Product Description

Quality performance. Precision detail.

With the image quality of a dedicated film scanner, plus the flexibility of a flatbed scanner all in one affordable product, the Epson Perfection® 4990 Photo delivers a total digital scanning solution.

This powerful performer scans multiple slides simultaneously, as well as negatives and photos. And, with its built-in transparency unit, it accommodates film up to 8" x 10". Housed in a sleek outer case with an illuminated scan progress indicator, this scanner delivers intricate detail, due to an astounding 4800 x 9600 dpi resolution, 48-bit color depth, and 4.0 Dmax. And, it easily restores faded or damaged film and photos with Epson Easy Photo Fix™ and DIGITAL ICE™ Technology.

Features:

• Scan images with precision quality and detail
• Get high-quality scans from negatives and transparencies
• Automatically correct an image when scanning damaged film and photos
• Speed through every scan
• Epson Premium software bundle

Features

• Adobe Photoshop Elements, LaserSoft Imaging SilverFast SE 6
• USB 2.0 and FireWire interfaces, PC and Mac compatible
• 4,800 x 9,600 dpi resolution, 4.0 Dmax, 48-bit color, 16-bit grayscale
• Adapters for slides, film strips, medium format, and 4-by-5 film
• Epson Easy Photo Fix and Digital Ice technology

Reviews (1)

RIGHT from the start
Seldom have I been so pleased with a purchase!

UNLIKE the Microtek scanner I previously owned that gave me nothing but aggravation from the git-go, I loaded the software, plugged the Epson 4990 in with the included USB cable and, using Photoshop as the platform, IMMEDIATELY scanned an 8 x 10 page of medium format negatives successfully.Eyeballing the colors, I did not think ANY correction was needed.I had NO PROBLEMS loading the software or with anything else.

I subsequently read the CD contained instructions and found that I had failed to use the 8 x 10 transparent media placement guide.It worked ANYWAY!

This scanner is particularly suited for "serious" amateur and professional photographers.It comes with negative holders for 35mm, 120 and 4 x 5 sheet film.In addition, as noted above, it will also scan the whole 8 x 10 inch area so you can do proof sheets from your transparent negative file pages.

I also scanned a music CD cover and liner, using Photoshop to convert the liner to black and white, and a 4 x 6 color photo.The scanner worked perfectly on all.The resolution of the four to six point type of the CD liner was crisp.This was a scan as a reflective image and NOT using OCR software.

I have only had it for a week and will update this review once I've tried its OCR capabilities. ... Read more

Features

• Maximum 3,200 x 6,400 dpi resolution
• Sharp 48-bit color, 16-bit grayscale
• Supports medium format and 35mm transparencies or negatives
• Batch scanning of up to 12 35mm negatives
• High speed preview in about 2 seconds; USB 2.0

Product Description

Experience the power and speed of the Epson Stylus® Photo R800. Print brilliant archival quality glossy and matte photos! The world's first printer with 1.5- picoliter ink droplets and up to 5760 x 1440 optimized dpi, this revolutionary performer gives new meaning to quality and detail. And, it provides eight individual cartridges, including matte black ink and a unique gloss optimizer, for professional results every time - no matter what the paper type.Durable Epson UltraChrome Hi-Gloss pigment inks deliver long-lasting portraits, landscapes and more on virtually any media, including ink jet printable CD/DVDs and 4" and 8.3" 13" roll paper. It also prints borderless photos in convenient, frame-ready sizes. And, with innovative PRINT Image Matching II technology, you'll get brilliant prints automatically from popular digital cameras.The Epson Stylus Photo R800 offers groundbreaking quality and performance, for perfect prints made to last. With Epson Software Film Factory Epson Print CD software, and premium ICC Profiles, all included in the box, this affordable ink jet offers a complete photographic solution for many creative projects. Whisper-quiet operation and fast built-in connectivity make it an ideal fit for any home or studio, while high-speed performance makes it the perfect printer for quickly creating show-stopping high-gloss prints. ... Read more

Features

• USB 2.0 and FireWire interfaces; PC and Mac compatible
• Up to 5,760 x 1,440 optimized dpi resolution
• 4-by-6-inch photos as fast as 42 seconds, 11-by-14 as fast as 1 minute 51 seconds
• Prints directly onto inkjet-printable CDs and DVDs
• Supports poster prints up to 13 by 44 inches

Reviews (3)

Amazing to say the least!
I bought my R1800 two weeks ago and it's fabulous! I've been doing quite a bit of photo retouching in PhotoShop and was anxious to see some of my work in large format. The resulting output totally exceeded my expectations! I was also surprised at the speed at which such fine output was generated. I was somewhat concerned about the cost of maintaining an 8-color system as the cost of replacement cartridges ranges between $12.99 and $14.99, but I've done quite a bit of printing and the color levels have barely budged (and I use the setting for the highest print quality). This is truly a great printer for digital photographers, scrapbookers, and PhotoShop enthusiasts like me. It's an incredible piece of equipment.

printer arrived dead
I ordered the eagerly awaited R1800 on first day of availability from Amazon.When shipped, item arrived dead.Printer carriage did not move into position, soink cartridges could not be loaded. Defective printer was returned to Amazon (which promptly credited the return, including postage).

On this single anecdotal incident, I do not fault either Epson or Amazon. Stuff happens.Perhaps damage in shipping.I merely provide this information for consumer information, in case other buyers have the same problem.

My star rating is nominal, since unit received did not function at all

Beats any lab prints
The Epson R1800 is built like a tank.Upon first inspection out of the box, you will be suprised at it's size.Set-up out of the box was a breeze.About 10 minutes of unwrapping everything and software installation and I was ready to print.

The first prints came out amazing.I used to work in a one hour photo lab with a Noritsu QSS-3011, basically the Cadallic of mini-lab printers.The best of the best.I am college student majoring in photography so quality is #1 to me.I would always print my pictures at the lab and fine tune each print so I would get the best.With this printer, I get nearly the EXACT SAME QUALITY.Which is nothing short of amazing considering we are talking about a lab machine that is in the costs of tens of thousands of dollars.The prints that I have printed from the R1800 rival the quality of that from the Nortisu lab printer.

The 8 inks provide a cost effective method instead of replacing one expensive color tank when just one color runs out.You can just replace whatever color you run out of.

The R1800 prints bordless sizes up to 13" in width.It can print panoramics from 4" to 13" from rolls of paper. Imgaine having a 13" by 44" panoramic on your wall!With the R1800, it's just that easy.

The R1800 can also print on CD's, which is a neat feature, but one that I probably won't use too much until I get ready to graduate and create portfolio CD's with my work on them.

5,760 x 1,440 optimized dpi resolution is what makes these prints so amazingly crisp in quality.

The speed of the printer is pretty impressive too.11x14's in under 3 minutes?4x6's in under 45 seconds?Yes please!

I believe the best paper I've used with R1800 is Epson's Premium Luster paper.It's semi glossy with a sheer luster to it that makes the color and contrast hold of the paper look amazing.

If you are even an amatuer photographer and care about the quality of your printers and are in the market for an at home studio printer, you cannot go wrong with the R1800.I would reccommend nothing else. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

High speed, sharp resolution, and economical ink refills: Could you ask for more in a home printer? The Canon PIXMA ip4000 is designed with over 1,800 nozzles that produce tiny 2-picoliter droplets, resulting in finely detailed images that are worthy to save in your family album. Pigment-based inks insure colors will stay true, and the prints are resistant to water, fading, and smudges.

This printer can connect directly to select digital cameras. Learn more about PictBridge.

With resolutions up to 600 x 600 dpi black and 4,800 x 1,200 dpi color, your office documents or school reports will look as beautiful as your photos. Built-in two-sided printing reduces your paper costs and allows you truly professional design options. Top speeds of 25 ppm black and 17 ppm color (draft mode) will have your pages in hand in just a few seconds; a borderless 4-by-6-inch photo can take as little as 36 seconds--as fast as those old instant cameras, but with better quality. Thanks to the PictBridge-compatible direct print port, you can connect your digital camera and churn out photos while bypassing your computer system.

The ip4000 is compatible with Mac and Windows operating systems, and requires either a USB or parallel cable to get it up and running (cables not included). Canon provides a one-year warranty covering parts and service.

What's in the Box
PIXMA iP4000 photo printer, iP4000 print head, BCI-3eBk black ink tank, BCI-6Bk black ink tank, BCI-6C cyan ink tank, BCI-6M magenta ink tank, BCI-6Y yellow ink tank, Canon Photo Paper Plus Glossy 4x6 sample pack, power cord, documentation kit, setup software and user's guide on CD-ROM; printer cable not included

This printer supports a variety of useful technologies:

... Read more

Features

• Up to 4,800 x 1,200 dpi color resolution, 600 x 600 dpi black
• Up to 25 ppm black, 17 ppm color; 4-by-6-inch photo in about 36 seconds
• ContrastPLUS 5-color ink system; built-in two-sided printing
• Direct print port, PictBridge compatible
• USB and parallel interfaces; PC and Mac compatible

Features

• 4,800 x 9,600 dpi maximum optical resolution, 19,200 dpi interpolated
• Rich 48-bit color and subtle 16-bit grayscale
• Batch scanning of up to 30 35mm negatives
• Scan documents, negatives, slides, 35mm film, and large format 4-by-5-inch film
• USB 2.0 interface (PC/Mac), FireWire (Mac only)

Features

• Sharp 4,800 x 2,400 dpi maximum resolution
• Up to 16 ppm black, 12 ppm color; built-in 2-sided printing
• Borderless 4-by-6-inch photo in just 23 seconds
• Directly supports PictBridge-compatible digital cameras and DV camcorders
• PC and Mac compatible; 1-year warranty with toll-free phone support

Amazon.com Product Description

The PictureMate from Epson is a photo printer designed to produce lab-quality prints from the comfort of your own home. With its simple one-touch printing, 5,760 x 1,440 maximum dpi resolution, and convenient PictureMate Print Packs, this printer is a remarkable combination of quality, ease of use, and affordability.

Wide Compatibility

Slots for digital camera memory cards in several formats

The PictureMate prints JPEG or TIFF photos from any USB digital camera and is compatible with both Mac and PC operating platforms. A wide variety of card types are also accepted, including CF Type I and II, SmartMedia, Sony Memory Stick/MemoryStick PRO, Duo (requires adapter), SD, MMC, and xD-Picture.

The printer initially comes with a starter photo cartridge and 20 sheets of paper. Thereafter, you'll purchase PictureMate Print Packs, which contain 100 sheets of paper and a photo ink cartridge with an approximate 100-page yield.

Prints That Last and Stay Beautiful

Original print (left), then a spill-and-wipe test on leading glossy and semi-gloss papers (two middle) and on PictureMate (right)

The prints resist water, smudging, and most notably fading. Epson estimates an archival lifetime of up to 200 years if the photos are kept in a relatively dark place (such as a photo album) or up to 100 years in a frame (see Epson's web site for details). True borderless printing (or bordered, if you prefer) combined with sturdy stock help to give your prints a professional look and feel. A cartridge level indicator lets you know how much ink you have left.

Easy Operation

Simple menus and one-touch buttons make printing a snap!

Other features include a multiple print function that lets you make up to 100 copies of a single picture. A Save Photo button lets you back up digital files directly to an external CD-R, Zip drive, or USB Thumb drive.

The small 10-by-6-inch footprint fits neatly onto your desk or countertop, and the convenient handle provides true portability. An optional Bluetooth adapter lets you print wirelessly from Bluetooth enabled devices. The PictureMate is backed by a one-year limited warranty.

What's in the Box
PictureMate Personal Photo Lab, power cord, starter PictureMate photo cartridge, 20 sheets of PictureMate Photo Paper, CD-ROM, user manuals; Epson Software Film Factory 3.05 (PC and Macintosh compatible, P.I.M. and Exif Print-enabled); USB cable not included

... Read more

Features

• 1-touch 4-by-6-inch lab-quality photo printing
• Remarkably low operating cost, about 29 cents per print
• 5,760 x 1440 dpi maximum resolution, 2.5-picoliter drops
• 6-color pigment inks; resists fading for up to 200 years in archival sleeves
• USB, memory card slots, optional Bluetooth; PC and Mac

Features

• 4,000 dpi optical resolution
• 16-bit A/D conversion, 8 or 16-bit output
• Scan speeds as fast as 40 seconds
• Digital ICE4 advanced suite of image correction technologies
• IEEE 1394 FireWire interface, PC and Mac compatible

Reviews (4)

Amazon came through!
I ordered my Nikon Coolscan 9000 back on June 18th. It arrived on July 13th just as the updated Amazon shipping estimate email promised. I admit I was a little skeptical when I placed the order that I would ever see it, especialy at the price Amazon had at the time - $1804.99 I checked with my contacts at B&H in New York (I order alot from them and have come to know a few of the salespeople) - they said "no way" could the price be for a legitimate USA model. In addition to being lower than B&H's cost, Amazon was giving a shipping date way ahead of when anybody else could promise. It turned out that Amazon was about a week late on their "original" shipping date, but they kept me updated and it came exactly when they said it would.
As for the scanner, it seems to me to be just about perfect. The scans are beyond belief. Nikon Scan software is a little confusing...I might give Vuescan a try. The scanner does make a bit of noise from the stepper motor during the scan process, but this appears normal. Overall, I could not be happier with my purchase. Amazon has never given me a bad experience so far and with the new Amazon credit card, I have intrest free financing for 10 months to pay for this beauty. I'm completely satisfied with my Amazon transaction!

Amazon's Lack Of Customer Relations
I ordered this item on June 14th and have yet to be updated on the real shipping date. Although e-mails are said to be answered in 24 hours, I have sent three without response for days. Will Amazon ever fill this order, respond to e-mails or just cancel the order after an inordinate wait?

Not Amazon's Fault
The supply problem with the Nikon 9000 ED scanner isn't Amazon's fault, it's Nikon's. From what I'm told by our local professional camera shop here in Seattle and more than a dozen mail order firms I've called trying to find one of these things, Nikon announced the ED9000, shipped one demo model to each of its big dealers and that was it. Nobody has seen one since and Nikon won't say when they are going to ship.

Who knows whether it's good or not...
Why? Because our friends at Amazon accepted orders, sat on them with a promised shipping date of July 2004, and then promptly cancelled them after making people wait for over a month. For a company that's supposedly the best around in terms of inventory management and order fulfillment, that's simply a joke.

WORST...CUSTOMER...SERVICE...EVER. ... Read more

Features

• 4,000 dpi optical resolution, 4.2 density
• 14-bit A/D conversion, 8 or 16-bit output
• Scan speeds as fast as 38 seconds
• Digital ICE4 Advanced suite of image correction technologies
• USB interface, PC and Mac compatible

Reviews (3)

Great alternative to more expensive Coolscan 5000
First of all, let me say I am relatively new at scanning and that I LOVE the Coolscan V as a cheaper alternative to the Coolscan 5000 which I have also used. I recently decided to go through my father's 20,000 slides and scan the best ones before they, as many before them, disappeared into the hands of one of my 7 other siblings never to be found again.

After culling my father's slides I ended up with about 750 I wanted to scan. After culling my own slides I ended up with another 200 slides. And after that I decided to go through my color negative collection and scan the best of those as well. Just recently, my father in law enlisted me to go through his slide collection of about 1500 slides since he was blown away by the results I achieved on my father's slides with the Coolscan 5000.

Most of my father's slides, and all of my father-in-law's slides are Kodachrome. Much has been written about the inability of this scanner to scan Kodachrome slides and said about ICE4 not working with Kodachrome. Well, I have some good news and some bad news. The ICE4 does work, however, inconstantly with Kodachrome slides producing unacceptable artifacts in about 5 - 10 percent of the slides. It is a hit or miss proposition. I scanned with ICE (not ICE4) always on and then rescanned if I encountered unacceptable artifacts. I did notice that the scanner ICE feature was stumped by old Kodachrome slides where subjects were wearing shirts with stripes. Those stripes were really butchered by the ICE feature. The difference in scanning quality between the Coolscan 5000 and the V was negligible to this relative newcomer to scanning.

The GEM ROC and DEE (the other stalwarts of the ICE4 other than ICE itself) work on Kodachrome slides as well, but I found that the results were unpredictable and that I could achieve better results myself in Photoshop far more quickly. The GEM ROC and DEE features simply took too long and slowed down the scanning unacceptably. The results, for me, were not worth the additional scanning time. The V took even longer than the 5000, but in neither case, IMHO, did the results justify the time expended.

The good news: The scanner is does produce wonderful wonderful detailed scans, easily demonstrating the grain in the transparancies at 3000 and 4000 dpi. The Kodachrome slides were a challenge to the Dynamic Range of the scanner, but I believe that most of the detail in the shadows that is there was extracted. Unfortunately, Kodachrome, with all of its many attributes, does have substantial downsides including a very narrow exposure latitude and shadow detail is simply lacking. I think the scanner accurately reproduced the information including the colors on the Kodachrome slides, with perhaps a slight bluish cast noticed in some cases. I was unable to appreciate a significant difference between the two scanners in shadow detail even though the 5000 had a THEORETICAL greater dynamic range.

The V was slower than the 5000, but honestly the difference for the non-professional scanner, to me, was not worth the additional investment. The V represents a superb value giving you nearly all of the advantages of the 5000 other than speed for a substantially cheaper price.

It wasn't until I was finished scanning all of the culled slides that I undertook to scan my select color negatives. And this scanner really came into its own scanning color negatives. Don't even TRY to scan color negatives without ICE because the results are unbelievably bad. Even pristine negatives have scratches and dustthat magically are erased by the ICE feature. What a godsend. I only wish it had worked so flawlessly on the Kodachrome slides. The scanned color negatives were just beautiful with very accurate color rendition. But immediately I noticed much more grain in the color negatives (Royal Gold and Fuji Superia Gold) than in the scanned slides.

One note unrelated to the scanner itself. Until you've used a digital scanner to scan your color negatives you can't begin to realize how far superior Kodachrome, Provia, and Ektachrome slides are to color negatives insofar as capturing detail. Even the best color negatives have much more grain that Kodachrome. And the difference in color negatives is substantial too.

The included Nikon software worked fantastic for me. I downloaded a copy of VueScan which according to many reviews is superior to the Nikon software and found that for me the Nikon software was easier to work with and produced superior results.

The software did cause my computer to crash occasionally which was an aggravation, but a minor one when considered against its many attributes.

I can recommend this scanner without reservation. It is a phenomenal piece of equipment. If speed is not a paramount consideration and you are not a professional scanner needing the options (the auto feeder) offered by the 5000 then, in my opinion, the V represents an absolutely tremendous value.

Scanner does not disappoint.
Decade's collection of fading film this COOLSCAN can handle. You can obtain detailed images that are truly vivid, sharp, and better than the original then technology.

Batch scanning can be done with one click on the Scan button in Nikon Scan 4's firmware. The maintenance free red, green, blue, and infrared LED light source is gentle to film. The 4000 ppi optical resolution is an ideal start for outputting A3+ prints on the new crop of large format bubblejet and inkjet printers.

Reading the Nikon Scan Reference Manual in the Nikon Scan Reference Manual/Easy Scanning Guide CD would be your best learning tool to get the most out of your scanner. For the most accurate results, the first thing to do before scanning is to set your preferences by clicking on the Prefs button in the Control Area of the Scan Window.

When enabled, the Digital ICE quad Advanced software works well with most film. The Manual will explain that ICE, ROC, GEM, and DEE will not operate with the optional FH-G1 Medical Holder.

ICE will not work on monochrome film unless the film has been developed in colour. ICE will not work properly on Kodachrome, but will work on other brands of slides. Noise may appear if ICE is used on overexposed or very vivid images. ICE will reduce the overall sharpness of the image. ICE is not not designed nor does ICE advertise itself to remove all dust and scratches from film. ICE will reduce most of the dust and scatches, however. You will have to use a third party application like Adobe Photoshop to remove the remaining dust and scratches. ICE alone will double the scanning time of 38 seconds.

ROC may add colour to monochrome or grayscale images. ROC alone will almost double the scanning time.

GEM alone will almost triple the scanning time.

DEE works best when the image is cropped to exclude other unexposed areas of the film. DEE alone will almost quadruple the scanning time.

When enabled, Scan Image Enhancer (SIE) will automatically adjust hue. It does not work with darker images. In fact, the scan produces darker images. You are better off using DEE to pull out hidden detail in the shaded areas.

ICE, ROC, GEM, DEE, and SIE together will almost quintuple the scanning time.

Unsharp Mask can be created to all colours, or individually to red, green, blue, cyan, magenta, or yellow colours in the image. Deselect blue if you do not want to emphasize the grain in an image with blue sky.

The SA-21 strip-film adaptor only works for 2 - 6 frames. To save money by not having to buy the optional 1 - 6 frame FH-3 film holder, place a 1 frame negative into an empty cardboard slide holder and insert into the MA-21 slide holder. Remember to select Neg (color), and Calibrated RGB in the Control Area before scanning.

Along with a short USB 2.0 cable, included in the package is a Nikon View 6 CD, which is an application, used to organize saved pictures in TIFF and JPEG file formats only. According to the Manual, large files created in Nikon Scan may not show on Nikon View slide shows.

Before clicking on the Scan button, press Ctrl (MS Windows) and the Autofocus button. Then left click on a focal point in the preview image to ensure accurate focusing at that point. You can always change the focus point using the same method, or by using the Focus Tool in the Layout Tools palette. The palette can also be customized to suit.

If you have to use the Analog Gain palette to correct or adjust the colour values for each of the elements in the scanner's light source, your LED's may require repair. The probability of repair to the LED's is not specifically discussed in the Manual.

If desktop or cubbyhole space is an issue, the scanner can be placed with either the top or side vents facing up. Remember to provide the minimum clearances to the scanner for ventilation. The dual wrap around band of rubber feet will ensure a cushioned slip resistant footing.

After using the transparency unit on an Epson Perfection 1670 Photo flatbed scanner for 2 months, this COOLSCAN is the only economical equipment to use to obtain satisfying scans. It is amazing how much the original analogue images have improved.

If you have at minimum several hundred frames to archive, and the time to spend in front of your monitor performing adjustments and scans to each frame, then you will not regret overspending on this scanner.

First personal transparency scanner
Having worked with professional drum scanners (Hell Graphic Systems), I know a little about scanning. This Nikon Coolscan V ED is the first personal scanner I have worked with and am pleasantly surprised. I have inhereted the old familly slide collection and several of the slides are grossly underexposed, or darkened with age. The V ED has the sensitivity to pull out more image than I had hoped for, with very little noise. The provided software is no replacement for Photoshop, but can go a long ways to giving acceptable results without other image retouching software. I am eager to see SilverFast for the V ED however!

The only problems I've encountered is unexpected termination of the program, and mis-judging frame boundaries of negative strips. Negative scanning is a snap, an unexpected pleasure as thinking color in reverse is painful (on German drum scanners).

For the price, this is a very highly capable scanner worthy of your consideration. If your scan rate needs are high, consider the faster version, and a FAST G5 Macintosh. A 1.25 GHz G4 gets a workout on the tougher scans. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Printing professional quality photos from home has become a reality, thanks to easy-to-use photo printers like the Canon PIXMA ip5000. By combining five-color printing and a 1,856-nozzle print head that's capable of delivering superfine 1-picoliter ink droplets (up to 22 million droplets per inch), the ip5000 delivers stunningly accurate prints that should leave professional photo labs a little worried.

Color resolution is as high as 9,600 x 2,400 dpi, with black-and-white resolution of up to 600 x 600 dpi. Print speeds are as high as 25 ppm in black, 17 ppm in color, while a borderless 4-by-6-inch photo can take as little as 36 seconds. The same drive system responsible for the ip5000's improved print speeds also results in a low 34 dB(A) noise level.

Along with a wide variety of plain and photo papers, the ip5000 also accepts envelopes and transparencies. The dual paper path allows you to print two-sided documents or simply store photo papers in one tray and plain paper in the other.

With its easy-to-use USB port, hooking up the printer to your computer is a snap, while a direct print port allows you to print directly from a PictBridge-compatible digital camera or DV camcorder, with or without your computer. The software bundle includes Easy-PhotoPrint and PhotoStitch. Compatible with both PC and Mac operating systems, the ip5000 comes backed with a one-year limited warranty on both parts and labor.

What's in the Box
PIXMA iP5000 photo printer, print head and ink tanks (BCI-3eBK black, BCI-6BK black, BCI-6C cyan, BCI-6M magenta, BCI-6Y yellow), power cord, easy setup instructions, documentation kit (Quick Start Guide, Registration Card), Setup Software and User's Guide on CD-ROM, Canon Photo Paper Pro for Borderless Printing (4-by-6 sample pack); USB cable not included ... Read more

Features

• Up to 600 x 600 dpi black resolution, 9,600 x 2400 dpi color
• Up to 25 ppm black, 17 ppm color speed; borderless 4-by-6-inch photos in just 36 seconds
• Directly supports PictBridge-compatible digital cameras and DV camcorders
• ContrastPLUS ink system for realistic tones and economical replacement
• USB interface, Direct Print Port; PC and Mac compatible

Amazon.com Product Description

Compact yet powerful, the Epson Stylus Pro 4000 desktop inkjet printer features the latest (2004) inkjet, print-head, and printer-engine technologies in order to meet the needs of the most demanding graphics professionals. With Epson's UltraChrome Ink technology, the Stylus Pro 4000 will produce archival-quality prints with high color fidelity while providing consistently stable colors designed to significantly outperform standard-dye inks.

To maximize the use of its ink technology, Epson developed a unique print head capable of handling eight separate ink cartridges simultaneously. This lets the Epson Stylus Pro 4000 handle both photo-black and matte-black inks at the same time so it can maximize the black density on virtually any media type. Even better, the printer's high-performance, one-inch-wide print head produces an astonishing resolution of 2,880 x 1,440 dpi, setting a new Epson standard for quality and speed.

Handling virtually any media type in roll or cut sheets up to 17 inches wide, the Stylus Pro 4000's built-in high-capacity paper tray holds up to 250 sheets of plain letter-sized paper or up to 50 sheets of 17-by-22-inch photographic media. Choose from four different ways to load media, including a front-loading straight-through path for media up to 1.5 mm posterboard. A built-in automatic media cutter greatly simplifies roll printing.

What about print speed? For graphics and prepress proofing, the printer can produce everyday production-quality 13-by-19-inch prints in 2 minutes, 23 seconds and contract-quality proofs in just 7 minutes, 49 seconds. For professional photography, the Stylus Pro 4000 produces photo-lab quality 8-by-10-inch prints in 3 minutes, 48 seconds and 16-by-20-inch prints in 10 minutes, 25 seconds. And, for CAD and GIS, you'll get draft-quality 17-by-22-inch prints in 90 seconds and photo-quality 17-by-22-inch prints in 5 minutes, 58 seconds.

Enjoy the benefits of two user-exchangeable ink modes (photographic or dual CMYK). The photographic ink mode is ideal for any photographic or graphic design project where image quality is important. It uses cyan, light cyan, magenta, light magenta, yellow, photo black, light black, and matte black. The dual CMYK ink mode takes advantage of Epson's Matte Black ink technology to produce outstanding photographic prints on plain paper. It uses two of each primary color to deliver speeds up to 98 percent faster than the photographic ink mode. Plus, exclusive "light black" ink significantly improves the printer's gray balance while eliminating color casts and improving the midtones and highlights for smooth transitions.

What's in the Box
Printer, eight 110 ml UltraChrome ink cartridges (Photo Black ink cartridge T543100, Cyan ink cartridge T543200, Magenta ink cartridge T543300, Yellow ink cartridge T543400, Light Cyan ink cartridge T543500, Light Magenta ink cartridge T543600, Light Black ink cartridge T543700, Matte Black ink cartridge T543800), user's manual, registration information; printer cable not included ... Read more

Features

• 2,880 x 1,440 dpi maximum resolution, 3.5-picoliter droplet size
• Handles wide-format media up to 17 inches
• 7-color Epson UltraChrome Ink with 8-channel print-head technology
• Prints on both sides without damaging the previously printed side
• USB and FireWire interfaces, optional networking

Features

• Up to 4,800 x 1,200 dpi color, droplets as small as 2 picoliters
• Built-in 2.5-inch LCD to view, edit, and print, even from digital cameras
• Direct printing from memory cards and PictBridge-compatible cameras
• Automatic 2-sided printing; 6 individual ink tanks
• USB interface, Direct Print Port, IrDA port; PC/Mac compatible

Amazon.com Product Description

High speed, sharp resolution, and economical ink refills: Could you ask for more in a home printer? The Canon PIXMA ip3000 is designed with 1,600 nozzles that produce tiny 2-picoliter droplets, resulting in finely detailed images that are worthy of saving in your family photo albums. Pigment-based inks insure colors will stay true, and the prints are resistant to water, fading, and smudges.

With resolution up to 600 x 600 dpi black and 4,800 x 1,200 dpi color, your office documents or school reports will look as good as your photos. Built-in two-sided printing reduces your paper costs and allows you truly professional design options. Top speeds of 22 ppm black and 15 ppm color (draft mode) will have your pages in hand in just a few seconds; a borderless 4-by-6-inch photo can take as little as 36 seconds--as fast as those old instant cameras, but with much better quality. Thanks to the PictBridge-compatible direct print port, you can connect your digital camera and churn out photos while bypassing your computer system.

The ip3000 is compatible with Mac and Windows operating systems, and requires only a USB cable to get it up and running (cable not included). Canon provides a one-year warranty covering parts and service.

What's in the Box
PIXMA iP3000 photo printer, PIXMA iP3000 print head, BCI-3eBk black ink tank, BCI-6C cyan ink tank, BCI-6M magenta ink tank, BCI-6Y yellow ink tank, Canon Photo Paper Plus Glossy 4x6 sample pack, power cord, documentation kit, setup software and user's guide on CD-ROM; printer cable not included ... Read more

Features

• Up to 4,800 x 1,200 dpi color resolution
• Up to 22 ppm black, 15 ppm color; 4-by-6-inch photo in about 36 seconds
• Built-in 2-sided printing; 4 individual ink tanks
• Direct print port, PictBridge compatible
• USB interface; PC and Mac compatible

Product Description

Pixma iP90 Color Photo Printer ... Read more

Features

• USB interface, PC and Mac compatible
• Up to 4,800 x 1,200 optimized dpi color, 600 x 600 dpi black
• Up to 12 ppm color print speed, 16 ppm black
• PictBridge support for direct-from-camera photo printing
• Wireless printing with IrDA and optional Bluetooth

Amazon.com Product Description

With the R800 inkjet photo printer from Epson, you can print professional quality photos from the comfort of your own home. With its fine 1.5-picoliter droplet size, the R800 delivers resolutions up to 5,700 x 1440 dpi for exceptionally detailed and accurate prints. You can also print directly onto inkjet-printable CDs and DVDs, adding a professional look and feel to your media.

Print speeds are as fast as 17 ppm, while a 5-by-7-inch photo can take as little as 45 seconds. The R800 can print borderless photos in a number of popular sizes, and accepts a wide variety of plain and photo papers, as well as transparencies and envelopes. The input tray holds up to 100 sheets of regular paper, up to 20 sheets of photo paper, up to 10 envelopes, one transparency, or one printable CD/DVD.

Designed to last, Epson's UltraChrome Hi-Gloss pigment inks deliver photos with an expected life of up to 80 years. The software bundle includes Epson Software Film Factory as well as the PRINT Image Matching II Photoshop plug-in, designed to optimize prints from a wide variety of popular digital cameras.

The R800 connects to your computer via either USB or FireWire and has a 25,000-page monthly duty cycle. Compatible with both PC and Mac operating platforms, the R800 comes backed with a one-year parts and labor warranty.

What's in the Box
Epson Stylus Photo R800 inkjet printer, one cyan ink cartridge (T054220), one magenta ink cartridge (T054320), one yellow ink cartridge (T054420), one photo black ink cartridge (T054120), one matte black ink cartridge (T054820), one red ink cartridge (T054720), one blue ink cartridge (T054920), one gloss optimizer cartridge (T054020), CD print tray and Epson Print CD software, roll paper holder accessory, printer documentation, Premium ICC profiles, CD-ROM containing printer drivers and software (Windows and Macintosh); printer cable not included ... Read more

Features

• Up to 5,760 x 1,440 optimized dpi resolution, 1.5-picoliter droplets
• Up to 17 ppm black text, 5-by-7-inch photo as fast as 45 seconds
• Prints directly onto inkjet-printable CDs and DVDs
• True border-free photo printing in popular photo sizes
• USB 2.0 Hi-Speed and IEEE 1394 FireWire interfaces

Reviews (13)

I'm in love!
I have owned many printers...but I have to say I love this printer the best so far. It's so versatile. The prints on Epson photo glossy paper look like they just came from the lab. I'm still amazed after two weeks.

Prints on coated inkjet CDs are a bit under saturated. Also if you want the best quality and water proof photos you have to use Epson paper.

This is a wonderful printer for photo enthusiasts and the geek who wants the novelty of printing on CDs. However if you do not intend to print on a regular basis do not buy this printer. The pigmented ink will clog the head with infrequent use.

I would give it five stars if it were a bit faster. I still love it though.

I'm BLOWN AWAY
I have been shopping for a high-end consumer printer for my wife for about 3 months now. My wife is into photo-scrapbooking, so high quality prints that last a long time are our main goal.

I had looked at the high-end consumer printers from Canon and HP, but decided against them due to reported ozone fading problems (Canon) and star-wheel marks on the HP 7960 which I saw myself on the test prints at the local retailer.

I was about to buy a high-end dye sublimation printer when I saw some reviews of the R800. Now that I've owned one, I have to say this is by far the best photo printer I've ever used.

It's FAST - 4x6's print in about 45 seconds
It does TRUE borderless prints (no tear-offs)
The colors are life-life and saturated
Pigment ink promises long life and freedom from ozone fading
And it's unexpectedly QUIET!
I've notice NO banding or digthring at all.
The gloss is excellent and comparable to glossy photo paper
Can print onto CD's (I haven't tried this)

Can take roll paper (but no cutter)

Consumables seem to cost about $40-$50 per 4x6, or $1.50-$1.75 for an 8x10, which is a bit high, but not out of line with competitors.

I HIGHLY recommend this printer. Prints made with the EPSON premium glossy photo paper are out of this world.

Fantastic !!!
Awesome photo quality prints! Not the fastest printer for word processing, etc, but certainly fast enough. Multiple ink cartridges helps save $$ on ink. R800, along w/ Epson glossy photo paper = professionally developed-looking prints, that are waterproof as well !!! Can't go wrong w/ this printer. I use it for photo prints, as well as, a general all-purpose printer, which I have hooked up to a wireless print server in my home, for all to use. DVD/CD printing has also worked flawlessly since I got it (about 3 months ago) No problems. Just awesome!

Photos and CD/DVD Printing -- This thing is Awesome!
I have had my r800 for around two months now and let me tell you this thing is awesome (and I have had quite a few printers in my day).

CD/DVD printing is really why I bought it but the photos are top notch. I have printed over 300 Cd-R and DVD-R and they just look Terrific. I also have printed DVD Cases and 8x10 photos that just amaze me at the clarity.

Price for cartridges are still kinda of high (was supposed to be $8 each but they are $12-$15) -- Eight cartridges so if you want the most bang for your buck I think Canon has some nice choices(This can be expensive). Overall I feel this is the best photo and cd/dvd printer under $1000 --

Very pleased
I am very pleased with my Epson R800. This is my second Epson and I am retiring my HP photo printer for this one. I have had it for about 3 weeks and it is wonderful. Prints are gorgeous, very fast with printing documents and extremely quiet. My only problem is I cannot get it to properly print envelopes (#10). Could someone who owns this printer be of assistance? Other than that, it is a great printer. ... Read more

Features

• Up to 4,800 x 9,600 dpi resolution, 48-bit color, 16-bit grayscale
• Epson scan and productivity software, Adobe PhotoShop Elements 2.0
• Scans multiple 35mm slides, negatives, and medium-format transparencies
• Copy, scan, save, and scan-to-email directly from the front panel
• USB interface, cable included; PC and Mac compatible

Features

• 3,200 x 6,400 dpi maximum optical resolution, 9,600 dpi interpolated
• Rich 48-bit color with 16-bit grayscale
• Scans slides or negatives plus photos and documents
• 4 easy buttons to scan, copy, email, or create PDF files
• USB 2.0 interface, cable included; Windows compatible

Amazon.com Product Description

HP's OfficeJet 5510 is an all-in-one color printer, color copier, color scanner, and color fax machine. This versatile unit is perfect for the home office or small business where space is at a premium. With HP's thermal inkjet print technology, resolutions for both black and color prints are as high as 1,200 x 1,200, with 4,800 x 1,200 optimized dpi color printing. Print speeds clock in at 17 ppm for black and 12 ppm for color (maximum, draft mode).

The 5510 has a standard input capacity of 100 sheets and up to 10 envelopes, with an output capacity of 25 sheets. It accepts a wide variety of originals, including paper (plain, inkjet, photo), envelopes, transparencies, labels, cards, HP premium media, and iron-on transfers. Supported sizes range from 3 by 5 to 8.5 by 14 inches (using the 20 sheet automatic document feeder).

The flatbed scanner provides up to 600 x 2,400 dpi optical resolution and 36-bit color, with software-enhanced resolution up to 19,200 dpi. The 33.6 Kbps modem fax machine has a 3-second per page transmission speed and is capable of color faxing. A 90-page fax memory ensures that your don't miss important faxes when you run out of paper, while fax auto-redial, delayed sending, and auto-reduction provide added convenience. Copy speeds are as fast as 17 cpm for black and 12 cpm for color, while up to 99 copies can be made at once, freeing up your time for other tasks.

The 5510 connects via a USB port. Compatible with both Mac and PC, it also comes backed by a one-year limited warranty.

What's in the Box
HP OfficeJet 5510, HP 56 black inkjet print cartridge, HP 57 tri-color inkjet print cartridge, photo and imaging software, HP memories disc creator on CD-ROM, setup poster, reference guide, power supply and power cord, phone cord, HP photo paper sampler, HP photo paper storage bag ... Read more

Features

• Color printing, copying, scanning, and faxing
• Up to 17 ppm print speed, up to 17 copies per minute
• 4,800 x 1,200 maximum optimized print resolution
• Up to 600 x 2,400 dpi optical scan resolution, 36 bit color depth
• USB interface, PC and Mac compatible

Reviews (28)

A beauty, but with a wart on its cheek
The 5510 is an exceptional value. It copies well. Its print quality is excellent -- no support for the "photo" ink cartridge, but that doesn't seem to matter much. And it's surprisingly fast. Scanning looks okay, though I haven't really worked it hard. Having a multi-sheet fax/copier feeder and a flatbed scanner in this price range is amazing.

The weak point is in the software. Installation (on Win98) was no fun. Installing per instructions from the CD, it did not work right, and broke printing. HP's email support (one hour response from India at 1AM EST!) had the fix: Uninstall, copy the CD to hard drive (600MB), and reinstall from there. Keep that in mind if you buy one.

And, most disappointing, it often WILL NOT PRINT OVER A NETWORK. While not a Winprinter (it uses LIDIL), the fine print (on the support web site) says it won't. CS is more accurate: It prints "within a platform", so a Win98/ME box can print to a Win98/ME server (drivers transfer automatically), but not between NT/2K/XP and 98, or Linux and Windows. This is a real pain in a heterogeneous home environment. They really should fix this, though I fear it's a misfeature designed to sell costlier 6610s (which add network printing).

EXCELLENT machine!
I was skeptical when considering an all in one. I'd purchased a nnew Dell Dimention computer, and it came with a Dell a940 all-in-one. I'll be writing about that fiasco in a minute... yikes. Anyhow, after reading reviews here on Amazon and at other sources, I screwed up my courage and purchased an HP 5510. I'll never regret my decision... it's an absolute dream. Setup was NOT difficult as others say, albeit it did take a little while, but good things come to those who wait. I suspect that the reason that people had trouble installing this machine is that they did NOT take the time and effort to read and follow the directions. They are plain, easy, and informative. Also, this machine is for USB 2.0 and not below, as stated on the HP website. It is FULLY compatible with Windows XP, and is NOT loud as others say it is. It's a brilliant machine, and it comes with my highest recommendation.

Right now the best choice for AIO
I have been using a Brother MFC6800 laser AIO and cannot be happier. Recently I need another AIO in a different location and this time I want to try something different - a inkjet one.

Generally I like Canon inkjet printers. HP has the head on the cart (expensive) and Epson has it on the printer (once clogged, must go back to Epson for service). Even worse with Epson: it uses expensive ink to clean head all the time, even if you don't print anything. I have thrown out 3 or 4 Epson inkjet printers in last couple years and that's why I bought the Brother laser and never wanted to try inkjet again.

Canon changed my mind. It uses a replaceable head and ink is dead cheap. So I bought a i350 for $49 and I love it - very good photo and text, and it is tiny enough to sit on the top of my tower computer saving my clowded room. But Canon AIO such as MP360 looks so ugly to me (my 12-yr old and some reveiwers said it is the coolest though), and its prints are too wet (i.e. drinks ink).

I considered the Brother MFC3840CN for its built-in network and separated color carts for only $199. But after playing it in a store, I found it was like Epson: once there is a paper jam, ink fluds to everywhere; head is fixed to printer; text prints are no compare to HP.

So, I turned to HP and tried the PSC 1210 for $99. The main problem is speed: way too slow for my old 266MHz laptop. Draft mode is fast enough but quality is not good enough. The $150 1350 has more modes to choose from and the fast normal mode (300x300) is fast and good enough. But, this 5510 is only $30 more than 1350, just slightly wider (1 to 2 inches) but has everything - ADF, Fax, etc.

Seems HP has realised its crappy software, so now there is an option for driver-only installation. I downloaded and installed the 40GB driver-only file from HP website and I can use all the functions without problem (printing, scanning, etc.) and I do can share the printer between my XP/2000 PCs.

Although Canon inks are much cheaper, but I think the HP ink will last much longer, especially I use mostly black ink only and fast normal mode. I also compared 5510 to PSC 2175 and it seems to me 5510 uses much less ink.

As long as the ink will last long enough, I'd say this 5510 is currently the best choice for its compactness (very light too), good price ($175 @ Staples), very quiet printing (very loud at loading though), superb graphics and text prints (better than all others I've tried in stores), speed (especially @ 300x300) and full features (fax, ADF).

Virtual Memory Hack for Mac
upgrading my hp 5100, at my home away from home, office depot, it did not print after print spooling -- so i went to the phones

surprisingly, a HP phone tech gave me the solution to get that sucker shaking again -- bump up the virtual memory to 512Mb (on a G3 B&W w/128Mb RAM

the flat bed scanner table is very handy and fast print is almost all i ever need -- well, that and world peace and a job with low accountabiility and high pay...

No USB cable supplied with this printer!
Nice printer. But be aware, HP does NOT supply a USB cable with this printer. It's an "optional accessory", never mind the fact that there is only a USB connector and no other way to get all those little bits into the printer. So you'd better buy one or have one before you eagerly open up the box only to find you can't use the d--- thing without a trip to the store...OTOH there were TWO power cables in the box, LOL... ... Read more

Features

• 4,000 dpi optical resolution, 4.8 density
• 16-bit A/D conversion, 8 or 16-bit output
• Preview scans in 11 seconds, full scans as fast as 20 seconds
• Digital ICE4 Advanced suite of image correction technologies
• USB interface, PC and Mac compatible

Reviews (4)

Works beautifully, although slower than you might expect
I am using this product almost exclusively for slide scanning, so my comments only apply to that aspect of this product.

If you are like me and wondering whether you should suffer through using a consumer level slide scanner or fork out the dough for this one, then the quality this produces when scanning dark slides should be enough to convince you alone. And that's just the beginning. I've used consumer level scanners before and no amount of tweaking or photoshop'ing can match the quality the Coolscan 5000 produces. For professionals, this is of course a no brainer, but for semi-professional folks like me, this is a major investment, and I needed some convincing that it would be worth it. I am now convinced.

Don't put too much stock into the scan times (and feed times for the sf-210 auto feeder). These times are without any Digital ICE, auto exposure, auto focus, etc. However, I have found if you do not use these features, you are wasting your time. After much tweaking to get all the settings such that the final result looked just like the original slide, I am looking at about 1 minute and 30 seconds per slide using the sf-210 (AMD 2.2 Ghz 1GB Ram, scanning at 2000 dpi)

I have found that without tweaking, you get a bluish hue (although a little less so for Kodachrome slides). I have turned red up +20 and blue down +20 (green at 0) and to me, this seems to give the best results (ymmv).

Use the digital ice features!!! They are simply amazing. The dust and scratch removal is phenomenal. The grain removal is also wonderful - and it keeps the picture sharp much more so than using a software filter like those found in Photoshop. Personally, I set the Digital ROC (color restoration and correction) to 0 because it is too unpredictable.

Lastly, use a bright, high quality LCD monitor! You would be amazed at the difference this can make when doing color matching, especially on dark pictures. I was astonished to see the difference.

When you take the above into consideration, this scanner is superb. Plan on spending a few hours getting your settings just right, but after that, sit back and enjoy. I've done 8x10 prints of my slides (scanned at 2000 dpi) that are just beautiful. It is near impossible to match the luminance and beauty of a projected slide, but the Coolscan 5000 does a darn good job.

An outstanding, if imperfect, scanner.
First of all, let me say I am a neophyte when it comes to scanning. My mother passed away recently and I wanted to go through my father's 20,000 slides and scan the best ones before they, as many before them, disappeared into the hands of one of my 7 other siblings never to be found again.

After culling my father's slides I ended up with about 750 I wanted to scan. After culling my own slides I ended up with another 200 slides. And after that I decided to go through my color negative collection and scan the best of those as well. A daunting project! But honestly well worth the effort.

Most of my father's slides are Kodachrome. Much has been written about the inability of this scanner to scan Kodachrome slides and said about ICE4 not working with Kodachrome. Well, I have some good news and some bad news. The ICE4 does work, however, inconstantly with Kodachrome slides producing unacceptable artifacts in about 5 - 10 percent of the slides. It is a hit or miss proposition. I scanned with ICE (not ICE4) always on and then rescanned if I encountered unacceptable artifacts. I did notice that the scanner ICE feature was stumped by old Kodachrome slides where subjects were wearing shirts with stripes. Those stripes were really butchered by the ICE feature.

The GEM ROC and DEE (the other stalwarts of the ICE4 other than ICE itself) work on Kodachrome slides as well, but I found that the results were unpredictable and that I could achieve better results myself in Photoshop far more quickly. The GEM ROC and DEE features simply took too long and slowed down the scanning unacceptably. The results, for me, were not worth the additional scanning time.

The good news: The scanner is fast and does produce wonderful wonderful detailed scans, easily demonstrating the grain in the transparancies at 3000 and 4000 dpi. The Kodachrome slides were a challenge to the Dynamic Range of the scanner, but I believe that most of the detail in the shadows that is there was extracted. Unfortunately, Kodachrome, with all of its many attributes, does have substantial downsides including a very narrow exposure latitude and shadow detail is simply lacking. I think the scanner accurately reproduced the information including the colors on the Kodachrome slides, with perhaps a slight bluish cast noticed in some cases.

It wasn't until I was finished scanning all of the culled slides that I undertook to scan my select color negatives. And this scanner really came into its own scanning color negatives. Don't even TRY to scan color negatives without ICE because the results are unbelievably bad. Even pristine negatives have scratches and pit marks that magically are erased by the ICE feature. What a godsend. I only wish it had worked so flawlessly on the Kodachrome slides. The scanned color negatives were just beautiful with very accurate color rendition. But immediately I noticed much more grain in the color negatives (Royal Gold and Fuji Superia Gold) than in the scanned slides.

One note unrelated to the scanner itself. Until you've used a digital scanner to scan your color negatives you can't begin to realize how far superior Kodachrome, Provia, and Ektachrome slides are to color negatives insofar as capturing detail. Even the best color negatives have much more grain that Kodachrome. And the difference in color negatives is substantial too.

The included Nikon software worked fantastic for me. I downloaded a copy of VueScan which according to many reviews is superior to the Nikon software and found that for me the Nikon software was easier to work with and produced superior results.

The software did cause my computer to crash occasionally which was an aggravation, but a minor one when considered against its many attributes.

I can recommend this scanner without reservation. It is a phenomenal piece of equipment.

Best 35mm film scanner under $50,000
The previous generation (CS IV and CS 4000) were hard to top, but Nikon did it yet again. Scans are smooth and gorgeous, color accuracy (provided your monitor is calibrated) is unrivaled and the updated ICE4 including DEE are a blessing. In fact the scans are so good that I have started to prefer CS5000 scans from well exposed Fuji Provia 100F or Astia 100F slides than images from a 6MP DSLR. Hard to believe but thats true.

Did I mention scanning speed ? I timed a 4000 DPI scan with digital ICE turned off, on a P4 2.6Ghz with 1 GB ram and USB2. It took 17 seconds from begining to end (excluding autofocus and auto exposure). Thats right. Actually three seconds faster than Nikon's claim of 20 sec. Beat that Minolta.

IMO the next step up can only be a $50K HowTek drum scanner ;)

Fantastic, great for Slides!
I am glad I waited to purchase this scanner; it's an updated version with Digital Ice 4, and for A LOT less than the previous model.

I also purchased the automated Slide feeder with this, and it is nothing short of a miracle! The Digital ROC and Digital ICE is unbelievable with old slides, particularly Kodachromes. There are plenty of customizable enhancement settings to keep me busy for a long time.

I use this for business; this scanner will pay for itself with one bulk slide scanning order.

Love it, love it! ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Epson's Stylus Photo 1280S is a large format, photo-quality printer perfect for a wide variety of professional and home uses. With a high 2,880 x 720 dpi resolution, six-color ink palette, and Epson's Micro Piezo inkjet technology, the 1280S produces exceptionally crisp and detailed prints. This printer also offers BorderFree printing--the image goes right to the edge of the paper.

Supported photo sizes include 4-by-6, 5-by-7, 8-by-10, letter, 11-by-14, and 13-by-19 inches. A wide variety of paper types are also supported, including photo papers, roll papers (with included roll paper holder), inkjet transparencies, self-adhesive sheets, greeting cards, banner paper, labels, and envelopes. Media sizes range from 3-by-5 cards up to large-format 13-by-44-inch posters. Epson claims that when stored under normal conditions, images are water and light resistant for up to 25 years.

Compatible with both Mac and PC platforms, the 1280S's software bundle comes with both Epson's Film Factory and Adobe's Photoshop Elements 2.0 to help users get the best possible prints. Epson also provides a one-year limited warranty.

What's in the Box
Epson Stylus Photo 1280 inkjet printer, one black ink cartridge (T007201), one color ink cartridge (T009201), roll paper holder accessory, printer documentation, Epson Software Film Factory, PRINT Image Matching Plug-In for Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Photoshop Elements 2.0; cable not included ... Read more

Features

• 6-color photo ink system
• True borderless photo printing in 6 popular sizes
• 2,880 x 720 dpi maximum resolution
• 4-picoliter variable-sized ink droplets for fine detail
• USB and parallel interfaces; PC and Mac compatible

Reviews (21)

One of the best Photo Printers Available
I've read all the prior reviews with interest. I bought my 1280 over a year ago based on reviews on several well known and trusted Digital Photography sites. I have been very pleased with the output of this printer. Yes, the printer takes more work to get a really GOOD print then the HPs. But then I have the HP printers also and they do not measure to pure quality of print. Yes, the ink cartridges are small and do not last long if you print alot of 8x10, 13x19 like I do. But, for 250 bucks you can buy a CIS (continual inking system) that pays for itself in 3 months. Yes, the Epson ink will jam the heads IF you do not use the printer at least once every few days. Again, the printer is for PHOTOGRAPHS, not text, not the occasional print job and certainly not the occasional picture. This printer is for the professional or serious amateur photographer. I have seen alot of prints from other printers and even with the flaws, this printer is the best. I wish a few things. Epson would update the drivers more often. The supplied software is marginally usable and they ding you 30 bucks for the real package. At 400 dollars for a printer, Epson could have given us the software given the price tag of the ink cartridges. I have run Epson, Illford and Inkjetart paper through this printer will very good success.

Excellent Quality but Helps to Know What You're Doing
I have used the 1280 for about a year-and-a-half, mainly to print fine art photographs in large format. I use a quad black ink set from Lyson, rather than Epson inks. The machine absolutely delivers. It is consistent, reliable, and has remarkable paper handling ability.

The head does have a propensity for clogging, since it is permanently attached to the printer and does not get replaced with each cartridge. However, I have found that cleaning the storage cap (right side, parked position) from time to time (with lint-free cloth!) helps. I also print a small full-gamut image once a week, if I am not cranking out the big stuff.

Always check a company's web site for updated drivers when installing! My drivers (XP Pro/Presario) have been well-mannered. Also, if you aren't satisfied with the image, keep testing the profiles that come with the 1280. Be patient. It took me a while to get the right combination, even though Lyson provided profiles for its own ink set. But once I got it, I was off to the races.

I am about to start printing fine art color, and for that I will buy a second 1280. Call me satisfied.

I just got it...
I just set up my new Epson Stylus 1280 printer. It works great with my iMac computer. The only drawback I can see is that I was looking for a printer that used separate cartridges, and this one doesn't. Otherwise, it prints beautiful pictures, although I like the ones I printed on the Matte paper better than the ones I printed on the Glossy paper. It prints great documents, too. I think I'll keep it, for awhile.

Save your $$
These inkjets are OK but you can get superior results at a cheaper cost by taking your digital images to someplace like Walmart or CVS or Walgreens. Ink is way over-priced and the photos are not as good as what you can get elsewhere.

Driver issues and OS 10.3.3
I have been using this printer for about 2 years now with a Dual PowerMac G4 with 1GB RAM. Most of the time it delivers good prints, therefore it receives at least 2 stars. I said most of the time because the printer works a bit unpredictably. On upgrading to OS 10.3.3 and upgrading the driver to 1.6bA (release date March 6, 2004), the printer refuses to finish prints once they begin. I have been printing 13x19 pages and it works fine about 50% through the document. It will then stall, stop the print, extract the paper, put the print on hold and when you go to the printer utility to the start print button, it will print from the beginning again and stall midway.
I contacted Epson about the situation and they emailed me back with their copy and paste email response with the generic (condenesed version): go to the macintosh HD and delete your Epson Driver Folder and go to support.epson.com and download the driver, follow the instructions and reinstall. And of course, it did not work. The problems persist which means the printer is not compatible yet with OS 10.3 no matter how much Epson swears it does. I have resent Epson emails and they have not responded. ... Read more