Normally, a printer would not really grab my attention, but this is an interesting looking printer and it has been a very slow news day. The 5760 x 1440 optimized dpi Epson Stylus Photo R2880 is aimed squarely at professional users, but the price , though a tad expensive, is within the reach of the average power user.

The R2880 combines a professional-grade printer head with some good quality inks to produce what it considers to be “exhibition quality prints.” I am not an exhibition quality photographer, so I am disinclined to comment on the claim, but I must say I love the idea of being able to make good looking Black-and-White prints, which the Canon that I am presently using is not able to do.

Often professional quality gear ends up lacking the common touches that make it appeal to the mass market. Not so the R2880, along with the artwork, you are still able to do the little things that matter, like print directly onto printable CDs and DVDs. Color calibration is automatic, which is also a nice touch.

There are a few drawbacks to using a printer like this in a household environment. For starters it is big, as one would expect from a professional printer. While some home printers will handle up to A3, the R2880 extends out an extra 1.3″ to handle 13″ wide papers including Super B; so you are going to need to give up a fair slice of desk real estate to handle it. Additionally, professional printers will only achieve professional results if they have the correct inks loaded and those tend to come at a bit of a premium.

The price of the R2880 begs consideration. While the $800 price range is expensive for a printer, it is not that expensive, especially if you make a lot of big prints, but don’t forget that ongoing ink cost. You are going to have to love your photography to really justify this sort of purchase.

Price: Around $800
[via Slippery Brick]

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