Epson Stylus pro 4880 A2 - Large format printer
This page contains specific Epson Stylus Pro SP 4880 info that we get.
We hope to have a full review of the 4880 later this year to complement our review of the 3800
Latest articles (not rumours... :-) on our site: >> Spyder3 Print V3.5 review The latest ICC printer profiling system from Datacolor (aka ColorVision) is reviewed. Featuring faster operation and a wide range of profile generation options, it can be used for building printer profiles for colour and (with additional measurements) Black and White printing. For more experienced users it offers multiple version profile building (from the same set of measurements) and profile editing.
November 2007 The new inks in the 4880 are not quite the same as in the 11880. See the 11880 page for details, along with why the newest inks won't go in your older printer.
August
Some additional info about the new printers, in that Mac OS X 10.5 'Leopard' (due in October) will feature a 16 bit printing subsystem.
The new x880 series printers will have drivers that can take advantage of this feature. The normal print driver (say with Photoshop or Lightroom) can send a 16 bit data stream to the printer.
July18th An Epson UK PR
The 4880 - note the 8 inks
The new vivid Magenta inks offer a larger gamut than the existing K3 inks. The new inks can now reach process colours such as Rhodamine Red and Reflex Blue that were previously hard to match for ink jet prints.
- note that you cannot use the new (more viscous) inks in older printers
Stylus Pro 4880 200ml ink cartridges
| C13T614800 |
Matte
Black 220ml |
| C13T606100 |
Photo
Black 220ml |
| C13T606700 |
Light
Black 220ml |
| C13T606900 |
Light
Light Black 220ml |
| C13T606200 |
Cyan
220ml |
| C13T606500 |
Light
Cyan 220ml |
| C13T606300 |
Vivid
Magenta 220ml |
| C13T606600 |
Vivid
Light Magenta 220ml |
| C13T606400 |
Yellow
220ml |
| Epson UK Press Release
Epson® breakthrough in pigment ink technology features in new large format printer range
The Epson Stylus Pro 4880, 7880 and 9880 feature Epson’s breakthrough pigment ink technology, UltraChrome K3 ink with Vivid Magenta and improved image processing. They provide an enhanced colour gamut and superior tonal gradation, ideal for the professional in the proofing, photography, fine art and graphics markets.
17 July 2007 Epson launches three new large format, eight-colour professional production printers. They are the 17” (A2+) Epson Stylus Pro 4880, 24” (A1+) Stylus Pro 7880 and 44” (B0+) Stylus Pro 9880. Each features Epson UltraChrome K3 ink with Vivid Magenta technology, the latest development in pigment chemistry, which offers a wide colour gamut and unrivalled image quality from an 8-colour inkset.
Epson’s new large format range provides the highest quality output that is required for the fine art, photography and proofing markets. A new Ethernet interface is included as standard and delivers fast, efficient connectivity and data transfer speeds. The improved printhead further enhances image quality and when combined with Epson’s Super Halftone Technology, a new screening algorithm, it delivers sharp detail and accurate colour reproduction.
The Epson large format printer range offers superior media flexibility and is compatible with a wide range of Epson paper up to 1.5mm in thickness. Glossy paper, matte paper, matte board, fine art paper and plain paper are all supported. The Epson Stylus Pro 4880, 7880 and Stylus Pro 9880 include a roll holder and cut sheet support, as standard. The Epson Stylus Pro 4880 also features a paper cassette feed mechanism for high-volume production on cut sheet paper from A4 (Letter) to 17” (A2+) wide. Also new is an enhanced cutting sequence delivering a faster and more productive printing workflow.
The UltraChrome K3 with Vivid Magenta further expands the already wide colour gamut of UltraChrome K3 and is a breakthrough in pigment chemistry. The full inkset includes nine ink cartridges: photo black, matte black, light black, light light black, cyan, light cyan, yellow, vivid magenta and vivid light magenta. The two magenta inks use new high-density pigments that create more vibrant colour, especially blues and magenta, for example those found in seascapes or landscapes.
The UltraChrome K3 ink with Vivid Magenta, enables superb grey balance and precise colour without any colour cast. It also maintains the superior features of the UltraChrome K3 ink such as great colour accuracy of neutral and dark colours, excellent short-term colour stability and smooth tonal gradation from shadow to light. The issue of metamerism is virtually eliminated with this new inkset. The permanent Epson Micro Piezo printhead also offers unrivalled consistency in each print. Every print will be the same as the first, even if the artwork is printed months apart, making it ideal for studios producing limited edition print runs.
Also included is the Epson Super Halftone technology, a new image processing engine for dot mapping. It enhances the image detail that may be lost in low resolution images. A new mapping algorithm reduces the graininess at both low and high resolution. The end result delivers smooth images with more accurate colour representation.
Epson is also launching MyEpsonprinter.eu. This new online portal allows Epson Stylus Pro owners to retrieve up-to-the-minute technical information and monitor the performance of each printer. The secure website allows users to view print job activity, hardware information and historical data, and tracks key performance indicators such as cost of ownership and cost per print. MyEpsonprinter.eu can also be accessed remotely by service contractors to quickly identify the cause and scope of any queries, which saves time in unnecessary call-out fees.
Epson Stylus Pro series key features summary:
Consistent output with Epson Micro Piezo printhead technology
High-density Epson UltraChrome K3 with Vivid Magenta Ink Technology
Image processing with Epson Super Halftone Screening Technology
Maximum resolution of 2880 x 1440 dpi
Individual high-capacity ink cartridges 110ml or 220ml
Professional media handling at a width of 44”, 24” or 17” in roll and cut sheet mode
BorderFree roll printing from 8” up to 44” wide
Print on media up to 1.5 mm thick poster board
Built-in automatic media cutting system
High-performance print engine speeds
Standard USB 2.0 and 10/100 Ethernet interface
User-friendly back lit LCD control panel
MyEpson Printer network compatible
Pressurised ink cartridge technology for Stylus Pro 7880 and Stylus Pro 9880
Cassette feed mechanism for Stylus Pro 4880
Optional take-up unit for Stylus Pro 9880
Stylus Pro 9880 (B0+) RRP excluding VAT £4495 available September 2007
Stylus Pro 7880 (A1+) RRP excluding VAT £2395 available September 2007
Stylus Pro 4880 (A2+) RRP excluding VAT £1495 available September 2007
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14th Google supplies the original SCP info, along with the correct date for the release - 19th July...
13th Will the new 4880 have the -option- of a ($1500) built in spectrophotometer, like the HP Z3100? Maybe only for the bigger 7880, 9880 and 11880
11th It's a 4450 and 4880 for September - see main printer news page
The 4450 is the 'high speed' equivalent with just CMYK inks (x2)
Stylus pro 4800 info for comparison
Downloadable product brochure (UK) is at http://www.epson.co.uk/products/inkjet_printers/Stylus_PRO_4800.htm
Photo black or Matt Black, Light black, Light light black, Cyan, Magenta, Light cyan, Light magenta, Yellow
Uses K3 Ultrachrome inks and rather ominously says that -only- 4800 cartridges can be used (110 and 220ml)
Note that this is not the same as the inks in the R800 and R1800 where there is red and blue, along with the gloss optimiser
On the B/W side the driver offers neutral, cool, warm and sepia toning options, along with a custom setting for your own choices.
There is also a special black ink change conversion kit/cartridges included with the printer (p300, 386), the manual devotes several pages to the process and points out that quite a bit of ink ($$$) gets used. This sounds suspiciously like the official way I could change inks on my 9600.
From page 306 of the reference manual
"Because ink charging after black ink conversion consumes a large quantity of ink, you may need to replace the ink cartridges soon"
On our info page we have a copy of the technique that does not waste so much ink
Something makes me think that this will not be a popular feature of the new printer :-(
The cartridge details below are from the 4400/4800 reference manual
Epson Stylus Pro 4400 ink cartridges
| Matte Black |
110 ml: T5438 |
|
220 ml: T5448 |
| Cyan |
110 ml: T5432 |
|
220 ml: T5442 |
| Magenta |
110 ml: T5433 |
|
220 ml: T5443 |
| Yellow |
110 ml: T5434 |
|
220 ml: T5444 |
Epson Stylus Pro 4800 ink cartridges
| Photo Black |
110 ml: T5641 |
|
220 ml: T5651 |
| Matte Black |
110 ml: T5438 |
|
220 ml: T5448 |
| Cyan |
110 ml: T5642 |
|
220 ml: T5652 |
| Magenta |
110 ml: T5643 |
|
220 ml: T5653 |
| Yellow |
110 ml: T5644 |
|
220 ml: T5654 |
| Light Black |
110 ml: T5647 |
|
220 ml: T5657 |
| Light Cyan |
110 ml: T5645 |
|
220 ml: T5655 |
| Light Magenta |
110 ml: T5646 |
|
220 ml: T5656 |
| Light light black |
110 ml: T5649 |
|
220 ml: T5659 |
Note that the Matte black for the 4800 is the same as the 4400 (ie ordinary Ultrachromes)
There was some question as to whether the printer driver supports sRGB or Adobe98 from its driver.
If you use the 'automatic' setting in the driver then you have the following options:
- EPSON Vivid. Select this setting to produce vivid blue and green tones in printouts.
Note: Bec-use this setting reproduces blue and green tones that cannot be displayed by your monitor, your printouts may differ from the screen images when this function is selected.
- Charts and Graphs. Intensifies the colors and lightens the midtones and highlights of an image. Use this setting for presentation graphics, such as charts and graphs.
- EPSON Standard (sRGB)
For EPSON Stylus Pro 4800 only: Increases the contrast in images. Use this setting for color photographs.
- Adobe RGB
For EPSON Stylus Pro 4800 only: Matches image color to Adobe RGB.
Of course, for photo printing (unless there has been a -complete- revolution in Epson printer drivers), you would not normally go near any of the colour adjustment options in the driver :-)
The B/W settings

Range of adjustments available for B/W printing
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From Epson US
Features & Benefits
The Future of Print Head Technology
All New 8-Channel Print Head Technology
• Print head design capable of handling eight separate ink channels
• 1-inch wide high-performance print head with 180 nozzles per channel
Maximum Resolution of 2880 x 1440 dpi
• Incredibly sharp text and line art
• Extremely fine blends and photographic transitions
Variable-Sized Droplet with AMC Technology
• Produces variable-sized droplets as small as 3.5 picoliter to greatly decrease print times while optimizing photographic quality
• Proprietary Active Meniscus Control (AMC) technology precisely controls the curvature of every ink droplet within each nozzle before releasing it onto the media. The result is extremely sharp and accurate placement of ink droplets for outstanding photographic print quality.
Epson PreciseColor Technology
In order to ensure consistent printing between multiple Stylus Pro printers of the same model, Epson has enhanced the production process to include colorimetric calibration. This system evaluates and adjusts each printer’s difference at the manufacturing stage, assuring you of consistent color output from printer to printer.
Automatic Print Head Alignment Technology
• Built-in sensor reads printed data for highly precise alignments of all color channels
• Aligns both single and bi-directional print modes.
Automatic Print Head Cleaning Technology
• Built-in sensor reads nozzle check pattern and automatically cleans print head if any problems are found even partially clogged nozzles
Epson UltraChrome K3 Ink Technology
All New 8-Color Pigment-Based Ink System
• High-density pigments for an extremely wide color gamut
• Professional print permanence ratings for truly sellable quality prints > High-gloss Microcrystal Encapsulation Technology for reduced gloss differential
• Superior scratch resistance from improved pigment and resin chemistry
• Color is stable immediately after printing no short-term color shifting
• Depending upon media produces a black density up to 2.3 with an L* value of 4.1*
*Data based on Epson Premium Luster Photo Paper (250)
New Three-Level Black Ink Technology
• Simultaneously uses Black, Light Black, and Light Light Black inks
• Significantly improves the printer’s gray balance while eliminating color casts
• Impressive midtones and highlights for a smoother tonal range
• Virtually eliminates the metamerism and bronzing of basic pigment chemistry
• Enhances the ICC profiling process for ColorSync and ICM workflows
New Advanced Black and White Printing Technology
• Unique driver technology taking full advantage of our three-level black system to produce professional black and white prints from color or grayscale image files
• Proprietary Epson screening technology developed specifically for black and white printing
• Produces a truly consistent image with no color crossover or color cast
• Produces sellable quality neutral and toned black and white prints from a single ink set
Two User-Exchangeable Black Ink Modes
Printer can utilize two different black ink modes Photo Black or Matte Black. This innovative solution optimizes the black ink density for various media types, dramatically improving the final print quality.
The standard Photo Black ink mode can be used for any media type with professional results. However, for certain Epson media types such as Velvet Fine Art, Enhanced Matte, and UltraSmooth Fine Art, using the optional Matte Black ink mode instead, will dramatically increase your black optical density for even better print quality.
Unique 17" Wide Print Engine Technology
Professional Media Handling
• Prints on virtually any media type, in roll or cut sheet, from letter up to 17" wide
• Built-in high-capacity paper tray handling up to 250 sheets of plain letter-sized paper or up to 50 sheets of photographic media up to 17" x 22"
• Supports printing on both sides of the media without damaging the previously printed side
• User-adjustable Roll Media Spindle accepts either 2" or 3" media cores
• Four built-in media paths including roll feed, cut-sheet tray, front-top manual feed, and a straight-through front manual feed handling weights up to 1.5mm thick posterboard
• Built-in automatic media cutter
True BorderFree® Printing
• Capable of printing off both left and right edges of roll based media, while automatically cutting top and bottom edges to produce a full-bleed print on all four sides
• Fully trims your finished prints more accurately and safely than by hand
High Performance Print Engine Speeds
The Epson Stylus Pro 4800 utilizes our latest print head technology making it one of the fastest printers ever made by Epson. The following information represents the highest quality print modes for three popular print sizes.
Print Mode
• Fine 720 dpi HS produces an 8" x 10" in 1:28, 11" x 14" in 2:27, 16" x 20" in 4:07
• SuperFine 1440 dpi HS produces an 8" x 10" in 2:00, 11" x 14" in 3:25, 16" x 20" in 6:07
• SuperFine 1440 dpi produces an 8" x 10" in 3:17, 11" x 14" in 5:35, 16" x 20" in 9:46
• SuperPhoto 2880 dpi HS produces an 8" x 10" in 3:54, 11" x 14" in 6:35, 16" x 20" in 11:40
• SuperPhoto 2880 dpi produces an 8" x 10" in 6:25, 11" x 14" in 10:55, 16" x 20" in 18:57.
Print speeds are shown in min:sec. HS = High Speed Print Mode (Bi-directional Print Mode)
Epson Intelligent High-Capacity Ink System
• Eight individual 110ml or 220ml ink cartridges
• Greatly increases productivity by allowing you to replace ink cartridges on the fly, even during the middle of a print job
• Utilizes both 110ml and 220ml ink cartridges simultaneously to optimize ink usage
Epson PrintJob Information System
• Built-in printer memory automatically tracks key print job statistics, such as ink and media usage, remaining media, data file and user names, print times and more
• Reports can be download from printer memory or printed
Superior Connectivity
• Includes one USB 2.0, one IEEE 1394 (FireWire®) and one Epson Expansion Slot for installing the optional 10/100 BaseT Ethernet card
(Ethernet included with Pro Edition bundle)
• Professional Epson Photographic Drivers for Macintosh® and Windows®
• Optional PANTONE® licensed and SWOP® certified PostScript® Language Level 3 Compatible RIP by ColorBurst® (included only with Pro Edition bundle)
• Fully supported by most leading third party RIPs and workflows the Epson Stylus Pro series printers are used within the most demanding commercial printing environments
World Class Service and Support
• Free one-year of coverage under the Epson PreferredSM Protection Plan with toll-free telephone support available Monday through Friday and usually next-business-day full unit exchange service
• Optional one or two-year Epson Preferred Plus Service plans available
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| Specifications
Printing Method
• 8-Channel Print Head Technology
• 8-Color (C, Lc, M, Lm, Y, Lk, LLk + PK or MK) pigment based ink
• Variable-Sized Droplet Micro Piezo drop-on-demand ink jet with AMC technology
Nozzle Configuration
• Color and Monochrome heads: 180 nozzles x 8
Epson Ink Technology
• Epson UltraChrome K3 Ink Technology
Droplet Technology
• Smallest droplet size: 3.5 picoliter
• Variable Droplet Technology can produce up to three different sizes per print line
Resolution
• 2880 x 1440 dpi; 1440 x 720 dpi; 720 x 720 dpi;
720 x 360 dpi; 360 x 360 dpi; 360 x 180 dpi
Print Engine Speed
• 8" x 10" prints from 50 secs to 6:25 Normal is 3:17?
• 11" x 14" prints from 1:44 to 10:55 Normal is 5:35?
• 16" x 20" prints from 4:07 to 18:57 Normal is 9:46?
Acoustic Noise Level
• Approximately 50 dB(A) according to ISO 7779
Printer Language / Drivers
• Epson ESC/P2 raster photographic drivers standard
• Optional PANTONE. licensed and SWOP. certified PostScript. Language Level 3 Compatible RIP by ColorBurst. (included only with Pro Edition bundle)
• Supported by most leading third-party RIPs and workflows
Operating Systems Supported
• Macintosh. Panther 10.3.9 or higher, Tiger 10.4 or higher
• Windows. 2000 or XP (Pro or Home Edition)
Printer Interfaces
• Includes one USB (1.1 and 2.0 compatible), one IEEE1394 FireWire® and one Epson Expansion Slot used for installing the optional internal 10/100 BaseT Ethernet card (Ethernet included in Pro Edition Bundle)
Physical Dimensions
• 33.4"(W) x 14"(H) x 30"(D)
• Printer weight: 83.7 lb
BorderFree Printing
• Left and right borderless “bleed” printing for the following roll media widths:
8.3", 10", 12", 13", 14", 16", 17"
• Top and bottom edges can be automatically cut to any length three different ways during printing on roll media
Printable Area
• Maximum paper width 17"
• Left and right margins 0 or 3mm each (0.24" total)
• Top and bottom margins 0 to 25mm each
• Maximum printable width 17.16" (full bleed 17" width)
• Maximum printable length Limited by application, operating systen and driver/rip used
Media Handling
Media Input
• Roll media size Single roll up to 17" width
• Roll media length Up to 132' (limited by core dia.)
• Cut sheet input tray size Up to 17" x 22"
• Cut sheet media input Up to 250 sheet tray, top and rear manual feed slots
Media Core Compatibility
• Media core compatibility: Handles both 2" and 3" cored media
• Max. roll media diameter 4" (2" core) or 6" (3" core)
Thickness, Weight
• Weight 12 lb bond up to 1.5 mm posterboard
Media Cutter
• Built-in media cutter: Automatic and manual cutting
Line Accuracy
• + or - 0.2% of specified page length
Epson Intelligent Ink Cartridge
Ink Cartridge Size
• 110ml or 220ml each color x 8 colors total
Ink Cartridge Life
• Ink cartridge shelf life: 2 years from printed production date or 6 months after open
Lightfastness Ratings
• Epson UltraChrome K3 Ink
• Color: Up to 108 years?
• B&W: Over 200 years?
Environmental Characteristics
Temperature
• Operating 50° to 95° F (10° to 35° C)
• Storage -4° to 104° F (-20° to 40° C)
Humidity
• Operating: 20 to 80% relative humidity
• Recommended 40 to 45%
• Storage: 5 to 85% relative humidity (no condensation)
Safety Approvals
• Safety standards: UL1950, CSA 22.2 950 FDA
• EMI FCC Part 15 subpart B class B,
• CSA C108.8 class B
• AS/NZS 3548 class B
Reliability
Print Head Life
• First Major Maintenance Interval (number of 8" x 10" prints)
• 720 x 720 dpi 45,000 prints
• 1440 x 720 dpi 29,500 prints
• 2880 x 1440 dpi 15,200 prints
• When printing in uni-directional mode the above numbers are reduced by half
Cutter Life
• ~2,000 cuts (coated media)
Maintenance Parts
• Pump unit, flushing box, head cleaner, cap assembly
Electrical Requirements
Rated Voltage
• AC120V or (220V to 240V)
Rated Frequency
• 50 to 60 Hz
Rated Current
• 1.0A / 100-120V
Power Consumption
• Approx. 59W (operating)
• <21W (standby)
• < .7W (power off mode)
• Energy Star Compliant
Notes
• Normal mode based upon SuperFine - 1440 dpi Test results based upon print engine speed only. Total throughput times depend upon front-end RIP, file size, printer resolution, ink coverage, networking, etc.
• Ink lightfastness rating based on accelerated testing of prints on specialty media, displayed indoors, under glass. Actual print stability will vary according to media, printed image, display conditions, light intensity, humidity, and atmospheric conditions. Epson does not guarantee longevity of prints. For maximum print life, display all prints under plexi, glass or lamination or properly store them.
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