Printerville's Epson 4800 Arrives

A few days ago, I was just about to pull the trigger on a new Epson 3800 to replace my now retired HP B9180. Then, Rick LePage from Printerville met up with me for coffee. Among many things, including the new Canon 5D Mark II and the Nikon D700, we talked about printers and all the various choices at hand. Rick’s the perfect guy for talking stuff like this through. Printing runs through his veins. If a device can put ink down on paper, he’s probably used it at some point.

As we talked through the printer choices, especially the differences between the 3800 and 4880 (short story: larger tanks, roll paper, better build), Rick brought up an intriguing thought. Among his collection of printers, including the big HP Z series he let me work with a few months back, he has an Epson 4800 that’s been sitting a bit too idle. As you know, printers don’t like to sit idle. They like to work. In short, he offered to let me borrow it for a while and put it through its paces. All I needed to do was pick up some ink. I think it took me all of about 3 seconds to take him up on the deal. Maybe 2 seconds. Maybe...

Today, the printer moved in. Boy, is it a big and impressive machine. It’s build quality is something that I’m just not used to in a printer. And the ink cartridges. They’re so huge. It’s not like I’ve been working with weenie printers all this time. The HP B9180 is a beefy device in its own right. And, I have used big format printers before, but always with other folks helping out. Flying solo with a printer like this, well, that’s a whole ’nother thing entirely.

As excited as I am to work with this printer, I’m also finding it just a tad intimidating. After all, there are so many things it can do. Roll paper! Big prints! OMG. There’s definitely going to be a period of time while I wrap my head around what this thing can do. I’ve already been doing a lot more RTFMing than I’ve done in a while. The 4800 is simply in a different league than the 13" class photo printers that I’ve spent the last decade or so using. It’s an awesome feeling. It’s kind of like upgrading from a point and shoot to a Digital SLR.

As I put the 4800 though its paces over the next few months, I’ll be sure to report back on what it’s like to use and how I get along with it. I have a feeling it’s going to be a grand time.

Related Posts:

• A Day in Printerville
• Epson 3800, Still the King