers are different where I live (India), which makes mapping the features you mentioned onto the models available here a bit tricky. Have you done any video on ink tank printer parameters like number of nozzles, minimum ink droplet size, etc? In particular, how do these parameters impact print speed and quality? Thanks in advance!
@@KeithCooper Would be interesting. Since my MG7550 seems to be defective i have to decide. 2850 or a 4 dye ink model. Of course i would kike the 8550 but as a hobbyist i ts to expensive and also to big for my desk. Or maybe i try a new printhead for my canon. Do you think the 2850 can hold up in photo quality with the 7550?
@@KeithCooper Since my MG7550 seems to be defective i wonder if the 2850 woud be a good replacement. Or maybe the Canon 650. But i'm not sure if i want a canon again 😊 Do you think the 650 prints better photos? I have a windows machine. I'm a hobby photographer and print just occassional photos.
The 5850 is a 4 colour office printer - are you going to be making your own printer profiles? because no-one else will? The 8550 [and smaller 8500] are being supported by more and more paper suppliers... Pigment ink is a fine concept, in a good printer, with profiles... ;-)
On glossy paper, reasonable, with a good profile. The problem is that no-one makes profiles unless you buy paper from a supplier which offers them. I make profiles for my reviews, but I tend to cover larger printers [like the et-18100, which can do very well on photo paper]
Hello Keith! I am mostly looking for this printer, to print gaming cards. Is there some specific paper you would suggest for this printer? I want the paper to be as hard as possible!
look elsewhere - I strongly suspect that no inkjet printer of this sort will do what you want - the prints simply won't be robust enough. There are good reason that commercial prints are printed on large sheets and cut to size often after lamination.
do you recommend a good starter one? I plan to use it for color images which I will be rescanning, for experiemrntla artwork, not for archival purposes.
Interesting, these numbers I agree confuse for a photo printer. I did save considerable at Wex Photographic for the ECO 8550, as though all stock had gone, they did quarantee lower price on next stock if ordered. A couple of days later a red post van parked outside and a promt firm few knocks on the door, whilst I on the phone!
I know this video is old now, but I was wondering which of these you’d recommend for printing specifically art and not photos? The title of the video mentions art but (unless I missed it, which is totally possible) you only really mentioned photo printing? I’m on the hunt for a printer that can be used to print digital artwork as prints or on cards, postcards etc. I’m new to making prints so I’m going through a bunch of videos from people.
From a printing POV, art is no different to photos... For quality from this range look at what you can do with the 8550 All linked info and videos from here www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-et-8550-printer-review/ [real detail is always in the written articles - stuff you can't cover in videos] [ BTW 8 months is not old in printers! - YT and it's continual emphasis on 'new' does still irk me somewhat... ;-) ]
Thank you, Keith for another great video comparing the range of eco-tank printers. Decided to go in for ET8550... This is sold in India as L8180... I do have a query: which is the best media with proper profiles for 8550? I cannot afford a spectrophotometer so no question of icc profiling.... How is the Red river media ? Or any specific choice? Please clarify
Hi, kraviindia! I'm very new to the world of printers, and I'm trying to choose an ink tank printer for medical images with largely dark/black background, but hopefully with a high dynamic range (if that term could be applied to inks as against pixels of a display). I'm liking L8180 better than L18050 because of auto-duplex printing feature, but I'm worried that ink for L8180 might be expensive and/or might have erratic availability (as it has uncommon colours, viz., pure black and grey). How has been your experience with sourcing the ink for L8180? Thanks in advance!
I am currently studying design, I am interested in the ET-8550 by any chance do you know if epson does any sales or pehabs to wait for a Black Friday deal?
Hello Sir, thanks for such valuable information.❤ I am looking for big size printer ( between 24" to 36", also should print on sheet as well as on roll) The running cost should not be too much. I looking into Epson because here Epson ink is available easily in compare to canon. My aim is to print art on canvas, matt, satin and luster. paper. Please suggest me some Epson printer. Thanks 🙏
Great video i have a epson xp 15000 love it so far but im noticing how expensive the ink is. I was excited to use it for big 13 x 19 Tshirt and photo printing but cost effective wise it’s just better to print tshirts on 8.5 x 11 transfer paper i do have glossy 13 x 19 photo paper but i will be printing that big less than I thought originally. I’m working on making my own cartoon graphics style card game. I’m printing on 300 gsm double sided glossy card stock paper. I currently can’t afford the $600 eco-tank 8500 that’s a photo printer with six different inks with quality and functions almost the same as the XP 15,000 just it has a scanner to, it is in my budget to get the eco-tank 2850 or one around $250- $350 but i was wondering the photo quality between a model like that and the xp 15000, as my card game is using cartoon style graphics and not realistic photos i think even a 3 or 4 color printer will produce almost the same quality image or something professional enough as my ex 15,000 im just not sure. I came across your video looking for a comparison of a cheaper eco-tank like the 2850 compared to the Epson XP 15,000 but couldn’t find a video on it.
The 15000 is going to be relatively poor for commercial use - those ink carts are too small. None of these printers are very good for cards either, unless you are laminating. Anything called 'card stock' rarely prints well with these sorts of inks I'm afraid, unless it's specifically meant for inkjet use. See my 2850 review for some of the features/issues: www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-et-2850-printer-review/ I don't usually do comparisons - see my xp15k review as well www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-xp-15000-printer-review/
@ thanks I’m looking at your 2850 review now. I appreciate you being so dedicated to reviewing and comparing printers to help us out ❤️ yes I’m using ink jet specific card stock paper. I have official yugioh cards at home to compare and the print quality is great, just I’m having a hard time finding 2 sided glossy 310 gsm or 320 gsm card stock so I’m using 300 gsm currently & then i see 340 gsm but that’s too much for my xp 15000 to handle and that would be taking a chance and might damage my print heads. If you do know. A big photo paper store that has 260 gsm - 320 or double sided semi glossy or double sided stain or double sided semi glossy or a double sided Matt glossy paper. That you can recommend to me. That would help out great. My double classy 300 GSM is a bit flimsy but i read that’s because the texture feel of glossy & if i use a different kinda card stock i will get that more cardboard thicker official trading card game feel to my pints. Happy new year 🎆
@ thanks so much just finished reading your review, so I won’t get the eco-tank 2850 i will aim to get the ET 8500 soon or continue to use my xp 15000 for now until i can upgrade. I can save a lot on ink, but the quality loss. And losing the ability to print 13 x 19 is not worth it plus the terrible printing on glossy paper. Thanks so much Keith you’re a life saver!
Thanks - just one thing to note. It's usually thickness which limits the media choice, not gsm. GSM is often used when talking about thickness, but the two are different things. Unfortunately, thicknesses are not so common in data sheets for printers/papers, so I just try papers I have around, when a printer is here...
@ ok thanks so much! I will go to staples and b&h photo, and feel what card stock they have on display then. I been buying my card stock online using Amazon mostly thinking gsm was thickness lol
I bought the 8500 and I'm super happy with it. Question...I'm printing from Lightroom and using ICC profiles provided from Red River Paper here in the states. I get confused at times regarding the "velvet" setting. Example: printing matte paper with ICC on Lightroom. Do I set paper type "velvet" on the touch screen on the printer?
I do both - the VFA setting is the only one which uses both blacks. The matte setting is different. The profile is used with whatever paper setting it was created with. See my main [written] review for much more about this www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-et-8550-printer-review/
Hello! What is the maximum paper weight Epson ET 8550 could print? Could it print 300gsm papers? Also, is it possible to use pigment ink instead of dye ink for ET 8550? Thanks!!
Weight is not the criterion to check this by - it's more about thickness and surface softness. I put 350 gsm canvas through it... See the media tested in the main [written] review www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-et-8550-printer-review/ As to the inks, you would ideally have to do this at initial setup. It kills any warranty and would require custom print profiling, but it would likely work for a while. People use dye-sub inks in these but the printer lifetime can be decidedly reduced due to the chemical makeup of many such inks.
Thanks - I'm afraid I've never made recommendations in 20+ years of writing reviews. Without knowing much more, any suggestion is about as much use as you saying you want a car and me telling you you need a red one... However... ;-) The fact you're asking on an Epson ecotank video inclines me suggest you start here: www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-et-8550-printer-review/ That's the main review, not one of my supplemental videos ;-)
Thanks I'd pick a pro-1000 since I like large prints - that's nothing to do with the excellent 8550. Presuming I don't have to pay for either... ;-) Two very different printers - there is no simple either/or answer :-)
I'm facing a challenge - a printer like the 8550 would likely serve my needs very well, but I travel for 6 months of the year and quite often, the printer would sit unused for periods of time - something you have noted is NOT healthy for ink-jets in general and these printers in particular. Is there any way to prepare these printers for periods of disuse so that they can be out of service, and then easily returned to service?
Thank you for your in depth videos! I've been looking for a printer to use with my cricut to make stickers on and I am looking at getting an Epson Eco tank but it's very hard to find the right model. I had no clue about the Pigment and the Dye until I watched your video and up until that I was looking into getting a 2850 but have had a change of heart now. While I wish I could afford one of the high end models my pricerange is towards the lower end models, where ET 4800 is the top. I've been reading up on Epsons site and found that the models ET 4800, ET 2825, ET 2821, ET 2820, ET 2815 are all four ink printers with all Dye. Have you had any experience of any of these models when it comes to printing on glossy/photopaper?
Thanks I've not looked at any of those models - I tend to look at photo/art level printers rather than more basic ones. Also I've never actually seen any 'sticker' material which would hold on to ink - all my media stocks are of the art/photo type. The dye printers will print on photo papers, but with 4 colours I'd not expect to be overly impressed
@@KeithCooper Thank you for your quick answer and input! I saw that your videos were towards the photo/art level but took the chance to ask since you have some really good videos with a lot of information towards the different models. Your videos had more information that I've found so far! Have a nice evening and keep up the good work :)
I have an ET-4800 that I print on sticker paper and run through my silhouette portrait and the print quality is pretty good. Obviously not as good as a higher quality printer and it can get a bit grainy but it’s still pretty good for the price
In some east asian areas there is a 6-color dye based ink tank printer which epson claims to be suitable for hobbyists and small photo booths, the model is L8050(A4)/L18050(A3) I think?
I've surprisingly made great looking, in fact stunning, glossy and satin art prints with Epson Ecotank 2851.They are also water resistant with their resin coating. Matt prints really aren't! They get spoiled easily with a drop of water. I haven't made any photo prints yet. I'm wondering too, why Epson has so confusing naming system. I haven't found out the difference between 2850, 2851. Maybe nothing?
I have just got the ET-8550 printer but I'm actually nervous - maybe I did too much research. I'm a pretty good cook but I don't need to know a lot about ovens or how to use a Kenwood to bake a grand Vicky Sponge. Good drivers are not necessarily mechanics (of course it may help if one breaks down, I'm partially sighted so can't drive anyhow). I apologise if posting in the wrong place 😊 What I'm getting at is I arrived here because of research although I'll use it to sell stuff (invitations and the like but I'll use a laser printer and cutting machine too and toner foiling). Printing technologies must be the most complicated things as you might need more than one machine as they seem very specialised 🥴🥴🥴
Yes - my own videos and articles are sometimes meant for people looking for technical details, but who may not have realised the business aspects of what seems a techy question
I hope Epson continue to allow full colour management within the drivers of all their models. I certainly applaud them for this. Canon have a nice range of similarly specced " megatank " printers but their reluctance to provide full colour management in the driver of the lower spec models means I wouldn't consider them. Quite why Canon do this is beyond me. I get that the market they are aiming these printers at probably have no clue what colour management and ICC profiles are but it literally costs Canon nothing to include this functionality into the driver's. If the point of it is to prevent cannibilisation of higher dedicated photo " pro " models then it's a lost cause because I'll omit buying any of their printers and just choose Epson instead! Great way to secure a sale out of me Canon lol. Sure, 95% of users of the lower end series are not like me and you, they simply want a plug and play experience. Those of us on tighter budgets who want to dabble in colour management at a relatively basic level can do so with our lower end Epson's. These cheaper printers could be the gateway to us getting more into printing and eventually, when funds allow, we might part with bigger bucks to " upgrade " to one of their higher end photo dedicated printers. The irony with Canon is that this is exactly the formula in which they sell cameras. They offer entry level models which, once they have you invested in the lenses will keep you in their system as you move into the higher end pro camera bodies. Come on Canon...have a word with yourself eh? 😋
Not only is their numbering system unclear and varying between geographies (to localize inks perhaps?) but also their webpage for selecting printers is a complete and utter garbage. They have plenty of filters, but there isn't one to show the ecotanks...
Et-2875 needs the App Epson Smart Panel to print and it is terrible, cannot do proper manuel dobbelsided printing where you select what to print. It is quite strange deviation from what we normally see.
i have an Epson ET7700 and every black and white photo comes out strongly purple coloured. Every calibration and clean etc still ends with a purple photo. So infuriating and such a waste of ink and paper.
ET-7700 is not a model I've tested However, looking at the specs... Black and white will never be optimal with the limited ink-set of this printer. You might be able to get moderately good B&W on some papers with custom icc profiles, but they will always have a tendency to veer away from neutral in some lighting.
![Top 5: Best PRINTER FOR HOME 2024 [DON'T BUY BEFORE WATCHING THIS]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/ac1QNh7tpe0/mqdefault.jpg)
This is the exact kind of video I was looking for!
Thanks
I laughed out loud when you said you would lose your will to live if you had to test all the printers on that list...I actually paused the video so I could finish laughing! I love your videos and they are the reason I can print so well from my Epson 8550, I learned sooo much from you!
Thanks! Glad to have been of help
lol same here.
I was loosing my will to leave till I found your video....THANK YOU, very helpful
Glad it helped!
Keith you are the best reviewer here for printers and one of the best producers on youtube. Thank you so much for your hard work and brilliantly informative videos.
Thanks - that's really appreciated
Epson model numbers are a nightmare and too many very similar models. That said I have one and they may not be the best photo printers, but it has freed me as I can now print lots of photos and have them on display without haemorrhaging money on ink. Love your videos and I always learn something 👍👍
Thanks - glad they are of use!
“I would lose the will to live”…lol. You crack me up! Thank you for the video !😊
Glad you enjoyed!
Thank heavens you're still alive and kicking! I've just bought an Epson ET 3850 after about a week of faffing around trying to solve poor print quality on my 2011 Canon Pixma MX885. It seemed to print colour ok but text was appalling and when I got the dreaded error code 200 I decided enough was enough. After a lot of soul searching and recounting how few photo prints I had made over the years vs general printing I decided that the ET 3850 was a better choice for me and my wife. I decided that if I printed a photo on it and in general liked the results but would prefer it in gloss then I could send it off to a professional lab with condidence that it would be good.
Thanks for the useful tips on papers in your review of the ET2850 which I think will prove very useful for my new printer.
So yes, loosing the will to live - I've been there the last few days with numbers flying around my head (not least prices) and eventually I said enoughs enough I'm having this one. Now all I have to do this afternoon is set it up.
Thanks - if you've not seen it, the main [written] review of the 2850 collects together all my info on it, and includes a list of the icc profiles I created or the review.
www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-et-2850-printer-review/
This is incredibly helpful, especially with the visual presentation you prepared! Thank you
Glad it was helpful! - I just looked at the range and wondered how to make sense of it ;-)
Loving the ET8550 with Epson paper and a range of Fotospeed papers, with their bespoke ICC profiles. A year and a bit into owning it and still not replaced all of the original inks. Used daily for office work and regularly for photo printing. May not be for everyone, but it works for me.
Yes - an excellent printer...
Very helpful! Thank you so much for explaining everything. It's been very stressful trying to decide prior to finding your video. Appreciate the time you took to explain it all, wonderful Job. 😊
Thanks - I guess I need to update it in 6-12 months when all new numbers appear :-)
Thx for all your great videos Keith. I used your great analysis & info to buy a Canon Pro 200. But now I'm hooked to keep up to speed:) Thankyou.
Thanks!
Thank you for clearing that out with a graphic overview!
Visited Epson´s homepage and quickly got confused by the range of refill printer alternatives..
Glad it was helpful... I need to see what's been added since this.
@@KeithCooper I am really greatful for your videos as a whole. You helped me being confident buying the Eco Tank ET8500. Just got the sms: it is waiting for pick up right now! :)
Hi Keith, thanks for another very informative video. I still use my Epson R2880. This one will not last forever and hope that Epson will come up with an A2+ printer with at least the ET-8550 specifications in time.
Thanks - not sure when we'll see anything at 17" width.
Great review, helps me understand these better, thanks for sharing
Glad it was helpful!
Hi, Keith! If I'm looking for a A3 pigment ink (eco tank) printer, do I have no choise - there are only Epson 16600/16650, no alternatives? I need it to print watercolor artworks on a mate paper, not photos. Will there be a crutial difference in quality between them and P900?
The 16650 is an out and out office printer - just four inks
From an image quality POV, the ET-8550 walks all over it - but that's with a mixed pigment/dye ink set - water colour artworks are just images the same as photos in this respect.
At a higher level, no-one makes icc printer profiles for the 166650 - so unless you wanted to make your own and accept the limitations of the four ink system, it's simply not meant for printing images, where any notion of colour accuracy [art/photo/whatever] matters
Also if you were thinking that you could use watercolour art paper for printing because they 16050 inks were pigments, think again... papers for any of these printers need to be coated for inkjet use. I have an example of reproducing a watercolour original in my main [i.e. written] 8550 review
www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-et-8550-printer-review/
You can of course put pigment inks of different types into an 8550 when you set it up - but given it renders any warranty void, it's not something I'd ever try.
@@KeithCooper Thank you! It seems, that there are no other way - olnly to put pigment inks in it. About coated papers for inkjet use... How on Earth then they print on cotton paper? Some firms offer that type of prints for artists. They use Epson SC-P 9500, 9000, 20000 and UltraChrome® Inks, that are pigment inks.
@@animalista_fabrics The 'cotton' bit only refers to the source of the paper fibre. There is still a coating or ink receptor layer
Thank you!
The Tyranny of Choice! So true. I’m overwhelmed but your video helped explain this line of Epson products
My biggest question is about the EcoTank technology. It helps save money in the long run. Any word on how they perform and hold up vs traditional technology? I’ll look at your channel for videos on this question.
Thanks - glad it was useful.
Long term testing is not something I can do but the ecotank printers are pretty much the same as cartridge ones, but with different ink-sets
Thanks for the video. I found it useful, but I guess the printer model numbers are different where I live (India), which makes mapping the features you mentioned onto the models available here a bit tricky. Have you done any video on ink tank printer parameters like number of nozzles, minimum ink droplet size, etc? In particular, how do these parameters impact print speed and quality? Thanks in advance!
Sorry nothing - I only have the UK info to work from
I wonder if the lower models like 2820 with dye only inks give better results on glossy paper than 2850 with the pigment black? Thanks.
Maybe - with a good profile.
I've not had one to test though.
@@KeithCooper Would be interesting. Since my MG7550 seems to be defective i have to decide. 2850 or a 4 dye ink model. Of course i would kike the 8550 but as a hobbyist i ts to expensive and also to big for my desk. Or maybe i try a new printhead for my canon. Do you think the 2850 can hold up in photo quality with the 7550?
@@KeithCooper Since my MG7550 seems to be defective i wonder if the 2850 woud be a good replacement. Or maybe the Canon 650. But i'm not sure if i want a canon again 😊 Do you think the 650 prints better photos? I have a windows machine. I'm a hobby photographer and print just occassional photos.
@@hejakma4682 See here for those two
www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-et-2850-printer-review/
www.northlight-images.co.uk/canon-g550-printer-review/
I sit between 8500 and the 5850 to buy but i can decide . I Love Pigment Ink. But i Love Photos too :)
The 5850 is a 4 colour office printer - are you going to be making your own printer profiles? because no-one else will?
The 8550 [and smaller 8500] are being supported by more and more paper suppliers...
Pigment ink is a fine concept, in a good printer, with profiles... ;-)
What are the smaller dye only printers like for casual photo printing on gloss papers?
On glossy paper, reasonable, with a good profile.
The problem is that no-one makes profiles unless you buy paper from a supplier which offers them.
I make profiles for my reviews, but I tend to cover larger printers [like the et-18100, which can do very well on photo paper]
@@KeithCooper thanks for that, I use papers from Marrutt on my ET8550, so I'll get some from them.
Hello Keith! I am mostly looking for this printer, to print gaming cards. Is there some specific paper you would suggest for this printer? I want the paper to be as hard as possible!
look elsewhere - I strongly suspect that no inkjet printer of this sort will do what you want - the prints simply won't be robust enough.
There are good reason that commercial prints are printed on large sheets and cut to size often after lamination.
@@KeithCooper Thank you Keith! Do you have any suggestions in laser printers then?
sorry - just not the sort of printer I ever look at
do you recommend a good starter one? I plan to use it for color images which I will be rescanning, for experiemrntla artwork, not for archival purposes.
Ideally needs to be a 6 ink one - the four ink ones tend to be more office oriented
Interesting, these numbers I agree confuse for a photo printer. I did save considerable at Wex Photographic for the ECO 8550, as though all stock had gone, they did quarantee lower price on next stock if ordered. A couple of days later a red post van parked outside and a promt firm few knocks on the door, whilst I on the phone!
A very good printer...
I know this video is old now, but I was wondering which of these you’d recommend for printing specifically art and not photos? The title of the video mentions art but (unless I missed it, which is totally possible) you only really mentioned photo printing? I’m on the hunt for a printer that can be used to print digital artwork as prints or on cards, postcards etc. I’m new to making prints so I’m going through a bunch of videos from people.
From a printing POV, art is no different to photos...
For quality from this range look at what you can do with the 8550
All linked info and videos from here
www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-et-8550-printer-review/
[real detail is always in the written articles - stuff you can't cover in videos]
[ BTW 8 months is not old in printers! - YT and it's continual emphasis on 'new' does still irk me somewhat... ;-) ]
@@KeithCooper thank you!
Thank you, Keith for another great video comparing the range of eco-tank printers. Decided to go in for ET8550... This is sold in India as L8180...
I do have a query: which is the best media with proper profiles for 8550? I cannot afford a spectrophotometer so no question of icc profiling....
How is the Red river media ? Or any specific choice?
Please clarify
Ah, have a read the main [written] review - that's where all the detailed info like that is.
Hi, kraviindia! I'm very new to the world of printers, and I'm trying to choose an ink tank printer for medical images with largely dark/black background, but hopefully with a high dynamic range (if that term could be applied to inks as against pixels of a display). I'm liking L8180 better than L18050 because of auto-duplex printing feature, but I'm worried that ink for L8180 might be expensive and/or might have erratic availability (as it has uncommon colours, viz., pure black and grey). How has been your experience with sourcing the ink for L8180? Thanks in advance!
I am currently studying design, I am interested in the ET-8550 by any chance do you know if epson does any sales or pehabs to wait for a Black Friday deal?
No idea I'm afraid - I don't sell printers, so it's not an aspect I track
Hello Sir, thanks for such valuable information.❤
I am looking for big size printer ( between 24" to 36", also should print on sheet as well as on roll)
The running cost should not be too much. I looking into Epson because here Epson ink is available easily in compare to canon. My aim is to print art on canvas, matt, satin and luster. paper. Please suggest me some Epson printer. Thanks 🙏
P6500?
Yay!!! Thanks!!!!!
Thanks - I need to have a look and see how many dozens of new models have appeared since doing this video!
Great video i have a epson xp 15000 love it so far but im noticing how expensive the ink is. I was excited to use it for big 13 x 19 Tshirt and photo printing but cost effective wise it’s just better to print tshirts on 8.5 x 11 transfer paper i do have glossy 13 x 19 photo paper but i will be printing that big less than I thought originally. I’m working on making my own cartoon graphics style card game. I’m printing on 300 gsm double sided glossy card stock paper. I currently can’t afford the $600 eco-tank 8500 that’s a photo printer with six different inks with quality and functions almost the same as the XP 15,000 just it has a scanner to, it is in my budget to get the eco-tank 2850 or one around $250- $350 but i was wondering the photo quality between a model like that and the xp 15000, as my card game is using cartoon style graphics and not realistic photos i think even a 3 or 4 color printer will produce almost the same quality image or something professional enough as my ex 15,000 im just not sure. I came across your video looking for a comparison of a cheaper eco-tank like the 2850 compared to the Epson XP 15,000 but couldn’t find a video on it.
The 15000 is going to be relatively poor for commercial use - those ink carts are too small.
None of these printers are very good for cards either, unless you are laminating. Anything called 'card stock' rarely prints well with these sorts of inks I'm afraid, unless it's specifically meant for inkjet use.
See my 2850 review for some of the features/issues:
www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-et-2850-printer-review/
I don't usually do comparisons - see my xp15k review as well
www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-xp-15000-printer-review/
@ thanks I’m looking at your 2850 review now. I appreciate you being so dedicated to reviewing and comparing printers to help us out ❤️ yes I’m using ink jet specific card stock paper. I have official yugioh cards at home to compare and the print quality is great, just I’m having a hard time finding 2 sided glossy 310 gsm or 320 gsm card stock so I’m using 300 gsm currently & then i see 340 gsm but that’s too much for my xp 15000 to handle and that would be taking a chance and might damage my print heads. If you do know. A big photo paper store that has 260 gsm - 320 or double sided semi glossy or double sided stain or double sided semi glossy or a double sided Matt glossy paper. That you can recommend to me. That would help out great. My double classy 300 GSM is a bit flimsy but i read that’s because the texture feel of glossy & if i use a different kinda card stock i will get that more cardboard thicker official trading card game feel to my pints. Happy new year 🎆
@ thanks so much just finished reading your review, so I won’t get the eco-tank 2850 i will aim to get the ET 8500 soon or continue to use my xp 15000 for now until i can upgrade. I can save a lot on ink, but the quality loss. And losing the ability to print 13 x 19 is not worth it plus the terrible printing on glossy paper. Thanks so much Keith you’re a life saver!
Thanks - just one thing to note. It's usually thickness which limits the media choice, not gsm. GSM is often used when talking about thickness, but the two are different things. Unfortunately, thicknesses are not so common in data sheets for printers/papers, so I just try papers I have around, when a printer is here...
@ ok thanks so much! I will go to staples and b&h photo, and feel what card stock they have on display then. I been buying my card stock online using Amazon mostly thinking gsm was thickness lol
I bought the 8500 and I'm super happy with it. Question...I'm printing from Lightroom and using ICC profiles provided from Red River Paper here in the states. I get confused at times regarding the "velvet" setting. Example: printing matte paper with ICC on Lightroom. Do I set paper type "velvet" on the touch screen on the printer?
I do both - the VFA setting is the only one which uses both blacks. The matte setting is different. The profile is used with whatever paper setting it was created with. See my main [written] review for much more about this
www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-et-8550-printer-review/
@@KeithCooper Thanks Keith. I carefully read your article and have a better understanding and will do some experimenting.
Trying to figure out if ET2850 is adequate to print on waterproof Avery labels..
No idea - it will either print OK, or the ink will not dry properly...
I don't have any labels to test...
Hello! What is the maximum paper weight Epson ET 8550 could print? Could it print 300gsm papers? Also, is it possible to use pigment ink instead of dye ink for ET 8550? Thanks!!
Weight is not the criterion to check this by - it's more about thickness and surface softness. I put 350 gsm canvas through it... See the media tested in the main [written] review
www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-et-8550-printer-review/
As to the inks, you would ideally have to do this at initial setup. It kills any warranty and would require custom print profiling, but it would likely work for a while. People use dye-sub inks in these but the printer lifetime can be decidedly reduced due to the chemical makeup of many such inks.
@@KeithCooper Thank you for the response! Your channel is really helpful! 🙌
hello, i really like your videos but im still confused, what printer would you recommend to me if i want to make art prints ?
Thanks - I'm afraid I've never made recommendations in 20+ years of writing reviews.
Without knowing much more, any suggestion is about as much use as you saying you want a car and me telling you you need a red one...
However... ;-) The fact you're asking on an Epson ecotank video inclines me suggest you start here: www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-et-8550-printer-review/
That's the main review, not one of my supplemental videos ;-)
@@KeithCooper thank you
Oh my god I can’t tell you how helpful this video has been!! Such great explanation WOW. Would you choose b/w the canon pro 1000 or epson 8550?
Thanks
I'd pick a pro-1000 since I like large prints - that's nothing to do with the excellent 8550.
Presuming I don't have to pay for either... ;-)
Two very different printers - there is no simple either/or answer :-)
@@KeithCooper thank you!
How does it compare to the Canon 300 in terms of printing quality?
'It' - which printer?
The video is about a range of printers...
I'm facing a challenge - a printer like the 8550 would likely serve my needs very well, but I travel for 6 months of the year and quite often, the printer would sit unused for periods of time - something you have noted is NOT healthy for ink-jets in general and these printers in particular. Is there any way to prepare these printers for periods of disuse so that they can be out of service, and then easily returned to service?
Not really - Seal up [properly airtight] in a plastic bag, keep somewhere cool and dry is about the best suggestion I've seen.
Thank you for your in depth videos!
I've been looking for a printer to use with my cricut to make stickers on and I am looking at getting an Epson Eco tank but it's very hard to find the right model. I had no clue about the Pigment and the Dye until I watched your video and up until that I was looking into getting a 2850 but have had a change of heart now.
While I wish I could afford one of the high end models my pricerange is towards the lower end models, where ET 4800 is the top.
I've been reading up on Epsons site and found that the models ET 4800, ET 2825, ET 2821, ET 2820, ET 2815 are all four ink printers with all Dye.
Have you had any experience of any of these models when it comes to printing on glossy/photopaper?
Thanks
I've not looked at any of those models - I tend to look at photo/art level printers rather than more basic ones. Also I've never actually seen any 'sticker' material which would hold on to ink - all my media stocks are of the art/photo type.
The dye printers will print on photo papers, but with 4 colours I'd not expect to be overly impressed
@@KeithCooper Thank you for your quick answer and input! I saw that your videos were towards the photo/art level but took the chance to ask since you have some really good videos with a lot of information towards the different models. Your videos had more information that I've found so far!
Have a nice evening and keep up the good work :)
I have an ET-4800 that I print on sticker paper and run through my silhouette portrait and the print quality is pretty good. Obviously not as good as a higher quality printer and it can get a bit grainy but it’s still pretty good for the price
In some east asian areas there is a 6-color dye based ink tank printer which epson claims to be suitable for hobbyists and small photo booths, the model is L8050(A4)/L18050(A3) I think?
Yes, the et-18100 here
www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-et-18100-printer-review/
I've surprisingly made great looking, in fact stunning, glossy and satin art prints with Epson Ecotank 2851.They are also water resistant with their resin coating. Matt prints really aren't! They get spoiled easily with a drop of water. I haven't made any photo prints yet. I'm wondering too, why Epson has so confusing naming system. I haven't found out the difference between 2850, 2851. Maybe nothing?
Ah, I'll admit that water resistance is not on my testing criteria ;-)
It could be the same printer (Epson has variations in different markets)
Hi, so I want to make art prints using a 300 gsm paper and make cards, please let me know which one should I get?
I've only tested a few,
Of those the 8550 was the best for me
See: www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-et-8550-printer-review/
@@KeithCooper Thank you very much, appreciated :)
I have just got the ET-8550 printer but I'm actually nervous - maybe I did too much research. I'm a pretty good cook but I don't need to know a lot about ovens or how to use a Kenwood to bake a grand Vicky Sponge. Good drivers are not necessarily mechanics (of course it may help if one breaks down, I'm partially sighted so can't drive anyhow).
I apologise if posting in the wrong place 😊
What I'm getting at is I arrived here because of research although I'll use it to sell stuff (invitations and the like but I'll use a laser printer and cutting machine too and toner foiling).
Printing technologies must be the most complicated things as you might need more than one machine as they seem very specialised 🥴🥴🥴
Yes - my own videos and articles are sometimes meant for people looking for technical details, but who may not have realised the business aspects of what seems a techy question
Im still confused! I might need to watch this a few times before it sticks!
I spent an hour or two trying to work it out...
Oh, and there will have been new models since ;-)
I hope Epson continue to allow full colour management within the drivers of all their models. I certainly applaud them for this. Canon have a nice range of similarly specced " megatank " printers but their reluctance to provide full colour management in the driver of the lower spec models means I wouldn't consider them. Quite why Canon do this is beyond me. I get that the market they are aiming these printers at probably have no clue what colour management and ICC profiles are but it literally costs Canon nothing to include this functionality into the driver's. If the point of it is to prevent cannibilisation of higher dedicated photo " pro " models then it's a lost cause because I'll omit buying any of their printers and just choose Epson instead! Great way to secure a sale out of me Canon lol. Sure, 95% of users of the lower end series are not like me and you, they simply want a plug and play experience. Those of us on tighter budgets who want to dabble in colour management at a relatively basic level can do so with our lower end Epson's. These cheaper printers could be the gateway to us getting more into printing and eventually, when funds allow, we might part with bigger bucks to " upgrade " to one of their higher end photo dedicated printers. The irony with Canon is that this is exactly the formula in which they sell cameras. They offer entry level models which, once they have you invested in the lenses will keep you in their system as you move into the higher end pro camera bodies. Come on Canon...have a word with yourself eh? 😋
I have raised this with Canon numerous times when asked, but that's just me...
@@KeithCooper The famous " Canon Cripple Hammer " is in full force with their printer division it seems 😁
Not only is their numbering system unclear and varying between geographies (to localize inks perhaps?) but also their webpage for selecting printers is a complete and utter garbage. They have plenty of filters, but there isn't one to show the ecotanks...
Yes - it can look a bit of a mess...
For matte B&W prints, which is better, 8550 or 18100?
Since I've not yet had an ET-18100 here to test, I genuinely cannot say...
@@KeithCooper I'm waiting for your upcoming ET-18100 review!
Me too ;-)
realistically how many a4 size photos can the printer print? I'll be grateful for a rough estimate
Which printer? - this video is about a whole range of printers...
Et-2875 needs the App Epson Smart Panel to print and it is terrible, cannot do proper manuel dobbelsided printing where you select what to print. It is quite strange deviation from what we normally see.
Assuming that's to print from a phone or something?
They all work with normal desktop drivers
i have an Epson ET7700 and every black and white photo comes out strongly purple coloured. Every calibration and clean etc still ends with a purple photo. So infuriating and such a waste of ink and paper.
ET-7700 is not a model I've tested
However, looking at the specs...
Black and white will never be optimal with the limited ink-set of this printer.
You might be able to get moderately good B&W on some papers with custom icc profiles, but they will always have a tendency to veer away from neutral in some lighting.
Unfortunately you kept repeating yourself, frustrating to listen too. Enjoy you videos but this one not so much.
Hey, it's a confusing subject ;-) - sorry it wasn't to your taste...
I don't think so. I was very confused with Epson's naming system a couple of months ago. This video is about it.
@@KeithCooper this was a good video along with your other ones, certainly appreciate your presentation. Look forward to other videos .