Epson Stylus Photo R3000 Review

"Editor's Choice"

The R3000's print engine could do with being a little quicker, and the large-capacity ink cartridges have barely reduced the cost of printing. That said, CNET considered it to produce superb results in both monochrome and colour, with great levels of detail and natural-looking bright colours. It prints quietly too.

"Gold Award"

The Epson Stylus Photo R3000 is sure to be a hit among both casual and professional photographers. The machine prints quickly and the results are top-class. The ink cartridges last a long time which saves owners a lot of money. Its build is small and durable. Digital Photography Review felt that the price was too high.

The Stylus Photo R3000 isn't a huge change from the R2880, and the cost of the ink cartridges is still rather high. The printer cartridges are conveniently arranged though. Not only is this printer capable of printing to A3 paper which some will find a bonus, but Tech Radar reckon most photographers will be impressed by the good quality and excellent detail of the produced prints.

The Epson Stylus Photo R3000 produced some of the best quality prints FiveFwd had seen from a digital printer. Colours are accurate and rich, the finish is fantastic, and unlike other professional-level printers, there's no compromise on features. It's expensive, and inks aren't cheap, but for anyone needing professional-quality photographs, they'd fully recommend it.

Value for money: 93%

Home photo printers are going from strength to strength, and according to Outdoor Photography, Epson's Stylus Photo R3000 has just raised the A3+ printer bar. They're not sure it's worth the upgrade from the R2880, but if you're buying an A3+ model for the first time, it's certainly worth considering. They just wish that both black inks were available simultaneously.

IT Reviews feels, that despite a few shortcomings, such as its single feed for both Matt Black and Photo Black, the R3000 is still a pretty decent printer. Though they note that its nine-ink setup will deter some buyers due to its high running costs, they say that others will be delighted by such a setup, especially those wanting top-of-the-line A3 prints.

Value for money: 4 out of 5 stars, "Highly recommended"

Specialized reviewers at ePHOTOzine regarded the Stylus Photo R3000 as an impressive machine that produced stunning prints, particularly in B&W. Its speeds and noise levels are excellent as well, but there are a couple of flaws that need to be taken into account, such as the presence of head strikes when using Epson's Traditional Photo Paper, and its high ink consuption.

Award Winner 2011

One thing that sets the Epson Stylus Photo R3000 apart from others in its class, is its impressive black and white prints, which the experts at TIPA feel is something a lot of photo enthusiasts are sure to appreciate. They also complemented this machine's wealth of features, which include Advanced Media Handling, high-capacity cartridges, and wireless capability.

Photo answers already loved the R2880 and didn't think there would be much better. Yet the Epson Stylus Photo R3000 has gone even further, offering more features, and even better quality prints, particularly mono prints. Cartridges are steep, but Photo answers say they do seem to last a good while, and they think the printer itself certainly offers a lot for its high price.

“The print quality of the R3000 is most definitely sublime ... Its 25.9 ml cartridges, and the decision to install both photo and matte ink systems into the device, are what makes the R3000 the current reference model in the A3+ category. The model’s outstanding overall picture quality, as well as its good value for money, ... are complimented by an ethernet interface, Wi-Fi compatibility and the option of printing CDs. ...”

“It must be said that the size and complexity of the R3000 demands the photographer’s respect. But Epson has also done all it can to ensure that amateur users won’t also be intimidated by the device. Both its colour and its black/white prints are brilliant as long as the right print medium profile is selected. Everything works seamlessly when the paper supplier includes this detail on the packaging. ...”