Epson Stylus Photo R280 Ultra Hi-Definition Photo Printer (C11C691201)

• Texts documents at 38 pages per minute and print standard 4-by-six-inch photos in 11 seconds
• Creates 5760-by-1440 dpi prints that are smudge, scratch, fade, and water resistant
• Auto Photo Correction with advanced face detection corrects overexposed shots
• Prints text and images directly onto CDs and DVDs for professional look with personalized touch
• 1-Year limited manufacturer''s warranty

I bought this printer solely to print on printable CD''s and DVD''s. I have produced a number of CD''s now and am very happy with the results. The included program works well, is easy to use and allows using personal full color pictures and text. This is one of the least expensive printers to accomplish this task.

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I bought this printer specifically to do holiday cards (I use a Hi-Touch dye sublimation printer for my photos). I checked the specifications, and it claimed it could do cardstock. However, it kept jamming on the cardstock. I went through the Epson website trouble shooting screens, and I discovered that the maximum paper weight it can handle is 24 pounds (that''s the weight of fine office stationery). Cardstock is usually 50 or 60 pound weight.

If I had discovered this earlier, I would have purchased a different printer. As it was, I think Epson made the specifications too vague, by specifying cardstock rather than the weight of usable paper.

Addendum: In the troubleshooting section of the Epson website, it suggested that paper jam could be reduced by feeding sheets one at a time. I tried it, and the printer worked like a charm--smooth paper feeding and fast printing. The only drawback is that I must stand by the printer and feed each sheet of cardstock one at a time.

I should mention that Epson, unlike many vendors, includes high-capacity ink cartridges in the box.

Please consider this a four-star, not a three-star, review.

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I''m a loyal HP user for lasers, but have had trouble with my inkjets from them in the past. Since I''ve had good luck with my Epson scanner, I gave the R280 a shot and have been very impressed with it. There were some errors in the original setup, causing the printer to freeze during ink charging, but these vanished as mysteriously as they appeared and the printer has been working like a dream ever since. The CD printing is beautiful (FYI: CDs are supposed to be given 24 hours to dry) and a great feature to have. I love the way that the printer also completely folds up, which keeps out dust and minimizes desk space. The printer is also offered at a great price and I was even able to get it with a rebate (no longer available) that will literally reimburse me for the cost of the printer, if it comes through. Epson, you might have won a convert!

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I''m rating this 4 stars, but really that''s arbitrary. This printer is good enough for me (even though I''m hassling with it right now trying to get it to locate CD print correctly under Vista.)

I like the Epson Photo Stylus series for one reason: Quality of print. Epson isn''t for everyone. In particular, Epson uses a dye that sits on the surface of into the paper, and so it prints best on high-priced photo or matte papers, which have the best surfaces. The inks are brilliant and make for very appealing photos. Epson has the best nozzle technology in the business, producing tiny droplets of ink (3 picoliters as I remember.) This gives very high resolution. Inks are expensive, but they''re good. Epson uses proprietary color processing firmware, which produces attractive colors, kind of like Technicolor. The Epson increases the saturation of colors in a tasteful way, and has good flesh tones. The print actually looks like dye sublimation technology, which is generally considered a higher quality, and much more expensive, process. If you want to print photos, I believe Epson Photo Stylus printers are the best choice. If you wanted to print "business graphics" such as charts and graphs, I would use a color laser printer (a lot faster) or an inkjet for which the cost of each page was less. I''ve heard that Kodak inkjets have a lower continuing cost.

One past problem with inkjet printers was that colors faded fast. In direct sunlight, they would be down to 30% 40% in one day. I was in a focus group for inkjet printers for Lexmark Corporation, and color retention was the group''s #1 concern. Epson says color retention with the R280 inks is much improved.

If you wanted extreme fidelity of colors, such as people I know in our local Sheriff''s Crime Scene Investigation area, this would not be a good choice. But accuracy is not the same as attractiveness, and the most accurate printers often print unappealing images.

Please be aware that the ink runs if it ever gets wet. I haven''t tried spray art lacquers or fixatives, but that would be a possible solution.

I primarily use the printer to print CDs. It produces very good printing, but some aspects of it are a pain. But my R280 prints CDs fine under Vista. My older R200 never would. The CD printing firmware and operation of the R280 are much, much, better than they were with earlier printers such as the R200 and R220. The CD slide is better designed and functioning is generally 1,000% better. The R200 was not really ready for prime time.

Over all, if you want quality printing, the R280 is a top choice. I''ve noticed that many other reviewers give extreme high or low reviews. I don''t want to do that. I''m trying to help you make a reasoned choice.

I felt I should comment on this product because I was the printer specifier for a Fortune 100 company in a previous job. I had access to very skilled printer manufacturer technical staff. Actually, a representative for Lexmark Corporation told me he thought the Epson produced the highest quality printing in the business--that''s praise from an unlikely source. When my R280 gives out, I''ll buy another R280.

I bought the Epson Stylus R280 to supplement my older C88.

Positively:

1. It prints a lot faster, including on hi quality color mode.

2. It does a good job on CDs.

3. The 200-sheet paper tray is really handy.

4. Paper feed is superior to the C88. No jams so far.

5. It fed easily both 32 Pd paper and a 150 Pd card stock with no problems. But then, the old C88 did that too.

Negatively:

1. The initial paper feed is REALLY noisy. It doesn''t just feed the paper, it slams it in, and with a clatter so strong it rocks the desk on which it sits. This is very annoying in a small office.

2. The B&W print quality isn''t really much better than the old C88. Even using a magnifying glass, I couldn''t see much improvement.

3. The color printing is better than the C88 but not so much as to be worth the price.

In my opinion, the only thing I got for my money different from what I already had was the ability to print CDs for my work. But when I offset that with putting up with the clatter, then I wonder if I would have been better off just using an old CD stomper.

It is a pretty cheap machine in every sense of the word. I would recommend spending a bit more on something better because as cheap as it was, it was not worth the price.