The Epson 780 Rivals the best film prints
Written: Jul 23 '01
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Pros: Detailed, colorful prints that rival or exceed film-based photos.
Cons: Few, except printing speed.
The Bottom Line: At $120, this printer exceeds my expectations for print quality--highly recommended!
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| webguy's Full Review: Epson Stylus Color 777 InkJet Printer |
The Epson 780
This is a review of the new Epson Photo 780, which isn’t available as an Epinions product. I’ll move this review when the model becomes available.
Having purchased a digital camera last year, I decided I was ready for the next step: buying a photo-quality printer for my favorite pictures. But, which one? There’s at least a dozen photo-quality printers out there, and all claim to print the nicest photos. I’m familiar with forums that discuss cameras and printing techniques, so after some research on dpreview.com and Usenet, a few printers kept popping up: the Canon S800, and Epson’s 890 and 780.
Armed with those names, I went down to my neighborhood Fry’s Electronics, a store stocked with every energy-consuming device imaginable. Needless to say, they had all three printers in stock. I heard great things about all, so it was really a toss-up. The decision came down to price: the 780 was $170 less than the 890 and the Canon S800. Sure, the pricier models print faster, but I heard the print quality was similar, so I went for the 780. If this printer turned out to be a dog, I can always give it to a friend who might appreciate it.
Once I opened the box, I found simple, step-by-step instructions on setting up the printer. These instructions are a model of simplicity and clarity, and the installation process for the printer and software took only a matter of minutes.
Now that everything was up and running, it was time for the real test: would it live up to the rave reviews? A complimentary sheet of Epson photo paper was included with the printer. I put it in, launched the Epson Film Factory software, and ran out a print. Compared to a photograph made with film, this print showed minute banding from the 780 laying down lines of color. Perhaps I’m picky, but I wasn’t terribly impressed. I had heard this printer does prints nearly indistinguishable from film photographs, so I tried another test. I had bought a pack of 8 x 10 Epson “Premium Glossy Photo Paper”. I ran the same photo again with the premium paper, and I was honestly amazed. The banding was gone, and the printer captured subtle detail I haven’t seen before in conventional prints.
For comparison, I’m used to shooting pictures with high-end 35mm equipment and film, then having those shots enlarged at a professional lab. My $20 lab prints aren’t as impressive as the prints my Epson makes. Sure, film prints have a nice richness of color, but the detail and clarity of the 780 is really amazing. I have one Epson print before me, taken of a sand dune, and it looks as if I can reach into the photo and grab a handful of sand. I used to be a picky film photographer, but with my Nikon 990, and the Epson 780, I’ll never go back. I think results will vary, depending on the resolution of your digital photographs, but this Epson printer will capture all the possible detail in your shots.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 119
Operating System: Windows and Macintosh
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Epinions.com ID:
webguy
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Member: Kurt S.
Location: California coast
Reviews written: 37
Trusted by: 47 members
About Me:
I'm an avid kayaker, biker and hiker.
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