So what can I tell you that you don't already know about the Epson 4800 printer? As I'm writing this - November 14th, 2005 - the web is filled with reviews. Big juicy technical reviews. Consider this a testimonial.

I only do black and white prints. In fact - I make my living doing black and white prints.

As far as my photography background goes, I did traditional darkroom prints, both for myself and at one time for a commercial lab for decades. When inkjets looked like a possibility I went through the experience with various 3rd party monochrome inks, and several Epson printers.

There's might still be an Epson 1280 somewhere up in my loft with who knows what inks in it.

The first real success I had was with the Epson 2200 and the ImagePrint RIP. This combination convinced me that my old Zone VI enlarger was on the way out.

And finally, I began to read about the 2400 and then the 4800.

I watched and waited and as soon as the Epson 4800 was available in the States - or more specifically at B&H - I ordered one.

Biggest problem - getting it up the stairs. Compared to the desktop printers I was used to, this was enormous. I had already ordered a heavy piece of furniture to put the printer on - and when we (the two old moving men) and myself got it up the three flights to my apartment - I looked at the big box and said to myself, what have I done? (I live in a typical, small New York studio apartment).

But here it sits, resting comfortably. A nice roll of Ilford Smooth Pearl paper on the roller. And I can even say - without knocking wood - that I have not had a single problem with the printer since it arrived. I do treat it like my baby.

I made a cover from two large trash bags taped together and I keep it covered at night to keep dust and especially cat-hair (I have one cat) out of it. I set up a system of little obstacles where the printer sits so that the cat can't get anywhere near it.

One well-known issue - the pain and expense of switching from Photo Black Ink to Mat Black Ink and back again. This was not going to be an issue for me.

I knew when I got it that I was only going to use Photo Black Ink and not be switching back and forth between Photo Black and Mat Black. I knew before I ordered the printer that once I settled in on my paper of choice - I wouldn't be doing much switching without a very good reason. Switching paper usually means a lot of testing.

It was no different for me in the darkroom. When I decided that a particular developer & paper combination was working - I never switched to anything else. I used Ilford Gallerie Graded Fiber and Dektol for as long as I can remember.

With the 4800, I use Photo Black Ink and Ilford Smooth Pearl. If I switch paper and or ink - there will have to be a good reason. I am not even using a custom profile. I started with the Epson Driver setting for Premium Semi-gloss photo paper (in advanced B&W mode). Printer Control Management is set to Color Controls, and I've made a couple of tweaks in there in terms of contrast and warmth. I haven't changed those settings since the first day I got the printer, unless it was to experiment with toning.

My photoshop workspace is Adobe RGB and I send RGB to the printer which as I say is set to Advanced B&W mode.



I am not a commercial printer. I don't need to print to customers specifications (only my own). If I was, I would probably end up with two printers. IMAGEPrint does make a RIP that now allows you to put Photo Mat Ink in the Light Light Gray slot and switch inks on demand. Haven't tried it, and don't need to.

Differential gloss - has been greatly eliminated and is not visible under glass which is where most of my prints are headed.

Color shift as you move from one light source to another, I can't see it. Not anymore that I could see it with a traditional darkroom print as I moved from one light source to another.

So you see - this isn't a review - this is a testimonial by a happy user. The speed increase over the 2200 is substantial.

If I think about it - I can come up with a couple of gripes:

- If you do use the 220 ml. ink cartridges (which I don't) - the plastic doors over the ink compartments don't close. As I mentioned, since I live with a cat would rather use the 110 ml. cartridges and keep those doors shut. Also I just don't go through ink that fast - so I'd rather put fresh ink in (remember only b&w). As far as I remember, light cyan and light magenta do run out first though.

- I have had to do a couple of head cleanings. There is an automatic setting when you print a test pattern that is supposed to determine whether a cleaning is needed or not. I have found this to be unreliable. In fact I don't use it any more. If I start to see banding or something along those lines (no pun intended) I do a pattern print out, look at it, and if necessary I order a cleaning cycle.

But this is as much nitpicking as I can do. The printer feels and is built like an industrial strength printer, and that is what it is.

UPDATE: It is now the end of January in 2007 and I can tell you that I have sold hundreds of b&w prints from this printer, and the only change that I would make to the previous section is that I now do use 220 ml cartridges, and that I have had to change the maintenance tank once so far.  I have been printing on CRANE/MUSEO Silver Rag (100% Cotton Paper) since it first came out about a year ago (I was a beta tester). 

I don't work in the best environment.  I have a cat - so there is cat hair all over - and it is a small apartment.  Basically - I leave the printer on all the time - and now cover it with a piece of cardboard so that dust and hair can't settle on it. 

This combination of printing on 100% cotton paper with the K3 inks is very close to the traditional look of say Ilford Gallerie Fiber paper (which is what I used in the darkroom days).