Epson P8500 [P8570] review - can you really get high quality art/photo printing from just 5 inks?
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- čas přidán 21. 07. 2024
- Looking at the Epson P8500D large format printer. Photo 'production printing'. Six pigment inks. CMYK+ Grey. P8500 is 44" width, P6500 is 24" width. Initial review. SC-P8570 and SC-P6570 in the US
Exploring the P8500/6500 printers, aimed at the poster and retail print market. Just how good prints can you get from 5 inks? Printer uses UltraChrome PRO6 Ink with grey.
Questions welcome
Printer testing carried out at Dupli in Leicester. @DupliCreate dupli.co.uk
I have a longer and more detailed video, using the recordings made during my testing, and including more about how well the printer performs.
• Large commercial art/p...
For a short [~30s] comparison of the printer gamut on a cotton rag art paper with a P5000 see
• Epson P8500 [P8570] ga...
Printer details
8500 [44"]
www.epson.co.uk/en_GB/product...
6500 [24" single roll]
www.epson.co.uk/en_GB/product...
For USA versions see epson.com/For-Work/Printers/L...
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![Large commercial art/photo prints. Epson P8500 [P8570] review. A pigment ink production printer](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/luTjPU8f31s/mqdefault.jpg)
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![Epson P5000 vs Epson P900 17" [A2] printer shootout - which is best for you?](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/DXfOkm9kR0s/mqdefault.jpg)
Wow, I've been looking for a review without luck. Thank you for putting this together.
Glad it was helpful!
I'll have the second longer review published later on Monday
Thanks!
Thanks - much appreciated!
I hope to get back there again some time to do some more testing
Multiple questions - You mentioned it is not a printer designed for occasional use - is that something the manufacturer stipulates? Were you able to test or see single sheet feeding in action? How about poster board? I was thinking the 24" single role might be a good enough home printer -- only outsourcing when I wanted something larger or "more professional" (my printing is with an Epson P800 and landscape photos) - would that be a mistake given what you've learned? I prefer semi-gloss paper or low luster papers - any suggestions on papers for this printer? Thanks!
Yes - all LFPs need using weekly at least. Not doing so is the best way of causing problems.
I didn't get to try sheet feed - I may try and get another visit to answer questions from the first review.
The P800 will likely exceed this one in gamut
P5000 and P7000 are bigger and 'better' printers for higher end printing - both need regular use [I've detailed reviews of each]
Almost any good paper will work in the one I tried - with a good profile.
HI KEITH; I WAS WATCHING A FEW OF YOUR VERY INFORMATIVE VIDEOS. I AM CONSIDERING GETTING EITHER P9000 OR CANON'S PRO 4000 FOR MY WIFE, WHO IS A DIGITAL ARTIST, SO THAT SHE COULD PRINT HER ART AT HOME. AS THE PRINTER WOULD ONLY BE USED FOR HER ART I WAS WONDERING IF THERE ARE ANY PROBLEMS THAT COULD ARISE WITH THOSE PRINTERS, IF THEY STAY UNUSED FOR A FEW WEEKS, APART FROM THE WASTED INK FOR THE CLEANING CYCLES. I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE ANY INFO ON THAT. AND THANKS FOR THE AWESOME UPLOADS!
Thanks...
Printers like this ideally need using weekly [even if just a switch on and nozzle check on plain paper] These printer really don't like lack of use...
See
www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-surecolor-p7000-printer-review/
www.northlight-images.co.uk/canon-imageprograf-pro-2000-printer-review/
Got a P6570e in early DEC.. Everything started out great. I got a "Error - printer cannot recognize ink cartridge" after less than 2 months of use with the same Photo Black starter ink. After the techs coming we had 4 channels missing.. after the second service visit and it being "fixed" it clogged again within 6/7 prints and now has 7 channels missing. Any advice/guidance? Or any other printer suggestions?? We use it at least every other day and while working, it's amazing... but it doesn't seem so reliable yet sadly!
Is that the 24" version, the P6500? [other numbers in some overseas markets IIRC]
Not sure what the 'e' signifies?
If it were mine I'd be on to Epson for a replacement...
@@KeithCooper yes, it’s the 24” single roll version. I will be asking for a replacement.. luckily I purchased the warranty, but I’m weary of getting the same printer again. Any suggestions of something comparable but better? We were going to get the p5000 but it was discontinued and now we like the 24” roll better than the 17”
I'd still go for the P6500 - the nearest would be the new Canon PRO printers.
The P7500 is much more photo/art and a bit more picky about settings.
The P6500 is aimed at solid commercial use...
I question how a CMYKGray printer can be considered good enough for fine art printing if people care about accurate color reproduction, unless the prints never have strong saturated colors, which often happens in nature, etc.. A large percentage of “fine art” metal prints in the US are being printed on Epson’s CMYK (no gray) sublimation printer, and many photographers don’t seem to care that many of the colors aren’t accurately reproduced. It’s “good enough,” the printers say, or “amazing for being only 3 colors.”
It’s sad to see the color standards being so low.
Accuracy generally has only so much to do with 'better looking' colour unless you are in a colour critical market [logos and the like] - This printer is not for high end printmakers offering specialist print services for the smaller market of discerning customers...
This is a printer for commercial printmaking - it does that well.
When I'm making a print, that it looks good trumps other considerations - now that may mean I need to use an extended gamut printer, but it doesn't have to.
The B&W on this printer is excellent for the ink-set - could I get better, yes, but it's with a 'better' printer.
Thats why even if I reproduced the reed marsh photo on a P7500, it would not actually look much different. The gummy bears shot I'll show in the main review is a different story...
However, don't mistake my surprise at the quality which this ink set produces as meaning I want one of these printers - no I'll have the 7500/9500 any day [or a P20000 if someone is prepared to extend my house]
This printer is aimed at a market, for those above it, move on, this is not the printer you are looking for ;-)
@@KeithCooper It seems to me that your reed marsh photo doesn't have colors that CMYK have a hard time in reproducing. Many landscape photos have a lot of deep greens and rich oranges (sunsets, fall colors, flowers), which my Epson 7900 did very well at. Epson's CMYK sublimation printer used to print a lot of landscape metal prints in the US has a hard time with these colors. The P20000 would probably also have trouble with them.
When green is a large percentage of a photo, which is so often the case with landscape, accurately and vividly reproducing it makes a huge difference.
And vivid oranges can help many landscape photos inspire viewers. Landscape photographers will work hard to get gorgeous sunsets and shoot fall colors. But then they'll have them printed on a CMYK Printer, or printers without orange and green inks. They think that the extra pop from metal is all they need.
So I'm thinking that *"fine art"* printing should have a gamut that covers the colors the photographer captured sufficiently. I understand it depends not only on the subject matter, but the photographer's style.
I like the Velvia saturated colors style (without the red emphasis). Some landscape photographers have a more subdued style.
Since we live in climates where we don't see the sun a lot or strongly enough (Alaska in winter), having vivid colors in prints, I think is a vitalizing.
Having said that, I've mentioned before that my 7900 is inop, and I'm now retired on a lesser income. I'm going to try printing with less colors with a much smaller 13 inch dye ink printer, perhaps the Canon Pro-200, to try to get more pop, because prints are oftentimes not lighted sufficiently enough. I don't know if I'll be happy with the output of the Pro-200 though for some images. But its 8 inks seems like it's the best I'll be able to do for a dye ink printer.
I mainly find it a travesty that so many US landscape photographers are settling on having their images printed on 3 color Epson sub printers on metal. It seems a step backward. Without Michael Reichmann being around to influence the direction of photo printing, it seems like we backslided regarding color gamut.
Yes, I do share your concerns.
A step back maybe, but if it sells... [and they do, at a nice markup].
This is not a printer I'd want for some of my landscape photos - I have a particularly vivid set from a series taken in Colorado one fall, which would be pale imitations on a 5 colour printer. I need to go back through them and add some to my standard collection of test images.
There is a P9500 in the room where I was testing - I'll ask Dupli if I can go back for a bit more testing and comparison
@@KeithCooper I see your comments on these general purpose printers as a helpful indication if they're still 'good enough' for the occasional (fine) art print.
Yes - very much a product aimed at print businesses, where ease of use, speed and costs are significant concerns.
The quality of the B&W on a cotton rag paper was perhaps the biggest personal 'that's nice' moment ;-)
I guess the question on everybody's lips is...how much is this printer? 😋
the 24" single roll one is just over £3k - £5k for the bigger one IIRC [check epson prices...]