Thank You so much Mr Keith Cooper. You have saved me a load of time doing all the testing and Printing Samples. Wish you live forever to help people like me.
Hello Keith, hope you had a lovely New Year's Eve! Based on your extensive reviews, I went from the Canon 200, 300, Epson 8550, P700, Prograf 1000 and finally landed on P900. Ordered yesterday. Cost here in Sweden for me who is VAT exempt (small business owner) was £800 including the back roller. The set of 10 ink refills was £280. I listened very carefully to most of your videos, including the ones on "is it viable as a business". Very informative, and no nonsense! I am a painter who sells my art in Old Town, Stockholm during the summer months. I usually only sold postcards and original art. Last year a competitor turned up and was selling prints. This was something I didn't have, but he was doing good business, so I realized I needed to offer this too. Nothing like some stiff competition to get one's backside in gear and think differently! I farm out the postcards to VistaPrint, they have good deals. I sell the postcards for £2, at a printing cost of 10p each. I sell the originals for £120-300 so there is quite a jump from postcards to original, nothing in between in the £40-50. Vistaprint don't offer the kind of printing o I thought Id take matters into my own hands. Ideally Ill print them on the Epson Matte Posterboard, since that would remove the need for a passe-partout, and would feel more "substantial". It would also differentiate from the originals. The large format is also for enlarging pencil sketches for portraits/commissions, or print as underdrawing on to canvas. It will save SO much time. I am a travelling painter, I have converted a Renault master to a mobile studio, and drive around europe to paint. The P900 just about fits in a cubby hole in my van where i had my old Brother 4120. I have a big leisure battery and solar/split charge, but the ability to go anywhere, find a touristy spot, do a few paintings and then be able to print my own prints in a limited number will greatly help my business. Im sure Ill have many questions when she arrives! I wont be firing her up until around april. thanks again Keith!
@@KeithCooper Hello Keith. What a wonderful printer. I'm sold on it. Also - may I ask? - What is that mobile table that you have there? That looks spot on for what I need. Is it something that can be purchased or is it something that you've had for donkey's years. Whatever it is, it looks very solidly made.
@@KeithCooper That's great. Just found one for £250 with a surface size of 70 x 50 cm and solid pine. sliding drawer shelf and casters. Should do the job nicely! Thanks!
Great video. Great images. You know what you're doing. Nice with a "calm" channel where the subject matter is in focus (and not b-roll of you making coffee). Subscribed.
@@KeithCooper Me too Keith - my channel is roughly as big as yours. My P900 arrived today. Will let them know that if they want a review of the P900, then your channel is the place to go. ruclips.net/channel/UCTyZFM8ekplP9-jhONFm-Cwcommunity
@@KeithCooper Keith, just installed my P900. All is good, except when I print it will only accept paper from the front, not the rear feed. It is as if it cannot see that I have loaded A4 paper into the rear feeder. Any ideas what can be wrong?
@@frederikboving check that paper in the rear slot is activating the small lever to detect paper - I don't have one here any more, so can't check, but I think that is there. However, if it persists check with Epson or your supplier. Whilst I didn't see any problems I have heard about issues with the rear feed paper detection and initial paper ingest that led to replacement.
@@KeithCooper Thanks! The lever is there. And judging from the lcd on the printer it knows that a4 is ready in the feeder. But when I print a page from Lightroom the printer complaints that US C 17x22 is to be loaded in the front feed. No idea where it gets that idea from, but maybe this is the issue: that the paper in the feeder is too small an it hence tries to ask for C format. But I have no idea where the C format instructions come from 🧐 wait! Also happens when I get it to print on A4, but it always thinks the paper is thick and hence defaults to the front feeder. SOLVED: the printer driver was nuts. Removed and reinstalled a windows one. Works like a charm now.
Many thanks, Keith! It was difficult to choose a printer but your review helps a lot! I wish you luck! And thanks for showing your pictures, great work!
Thanks for the review Keith. Another consideration is the savings in ink costs. The savings on the larger ink cartridges will cover the difference in intital printer costs within the first year or so, depending on the number of prints you make. So, I agree, the P900 is the better option.
Glad it was of interest - do see the actual (written) review as well? - the YT videos are usually meant as supplements to the written stuff www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-sc-p900-printer-review/
Dear Keith, I really love your clean and simple videos. Just always straight to the point without annoying intros etc. Thanks for that! I do have one question regarding the P900. I saw one of your videos printing an A2 posterboard where the print came out at the back. Since I do not have that much space, I was wondering until what grammature (g/m²) it is possible to avoid the 'flat printing' process that needs to come out of the back. Thanks so much and keep up the good work!! *subscribed
Thanks - I'm afraid that the mechanism really does not like bending at the back. Suffice to say, if the paper is thin enough to bend you can use the top slot.
@@KeithCooper I understand that the posterboard with 800gsm - DIN A2 is too thick to get through the top feeder. But do you have any info on what paper can be fed through the top feeder? This will be the deciding factor whether to buy this printer or look for alternatives, because of the limited depth in my office space :) Thanks a lot Keith
For the board the important feature is the straight through path. Epson seems to have only limited specifications on their sites (which I used for my review) However I''d not expect issues at up to ~380gsm It does of course depend on thickness. I put some sheets of canvas through OK. Sorry not to have a precise number...
@@KeithCooper Thanks for the info! I saw some other videos of canvas prints going through just fine. I will however contact epson before I will purchase this printer. I will pass on the info to you :)
Thanks for the great informative video Keith. I'll be coming back for more. Great to see knowledge based in passion and experience rather than cinematography and "high production value" with regurgitated "reviews".
Thanks - I try and get them to compliment my lengthy written reviews, which date back far longer than I've been doing the videos. I might move up to my office at some point, but a lot of clearing out needs to be done first ;-)
Hallo Keith. We had yesterday a problem on a P900 printing on 17" roll. We did set it up Properlt in PS and later i LR, we set it up with the right messurements. We Tried to print borderless, but all of our 6 printes had a white edge on one site. I think it was the left site. Have you seen that before. Tank for your fantastic videos. Steen Aage Nielsen, Denmark
Check the expansion options in the driver paper settings. See also the main [written] review www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-sc-p900-printer-review/ I don't have it here any more to check. The place I'd ask would be the printing forum at DPReview.com, where I know there are quite a few P900 users
Thanks - do check the written review as well. The P700 articles are also worth looking at as well, since from a print quality POV, the two are identical.
I appreciate this video as I'm wanting to move up from my old Canon 9100 MKii that I used for years and which recently died. I'd like a pigment rather than dye ink and a 17" model. The Canon P1000 is a contender but it does look massive, beautiful prints of course but massive. So, still researching. Thank you for your video. I subscribed.
Thanks - I do have a lengthy review of the pro-1000 on the Northlight Images site. It long predates my making videos, which I only started last year www.northlight-images.co.uk/canon-pro-1000-printer-review/ The site is a bit slow loading at the moment, but it is a long article - very nice printer, still with the best sheet paper handling of a desktop printer I've looked at for a while. It needs regular use though.
Thanks so much for this, assuming we can finally get the printer here in the States, I'm seriously considering ordering one. I would be moving up from a 13" printer, thanks again.
Glad it's of help - do see the full (written) review and articles as well, since there are a lot more details there www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-sc-p900-printer-review/
After my Epson 3880 died I went with a newest version of the Canon Pro 1000 2 years ago. Frankly I much prefer the PRO 1000 since the updated firmware which now allows pano prints up to 17" x 48". Mine has been trouble free and gorgeous prints. There are some tricks to minimize ink waste but you can go on RUclips to find out about those. I am wondering how the reliability of the 900 has been since you did this RUclips review. I hear some aren't too happy with it. Hopefully Epson will be more proactive in updates and offering repair/maintenance services than I experienced. The Canon doesn't have a roll paper adaptor, but for me I don't have a use for it. I just take roll paper and cut appropriate lengths.
This is one of those areas it's difficult for me to test. I only really get most printers to test for a while, and they're brand new ones. So, my pro-1000 testing was back in 2016. I suspect quality control is better for P700/900 printers now - a product launch in the midst of a pandemic is not great...
Many Thanks for this video. I think you are wright: If you buy the P700 (around 750 EUR) you have to buy another inkset (about 300 EUR) very soon. If you buy the P900, it is just a few EUROs more and you'll get the possibility of greater prints and the bigger ink tanks. Thanks for your thoughts!
Thanks for the great overview. I was just told that my ancient Epson r2880 needs a $300 repair so I'm thinking of finally making the jump to a new printer. Among other concerns, I'm wondering if Epson will just stop selling those old ink cartridges. Plus, they're pricey on a per-ML basis. Just have to decide on this or the Canon 1000. Hmmmm....
The 1000 is not due a replacement until well into next year (the supply problems won't make it any sooner) The ink cost of the 1000 is very dependent on how often you print with cleanings at 50% for sparse use. However the 1000 has the best paper handling of any desktop printer I've tested
@@KeithCooper Very informative video, thank you! I had a similar question, I also heard that for non-intensive sparse use the canon Pro-1000 would waste 50% of the ink, in a similar use case how would the Epson P900 compare? Would printing once a week significantly avoid ink waste with both printers? I was convinced to buy the canon Pro-1000 but after reading the comments from traumatised amateur photographers in the B&H website thought the printer was not for me :( Thanks for your replies in advance!
I bought a P906 today. The salesman made the sme point as you regarding the cost of ink, and I was factoring that into my initial cost anyway. I'm assuming the P906 and P900 are materially the same, perhaps some design flaws sorted. I bought the last one in Western Australia, that he knows about. He did say that in comparison, the equivalent Canon printers have some reliability concerns. I imagine it's probably not something you would see, but it might be worth interrogating your favourite dealers.
900/906 - just regional model code differences - no physical differences or changes ...Good to see sales people finding unknown, unspecified, unsubstantiated reasons for shading a competing product ;-) Hope it goes well for you
@@KeithCooper He sells both, I see no point in expressing a less than honest opinion. And he did make the point that ink costs for the P906 are a lot less than for the P706.
@@KeithCooper No amount of testing you do can match monts, years of use by however many hundreds/thousands of photographers we have in Western Australia who use these printers for determining their reliability. That's why I suggested talking to dealers in your area to see whether their experiences match what I was told.
I'm minded to call that into question... which Canon printers? I was referring to the pro-1100 Well, we could have been lucky and all the re-sellers I know here in the UK got the good ones... :-)
I have decided on this printer (thank you very much) and is planning the purchase. One question, what makes most sense: buy a package of full set of ink together with the prineter to pick from as the initial ink runs out or just start out ordering catridges as the low level warning notifications arrives? Full set is in the order of 1/3 of the printer price here... but of course in the long run the cost will be the same. I am leading towards ordering the set.
Some get used up faster, but yes all will run out eventually. It's the sort of thing that also depends on whether you can find any better deals on inks...
Thanks, yea.. just got the feeling the initial ink likely to run out so fast is so a new baseline may be good to have. But, good point about deal aspect. Think I just get the printer and some epson luster paper, set a side the money for the pack and buy catridges on demand but aslo keeping an eye out for deals on ORGINAL ink (right now not aware of any).@@KeithCooper
If you've not seen it do check the main [written] review - a lot more info than the videos ;-) www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-sc-p900-printer-review/
I’m not sure what areas this applies to but Epson is running a $200 rebate on the Epson P 900 for the month of December. But you have to purchase it from an authorized dealer.
Thanks - if you've not seen it, do check the main [written] review as well far more detail and links to related articles/videos www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-sc-p900-printer-review/
Thanks - Soon? no... Previously, Epson printers in this category tend to last 4-5years, so I'd not expect a replacement until late 25 at the earliest. I don't know though, but I'd be very surprised to see anything this year... See the chart at: www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-printer-news-updates-and-rumours/ See also the actual [written] review at www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-sc-p900-printer-review/
Thank you for the review with commonsense points. It has been 4months and wondering how the ink levels look? Of course this will be different for each photographer. Thanks again Christian New Zealand
Thanks - I'm afraid it went back to Epson before Christmas... I'm not allowed to turn our home into a printer warehouse. See here for some ink usage notes. www.redrivercatalog.com/rr/cost-of-inkjet-printing.html Also, do read the written articles/reviews since they have far more detail in them? www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-sc-p900-printer-review/
@@KeithCooper thank you for supplying the link. 200 8x10s isn't bad at all. I guess having ten inks you'll use a small amount of each. Thank you once again for the video
Hi Keith, Great videos, many thanks for taking time to deep dive and make it easier for all of us. This will me my first photo printer and after considering all aspects I’ve settled on P900 for my photography business. However I don’t expect it being frequently used in the beginning. A video on maintenance aspects around ink cartridges so that I don’t end up wasting them because of infrequent use would be very helpful. Alternatively any video links you can share .
Hello Keith, Thank you for contributing to photography community so much. can you tell me (i know that's so relative) how much A2 prints can you make with the Epson P-900 with a set of inks? does it use a lot of colour inks if only printing black & white? thank you very much for your help
Glad it's helpful, but that's the kind of info I've no idea about. I only get printers for a period of time to review, and my testing is far too varied to give any meaningful ink usage data. Here's where I usually suggest looking www.redrivercatalog.com/rr/cost-of-inkjet-printing.html All inks will get used [even in tiny amounts] for B&W - the printer wants to make sure that all heads are working so may use a bit for in-printing maintenenace
Keith, in one video you left the back plastic plate on under the roll paper holder and in this one, you removed it. Is there any issue leaving it on under the roll film holder
Well spotted. There is no necessity to remove it. This actually came about because the first printer I received had the flap unattached, leading me to think it wasn't needed. After some more work, and writing the full review I realised it was entirely optional. This exposes what to me is my biggest issue with making these videos. With a written article I can go back and make minor corrections and clarifications, but with videos you are stuck. This also explains my variable use of paper page sizes at A3/A3+ ;-)
Hi, thanks for this video. Its really well made and did provide me a good overview of what I might expect from this printer. I'm an amateur and I've never printed photos digitally myself - I still use a wet darkroom. I do plan to start printinting digitally, but I don't expect that I'll have high volumes. I expect that I'll do a few prints every now and then. Just wondering if I need to worry about the inks drying up? I know the cartridges are expensive, so it would be disappointing to have them dry out if I strech usage over longer periods. Thanks.
I set a diary reminder for myself every 3 weeks - it reminds me to turn on the printer and maybe print a nozzle check on plain copier paper. I'll ignore it if I've used it recently, but it just helps me avoid forgetting about the printer. No inkjet printer (any make) likes being left for long periods - the inks don't dry, but the print heads do need to be kept in good condition.
Thanks for your review Keith. They are the only reviews anywhere in the web that actually mean anything so I totally appreciate all your reviews. I currently have a 3800 and am finding that "fresh" ink is rising in price. I'm thinking about procuring some Kone Piezography ink and turn that into a pure B&W printer and buying a P900 with a roll paper unit however one question that had been avoided is ink consumption. Given that the cartridges are down to 50ml from 80ml from the Stylus Pro range, will the 50ml cartridges print around the same amount of prints as the old system? I know there's a lot of factors involved such as black ink change wastage, extra colours, newer print heads, but if the cartridges are still going to be around £40 to 50 each, it's something to take into account if the downsize of cartridges affect print yield.
Thanks - My suspicion is that the ink usage is slightly better than the older printer. I don't have firm data to back this up though (partly due to printer swapping). We need data from some of the paper sellers who test this sort of stuff in detail. The ink cart size reduction is not a positive feature.
@@KeithCooper Thanks for the reply. It's probably not something that will be public knowledge for a while, though I would imagine the violet ink would take some pressure off of cyan and magenta and the fact that you won't have to drop about 5ml each time you switch inks will help. The precision core head is supposed to be more efficient with ink too, but I don't know if that's marketing bunkum. Keep doing the printer reviews, they're very informative.
Thanks - this is a tricky one for me in that I only get a new printer for a shortish period and do a lot of varied testing. That means I have no reliable ink use data. The nearest I can suggest is here. www.redrivercatalog.com/rr/cost-of-inkjet-printing.html The costs are going to be similar to the P800 - you'll need to make allowances for the ink cart capacity and price of the P900, but it should give ball park figures. I've seen other costs mentioned, but unlike the link above, they have no data or methodology - this makes them no better than guesswork
Much thanks for this Keith. Can you speak to it's image quality (color gamut, image detail) in comparison to the Canon prograf 1000? Also ease of use? Best wishes.
Thanks - Both it and the PRO-1000 are similar. Precise image 'quality' comparisons are not something I really do, since without a rigorous methodology and more expensive kit than I possess, they are pretty meaningless. Check the full review (and my written one for the PRO-1000) for more details. Remember that any modern printer can make great prints and very few people can spot the difference ;-)
Thanks Keith for this excellent review. I always go to your reviews for advice. Two questions I don't see covered. The P800 was reputed to show pizza wheel marks. Any problem with the P900? Secondly, I had switched to the Canon Pro-1000 which prints well but gulps ink like nothing I have ever seen. I print infrequently (once every week or two and NOT a very dry environment) and the machine cleans and cleans and cleans. I estimate 1/3 to 1/2 of all of my ink goes into the maintenance tank(s). The problem was so bad that Canon has replaced my machine twice for free when it just would not stop wasting ink. Can you report on perceived Epson 900 cleaning and ink wastage. I am seriously thinking of switching back. Cheers!
Thanks - glad it's of help. If I'd seen wheel marks, they would be covered in the full (written) review - they get no mention ;-) The P900 does not seem to have the amount of cleaning that the 1000 does. My testing is necessarily limited, so I can't give data to support this, but I never needed to do any significant cleanings in the time I had it here (it has unfortunately now gone back to Epson)
@@KeithCooper Hi, do you still use the Epson p900 or is there something better now? how was Epson's customer service? did they repair it? what's your views on this printer now after playing around with it? the price is ridiculous right now! £1200!
@@frenchi1 The P900 has several years life left yet as a product. It was Epson's printer, so they replaced it when I had an issue - remember, I'm often working with early and pre-production hardware. My views are in: www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-sc-p900-printer-review/
Outstanding job! Many thanks, Keith. As my Canon Pro-1 has a printhead issue since a couple of weeks, I will try to get my hands on one of those P900. Unfortunately it is very difficult to find a dealer in Germany having it in stock. Not sure if it is different in the UK and if it will improve before Christmas...
Thanks - I don't know much about stocks I'm afraid. I think the pandemic has hit extended global supply chains quite badly. It only takes a delay in the factory to miss a container ship and throw things into disarray all the way down the line.
Great video. I very much appreciate your reviews. I’m very happy with my p900. Can you tell me what the thick matte paper you used for the cathedral photos is? Many thanks from Australia.
I believe that one is done on the epson smooth bright cotton rag paper - it has different names in different regions. There are several prints I tried using that image - it could have been the smooth natural white cotton paper. I also did it using Epson Matte poster board
Hi Keith, I’m researching/using your site to purchase a printer for my ex-wife who is an artist that photographs her art pieces and converts to prints from letter size and down. She also uses 4 x 5 print sizes that she glues to card paper (that has the crease). She does not run the creased/card paper through the printer…she rather will make a letter size print of 4 of the 4 x 5 size prints on the one sheet, then cut the 4 prints to glue on card paper. So given the method of printing she uses to develop her card prints would you recommend the Epson P900? No, she isn’t into big prints, but we value the print quality AND saving money over time in ink cartridges as opposed to the P700. We are looking at the ET 8550 as well, but feel the SC P700/900 has better quality. This would also give her the option to make bigger prints to sell if she chooses to at some point. Thank you for your time, Sincerely,
You can print on any paper (results will vary a lot though - it needs to be paper for inkjet use) No - white inks are not supported. Any attempt to use them will effectively render the printer useless for general use and require specialist software to use and set up (oh, and kill your warranty ;-)
Thanks for a great review . Q. Epson A4 Fine Art Cotton Textured Bright What ICC profile is the correct to use for this paper My printer : Epson SC-P900 Windows 10 I can' find the ICC profile
Hello Keith I finally plunged and purchased the P900 and unfortunately had to send it back. I was using the legacy paper from Epson and it kept jamming front or rear feed. The front feed it was grinding the back of the paper. Hopefully the new one does not fail. Just to confirm all fine art paper are rear feed?
You can use both for many papers - I just found the top feed more convenient. You're quite right in that paper misfeeds are a definite cause for return
No, I personally avoid them for a variety of quality related reasons [having to make new profiles for example] A bigger reason not to test is that most of these printers are loans and Canon/Epson would not appreciate their printer filling with some random ink ;-)
Thanks - yes I looked at the R3000 in 2011, so there are several steps. No black swap, better colour gamut, bigger carts, smoother B&W performance and a more usable front screen. However in terms of two prints made on a good paper, with good profiles and a good workflow I'd say of much less obvious difference. The fact is that with almost any modern printer they are capable of excellent results. If my 3000 was working fine and I didn't want the 17" of the P900, I might wait a bit - see my 3000 review with the printer on the same table to get a better comparison www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-stylus-photo-r3000-review/ The P900/700 are very new designs - I might like testing new stuff, but for my own cash I do sometimes avoid jumping to the very latest just for the sake of it ;-)
Hi Keith, a follow up to my problems, ( front feeder) they sent a tech out, he decided it was unrepairable and offered a brand new replacement OR money back. I'm thinking of money back and going with the Canon pro1000. The tech said that the P900 were always nothing but trouble, and that everyone at Epson UK knows about it. Did you ever do a comparisons between the two, and what are your views? these are for selling my watercolor and oil prints.
My detailed review of the PRO-1000 was in 2016 (when it came out) so it's been a while since I used one. Drop me an email at Northlight if you've any specific questions?
@@KeithCooper cheers Keith, all idd llike to know iis if the pro 1000 would be a better choice for watercolor fine art prints that i sell on the street, rather than the p900. the ink cost would be cheaper, as ive found a place here that sells the 80ml bottles for £45, Whereas the 50 ml for p900 are about £40. im thinking mainly of longevity and quality of prints. ii am no longer in the van, as i have acquired a gallery and will do a LOT of printing in the future . is there a better alternative? im assuming the 8550 is out. the p900 i had initially has paid for itself multiple times over, so im not worried about spending a bit more for better quality. ive been using epsons radiant white watercolor paper, will that work with the prograf 1000? also the canson aquarelle rag.
Ah - I make a point of not generally doing public comparisons if I've not both printers at hand. My choice, IF you've the regular print volume would be the P5000... [see my written reviews] Print quality depends a lot of profile quality for all these.
@@KeithCooper cheers keith, the p5000 is about twice the cost of the canon , which is now down to $900, canon are having a sale. What's mindboggling too me is that the watercolor paper radiant white isn't available in 17" rolls, only 24 and 44. So i cant fit in t eh p5000 in any case. WHYYY wouldn't Epson provide a 17 " roll?! oh, and do you know if he epson watercolor paper would work in the canon 1000?
The epson paper will work fine with a good profile - no-one will have that though, so buy your paper from a supplier which makes custom profiles. Given Epson don't make their own papers you could also ask what they have 'equivalent' to the Epson ;-)
Thank You for the review - great video, just like the others on your channel! I would like to buy an Epson p900 printer and put it on a cabinet with wheels - just like in your video. Will moving her from time to time (back and forth by about 50 cm) harm her? Won't the vibrations generated by such movement make it necessary to activate the printer head alignment every time? In the video it looks like you don't care, but I wanted to make sure, just in case.
Good Review... Looking to add to my print capabilities. I have a IPF6400 for bigger prints.. But need something smaller and less costly to run for smaller prints. What you say?
See the main written review - much more detail ;-) www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-sc-p900-printer-review/ Or as a Canon user, you might wait a few months, the PRO-1000 is getting on in years.
So good Keith, I,m back at Art School with your showings.. But I still can't decide wethr th Canon equivalent or P900 is the best B&W Art prints.. Cheerz fum AU ;^D
Both pretty good for B&W performance. If I wanted 17" roll support I'd prefer the P5000 over the P900. It is however much bigger/heavier/expensive. The 1000 is getting on a bit, but has extremely good paper handling. The 1000 uses more ink in cleanings, if that matters (not something I'd personally worry about)
Hi Keith Thanks for great review.. Can I ask, just a rough estimate if possible, how many A2 full colour sheets would a full set of tanks print? Thank you.
Not a question I can answer from my type of testing - see here for some good ink use info though www.redrivercatalog.com/rr/cost-of-inkjet-printing.html
Keith -- thanks for your great review. Hoping you might now the answer to this--cannot find it anywhere online... I'm setting the printer up and can't get past this message: "paper may remain in the printer." It is brand new. No paper has ever been loaded (in any feed). All blue tape removed. Ink installed. Did the 15min set up. Then got the paper error message... I'm stuck. And frustrated...
This sounds like a sensor error - not good for a new printer. Apart from opening the back (where the roll feed goes) and looking for things stuck (or more blue tape - I've missed bits myself even after setting up multiple printers). I'm afraid if it didn't sort out after a while I'd be on to the phone to Epson
Thank you! Will call epson now... I'm inclined to return it to B&H for a new one since I am one day under the 30day return window... I appreciate your help.
Thanks - they are interesting to try, but eventually, Canon and Epson want their printers back ;-) Do check the articles as well - there's lots more of them than the videos, which I only started adding a few months ago.
At 17" it's usually this or the older PRO-1000 and there are arguments for/against either. I have made great prints on both (my pro-1000 review predates my videos) However, If I needed 17" I'd currently prefer the Epson P5000 with a powered roll unit and cutter. If Canon brought back a modern update to the 17" iPF5100 I might go for that, or if Epson updated the P5000 with a similar ink setup to the P7500 I might go for that... This is why I never do comparisons between brands or pick 'the best' - they would end up just so full of caveats and personal preferences that they would be meaningless. The P700/900 and PRO-200-300 (video) comparisons are the only ones I've ever done in over 15 years of reviews ;-) The videos are still a new thing to me - they are mainly there to supplement the full written reviews, where the detailed stuff goes.
You are correct when you mention that taking pictures off of the iPhone has some color management problems. Even when using the Epson Layout app where you have Epson color profiles, I find the flesh tones to not have enough warmth in the tones. Do you find this to be the case? Why would this be? If I export the file into Epson print, Lightroom, or Photoshop on my desktop, the print profiles are excellent, and the flesh tones are perfect!
It's likely a colour management issue with airprint. I've not tested this very much, since my use of a phone was more a 'could it be done' test. If I needed to print a phone picture it would have gone via Photoshop on my Mac ;-)
It's the software underpinning printing on the iPhone when connected to the P900. It's meant to be seamless ;-) In general, phone printing leaves a lot to be desired, from a quality point of view...
Hi Keith, Such a great review! How do you compare this or the P700 with Canon Pro200/300? If i print around 100-200 prints a year, would the P900 saves me more money on the ink? I remember you mentioned in the other video that big ink tanks are better.
Thanks - I don't have accurate use figures, but of the printers I've looked at of late, the bigger carts of the P900 will win out over a year or two at that volume (given the higher P900 price). A PRO-200 has just turned up to look at, but is likely to be close to the 300, but without the pigment inks of the PRO-300
@River He - I estimate it would take ~600 A4 prints (3-6 years based on your use) to break even with the Epson P700, ~1000 A4 prints (5-10 years based on your use) to break even with the PRO-300, ~3000 A4 prints (15-30 years based on your use) to break even with the PRO-200 (since the PRO-200 is cheaper up-front and uses slightly less ink than the PRO-300). I am in the market and have similar use. I leaning towards either the Canon PRO-200 or Epson P900. The Canon PRO-200 will make very nice prints and is a bit more economical, but the Epson P900 has some very nice features like being able to print at 17" wide, the optional roller, 9 pigment inks (vs. the 8 dye inks in the PRO-200), and allowing for printing on extremely thick media through the straight feed slot. It is a hard choice
@@nafnaf0 Thanks for the explanation. Indeed tough choice! P900 is so great but it's expensive. Maybe Pro-200 would be more affordable for long term use? But I also hear that Epson print head lasts longer.
The papers I used are listed in the main review www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-sc-p900-printer-review/ There is a full list of my paper reviews here www.northlight-images.co.uk/keith-coopers-paper-reviews/
Hi Keith, I'm enjoying your videos. I find them very informative and enjoyable. I do have a question for you concerning the Epson P900 since I recently upgraded to this. For example, if my light gray ink is running low and I'm going to do a large 17x22 print, can I take the low light gray ink cartridge out, replace it with a new one and then change it back again to the low one when I'm doing smaller prints? That's what I'm gathering in the manual but just wanted to make sure this can be done. Thank you!
Thanks for the detailed review Keith. One quick question: when printing a black and white photograph, does the printer use any colour ink, or just the black and grey inks? Is there a difference in quality with either of those reproductions with this printer? Thank you once again.
Yes, a mix of inks See the main [written] review, but also the 700/900 B&W supplement www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-sc-p900-printer-review/ www.northlight-images.co.uk/black-and-white-printing-with-the-p700/ ABW would normally be my choice for B&W on the P900
A great review, Keith! May I ask: What is your experience from the amount of ink it is eating? I've heard from lots of Canon Imageprograph Pro 1000 users, that they are unhappy because it would eat too much ink - I think because it makes too often washing processes. Is it compareable to the Canon? Or isn't it as ink hungry? Your experience?
Thanks - The 900 uses less ink in cleaning - there are no auto cleanings like the 1000. However I disagree somewhat with the idea that the 1000 uses a lot of ink for cleaning - it's just a cost of using a printer like that. People look at the 1000 as a bigger desktop printer, whereas it's actually a smaller large format one. People with large format experience know that ink is a consumable to keep the printer well and factor it into their costs - People from a 'small print' background rarely ever work out the true costs of ownership. See this for some thoughts on ink use and 'waste' [predates my videos] www.northlight-images.co.uk/printer-ink-use-and-waste/
@@KeithCooper Thank you for your detailled answer, Keith - and the link, I read the website now. Most people I talked with meant, that they had to print all 2-3 days, that their Canon wouldn't waste ink. This was the reason, why I didn't go for it and sticked with my lab. I print ~2-5 prints a week currently, but I can't spread this over the week, because I'm not always at the office :) It were cool if it would really work to print once or twice a week. Good to hear, that the Epson doesn't eat as much as the Canon. I will sleep over it and decide as soon it is available here in Austria :) Nice greetings mate, Christian
@@KeithCooper That is so true. I did my review on the HPZ9+ then let it sit for a year other than 1 print. Turned off it did not do the daily routine flow through print heads. Now all the heads are showing far beyond expected life, one head failed. That would have been completely avoided if I left the routine maintenance on, the cost of ink would have been much less than replacing 5 print heads.
I have no idea - I don't have data to work this out ...but these people do! www.redrivercatalog.com/rr/cost-of-inkjet-printing.html You'll need to do some calculations, but the info is there
It's by choice, so I've specified it in the settings when printing. Borderless is available for some paper sizes See the main [written] review for details. It has links to all my P900 related articles/videos www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-sc-p900-printer-review/
Keith, what size is that cabinet that you have the P900 sitting on? It looks like a good size for it, and I have a P900 on order and need a rolling cart that will accommodate.
It's a butcher's trolley - Some of my older [and bigger] printer reviews are shot in the kitchen. It was from the kitchenware department at John Lewis [UK Store]
Hey Keith, do you know how thick you can go up on the paper you can print from rear feeder? I am trying to use Epson Legacy Texture paper, but it does not take the paper in the rear feeder.
yes. with a suitable profile. If using the roll adapter, take care since canvas rolls are heavy and the feed rollers could mark the surface. I would prefer to use cut sheets of canvas with the printer
Thanks Keith. I'm an artist totally new to this concept of printing my original artwork. Have you any experience in printing a watercolor painting onto a textured 300 lb. cotton paper?
Can't help much there - such weights are only used in the US and have no specific equivalents here ...we use gsm. I've used lots of thick cotton rag art papers though - but they need to be ones specifically for inkjet use. However, one answer is in one of my ET-8550 videos looking at scanning artwork for greeting cards, which is on a heavy art paper - the key to good results is in the scan, editing and colour management.
@@KeithCooper Thank you. BTW the 300lb conversion is 600 gsm. In my research, it appears an equally challenging aspect is taking a high quality photo and converting it into a jpeg file. It requires an expensive camera, tripod & an Adobe type app. Do you agree?
It's thickness you need to check against the printer specs, Whilst weight is used as a proxy for that. it doesn't allow for paper density. The important aspect is the paper coating which means that non-inkjet papers will likely look very poor It requires a suitable camera and lens - doesn't have to be new/expensive. Lighting is critical, especially for larger works However it requires editing skills and an understanding of colour management. The software, yes something like Photoshop is ideal, but Affinity photo is capable enough. [Good] art repro is a complex subject - one of the reasons that I won't offer it as a commercial service.
@@stevieg3078 A reasonable choice if you can get the service you need. Good art repro can be much more difficult than printing photos. It has a mix of technical expertise and business skills that are more difficult than many first realise.
Hey Keith, thank you for another great video. See, I was wondering how would you justify buying such a printer for a small graphic design/photo business. I would absolutely love to print off some of my photos and put them in the office but if it's only for convenience then isn't it just better to print them off in the print house? Would you think of any way of earning some money on it? I absolutely love that printer, but I feel like for that money I would be better off buying some extra glass for my camera. Thank you for your brilliant work with those unbiased videos!
Thanks - I've a series of videos (and related articles on the Northlight site) looking at selling prints which may be of interest in this respect, but you are right to wonder about if it would work. At least you are wondering about it before getting one - I always have a steady stream of emails from people wondering about it after getting a printer ;-)
Thanks - I didn't get a chance to test this. I didn't have any 17" width canvas (all 24" and 44") It should look pretty much the same as it would on a P800 or P600. So, just fine (if you like canvas of course)
Keith, I use the Epson Print Layout for printing instead of printing from Photoshop. I was told when using the Epson Print Layout once you set the the color profiles and media type you don't need to set them on the printer control panel. But if you print from Photoshop you should set the correct paper information on the printer to get a proper print settings to apply. I have heard some say this is not correct. What are your thoughts? Thanks as always, John
I don't think you have to set stuff on the printer, but I always do anyway, mainly as a double check I've not set anything wrong - saved me wasting a lot of paper over the years... YMMV
It depends... ;-) Both have positives and negatives - the problem is just which of those matter is different for every potential user. It's one reason I absolutely never do comparisons between brands in any of the reviews I've done, going back to 2003 See my PRO-1000 review and compare with P900 review and decide what matter for your printing? www.northlight-images.co.uk/canon-pro-1000-printer-review/ www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-sc-p900-printer-review/ (those are the full written reviews) I'm always happy to privately answer emails about specific questions, but never post comparisons Personally I'd get neither, I'd prefer a much larger printer ;-)
Have you read the roll paper article? www.northlight-images.co.uk/p900-roll-paper-unit-setup/ (my videos here are only really overviews) I create a custom paper size when printing that fits the image I want to print. Precise details will depend on software though. Feel free to send me a message via the Northlight site if you've any specific queries?
@@pongokamerat8601 Not used On1 for many years, but DxO is good for raw image processing and the Nik plugins are something I've used for years. Lots of articles on the Northlight site. No videos though for any of this sort of stuff.
Not a paper I had available to try I'm afraid The inks are essentially the same (in this respect) as the older P600/800 and other recent Epson Ultrachrome inks
Many thanks for the Great overview Keith. This looks like a suitable replacement for my ageing (and occasionally failing) Epson R2400, although I notice the price has crept up quite a bit since the initial release and nobody seems to have it in stock. I also note Epson quote it can print to A2+ size which presumably is 17-inch width? Will Epson be making A2+ sheet paper avaliable or is the 17-inch only for roll paper?
Yes, a lot of printers seem to be in short supply - I guess it's the usual reason for supply problems at the moment :-( A2+ is not a 'real' size - some people use it to describe 17" x 25" but such papers are extremely rare. Until someone decides to offer them, no-one else is going to risk being left with boxes and boxes of the stuff on the shelves. Someone else asked me about this size and I noted that, for me, 17" roll was far more flexible in terms of options (square right up to long pano)
Sorry, but no - the testing I do is so varied that I get no meaningful data for this. See here - you should be able to do the maths for your local media/ink prices www.redrivercatalog.com/rr/cost-of-inkjet-printing.html
The Epson P900 can print A2+, 17" x 25". So, yo can print the whole picture from a full frame camera (2x3 ratio) , 42cm x 63cm with only very small borders.
Yes although I'd note that A2+ is not a standard paper size name. 17" x 25" is not very widely available. In the UK, none of the main paper suppliers seem to list it? I do print 17 x 25, but on 17" roll paper
@@KeithCooper You are right that A2+ is not a standard paper size. However if people like you start to promote the benefits of 17 x 25" papers, more photographers will follow. With the internet, getting A2+ papers to your doorstep should be a breeze.
Not an easy task. I've long offered prints of around that size and in talking with people at galleries and the like, the common response is: "I'd love one but I haven't got space on the wall". I've also asked several suppliers and there is the problem that there isn't the demand, which means they won't make the investment to get sheets that size. They quite reasonably look at the relative sales of A4/A3/A3+/A2 and perceive 17x25 as a very niche market. They are businesses in it to make money, and I respect their expertise and market knowledge. As one said to me "Keith, you can have any size you want, if you want enough of it..." Also, I'm afraid that at 17" width, roll paper is a much better solution for myself. I regularly crop large prints lightly, since I've never had any particular interest in using "the whole frame". Add to that 17" roll lets me easily do 17 x 29, 33, 37, 49, 60 or any of a whole host of wide sizes. Also making 17 x 17 is an easy option. No, even if I had a box of 17 x 25 here, I'd likely not use it very often.
@@KeithCooper Very valid points. I just got my P900 with the roll adapter. I am a COMPLETE novice to picture processing and printing. People like you and the knowledge you share is of great help and inspiration!
@@pongokamerat8601 Thanks - If there was one roll paper tip I'd mention for the P900 it would be to take care in handling the paper, and not to leave it in the roll unit when not in use. This is doubly so for less robust (and more expensive) high end papers - if possible practice with a general purpose luster or photo paper to get the hang of paper feeding and image print settings if you are new to roll printing. Oh and have a read of the manual as well! ;-)
Hi Keith indeed informative videos here and Thank You. I have p900 and have been getting great prints. However I noticed while using Red River paper Ultra Premium luster, there are small wheel marks on the print visible in direct harsh sunlight. This is frustrating as you can imagine. So my question for you is any tips in eliminating these marks? I assume epson will tell me that using third party papers is the reason but is it really? Thanks
It does seem more an issue with some printers - the one I had here didn't show this effect. On some printers where I've seen it, the way the paper comes out makes a difference. Placing a magazine or something in the output tray can change how the paper bends as it comes out - I've head this mentioned on a couple of forums, but not seen any examples of it...
I'm trying to decide between an Epson and a Canon for printing my art prints on note cards and greeting cards, postcards, small 5x7 and 8x10 prints, etc. Have you noticed problems with the print heads on the Epson. I've heard that is a problem. I've also heard Canon has no ink for replacement cartridges right now. So, which printer would you recommend. I would appreciate your help as I've been researching printers for days now and am more confused that ever.
There are no print head problems with the Epson. My articles (the full written ones not the videos) get a lot of feedback and this is not an issue I know of. The Canon ink issue is a temporary supply chain issue. You need to check the printer specifications to check that they do card printing for the size you want - I have several videos about card printing -ignore what printer they are for, they contain a lot of general info about cards as well, and why the choice of card type is more important than the printer.
As far as I can remember it defaults to going into a low power mode after a while. I leave it plugged in and don't change any of the power timing settings. The important thing for me is to remember to use it (a nozzle check will do) every week or two. However, this particular one went back to Epson after testing - i'm not allowed to live in a printer warehouse ;-)
See the main written review for all the papers tested www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-sc-p900-printer-review/ It was a while ago I can't remember specifically
No idea - my type of printer testing testing does not give any meaningful data for this See here and do the maths for your costs ;-) www.redrivercatalog.com/rr/cost-of-inkjet-printing.html
No - no higher end printers have scanners... I've not tested any large scanners I'm afraid. I've a video looking at the Epson V850 coming up, but that's for film scanning and not that size...
@@KeithCooper thank you for response I really appreciate it. This printer looks phenomenal though unless there's a new aversion coming up. It started learning how to do digital arts I want to print big prints and I also have very long prints that I need a big scanner so I figured I'd have to buy a super nice printer in a super big giant scanner. It cost so much money but in the long run it's less than going to a shop and just having them print me like 10 prints for 60 bucks
@@penguin422613 Printer models at the higher end tend to last a lot longer between updates See the Epson timeline at www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-printer-news-updates-and-rumours/ I don't really see an update for at least 2-3 years Do check the main [written] review as well - there's links to all my P900/700 info/videos www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-sc-p900-printer-review/
Unbelievably, the front fine art paper feeder of the Epson P900 that I purchased yesterday does not work. However, I can print via the rear paper feeder. Other than the front feeder defect all else with the P900 works very well. Would it still be worth keeping the P900 if I can only print via the rear feeder? Does the rear feeder produce a lesser quality print?
If it doesn't work then you have a faulty printer - given my experiences in testing (see the more detailed written reviews for the 700 and 900) I would not want to keep a new but faulty printer (mine were probably damaged in shipping) The main front use is for the DVD holder and board, but some heavy art papers will feed more reliably that way.
@@KeithCooper Thank you for the your reply and suggestion. I had read your reviews on both printers and watched your RUclips videos. The unboxing videos were quite helpful and made my setup very easy and seamless. Many thanks and stay safe :)
Check the poster board video and specs in the main [written] review - that's 1.6mm for straight through media. www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-sc-p900-printer-review/ For the top feed I fed 350gsm paper with no problem - remember though that gsm is not the same as thickness! Card stock must be coated for inkjet use for good results. Plain card stock is generally useless in most desktop inkjet printers - I've quite a lot of videos looking at printing on card
@@KeithCooper thank you Keith, yes aware that theres a difference, i see in the manuam it was 1mm plus but wasnt sure oj gsm conversion. 350gsm on resr feed is music to my ears thank you! No i just need to part ways with my trusty eco tank 8550 and go back to cartridges! Wish there was a A2 eco tank
@@KeithCooper ok thabk you. One last thing! What weight can it duplex print? I cant see it anywhere. My 8550 only handles a4 plain paper, can the 900 duplex on 300 gsm?
I'm afraid it's not a function you will find on any higher quality printer - it's for office/consumer printers and thin paper ;-) If you want double sided you need to do it manually, one sheet at a time...
Keith, me again, is there 'a printer head lock on this? I have it in my van and would like to lock it whilst driving about. im thinking the vibrations might throw it out of alignment
There is a hidden lock which engages when powered down. The other thing I'd do is stand it on some thick bubble wrap or similar when transporting to deaden vibration. That said, no ink jet printers like being moved a lot - they need to settle for some time before use
![Which is best? Epson P900 vs Epson P5300 [P5370] 17" A2 pigment ink printer shootout](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/vAeJskE3ryc/mqdefault.jpg)
![Which is best? Epson P900 vs Epson P5300 [P5370] 17" A2 pigment ink printer shootout](/img/tr.png)
Can we just take a moment to appreciate that Keith replies to all comments. Keith you do not have to reply to this one.
Thank You so much Mr Keith Cooper. You have saved me a load of time doing all the testing and Printing Samples. Wish you live forever to help people like me.
Thanks - glad it was of help!
Thank you SO MUCH, Keith, it's such a blessing having your video available !!
Take very good care of you.
Colin
Glad it's of interest - If you've not seen them, there is more detail in the written reviews and articles that are on the Northlight site.
Excellent ! I'll check that out, for sure !!
Thank you so much Keith🙏🙏. I bought the P900 after your P700 review and love it. I can wholeheartedly recommend the P900.
Thanks - I've got a P900/P700 comparison video to think about now. I don't normally do comparisons, but as you know, they are fairly similar ;-)
Hello Keith, hope you had a lovely New Year's Eve! Based on your extensive reviews, I went from the Canon 200, 300, Epson 8550, P700, Prograf 1000 and finally landed on P900. Ordered yesterday. Cost here in Sweden for me who is VAT exempt (small business owner) was £800 including the back roller. The set of 10 ink refills was £280. I listened very carefully to most of your videos, including the ones on "is it viable as a business". Very informative, and no nonsense! I am a painter who sells my art in Old Town, Stockholm during the summer months. I usually only sold postcards and original art. Last year a competitor turned up and was selling prints. This was something I didn't have, but he was doing good business, so I realized I needed to offer this too. Nothing like some stiff competition to get one's backside in gear and think differently! I farm out the postcards to VistaPrint, they have good deals. I sell the postcards for £2, at a printing cost of 10p each. I sell the originals for £120-300 so there is quite a jump from postcards to original, nothing in between in the £40-50. Vistaprint don't offer the kind of printing o I thought Id take matters into my own hands. Ideally Ill print them on the Epson Matte Posterboard, since that would remove the need for a passe-partout, and would feel more "substantial". It would also differentiate from the originals. The large format is also for enlarging pencil sketches for portraits/commissions, or print as underdrawing on to canvas. It will save SO much time.
I am a travelling painter, I have converted a Renault master to a mobile studio, and drive around europe to paint. The P900 just about fits in a cubby hole in my van where i had my old Brother 4120. I have a big leisure battery and solar/split charge, but the ability to go anywhere, find a touristy spot, do a few paintings and then be able to print my own prints in a limited number will greatly help my business. Im sure Ill have many questions when she arrives! I wont be firing her up until around april. thanks again Keith!
That sounds great! Glad to have helped you along!
@@KeithCooper Hello Keith. What a wonderful printer. I'm sold on it. Also - may I ask? - What is that mobile table that you have there? That looks spot on for what I need. Is it something that can be purchased or is it something that you've had for donkey's years. Whatever it is, it looks very solidly made.
@@josefschiltz2192 It a 'butcher's trolley' - this one was actually a wedding present a few years ago - I believe it came from John Lewis in the UK
@@KeithCooper Interesting. Even better, since I wouldn't have to pay for import. I wonder? I'll check that out. Many thanks.
@@KeithCooper That's great. Just found one for £250 with a surface size of 70 x 50 cm and solid pine. sliding drawer shelf and casters. Should do the job nicely! Thanks!
Thank you so much for such a insightful and thorough review of the printer. I'm looking to grab one of these this week!
Glad it was helpful!
There is more detail in my main written review at:
www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-sc-p900-printer-review/
First time to watch your channel - you have amazing photography!
Thanks so much!
Thank you for the review. I found you while researching printers and you now have another subscriber.
Thanks - glad it was of interest!
Great video. Great images. You know what you're doing. Nice with a "calm" channel where the subject matter is in focus (and not b-roll of you making coffee). Subscribed.
Thanks - I'm trying to avoid being like some of the 'shouting' YT channels ;-)
@@KeithCooper Me too Keith - my channel is roughly as big as yours. My P900 arrived today. Will let them know that if they want a review of the P900, then your channel is the place to go. ruclips.net/channel/UCTyZFM8ekplP9-jhONFm-Cwcommunity
@@KeithCooper Keith, just installed my P900. All is good, except when I print it will only accept paper from the front, not the rear feed. It is as if it cannot see that I have loaded A4 paper into the rear feeder. Any ideas what can be wrong?
@@frederikboving check that paper in the rear slot is activating the small lever to detect paper - I don't have one here any more, so can't check, but I think that is there.
However, if it persists check with Epson or your supplier. Whilst I didn't see any problems I have heard about issues with the rear feed paper detection and initial paper ingest that led to replacement.
@@KeithCooper Thanks! The lever is there. And judging from the lcd on the printer it knows that a4 is ready in the feeder. But when I print a page from Lightroom the printer complaints that US C 17x22 is to be loaded in the front feed. No idea where it gets that idea from, but maybe this is the issue: that the paper in the feeder is too small an it hence tries to ask for C format. But I have no idea where the C format instructions come from 🧐 wait! Also happens when I get it to print on A4, but it always thinks the paper is thick and hence defaults to the front feeder. SOLVED: the printer driver was nuts. Removed and reinstalled a windows one. Works like a charm now.
Many thanks, Keith! It was difficult to choose a printer but your review helps a lot! I wish you luck! And thanks for showing your pictures, great work!
Thanks, you too!
Invaluable. Clear and informative. Thank you!
Glad it was helpful!
Thanks for the review Keith. Another consideration is the savings in ink costs. The savings on the larger ink cartridges will cover the difference in intital printer costs within the first year or so, depending on the number of prints you make. So, I agree, the P900 is the better option.
Yes - it making A2 prints which tips the balance for me. Not often, but when am image deserves 'big' it makes the difference
Great review. Thanks for showing the actual printer and print examples.
Glad it was of interest - do see the actual (written) review as well? - the YT videos are usually meant as supplements to the written stuff
www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-sc-p900-printer-review/
Excellent presentation. Good information clearly and concisely described. Good pictures too!
Thanks - much appreciated
Hello Keith many thanks for a very informative review.
Thanks
If you've not seen it, there is lots more info in the main [written] review
www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-sc-p900-printer-review/
Thanks Keith. Looking forward to watching your other videos. Cheers!
Thanks!
Dear Keith, I really love your clean and simple videos. Just always straight to the point without annoying intros etc. Thanks for that!
I do have one question regarding the P900. I saw one of your videos printing an A2 posterboard where the print came out at the back. Since I do not have that much space, I was wondering until what grammature (g/m²) it is possible to avoid the 'flat printing' process that needs to come out of the back.
Thanks so much and keep up the good work!! *subscribed
Thanks - I'm afraid that the mechanism really does not like bending at the back.
Suffice to say, if the paper is thin enough to bend you can use the top slot.
@@KeithCooper I understand that the posterboard with 800gsm - DIN A2 is too thick to get through the top feeder. But do you have any info on what paper can be fed
through the top feeder? This will be the deciding factor whether to buy this printer or look for alternatives, because of the limited depth in my office space
:) Thanks a lot Keith
For the board the important feature is the straight through path.
Epson seems to have only limited specifications on their sites (which I used for my review) However I''d not expect issues at up to ~380gsm It does of course depend on thickness. I put some sheets of canvas through OK.
Sorry not to have a precise number...
@@KeithCooper Thanks for the info! I saw some other videos of canvas prints going through just fine. I will however contact epson before I will purchase this printer. I will pass on the info to you :)
Thank you for this clear and focused explanation!
Glad it was helpful!
There is a more detailed written review I've done at:
www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-sc-p900-printer-review/
hello sir, thank you for made this video. now im waiting for my brand new printer. your video it really helped me to choose, grettings from mexico
Glad I could help
Thanks for the great informative video Keith. I'll be coming back for more.
Great to see knowledge based in passion and experience rather than cinematography and "high production value" with regurgitated "reviews".
Thanks - I try and get them to compliment my lengthy written reviews, which date back far longer than I've been doing the videos.
I might move up to my office at some point, but a lot of clearing out needs to be done first ;-)
Thank you for information Keith. The printer is great!
Thanks - Glad it's of interest
Thanks for the overview Keith.
Thanks - do have a look at the full (written) review if you want more detail.
@@KeithCooper Yes I did. Very extensive thanks!
Great video, you're like the James May of printers
Thanks ;-)
Hallo Keith.
We had yesterday a problem on a P900 printing on 17" roll. We did set it up Properlt in PS and later i LR, we set it up with the right messurements. We Tried to print borderless, but all of our 6 printes had a white edge on one site. I think it was the left site.
Have you seen that before.
Tank for your fantastic videos.
Steen Aage Nielsen, Denmark
Check the expansion options in the driver paper settings.
See also the main [written] review
www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-sc-p900-printer-review/
I don't have it here any more to check. The place I'd ask would be the printing forum at DPReview.com, where I know there are quite a few P900 users
Great timing keith, my p900 arrived today😁
Excellent - have fun!
Thank you so much very helpful 😊😊😊
Glad it was of interest - my main review is at:
www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-sc-p900-printer-review/
Thanks for the video. Very informative and i like your b&w pictures.
Thanks - do check the written review as well. The P700 articles are also worth looking at as well, since from a print quality POV, the two are identical.
@@KeithCooper i will. Many thanks.
I appreciate this video as I'm wanting to move up from my old Canon 9100 MKii that I used for years and which recently died. I'd like a pigment rather than dye ink and a 17" model. The Canon P1000 is a contender but it does look massive, beautiful prints of course but massive. So, still researching. Thank you for your video. I subscribed.
Thanks - I do have a lengthy review of the pro-1000 on the Northlight Images site. It long predates my making videos, which I only started last year
www.northlight-images.co.uk/canon-pro-1000-printer-review/
The site is a bit slow loading at the moment, but it is a long article - very nice printer, still with the best sheet paper handling of a desktop printer I've looked at for a while. It needs regular use though.
Great review. Thank you!
Thanks so much for this, assuming we can finally get the printer here in the States, I'm seriously considering ordering one. I would be moving up from a 13" printer, thanks again.
Glad it's of help - do see the full (written) review and articles as well, since there are a lot more details there www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-sc-p900-printer-review/
@@KeithCooper Will do, thanks again.
As the kids say “you’re lit”-great review.
Thanks!
After my Epson 3880 died I went with a newest version of the Canon Pro 1000 2 years ago. Frankly I much prefer the PRO 1000 since the updated firmware which now allows pano prints up to 17" x 48". Mine has been trouble free and gorgeous prints. There are some tricks to minimize ink waste but you can go on RUclips to find out about those. I am wondering how the reliability of the 900 has been since you did this RUclips review. I hear some aren't too happy with it. Hopefully Epson will be more proactive in updates and offering repair/maintenance services than I experienced. The Canon doesn't have a roll paper adaptor, but for me I don't have a use for it. I just take roll paper and cut appropriate lengths.
This is one of those areas it's difficult for me to test. I only really get most printers to test for a while, and they're brand new ones. So, my pro-1000 testing was back in 2016.
I suspect quality control is better for P700/900 printers now - a product launch in the midst of a pandemic is not great...
Thanks Keith another great overview!
Thanks - I'm feeling more comfortable doing the videos now.
Many Thanks for this video. I think you are wright: If you buy the P700 (around 750 EUR) you have to buy another inkset (about 300 EUR) very soon. If you buy the P900, it is just a few EUROs more and you'll get the possibility of greater prints and the bigger ink tanks. Thanks for your thoughts!
Thanks - Yes, the pricing definitely seems to push towards the P900
Very good review. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks - glad it was of interest
It was so well explained. Thank you.
Thanks - do have a look at the full (written) review too, if you want more details.
Thanks for the great overview. I was just told that my ancient Epson r2880 needs a $300 repair so I'm thinking of finally making the jump to a new printer. Among other concerns, I'm wondering if Epson will just stop selling those old ink cartridges. Plus, they're pricey on a per-ML basis. Just have to decide on this or the Canon 1000. Hmmmm....
The 1000 is not due a replacement until well into next year (the supply problems won't make it any sooner)
The ink cost of the 1000 is very dependent on how often you print with cleanings at 50% for sparse use. However the 1000 has the best paper handling of any desktop printer I've tested
@@KeithCooper Very informative video, thank you! I had a similar question, I also heard that for non-intensive sparse use the canon Pro-1000 would waste 50% of the ink, in a similar use case how would the Epson P900 compare?
Would printing once a week significantly avoid ink waste with both printers?
I was convinced to buy the canon Pro-1000 but after reading the comments from traumatised amateur photographers in the B&H website thought the printer was not for me :(
Thanks for your replies in advance!
The P900 seems to use less - but I have neither here for any longer term evaluation@@g0ld3nb
@@KeithCooper thanks for the response Keith
I bought a P906 today. The salesman made the sme point as you regarding the cost of ink, and I was factoring that into my initial cost anyway. I'm assuming the P906 and P900 are materially the same, perhaps some design flaws sorted.
I bought the last one in Western Australia, that he knows about.
He did say that in comparison, the equivalent Canon printers have some reliability concerns. I imagine it's probably not something you would see, but it might be worth interrogating your favourite dealers.
900/906 - just regional model code differences - no physical differences or changes
...Good to see sales people finding unknown, unspecified, unsubstantiated reasons for shading a competing product ;-)
Hope it goes well for you
@@KeithCooper He sells both, I see no point in expressing a less than honest opinion. And he did make the point that ink costs for the P906 are a lot less than for the P706.
Yes - very true.
I'm just curious to know what those 'problems' are given all the testing I've been doing ;-)
@@KeithCooper No amount of testing you do can match monts, years of use by however many hundreds/thousands of photographers we have in Western Australia who use these printers for determining their reliability.
That's why I suggested talking to dealers in your area to see whether their experiences match what I was told.
I'm minded to call that into question... which Canon printers? I was referring to the pro-1100
Well, we could have been lucky and all the re-sellers I know here in the UK got the good ones... :-)
I have decided on this printer (thank you very much) and is planning the purchase. One question, what makes most sense: buy a package of full set of ink together with the prineter to pick from as the initial ink runs out or just start out ordering catridges as the low level warning notifications arrives? Full set is in the order of 1/3 of the printer price here... but of course in the long run the cost will be the same. I am leading towards ordering the set.
Some get used up faster, but yes all will run out eventually. It's the sort of thing that also depends on whether you can find any better deals on inks...
Thanks, yea.. just got the feeling the initial ink likely to run out so fast is so a new baseline may be good to have. But, good point about deal aspect. Think I just get the printer and some epson luster paper, set a side the money for the pack and buy catridges on demand but aslo keeping an eye out for deals on ORGINAL ink (right now not aware of any).@@KeithCooper
If you've not seen it do check the main [written] review - a lot more info than the videos ;-)
www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-sc-p900-printer-review/
I’m not sure what areas this applies to but Epson is running a $200 rebate on the Epson P 900 for the month of December. But you have to purchase it from an authorized dealer.
Thanks for noting that
thank you for review.
Thanks - if you've not seen it, do check the main [written] review as well
far more detail and links to related articles/videos
www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-sc-p900-printer-review/
@@KeithCooper wow.. you really took time for review. Really great job. Thank you again.
Great information Keith, thank you
Thanks !
Hi Keith is this still a good time to buy a P900 since this video is 3 years old or are you expecting a new model soon thx and thx for the video
Thanks - Soon? no...
Previously, Epson printers in this category tend to last 4-5years, so I'd not expect a replacement until late 25 at the earliest. I don't know though, but I'd be very surprised to see anything this year...
See the chart at:
www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-printer-news-updates-and-rumours/
See also the actual [written] review at
www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-sc-p900-printer-review/
Thank you for the review with commonsense points. It has been 4months and wondering how the ink levels look? Of course this will be different for each photographer.
Thanks again
Christian New Zealand
Thanks - I'm afraid it went back to Epson before Christmas... I'm not allowed to turn our home into a printer warehouse. See here for some ink usage notes.
www.redrivercatalog.com/rr/cost-of-inkjet-printing.html
Also, do read the written articles/reviews since they have far more detail in them?
www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-sc-p900-printer-review/
@@KeithCooper thank you for supplying the link. 200 8x10s isn't bad at all. I guess having ten inks you'll use a small amount of each.
Thank you once again for the video
Hi Keith, Great videos, many thanks for taking time to deep dive and make it easier for all of us. This will me my first photo printer and after considering all aspects I’ve settled on P900 for my photography business. However I don’t expect it being frequently used in the beginning. A video on maintenance aspects around ink cartridges so that I don’t end up wasting them because of infrequent use would be very helpful. Alternatively any video links you can share .
Just use it at least once a week or so - even a nozzle check on plain paper is fine
Far too simple to make a video for!
@@KeithCooper , understood . Many thanks ….
Hello Keith,
Thank you for contributing to photography community so much.
can you tell me (i know that's so relative) how much A2 prints can you make with the Epson P-900 with a set of inks? does it use a lot of colour inks if only printing black & white?
thank you very much for your help
Glad it's helpful, but that's the kind of info I've no idea about. I only get printers for a period of time to review, and my testing is far too varied to give any meaningful ink usage data.
Here's where I usually suggest looking
www.redrivercatalog.com/rr/cost-of-inkjet-printing.html
All inks will get used [even in tiny amounts] for B&W - the printer wants to make sure that all heads are working so may use a bit for in-printing maintenenace
Keith, in one video you left the back plastic plate on under the roll paper holder and in this one, you removed it. Is there any issue leaving it on under the roll film holder
Well spotted. There is no necessity to remove it.
This actually came about because the first printer I received had the flap unattached, leading me to think it wasn't needed. After some more work, and writing the full review I realised it was entirely optional. This exposes what to me is my biggest issue with making these videos. With a written article I can go back and make minor corrections and clarifications, but with videos you are stuck. This also explains my variable use of paper page sizes at A3/A3+ ;-)
Hi, thanks for this video. Its really well made and did provide me a good overview of what I might expect from this printer. I'm an amateur and I've never printed photos digitally myself - I still use a wet darkroom. I do plan to start printinting digitally, but I don't expect that I'll have high volumes. I expect that I'll do a few prints every now and then. Just wondering if I need to worry about the inks drying up? I know the cartridges are expensive, so it would be disappointing to have them dry out if I strech usage over longer periods. Thanks.
I set a diary reminder for myself every 3 weeks - it reminds me to turn on the printer and maybe print a nozzle check on plain copier paper. I'll ignore it if I've used it recently, but it just helps me avoid forgetting about the printer.
No inkjet printer (any make) likes being left for long periods - the inks don't dry, but the print heads do need to be kept in good condition.
@@KeithCooper Thanks for the response!
@@KeithCooper Great info!
Thanks for your review Keith. They are the only reviews anywhere in the web that actually mean anything so I totally appreciate all your reviews.
I currently have a 3800 and am finding that "fresh" ink is rising in price. I'm thinking about procuring some Kone Piezography ink and turn that into a pure B&W printer and buying a P900 with a roll paper unit however one question that had been avoided is ink consumption. Given that the cartridges are down to 50ml from 80ml from the Stylus Pro range, will the 50ml cartridges print around the same amount of prints as the old system? I know there's a lot of factors involved such as black ink change wastage, extra colours, newer print heads, but if the cartridges are still going to be around £40 to 50 each, it's something to take into account if the downsize of cartridges affect print yield.
Thanks - My suspicion is that the ink usage is slightly better than the older printer. I don't have firm data to back this up though (partly due to printer swapping). We need data from some of the paper sellers who test this sort of stuff in detail.
The ink cart size reduction is not a positive feature.
@@KeithCooper Thanks for the reply. It's probably not something that will be public knowledge for a while, though I would imagine the violet ink would take some pressure off of cyan and magenta and the fact that you won't have to drop about 5ml each time you switch inks will help. The precision core head is supposed to be more efficient with ink too, but I don't know if that's marketing bunkum.
Keep doing the printer reviews, they're very informative.
I'm curious as to how much it costs to print a full-colour A2 print? Great video!
Thanks - this is a tricky one for me in that I only get a new printer for a shortish period and do a lot of varied testing. That means I have no reliable ink use data.
The nearest I can suggest is here.
www.redrivercatalog.com/rr/cost-of-inkjet-printing.html
The costs are going to be similar to the P800 - you'll need to make allowances for the ink cart capacity and price of the P900, but it should give ball park figures.
I've seen other costs mentioned, but unlike the link above, they have no data or methodology - this makes them no better than guesswork
Much thanks for this Keith. Can you speak to it's image quality (color gamut, image detail) in comparison to the Canon prograf 1000? Also ease of use? Best wishes.
Thanks - Both it and the PRO-1000 are similar.
Precise image 'quality' comparisons are not something I really do, since without a rigorous methodology and more expensive kit than I possess, they are pretty meaningless.
Check the full review (and my written one for the PRO-1000) for more details. Remember that any modern printer can make great prints and very few people can spot the difference ;-)
@David Edge A very valid reason. Companies do seem to be addressing usability issues more, but it can still be a steep curve.
Thanks Keith for this excellent review. I always go to your reviews for advice. Two questions I don't see covered. The P800 was reputed to show pizza wheel marks. Any problem with the P900? Secondly, I had switched to the Canon Pro-1000 which prints well but gulps ink like nothing I have ever seen. I print infrequently (once every week or two and NOT a very dry environment) and the machine cleans and cleans and cleans. I estimate 1/3 to 1/2 of all of my ink goes into the maintenance tank(s). The problem was so bad that Canon has replaced my machine twice for free when it just would not stop wasting ink. Can you report on perceived Epson 900 cleaning and ink wastage. I am seriously thinking of switching back. Cheers!
Thanks - glad it's of help.
If I'd seen wheel marks, they would be covered in the full (written) review - they get no mention ;-)
The P900 does not seem to have the amount of cleaning that the 1000 does. My testing is necessarily limited, so I can't give data to support this, but I never needed to do any significant cleanings in the time I had it here (it has unfortunately now gone back to Epson)
@@KeithCooper Hi, do you still use the Epson p900 or is there something better now? how was Epson's customer service? did they repair it? what's your views on this printer now after playing around with it? the price is ridiculous right now! £1200!
@@frenchi1 The P900 has several years life left yet as a product.
It was Epson's printer, so they replaced it when I had an issue - remember, I'm often working with early and pre-production hardware.
My views are in:
www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-sc-p900-printer-review/
Outstanding job! Many thanks, Keith. As my Canon Pro-1 has a printhead issue since a couple of weeks, I will try to get my hands on one of those P900. Unfortunately it is very difficult to find a dealer in Germany having it in stock. Not sure if it is different in the UK and if it will improve before Christmas...
Thanks - I don't know much about stocks I'm afraid.
I think the pandemic has hit extended global supply chains quite badly. It only takes a delay in the factory to miss a container ship and throw things into disarray all the way down the line.
Great video. I very much appreciate your reviews. I’m very happy with my p900. Can you tell me what the thick matte paper you used for the cathedral photos is? Many thanks from Australia.
I believe that one is done on the epson smooth bright cotton rag paper - it has different names in different regions.
There are several prints I tried using that image - it could have been the smooth natural white cotton paper. I also did it using Epson Matte poster board
Hi Keith,
I’m researching/using your site to purchase a printer for my ex-wife who is an artist that photographs her art pieces and converts to prints from letter size and down. She also uses 4 x 5 print sizes that she glues to card paper (that has the crease). She does not run the creased/card paper through the printer…she rather will make a letter size print of 4 of the 4 x 5 size prints on the one sheet, then cut the 4 prints to glue on card paper. So given the method of printing she uses to develop her card prints would you recommend the Epson P900? No, she isn’t into big prints, but we value the print quality AND saving money over time in ink cartridges as opposed to the P700. We are looking at the ET 8550 as well, but feel the SC P700/900 has better quality.
This would also give her the option to make bigger prints to sell if she chooses to at some point.
Thank you for your time,
Sincerely,
Thanks, there is always more detail in the main [written] review for each printer, but if you've any specific questions, email me at Northlight Images
@@KeithCooper Thanks Keith! I have emailed you the same question. Will the P900 be ok to make A4 (letter size) prints and smaller?
Yes, it does do smaller stuff - the written review has the specs [and notes on borderless]
@@KeithCooper Thank You!!
Keith, if we decide to purchase this printer...may we order additional P900 profiles from you? Thank You!!
Great review, thank you so much for this information! I have a question, can this printer print on coloured digital paper? And with white inks?
You can print on any paper (results will vary a lot though - it needs to be paper for inkjet use)
No - white inks are not supported. Any attempt to use them will effectively render the printer useless for general use and require specialist software to use and set up (oh, and kill your warranty ;-)
Thanks for a great review .
Q. Epson A4 Fine Art Cotton Textured Bright
What ICC profile is the correct to use for this paper
My printer : Epson SC-P900
Windows 10
I can' find the ICC profile
Epson CPB (cold press bright) is the same paper I believe?
Unfortunately, not one I tested in the review
I wish there was a version that did not use ink cartridges. Like their WorkForce line.
I think we are still some time away from that...
Hello Keith I finally plunged and purchased the P900 and unfortunately had to send it back. I was using the legacy paper from Epson and it kept jamming front or rear feed. The front feed it was grinding the back of the paper. Hopefully the new one does not fail. Just to confirm all fine art paper are rear feed?
You can use both for many papers - I just found the top feed more convenient.
You're quite right in that paper misfeeds are a definite cause for return
very useful thanks ... have you tried any third party ink solutions?
No, I personally avoid them for a variety of quality related reasons [having to make new profiles for example]
A bigger reason not to test is that most of these printers are loans and Canon/Epson would not appreciate their printer filling with some random ink ;-)
Great vid Kieth. Would you say the image quality is a step up from my Epson r-3000?
Thanks - yes I looked at the R3000 in 2011, so there are several steps. No black swap, better colour gamut, bigger carts, smoother B&W performance and a more usable front screen.
However in terms of two prints made on a good paper, with good profiles and a good workflow I'd say of much less obvious difference. The fact is that with almost any modern printer they are capable of excellent results. If my 3000 was working fine and I didn't want the 17" of the P900, I might wait a bit - see my 3000 review with the printer on the same table to get a better comparison
www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-stylus-photo-r3000-review/
The P900/700 are very new designs - I might like testing new stuff, but for my own cash I do sometimes avoid jumping to the very latest just for the sake of it ;-)
Hi Keith, a follow up to my problems, ( front feeder) they sent a tech out, he decided it was unrepairable and offered a brand new replacement OR money back. I'm thinking of money back and going with the Canon pro1000. The tech said that the P900 were always nothing but trouble, and that everyone at Epson UK knows about it. Did you ever do a comparisons between the two, and what are your views? these are for selling my watercolor and oil prints.
My detailed review of the PRO-1000 was in 2016 (when it came out) so it's been a while since I used one.
Drop me an email at Northlight if you've any specific questions?
@@KeithCooper cheers Keith, all idd llike to know iis if the pro 1000 would be a better choice for watercolor fine art prints that i sell on the street, rather than the p900. the ink cost would be cheaper, as ive found a place here that sells the 80ml bottles for £45, Whereas the 50 ml for p900 are about £40. im thinking mainly of longevity and quality of prints. ii am no longer in the van, as i have acquired a gallery and will do a LOT of printing in the future . is there a better alternative? im assuming the 8550 is out. the p900 i had initially has paid for itself multiple times over, so im not worried about spending a bit more for better quality. ive been using epsons radiant white watercolor paper, will that work with the prograf 1000? also the canson aquarelle rag.
Ah - I make a point of not generally doing public comparisons if I've not both printers at hand.
My choice, IF you've the regular print volume would be the P5000... [see my written reviews]
Print quality depends a lot of profile quality for all these.
@@KeithCooper cheers keith, the p5000 is about twice the cost of the canon , which is now down to $900, canon are having a sale. What's mindboggling too me is that the watercolor paper radiant white isn't available in 17" rolls, only 24 and 44. So i cant fit in t eh p5000 in any case. WHYYY wouldn't Epson provide a 17 " roll?! oh, and do you know if he epson watercolor paper would work in the canon 1000?
The epson paper will work fine with a good profile - no-one will have that though, so buy your paper from a supplier which makes custom profiles.
Given Epson don't make their own papers you could also ask what they have 'equivalent' to the Epson ;-)
Thank You for the review - great video, just like the others on your channel!
I would like to buy an Epson p900 printer and put it on a cabinet with wheels - just like in your video. Will moving her from time to time (back and forth by about 50 cm) harm her? Won't the vibrations generated by such movement make it necessary to activate the printer head alignment every time? In the video it looks like you don't care, but I wanted to make sure, just in case.
No problems in moving it at all
Good Review... Looking to add to my print capabilities. I have a IPF6400 for bigger prints.. But need something smaller and less costly to run for smaller prints. What you say?
See the main written review - much more detail ;-)
www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-sc-p900-printer-review/
Or as a Canon user, you might wait a few months, the PRO-1000 is getting on in years.
So good Keith, I,m back at Art School with your showings.. But I still can't decide wethr th Canon equivalent or P900 is the best B&W
Art prints.. Cheerz fum AU ;^D
Both pretty good for B&W performance. If I wanted 17" roll support I'd prefer the P5000 over the P900. It is however much bigger/heavier/expensive. The 1000 is getting on a bit, but has extremely good paper handling. The 1000 uses more ink in cleanings, if that matters (not something I'd personally worry about)
Hi Keith Thanks for great review.. Can I ask, just a rough estimate if possible, how many A2 full colour sheets would a full set of tanks print? Thank you.
Not a question I can answer from my type of testing - see here for some good ink use info though
www.redrivercatalog.com/rr/cost-of-inkjet-printing.html
Keith -- thanks for your great review. Hoping you might now the answer to this--cannot find it anywhere online... I'm setting the printer up and can't get past this message: "paper may remain in the printer." It is brand new. No paper has ever been loaded (in any feed). All blue tape removed. Ink installed. Did the 15min set up. Then got the paper error message... I'm stuck. And frustrated...
This sounds like a sensor error - not good for a new printer.
Apart from opening the back (where the roll feed goes) and looking for things stuck (or more blue tape - I've missed bits myself even after setting up multiple printers).
I'm afraid if it didn't sort out after a while I'd be on to the phone to Epson
Thank you! Will call epson now... I'm inclined to return it to B&H for a new one since I am one day under the 30day return window... I appreciate your help.
Thank you very much for this and all others videos about printing. They are awesome and really helpful. And expensive - for me. :--))
Thanks - they are interesting to try, but eventually, Canon and Epson want their printers back ;-)
Do check the articles as well - there's lots more of them than the videos, which I only started adding a few months ago.
@@KeithCooper Thank you!
Hello Keith thank you for this great video. What would your preference? This or Canon imageprograf series?
At 17" it's usually this or the older PRO-1000 and there are arguments for/against either. I have made great prints on both (my pro-1000 review predates my videos)
However, If I needed 17" I'd currently prefer the Epson P5000 with a powered roll unit and cutter. If Canon brought back a modern update to the 17" iPF5100 I might go for that, or if Epson updated the P5000 with a similar ink setup to the P7500 I might go for that...
This is why I never do comparisons between brands or pick 'the best' - they would end up just so full of caveats and personal preferences that they would be meaningless. The P700/900 and PRO-200-300 (video) comparisons are the only ones I've ever done in over 15 years of reviews ;-) The videos are still a new thing to me - they are mainly there to supplement the full written reviews, where the detailed stuff goes.
@@KeithCooper thank you so much for such a great answer! All the best!
You are correct when you mention that taking pictures off of the iPhone has some color management problems. Even when using the Epson Layout app where you have Epson color profiles, I find the flesh tones to not have enough warmth in the tones. Do you find this to be the case? Why would this be? If I export the file into Epson print, Lightroom, or Photoshop on my desktop, the print profiles are excellent, and the flesh tones are perfect!
It's likely a colour management issue with airprint. I've not tested this very much, since my use of a phone was more a 'could it be done' test. If I needed to print a phone picture it would have gone via Photoshop on my Mac ;-)
@@KeithCooper I am a windows user and never had to deal with airprint.
It's the software underpinning printing on the iPhone when connected to the P900. It's meant to be seamless ;-)
In general, phone printing leaves a lot to be desired, from a quality point of view...
Hi Keith, Such a great review! How do you compare this or the P700 with Canon Pro200/300? If i print around 100-200 prints a year, would the P900 saves me more money on the ink? I remember you mentioned in the other video that big ink tanks are better.
Thanks - I don't have accurate use figures, but of the printers I've looked at of late, the bigger carts of the P900 will win out over a year or two at that volume (given the higher P900 price). A PRO-200 has just turned up to look at, but is likely to be close to the 300, but without the pigment inks of the PRO-300
@River He - I estimate it would take ~600 A4 prints (3-6 years based on your use) to break even with the Epson P700, ~1000 A4 prints (5-10 years based on your use) to break even with the PRO-300, ~3000 A4 prints (15-30 years based on your use) to break even with the PRO-200 (since the PRO-200 is cheaper up-front and uses slightly less ink than the PRO-300). I am in the market and have similar use. I leaning towards either the Canon PRO-200 or Epson P900.
The Canon PRO-200 will make very nice prints and is a bit more economical, but the Epson P900 has some very nice features like being able to print at 17" wide, the optional roller, 9 pigment inks (vs. the 8 dye inks in the PRO-200), and allowing for printing on extremely thick media through the straight feed slot. It is a hard choice
@@KeithCooper Thanks Keith.
@@nafnaf0 Thanks for the explanation. Indeed tough choice! P900 is so great but it's expensive. Maybe Pro-200 would be more affordable for long term use? But I also hear that Epson print head lasts longer.
Good Day Chap, I wanted to know about the coated paper that you use what brand is it..?
The papers I used are listed in the main review
www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-sc-p900-printer-review/
There is a full list of my paper reviews here
www.northlight-images.co.uk/keith-coopers-paper-reviews/
Hi Keith, I'm enjoying your videos. I find them very informative and enjoyable. I do have a question for you concerning the Epson P900 since I recently upgraded to this. For example, if my light gray ink is running low and I'm going to do a large 17x22 print, can I take the low light gray ink cartridge out, replace it with a new one and then change it back again to the low one when I'm doing smaller prints? That's what I'm gathering in the manual but just wanted to make sure this can be done. Thank you!
Yes, I believe you can - but it's not something I tested, so I'm going on what I was told from someone at Epson
@@KeithCooper Ok. Thanks for your reply
Thanks for the detailed review Keith. One quick question: when printing a black and white photograph, does the printer use any colour ink, or just the black and grey inks? Is there a difference in quality with either of those reproductions with this printer? Thank you once again.
Yes, a mix of inks
See the main [written] review, but also the 700/900 B&W supplement
www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-sc-p900-printer-review/
www.northlight-images.co.uk/black-and-white-printing-with-the-p700/
ABW would normally be my choice for B&W on the P900
Thank you again @@KeithCooper
A great review, Keith! May I ask: What is your experience from the amount of ink it is eating? I've heard from lots of Canon Imageprograph Pro 1000 users, that they are unhappy because it would eat too much ink - I think because it makes too often washing processes. Is it compareable to the Canon? Or isn't it as ink hungry? Your experience?
Thanks - The 900 uses less ink in cleaning - there are no auto cleanings like the 1000.
However I disagree somewhat with the idea that the 1000 uses a lot of ink for cleaning - it's just a cost of using a printer like that. People look at the 1000 as a bigger desktop printer, whereas it's actually a smaller large format one. People with large format experience know that ink is a consumable to keep the printer well and factor it into their costs - People from a 'small print' background rarely ever work out the true costs of ownership. See this for some thoughts on ink use and 'waste' [predates my videos]
www.northlight-images.co.uk/printer-ink-use-and-waste/
@@KeithCooper Thank you for your detailled answer, Keith - and the link, I read the website now. Most people I talked with meant, that they had to print all 2-3 days, that their Canon wouldn't waste ink. This was the reason, why I didn't go for it and sticked with my lab. I print ~2-5 prints a week currently, but I can't spread this over the week, because I'm not always at the office :) It were cool if it would really work to print once or twice a week. Good to hear, that the Epson doesn't eat as much as the Canon. I will sleep over it and decide as soon it is available here in Austria :)
Nice greetings mate,
Christian
@@KeithCooper That is so true. I did my review on the HPZ9+ then let it sit for a year other than 1 print. Turned off it did not do the daily routine flow through print heads. Now all the heads are showing far beyond expected life, one head failed. That would have been completely avoided if I left the routine maintenance on, the cost of ink would have been much less than replacing 5 print heads.
Hi Keith,
Do you know what is the cost of print A2 , only cost of ink.
I have no idea - I don't have data to work this out ...but these people do!
www.redrivercatalog.com/rr/cost-of-inkjet-printing.html
You'll need to do some calculations, but the info is there
Does the printer leave the white border or is that something you have to do manually?
It's by choice, so I've specified it in the settings when printing. Borderless is available for some paper sizes
See the main [written] review for details. It has links to all my P900 related articles/videos
www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-sc-p900-printer-review/
@@KeithCooper Thank you
Keith, what size is that cabinet that you have the P900 sitting on? It looks like a good size for it, and I have a P900 on order and need a rolling cart that will accommodate.
It's a butcher's trolley - Some of my older [and bigger] printer reviews are shot in the kitchen.
It was from the kitchenware department at John Lewis [UK Store]
Thanks, Keith, and thank you for all the great information about printers that you have so unselfishly shared!!@@KeithCooper
Hey Keith, do you know how thick you can go up on the paper you can print from rear feeder? I am trying to use Epson Legacy Texture paper, but it does not take the paper in the rear feeder.
I believe it's under 350 gsm, but the specifications are not that clear. The printer has gone back, so I can't test any more I'm afraid
Can you print on canvas with the P900?
yes. with a suitable profile.
If using the roll adapter, take care since canvas rolls are heavy and the feed rollers could mark the surface. I would prefer to use cut sheets of canvas with the printer
@@KeithCooper thank you. I always use cut sheets, so no problem with that.
Thanks Keith. I'm an artist totally new to this concept of printing my original artwork. Have you any experience in printing a watercolor painting onto a textured 300 lb. cotton paper?
Can't help much there - such weights are only used in the US and have no specific equivalents here ...we use gsm. I've used lots of thick cotton rag art papers though - but they need to be ones specifically for inkjet use.
However, one answer is in one of my ET-8550 videos looking at scanning artwork for greeting cards, which is on a heavy art paper - the key to good results is in the scan, editing and colour management.
@@KeithCooper Thank you. BTW the 300lb conversion is 600 gsm. In my research, it appears an equally challenging aspect is taking a high quality photo and converting it into a jpeg file. It requires an expensive camera, tripod & an Adobe type app. Do you agree?
It's thickness you need to check against the printer specs, Whilst weight is used as a proxy for that. it doesn't allow for paper density. The important aspect is the paper coating which means that non-inkjet papers will likely look very poor
It requires a suitable camera and lens - doesn't have to be new/expensive.
Lighting is critical, especially for larger works
However it requires editing skills and an understanding of colour management. The software, yes something like Photoshop is ideal, but Affinity photo is capable enough.
[Good] art repro is a complex subject - one of the reasons that I won't offer it as a commercial service.
@@KeithCooper Thank you for taking the time to respond. I think I will use print company. I have enough on my plate marketing my work.
@@stevieg3078 A reasonable choice if you can get the service you need. Good art repro can be much more difficult than printing photos. It has a mix of technical expertise and business skills that are more difficult than many first realise.
Hey Keith, thank you for another great video. See, I was wondering how would you justify buying such a printer for a small graphic design/photo business. I would absolutely love to print off some of my photos and put them in the office but if it's only for convenience then isn't it just better to print them off in the print house? Would you think of any way of earning some money on it? I absolutely love that printer, but I feel like for that money I would be better off buying some extra glass for my camera. Thank you for your brilliant work with those unbiased videos!
Thanks - I've a series of videos (and related articles on the Northlight site) looking at selling prints which may be of interest in this respect, but you are right to wonder about if it would work. At least you are wondering about it before getting one - I always have a steady stream of emails from people wondering about it after getting a printer ;-)
@@KeithCooper Sounds like a great read! Thanx!
Thank you for Nice video. How is print Quality on Canvas?
Thanks - I didn't get a chance to test this. I didn't have any 17" width canvas (all 24" and 44")
It should look pretty much the same as it would on a P800 or P600. So, just fine (if you like canvas of course)
Keith,
I use the Epson Print Layout for printing instead of printing from Photoshop. I was told when using the Epson Print Layout once you set the the color profiles and media type you don't need to set them on the printer control panel. But if you print from Photoshop you should set the correct paper information on the printer to get a proper print settings to apply. I have heard some say this is not correct. What are your thoughts? Thanks as always, John
I don't think you have to set stuff on the printer, but I always do anyway, mainly as a double check I've not set anything wrong - saved me wasting a lot of paper over the years... YMMV
Would you get the P900 over the Canon prograf 1000 ???
It depends... ;-)
Both have positives and negatives - the problem is just which of those matter is different for every potential user. It's one reason I absolutely never do comparisons between brands in any of the reviews I've done, going back to 2003
See my PRO-1000 review and compare with P900 review and decide what matter for your printing?
www.northlight-images.co.uk/canon-pro-1000-printer-review/
www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-sc-p900-printer-review/
(those are the full written reviews)
I'm always happy to privately answer emails about specific questions, but never post comparisons
Personally I'd get neither, I'd prefer a much larger printer ;-)
I am trying to print a 16x42 print using the roll paper attachment but I can't seem to figure it out. Can you help? Thanks
Have you read the roll paper article? www.northlight-images.co.uk/p900-roll-paper-unit-setup/
(my videos here are only really overviews)
I create a custom paper size when printing that fits the image I want to print. Precise details will depend on software though.
Feel free to send me a message via the Northlight site if you've any specific queries?
15:37 Resized and resampled. Care to elaborate?
Yes, see here:
www.northlight-images.co.uk/upsizing-and-sharpening-for-making-a-print/
Includes links to other related articles.
@@KeithCooper Tnx! For info, I mainly use the DXO programs, and I also have the ON1.
@@pongokamerat8601 Not used On1 for many years, but DxO is good for raw image processing and the Nik plugins are something I've used for years. Lots of articles on the Northlight site. No videos though for any of this sort of stuff.
Fantastic review ! Does anyone know if this would print on vinyl paper for waterproof purposes?
Not a paper I had available to try I'm afraid
The inks are essentially the same (in this respect) as the older P600/800 and other recent Epson Ultrachrome inks
Many thanks for the Great overview Keith. This looks like a suitable replacement for my ageing (and occasionally failing) Epson R2400, although I notice the price has crept up quite a bit since the initial release and nobody seems to have it in stock. I also note Epson quote it can print to A2+ size which presumably is 17-inch width? Will Epson be making A2+ sheet paper avaliable or is the 17-inch only for roll paper?
Yes, a lot of printers seem to be in short supply - I guess it's the usual reason for supply problems at the moment :-(
A2+ is not a 'real' size - some people use it to describe 17" x 25" but such papers are extremely rare.
Until someone decides to offer them, no-one else is going to risk being left with boxes and boxes of the stuff on the shelves.
Someone else asked me about this size and I noted that, for me, 17" roll was far more flexible in terms of options (square right up to long pano)
Hi! Could you please tell me how much the cartridges ink lasts if you print photos? I am thinking about buying it. Thanks!
Sorry, but no - the testing I do is so varied that I get no meaningful data for this.
See here - you should be able to do the maths for your local media/ink prices
www.redrivercatalog.com/rr/cost-of-inkjet-printing.html
The Epson P900 can print A2+, 17" x 25". So, yo can print the whole picture from a full frame camera (2x3 ratio) , 42cm x 63cm with only very small borders.
Yes although I'd note that A2+ is not a standard paper size name. 17" x 25" is not very widely available. In the UK, none of the main paper suppliers seem to list it?
I do print 17 x 25, but on 17" roll paper
@@KeithCooper You are right that A2+ is not a standard paper size. However if people like you start to promote the benefits of 17 x 25" papers, more photographers will follow. With the internet, getting A2+ papers to your doorstep should be a breeze.
Not an easy task. I've long offered prints of around that size and in talking with people at galleries and the like, the common response is: "I'd love one but I haven't got space on the wall". I've also asked several suppliers and there is the problem that there isn't the demand, which means they won't make the investment to get sheets that size. They quite reasonably look at the relative sales of A4/A3/A3+/A2 and perceive 17x25 as a very niche market. They are businesses in it to make money, and I respect their expertise and market knowledge. As one said to me "Keith, you can have any size you want, if you want enough of it..."
Also, I'm afraid that at 17" width, roll paper is a much better solution for myself. I regularly crop large prints lightly, since I've never had any particular interest in using "the whole frame". Add to that 17" roll lets me easily do 17 x 29, 33, 37, 49, 60 or any of a whole host of wide sizes. Also making 17 x 17 is an easy option. No, even if I had a box of 17 x 25 here, I'd likely not use it very often.
@@KeithCooper Very valid points. I just got my P900 with the roll adapter. I am a COMPLETE novice to picture processing and printing. People like you and the knowledge you share is of great help and inspiration!
@@pongokamerat8601 Thanks - If there was one roll paper tip I'd mention for the P900 it would be to take care in handling the paper, and not to leave it in the roll unit when not in use. This is doubly so for less robust (and more expensive) high end papers - if possible practice with a general purpose luster or photo paper to get the hang of paper feeding and image print settings if you are new to roll printing.
Oh and have a read of the manual as well! ;-)
Hi Keith indeed informative videos here and Thank You.
I have p900 and have been getting great prints. However I noticed while using Red River paper Ultra Premium luster, there are small wheel marks on the print visible in direct harsh sunlight. This is frustrating as you can imagine. So my question for you is any tips in eliminating these marks? I assume epson will tell me that using third party papers is the reason but is it really? Thanks
It does seem more an issue with some printers - the one I had here didn't show this effect.
On some printers where I've seen it, the way the paper comes out makes a difference. Placing a magazine or something in the output tray can change how the paper bends as it comes out - I've head this mentioned on a couple of forums, but not seen any examples of it...
I'm trying to decide between an Epson and a Canon for printing my art prints on note cards and greeting cards, postcards, small 5x7 and 8x10 prints, etc. Have you noticed problems with the print heads on the Epson. I've heard that is a problem. I've also heard Canon has no ink for replacement cartridges right now. So, which printer would you recommend. I would appreciate your help as I've been researching printers for days now and am more confused that ever.
There are no print head problems with the Epson. My articles (the full written ones not the videos) get a lot of feedback and this is not an issue I know of. The Canon ink issue is a temporary supply chain issue.
You need to check the printer specifications to check that they do card printing for the size you want - I have several videos about card printing -ignore what printer they are for, they contain a lot of general info about cards as well, and why the choice of card type is more important than the printer.
Keith a friend told me never switch of the printer, evan it stays unused. There are procedures inside which keep it in wenn maintenance.??
As far as I can remember it defaults to going into a low power mode after a while. I leave it plugged in and don't change any of the power timing settings.
The important thing for me is to remember to use it (a nozzle check will do) every week or two.
However, this particular one went back to Epson after testing - i'm not allowed to live in a printer warehouse ;-)
14:19 Hi, Can you give oss the paper name?
See the main written review for all the papers tested
www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-sc-p900-printer-review/
It was a while ago I can't remember specifically
@@KeithCooper " EPSON A2 Enhanced Matte Posterboard"
Yes, I had some of this in A3+ and A2 from Epson [UK]
How much print cost per print you get with this printer?
No idea - my type of printer testing testing does not give any meaningful data for this
See here and do the maths for your costs ;-)
www.redrivercatalog.com/rr/cost-of-inkjet-printing.html
Does this have a built in scanner? If not what would be a good scanner to print big pictures like 11x17?
No - no higher end printers have scanners...
I've not tested any large scanners I'm afraid. I've a video looking at the Epson V850 coming up, but that's for film scanning and not that size...
@@KeithCooper thank you for response I really appreciate it. This printer looks phenomenal though unless there's a new aversion coming up. It started learning how to do digital arts I want to print big prints and I also have very long prints that I need a big scanner so I figured I'd have to buy a super nice printer in a super big giant scanner. It cost so much money but in the long run it's less than going to a shop and just having them print me like 10 prints for 60 bucks
@@penguin422613 Printer models at the higher end tend to last a lot longer between updates
See the Epson timeline at
www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-printer-news-updates-and-rumours/
I don't really see an update for at least 2-3 years
Do check the main [written] review as well - there's links to all my P900/700 info/videos
www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-sc-p900-printer-review/
@@KeithCooper thank you so much for your advice I really appreciate it
Unbelievably, the front fine art paper feeder of the Epson P900 that I purchased yesterday does not work. However, I can print via the rear paper feeder. Other than the front feeder defect all else with the P900 works very well. Would it still be worth keeping the P900 if I can only print via the rear feeder? Does the rear feeder produce a lesser quality print?
If it doesn't work then you have a faulty printer - given my experiences in testing (see the more detailed written reviews for the 700 and 900) I would not want to keep a new but faulty printer (mine were probably damaged in shipping)
The main front use is for the DVD holder and board, but some heavy art papers will feed more reliably that way.
@@KeithCooper Thank you for the your reply and suggestion. I had read your reviews on both printers and watched your RUclips videos. The unboxing videos were quite helpful and made my setup very easy and seamless. Many thanks and stay safe :)
Hi keith, whats the max paper weight in gsm for this printer? Is 300gsm card stock ok?
Thanks
Dan
Check the poster board video and specs in the main [written] review - that's 1.6mm for straight through media.
www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-sc-p900-printer-review/
For the top feed I fed 350gsm paper with no problem - remember though that gsm is not the same as thickness!
Card stock must be coated for inkjet use for good results. Plain card stock is generally useless in most desktop inkjet printers - I've quite a lot of videos looking at printing on card
@@KeithCooper thank you Keith, yes aware that theres a difference, i see in the manuam it was 1mm plus but wasnt sure oj gsm conversion. 350gsm on resr feed is music to my ears thank you!
No i just need to part ways with my trusty eco tank 8550 and go back to cartridges!
Wish there was a A2 eco tank
I can't remember which papers I tested offhand - they are listed in the main review.
@@KeithCooper ok thabk you. One last thing! What weight can it duplex print? I cant see it anywhere. My 8550 only handles a4 plain paper, can the 900 duplex on 300 gsm?
I'm afraid it's not a function you will find on any higher quality printer - it's for office/consumer printers and thin paper ;-)
If you want double sided you need to do it manually, one sheet at a time...
Keith, me again, is there 'a printer head lock on this? I have it in my van and would like to lock it whilst driving about. im thinking the vibrations might throw it out of alignment
There is a hidden lock which engages when powered down.
The other thing I'd do is stand it on some thick bubble wrap or similar when transporting to deaden vibration. That said, no ink jet printers like being moved a lot - they need to settle for some time before use
@@KeithCooper cheers Keith, good idea!