Epson Stylus Pro 3880 Inkjet Printer (CA61201-VM)

by Epson

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 15 x 27 x 10 inches ; 43.2 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 43.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B002PLQ7LI
• Item model number: CA61201-VM
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (31 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank:
  • #36 in Electronics > Computers & Add-Ons > Printers > Inkjet Printers
• Date first available at Amazon.com: October 15, 2009

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

Designed without compromise. — With the Epson Stylus Pro 3880, uncompromising quality is within reach. Engineered for the discriminating professional, this compact, 17"-wide printer includes Epson UltraChrome K3^® with Vivid Magenta Ink Technology, world-renowned for professional printing applications. This, combined with an advanced MicroPiezo^® AMC^™ print head, enables the Pro 3880 to produce gallery-quality color and black-and-white output up to 17" x 22". The printer’s industry-acclaimed ink set delivers a phenomenal color gamut with breathtaking blues and violets. All-new AccuPhoto^™ HD2 technology provides smoother color transitions and better highlight and shadow detail for prints with a true photographic look. Exceptional print quality and professional media support — the Epson Stylus Pro 3880 makes it all possible. Now, you can achieve stunning wide-format prints to professionally showcase your work and bring your creative visions to life.

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What the press is saying:

	“I would have to say that these are the best quality prints I have ever seen from a desktop inkjet printer. I highly recommend the 3880 to both Photographers and Graphic Designers that are looking for a cost effective, high quality large format printer. The quality and value are unmatched. Combine that with the Epson papers and you will be producing fine art gallery quality prints that are not only marketable, but also something that you will be very proud of.” Colin Smith - PhotoshopCAFE.com (4.11.2010)
	"I thought I'd skip all the blather and tell you straight away that the Epson 3880 just may be the best 17-inch printer out there right now...I've been blown away by its performance... Along with being the best in its class, new features on the 3880 including its AccuPhoto HD2 Image Technology which noticeably improved print quality, make this model among the finest printers Epson has ever produced. And that's saying something." Dan Havlik - PDN (Photo District News) (12.22.2009)
	"The Epson Stylus Pro 3880 is the best 17-inch pigment printer out there right now if you don't mind printing strictly on cut sheet paper. (Roll feed power users might want to look at the 4880. But along with being the best in class, new features on the 3880 including its AccuPhoto HD2 Image Technology which noticeably improved print quality, make this model among the finest printers Epson has ever produced. And that's saying something" Staff, PDNGearGuide.com (10.9.2009)
	"The Epson 3880 is a tool that provides the photographer with the same quality output when compared to printers costing thousands of dollars more. No longer do we need to hear the excuse, if I only had the space, if I only had the money for this or that." Stephen Katzman, AfterCapture (Dec. 2009/Jan. 2010)
	Outdoor Photographer Editors’ Pick Award
	Digital Photo Editors’ Choice (March 2009)

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Epson UltraChrome K3 with Vivid Magenta Ink Technology

This professional, 8-color ink set with advanced magenta pigments provides more dramatic blues and violets for an impressive color gamut. Its three-level black technology delivers richer blacks, outstanding tonal range and an unprecedented gray balance, all of which ensure outstanding black-and-white prints. Built on Epson’s heritage of professional ink technology, this pigment ink set offers instant color stability. Colors stay consistent, whether viewed right out of the printer or decades later. With Epson UltraChrome K3 with Vivid Magenta, you get print quality and longevity that satisfies the most demanding professional.

Sleek, compact printer; superior, wide-format prints

The Epson Stylus Pro 3880 optimizes your working space. This compact, professional-level printer generates exhibition quality prints, worthy of gallery display, up to 17" x 22" — an innovation made possible by Epson’s expertise in microminiaturization and professional printing technology.

AccuPhoto HD2 technology

Created from a collaboration between Epson and the Rochester Institute of Technology’s Munsell Color Science Laboratory, AccuPhoto HD2 combines a complex mathematical architecture and advanced screening technology to provide outstanding image quality. AccuPhoto HD2 is specifically engineered to ensure precision placement of each individual ink droplet, resulting in smooth, grain-free images. Choosing from an extraordinary number of possible ink combinations for each color, this technology optimizes ink usage to maximize the color gamut and provide smooth color transitions and gradations. Reduction of the metameric index makes it possible to achieve consistent color under different lighting conditions. And, it ensures truly photographic prints, even in high-speed or lower resolution print modes.

Advanced MicroPiezo print head with AMC

Our advanced MicroPiezo print head with AMC (Advanced Meniscus Control) is at the core of Epson’s advanced ink jet technology, enabling the Epson Stylus Pro 3880 to deliver incredible detail. This permanent, high-performance print head creates variable-sized droplets as small as 3.5 picoliters and places them with remarkable accuracy and precision. This professional print head also incorporates an ink-repelling coating which decreases maintenance and increases reliability. Working together with Epson PreciseColor^™ technology, the print head delivers consistent print quality every time from every Epson Stylus Pro 3880.

Advanced Black-and-White Photo Mode

Part of an advanced workflow, this exclusive technology is your key to intuitive and consistent control, for stunning neutral or toned black-and-white prints. Choose from one of four present menus — neutral, warm, cool or sepia. Or, fine tune your image further with custom slider bars and the color tone wheel that gives you precise control. Customized settings can be saved and recalled to achieve consistent prints every time.

Epson Pro series printers, ink and media — the ultimate in clarity and color

Epson Pro series printers, ink and media work together seamlessly to produce prints of unsurpassed quality and impact. Epson offers a wide array of media types and finishes to customize every creative inspiration.

Features/Benefits

• Industry-leading pigment ink technology — Epson UltraChrome K3 with Vivid Magenta Ink for intense blues and violets
• Professional control — Advanced Black-and-White Photo Mode to easily create neutral or toned black-and-white prints from color or monochrome images
• Precision print head technology — Advanced MicroPiezo AMC, one-inch wide print head with ink-repelling coating for accurate dot placement
• Optimal black density — auto-switching Matte and Photo Black ink for a high Dmax and superior contrast on glossy, matte and fine art papers
• Advanced image-quality architecture — smoother color transitions and outstanding highlight and shadow detail with AccuPhoto HD2 screening algorithms
• Broad media support — create prints on media types including semimatte paper, fiber paper, fine art media or art boards up to 1.5 mm thick
• Consistent output from printer to printer — Epson PreciseColor ensures no colorimetric calibration is required to normalize the print head
• Specialized support — dedicated support for Epson Stylus Pro 3880 users from an expert team at Epson
• Dimensions (W x D x H) — 27" x 15" x 10" and Weight 4.2 lb

Epson Stylus Pro printers

With a legacy of developing innovative imaging technology, it’s no wonder Epson is the overwhelming brand of choice among professional photographers. Epson Stylus Pro series products offer quality without compromise.

Stylus Pro 3880 TUMI® cover (C3800TUMI) Photo Black UltraChrome K3 ink cartridge (T580100) Cyan UltraChrome K3 ink cartridge (T580200) Yellow UltraChrome K3 ink cartridge (T580400) Light Cyan UltraChrome K3 ink cartridge (T580500) Light Black UltraChrome K3 ink cartridge (T580700) Light Light Black UltraChrome K3 ink cartridge (T580900)

What’s in the Box

• Stylus Pro 3880
• Photo Black UltraChrome K3 ink cartridge
• Cyan UltraChrome K3 ink cartridge
• Vivid Magenta UltraChrome K3 ink cartridge
• Yellow UltraChrome K3 ink cartridge
• Light Cyan UltraChrome K3 ink cartridge
• Vivid Light Magenta UltraChrome K3 ink cartridge
• Light Black UltraChrome K3 ink cartridge
• Matte Black UltraChrome K3 ink cartridge
• Light Light Black UltraChrome K3 ink cartridge
• Single sheet guide
• Printer documentation

Eco Features

• ENERGY STAR^® qualified
• Designed to be recycled^*

* See our website for convenient and reasonable recycling options at www.epson.com/recycle

Product Description

Epson Stylus Pro 3880

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

265 of 267 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A product line that has truly improved and matured, November 1, 2009

By 

J. Miyano (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Epson Stylus Pro 3880 Inkjet Printer (CA61201-VM) (Office Product)

This printer was purchased to replace an Epson Stylus Pro 4000 that I have been using for about the past 3 years. When the 4000 came out, it was supposed to be technological breakthrough and had multiple rave reviews. Ultimately, I've been disappointed with it, both from a "quality of final print" and "ease of printing" standpoint. The Epson Stylus Pro 3880 is two generations beyond the 4000, and corrects the major flaws of its predecessor.

I consider myself an advanced amateur photographer, having printed all of my own photographs (B&W and color) in the darkroom for more than 25 years. I'm really comparing the results of the Stylus Pro printers to the best results that I could achieve using traditional methods. Digital photography is going to replace 99% of traditional photo processing, so the standard seems fair.

From a print quality standpoint, the SP 4000 suffered from significant bronzing (metallic sheen when viewed at an angle), metamerism (color shifts dependent on lighting) and gloss differential (difference in sheen depending on thickness of ink sprayed in an area). The majority of these flaws have been addressed by the latest generation of ink (Ultrachrome K3 with Vivid Magenta) and the newest printhead. On B&W prints, where bronzing was the biggest issue, bronzing is now completely absent on prints using Epson Exhibition Fiber paper and Ultra Premium Luster. I also don't appreciate any significant color shifts (metamerism) when viewing prints under different lighting conditions or different angles. Gloss differential has been significantly improved, but not completely eliminated. With the SP 4000, the ink would turn glossy surfaces semigloss, leaving a very distracting pattern. With the SP 3880, the only areas with subtle gloss differential are areas where there is no ink at all (washed out highlights). If there is any ink at all on the surface, the print looks even and smooth, even on glossy paper.

The quality of the prints are really quite amazing. For the first time in my life, I looked at a couple of prints that I made in the "Advanced B&W" mode and had to admit that they were as good as anything that I could have produced in the darkroom. The Epson Exhibition Fiber paper (F surface) has a look and feel very similar to the Ilford FB (fiber based) Glossy paper that I used to print on. The color prints are also stunning. Although the Ilfochrome prints I used to make had a level of color depth and saturation that was hard to beat, these SP 3880 prints are at least 98% as good with 20% of the effort and 100% better control (via Photoshop).

The machine itself appears reasonably well built and thoughtfully designed. It's not quite the beast that the 4000 was, but that's mostly a good thing. This machine can actually be lifted by one person and takes up a footprint that's about 20% less than the 4000. The front door where the prints come out does seem a bit flimsy, but with care it should hold up. The only unanswered question for me regards ink jet clogging. The SP 4000 was very difficult to unclog if it sat unused for a week or two. I would estimate that at least half my ink went towards unclogging the print head. I understand that the newest generation is supposed to be better, but I'll find out over the next few months. Right now, the printer is being used nearly daily, trying to reprint all of the pictures that I was 80% satisfied with in the past.

In summary, the Stylus Pro 3880 is a significant advancement from older machines. It might not be enough to justify upgrading from a 3800, but if you're using a 4000/7600/9600 generation machine, you'll never regret it.

Addendum: The one year follow-up!
After one year of printing fairly regularly, I have to say that I am still very pleased with the printer. The most amazing thing, by far, is the fact that the ink jets have never clogged even once. The old SP 4000 clogged even after 5 days of disuse. Although I'm generally printing small photos, I'm actually still on my first set of ink cartridges. I easily went through 5-10 times the amount of ink with the SP 4000. I didn't realize how much ink I was actually wasting clearing the ink jets regularly (in spite of never running a "power" cleaning). My only minor complaint with the printer is still the mild gloss differential. For more critical prints, I've sprayed on PremierArt's Print Shield with good results. No other issues so far and many outstanding prints in both color and B&W.

156 of 158 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excelent output for pros and perfectionist amateurs, January 17, 2010

By 

Michael Sandman (Brookline, MA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Epson Stylus Pro 3880 Inkjet Printer (CA61201-VM) (Office Product)

The 3880 is Epson's entry-level professional printer. It was announced in September 2009 and as of the end of 2009 it's still in short supply, but it's worth waiting for. As a pro-level device, each one is supposedly aligned at the factory and the ink tanks hold 80 ml each vs. the 11 ml cartridges for the top end of the consumer line (Epson 2880). It prints 4" wider than the 2880. It weighs about 45 pounds and it can be moved into place by one person.

I'm an amateur who likes to be in control of the print, so I don't use photo printing services. I upgraded to a 3880 from an Epson 2200 (bought in 2003) for three reasons. (1) I wanted to print black & white and while the 2200 was a groundbreaking color printer, its B&W output is not very good. (2) The 3880 print head is coated with an ink repellent substance that is supposed to reduce clogging, which is a constant problem with the 2200. (3) The 3880 prints up to 17" wide so it can produce 16 x 20 or even 16 x 24 prints. Despite its ability to print 4" wider, it's only a couple of inches wider than the 2200. Although the 3880 is double the price of the latest 13" wide Epson (the 2880), you get a full set of 80 ml ink tanks, so you get enough ink to make up for the price difference as part of the 3880 package. You just have to use it up before it turns to sludge, but it has a 2 year shelf life.

The 3880 is easy to set up once you get past the 46 pieces of blue tape holding the various parts in place. There's a well-designed quick installation poster and a very good printed manual. The printer driver installed flawlessly from the CD onto a Windows 7 computer. it can be linked to a computer as a local printer via its standard USB port, but I set it up as a network printer using an Ethernet cable from the printer to a router. If you set it up as a network printer, be sure follow the clearly written network installation guide for each of the computers on the network. The guts of the printer appear to be quite solid. There's a lot of plastic on the outside and the large outfeed feels light duty. The previous model 3800 was criticized for its flimsy outfeed tray, but the 3880 has a magnetic catch so you can push the tray back into the front and close it up securely when it's not in use. That will reduce the risk that a casual bump will damage the tray.

Of course excellent output is what we're looking for in a relatively high end printer. Before decommissioning my 2200 I ran a standard test image that includes gradations of white and black in increments of 2, from 2 to 254 on the standard 0-256 RGB scale. Then I printed the same file on the newly installed 3880. The test print also had bars with smooth gradations of RGB colors and a number of "real" pictures - strawberries; a black & white image, a face, etc. For the 3880, I could distinguish a black point at about 4 and a white point at about 254 (on Epson Premium Glossy paper). The 2200's black point was about 12 and the white point was about 244. That means (at least to me) that the 3880 is capable of printing a very wide range of densities in a black & white image, which is exactly what I was looking for. And the color from the 3880 was truer to the image on my calibrated monitor than the print from the 2200, which is what one would expect given that the inks have improved considerably since the 2200 was designed.

Broadly speaking, my experience with the output is that it matches the monitor reasonably well, and if you use the soft proof feature of Photoshop (see below) it's possible to get a very good match. Note that you should calibrate your monitor using a colorimeter (Spyder or similar device). This is a critical first step, as most monitors have default settings that are far too bright. (If you don't calibrate your monitor, at least turn the brightness down to about 20%.)

When you print, you also need to tell the printer's software what paper you're using so it will use the right paper profile. (A profile is a set of directions that helps the printer match its output to the characteristics of the paper). Epson provides a full set of profiles for its own papers as part of the installations software. Manufacturers of other brands of papers (Ilford, Hahnemuele, etc.) are beginning to post profiles on their web sites for the 3880 (as of December 2009).

The 3880 and its predecessor 3800 use a special black ink for paper with a matte finish (whether you're printing color or B&W). The printer's software knows which type of black to use based on the type of paper you select when you set teh image up for printing. The matte black cartridge is installed in the printer alongside the "photo black" cartridge, so they don't have to be swapped back and forth, a tedious process that uses ink on the 2200 and its successors. But the 3880 does have to purge the lines of the photo black before it can print the matte black, and then it purges again when it reverts to photo black. If you print on both glossy/luster/pearl surfaces and on matte, you'll want to batch prints by paper type, because even the automatic switchover uses a couple of dollars of ink.

One other caveat - the 3880 does not come with a roll feed. If you want to print from rolls (as you might in a semi-production environment) you need Epson's 4800, which is about 40 pounds heavier and quite a bit more expensive. However, you can print up to 37 inches long for making panoramas. You just have to cut the paper off a roll by hand to get that length.

Thus far I've been using Epson and Ilford papers. The printer can be fed by stacking standard thickness paper in the feed-in tray, or by feeding single sheets in from a slot in the back, or by feeding thicker sheets in through the front. I haven't tried thicker sheets, but the feeding has been flawless with standard papers from 4 x 6 on up to 13 x 19. (17 x 25 will soon follow). The printer driver is very well thought out. There's an option on the screen that allows you to select "Advanced Black & White" and it yields B&W prints with very good gradations in density. They're slightly better than if you use the standard color portion of the driver for a B&W print. But I hasten to add that the color output is superb - this printer isn't just for black & white prints. It seems to be the perfect device for prints as wide as 17", which is about as large as I can think about for most amateurs and many professionals.

Finally, a word about soft proofing. (This has nothing to do with the 3880 specifically. It applies to any image you plan to print on any photo printer.)

Paper reflects light coming at it from the front. Monitors are lit from behind the screen. So what you see on the monitor is never the same as what you see on the print. Nonetheless the colors and the tone (degree of brightness) should match. You can greatly improve the match by calibrating your monitor as noted above. If you use Photoshop, you can also view a "soft proof" before you print. First, edit the image to your satisfaction. Then duplicate it (Image:Duplicate). Arrange the original and the copy on the monitor so they're side by side, or above and below. Click on the copy, Then click View:Proof Setup:Custom and select the paper you plan to use for the print. Check the "Simulate Paper Color" box below the image. You'll see how the print will come out of the printer. If you're using a glossy paper, there won't be as much of a difference as when you use a more textured finish. You can adjust the exposure and color balance of the copy so that it matches the original, and then when you print the copy, your output will match the original. (I save this "proof copy" if I plan to reprint the image.)

Summary: The 3880 is an excellent printer. It's two generations newer than the Epson 2200, which was the first reasonably priced high quality color inkjet for photos. Epson has moved the bar again, and when you look at the prints, it's hard to know what more one could ask for.

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Edit 8-30-2010: Epson inkjets are known to clog if they're not used regularly. My 2200 would need its print nozzles cleaned if it wasn't used at least once a week, and cleaning uses a lot of ink. In the 8 months I've had the 3880 it has never required nozzle cleaning even though it's been unused for as long as 3 weeks. I run a nozzle test pattern if it's been idle for more than 2 weeks, and the patterns have been perfect. Epson seems to have solved the clogging problem with this printer.

67 of 70 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Blown away!, December 12, 2009

By 

Jeffrey Edwards - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Epson Stylus Pro 3880 Inkjet Printer (CA61201-VM) (Office Product)

I have been working with the Epson 3880 now for the last 2 weeks since it arrived. After much research I have eagerly awaited the release of Epson's newest printer. Set up with my PC was a snap - no brainer here. Before my first print, I calibrated my monitor with the Spyder system which I also highly recommend. I've printed with both Photoshop and Lightroom. From the very first print.....my colors have been right on the money. In fact, as good as any professional online service I've used. The images are simply astonishing.

I'm using currently Epson paper only, mostly their Velvet Fine Art paper. I have not yet found a need to run a calibration profile on Epson paper. The download paper profiles from Epson appear to be working well. Although I will probably do a test run to see if there is a significant difference. I'm looking forward to trying Red River Paper as well.

I've never done any high-end printing before. I always used on an online print service, but was frustrated with my lack of control over the process. Using a printer of this caliber can be a little overwhelming with Photoshop/Lightroom. It is critical to get your color management issues squared away before hand. It was very helpful to read: The Art of Printing Photos on Your Epson Printer - by Michael Freeman and John Beardsworth which was published earlier this year. This book was enlightening and it made my software/hardware choices much easier.

If you are tired of letting others have the final control over your very best images, are comfortable in PS or LR, utilize monitor calibration, can justify the expense, use higher end camera gear and enjoy the entire creative process that photography entails.....this is the printer you have been waiting for.