Epson 1500 A3 Printer

[Justin]

Anyone used this printer yet? I assume its the 1400 replacement as that looks a bit long in the tooth now!

Uses the same carts.

[JSR]

Anyone used this printer yet? I assume its the 1400 replacement as that looks a bit long in the tooth now!

Uses the same carts.

First time I've heard of it. However, if it continues Epson's obsession with using thimble sized cartridges, I can't say it's ever going to find its way into my collection of printers.

[bigj2552]

Anyone used this printer yet? I assume its the 1400 replacement as that looks a bit long in the tooth now!

Uses the same carts.

nice looking printer m8.....and nice update from the 1400

is that side loading carts the same as the brother printers ? - see pic below

[ATTACH=CONFIG]949[/ATTACH]
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B007ISNUUO/r ... B007ISNUUO

[JSR]

nice looking printer m8.....and nice update from the 1400

is that side loading carts the same as the brother printers ? - see pic below

[ATTACH=CONFIG]949[/ATTACH]
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B007ISNUUO/r ... B007ISNUUO

No, that's "popped in the top" carts just like all other Epson A4/A3 printers. I think it's time Epson came into the 21st century!

[bigj2552]

No, that's "popped in the top" carts just like all other Epson A4/A3 printers. I think it's time Epson came into the 21st century!

still a nice printer

[Justin]

Must have just come out, yes does look nice quality, following on from printers like the P50 hopefully. My B1100 is a great machine but I'd really prefer to get back to 6 colour A3 if I can.

Really don't have a problem with the ink capacity, refill'ed in 30 seconds and I guess I'm not printing enough to have to refil every day.

[JSR]

still a nice printer

As mentioned by the OP, the carts are exactly the same as those used in the 1400, P50, and a half-dozen others. The upside is that the same CISS will undoubtedly work, but the downside is those awful thimble-size cartridges. Oh, and that they still sit on top of the printhead.

Seems that the 1500 is merely a cosmetic change and the addition of wireless networking. Other than that, it's still a 1400.

[Justin]

.....and what a superb printer the 1400 was! All it needed was a cosmetic upgrade! lol. What other 6 colour options are there? Certainly nothing outside of Epson for sublimation.

It's personal opinion and experience in the end. Having had 3 Epsons on long term test now I have no intention of wandering anywhere else for my 'day to day' work. Yes, you get good ones and bad ones and maybe it's luck rather than better judgement but the newer models are certainly performing far better than the older ones.

As mentioned, I don't have an issue with refilling the carts, I've put a fair bit through the printers this last couple of weeks and the ink lasts very well.

[JSR]

Must have just come out, yes does look nice quality, following on from printers like the P50 hopefully. My B1100 is a great machine but I'd really prefer to get back to 6 colour A3 if I can.

Really don't have a problem with the ink capacity, refill'ed in 30 seconds and I guess I'm not printing enough to have to refil every day.

What gets me about the ink capacity is that they drain very quickly even if you don't print anything. On the first hand there's the frequent "maintenance head clean" the printer does when you leave it on. Then there's the purging of all 6 inks when just one cartridge auto-resets or is replaced.

Replace all six cartridges one after the other and you could end up in a cycle of drained-cartridges in perpetuity. Last time I ran an Epson printer for daily printing, it was constantly flashing that at least one of the cartridges was near empty. Replace it, and the purging puts the next one into "it needs replacing" mode. Flash, flash, warn, warn, pop-up, pop-up.

I love Epson printers, but the steadily decreasing size of their cartridges has turned me away from them. There is absolutely no reason they can't learn from the likes of Brother. It's just greed that keeps the cartridges this size.

[JSR]

.....and what a superb printer the 1400 was! All it needed was a cosmetic upgrade! lol. What other 6 colour options are there? Certainly nothing outside of Epson for sublimation.

It's personal opinion and experience in the end. Having had 3 Epsons on long term test now I have no intention of wandering anywhere else for my 'day to day' work. Yes, you get good ones and bad ones and maybe it's luck rather than better judgement but the newer models are certainly performing far better than the older ones.

As mentioned, I don't have an issue with refilling the carts, I've put a fair bit through the printers this last couple of weeks and the ink lasts very well.

The trouble is that Epson seem locked into some "revolving door" policy of printers. Their A4 printers get discontinued and replaced quicker than most people change their socks. Now it looks like their A3 printers are going the same way. There is no need for the 1500, because the 1400 was just fine. The 1400's predecessor (the 1290/S) lasted for about 10 years before it needed replacing. Now you get about 10 months (or 10 minutes if it's A4!).

And I honestly can't believe that the RRP for this 1500 is still in the ballpark of £350. It's just a printer! Other manufacturers can do printers with scanners on top and sell them for a hundred quid, with much more economical inks.