Epson Stylus Pro 4900 Inkjet Printer

Comments about Epson Stylus Pro 4900 Inkjet Printer:

I purchased this printer during the rebate promotion back last year. Prior to this printer I used a epson r2400 and had great experience, which is why I had such confidence getting this printer to perform at a higher level. So far, when the printer works, the print is a work of art. But unfortunately, this inkjet cloggs so bad that my barely one year old print head had to be replaced (for about 1300 including labor). I've tried a number of methods on my own and purchased expensive empty cartridges to try to fill them with cleaning liquid to clean the head, but none worked. My disappointment with this printer is beyond words. I sincerely hope none of you will have to go through this.

Comments about Epson Stylus Pro 4900 Inkjet Printer:

I too had an issue with clogging. I completely lost the use of my yellow ink (3/25/13). After searching the internet for solutions the first, and easiest, to try was increasing the humidity in the room my 4900 is in. I live in Michigan and during the Winter, humidity in the upstairs of my home is relatively low. I placed a small humidifier set on low, with the door to the room the 4900 is in opened only half way, and left it for 4 hours. After 5 days of not seeing the tinniest bit of yellow on a test page I had a few couple of small lines after one "Auto Cleaning." I Auto Cleaned two more times and ran a nozzle check and had my yellow back...no clogged nozzles. Not saying this is the solution for you, but it won't hurt to try. Best of luck.

Comments about Epson Stylus Pro 4900 Inkjet Printer:

I plan to create original archival pigment ink prints. Image quality on Fine Art paper is luscious! As with any new machine, there is a learning curve before printing goes smoothly. Epson's telephone support has been excellent, including step-by-step instructions for loading thick Fine Art paper so that it does not jam.

The printer is large & heavy, and requires a dedicated location able to accommodate the 115 pounds of weight. Two strong men carried it up stairs for me.

Comments about Epson Stylus Pro 4900 Inkjet Printer:

So far I have had no issues with this printer! Just be aware (and this is a common mistake) DO NOT keep a roll of paper on the roller in the printer when it is not in use! It can put extra stress on the gears. The color is gorgeous for photos color and black and white. Also, I am a screen printer and this printer CAN print on film! I have only had this printer for a few weeks and it's great! I'm still getting used to telling the printer to switch form photo to matte black, but if your paper profiles match on the computer and the printer, it's not something to worry about.

Another common mistake is not setting the computer to the correct printer profiles!

This printer can also be used for "every day" printing! It has a cassette for paper on the bottom and also top loading for sheets. the cassette is great for everyday printing so you don't need to buy a 2nd everyday ink jet for printing out coupons, invoices or what have you.

Some mini- con's are: This is a bulky printer! But it has to be. I lovingly call it my monster.
It's a little nosy and sometimes sounds like it's going to break, but it's just the gears for the paper and printer head... It can be nerve rattling though. although I have used printers that are WAY more noisy

Comments about Epson Stylus Pro 4900 Inkjet Printer:

I took delivery of this printer about two weeks ago, so these are initial impressions only. Overall, I'm quite pleased.

The first thing you need to know about the 4900 is that it is big and heavy. It weighs in at over 120 pounds. If you want 11 inks, wide format, and the strength to handle a roll of heavy paper, big and heavy is what you get. Make sure you have a sturdy table for this one.

This printer produces beautiful color prints. I don't work in grayscale so I can't comment on its black & white output.

Hand feeding heavy paper like Epson's Exhibition Fiber was a bit challenging at first, but that might be user error. It seemed that I had to keep the paper "ön plane" to get the printer to pull it in. If the paper droops, the load is seemingly too heavy.

If you're serious about producing vivid colors with great range, this is the printer for you.

Comments about Epson Stylus Pro 4900 Inkjet Printer:

Produced stunning prints on canvas for 13 months and then almost at the end of a big job, the VLM nozzle stopped printing completely. After many cleanings (regular and powerful)I called Espon and was told that the printer was out of warranty and I would have to pay for service. The service person was courteous and his best guess was that I needed a new head. I can buy a new printer for less than the cost of head replacement but certainly won't throw good money after bad. Based on what I read on line, this is a common problem. Epson should be ashamed.

Comments about Epson Stylus Pro 4900 Inkjet Printer:

When it prints it's great - but this printer clogs and if you are not very careful you will end up having to replace the entire print head. That's what happened to me - I only got off a few hundred 8x10s to find that I have to replace the print head. Nowhere in the literature does Epson give any hint of or guidelines about avoiding clogging - you have to learn the hard way.

Comments about Epson Stylus Pro 4900 Inkjet Printer:

I am a photographer and do not print too often. I bought the printer dec 2011 and started to use it april 2012. Realy outstanding performance but:The printer stays off up to 4 weeks and it is the "not to do" issue nobody told me about because the print head clogges right away.The clogging of this printer is the death sentence for it and Epson technicians tell not to turn the printer off as it is the best way to keep the head in ( not certified) working condition. No more assistance.They tell me I have to buy a new head, which costs more than the printer itself. This is a bad joke and I have 52 kg new electronic junk hanging arround I bought this printer with extra ink ( arround extra 900 US...) I cannot use anymore. Sorry Epson, but it was the last time I choose you, even the prints were perfect.

Comments about Epson Stylus Pro 4900 Inkjet Printer:

The printing quality is good, but the printing head clogs if not in use for some days. My head clogged and cannot be repaired as Epson says and urges me to buy a new one. Price is astronomic...
No, under this circumstances it is hard to recommend this printer....

Comments about Epson Stylus Pro 4900 Inkjet Printer:

This is a great printer in all respects but the persistant clogging issues I've had since I purchased it. I'm now out of warranty, and the problem is so acute that the printer is no longer functional. From what I've read on the forums, this is a common problem with the 4900. I should qualify this review by stating that I have owned and used several other Epson printers, and I've been quite happy with them.

Comments about Epson Stylus Pro 4900 Inkjet Printer:

I am very unhappy with this printer and particularly with Epson. Why? There is no indication in any of the manuals that this printer is subject to clogging and the manufacturer does not recommend any procedures to mitigate the risk of clogging. I am absolutely gutted that I will now need to replace the entire print head on this machine after printing perhaps a few hundred 8x10's. Admittedly I do not have a heavy volume of printing but then Epson should give some guidelines about usage so as to avoid clogging. The only reason I will consider replacing the print heads is because I have a ton of ink which cannot be used on other printers. When it prints well it is excellent, but it is a maintenance nightmare. Beware.

Comments about Epson Stylus Pro 4900 Inkjet Printer:

It is very large, very quiet and puts out great prints on gloss, matte, canvas and "metallic" media. Makes a nice addition to any living room/office. I bought the maint trays (takes 2) and a spare cutter but have not needed them yet. The only issue I have is that without an output paper tray it is difficult to keep gloss or metallic paper from damage when printing 52in landscapes, in fact anything larger then 32in will roll off onto the floor if you don't watch it. Been very reliable so far (purchased May 2012) with intermittent print jobs. I have had clogged nozzles when not used for a couple of weeks. So far the printers auto clean works fine. Sometimes need to run the auto clean more than once, but it is just pressing a button.
All the Epson papers have icc profiles, but you should have a way to create your own. I only use roll paper as it is the only way to get borderless output and its easier to maintain media inventory. Changing rolls is easy as long you don't change spool diameter otherwise it adds a min to the process.

Comments about Epson Stylus Pro 4900 Inkjet Printer:

After reading a few of the reviews, I decided to post. I print at most a couple of times a month and I usually only do a few prints each time. I sometimes go for weeks and don't print anything. I have had this printer for over a year and yes I have had a couple of clogs, but I just ran the cleaning routine and all was well. There is no need to print every day that's ridiculous. I have used roll as well as cut sheet. I now use mostly cut sheet (Canson Baryta). Setup is easy (I use Lightroom) but you do need to match the paper with the appropriate downloadable ICC profile. The print quality is amazing. This machine is a work horse, and just as big, but is great value. The ink is expensive but it lasts for a long time. After a year I'm still running on the original cartridges. I know 2 other people that have this machine and they are very happy with it. I love this printer.

Comments about Epson Stylus Pro 4900 Inkjet Printer:

Need a RIP (such as Colorbyte's Image Print) to get the most out of it. It's huge. The quality when matched with the right paper is excellent.

Comments about Epson Stylus Pro 4900 Inkjet Printer:

I was looking for as printer that would print graeat black and white prints and find it mnatches a silver print's quality very well. The color reproduction is also very, very good. I'm very happy with the Epson 4900.

Comments about Epson Stylus Pro 4900 Inkjet Printer:

I bought this printer because I thought it would have less problems with clogging. But actually, I find that I am having more issues with the 4900 then with my 3800. Epson technicians tell me that the printer is designed to be used every day. If you don't use it every day it is likely to clog. So every day I run a nozzle check and print just to make sure it doesn't clog. Also, it is so massive that it is very hard to move around. I am on my second one. The first one was a lemon. I almost had a heart attack when I thought I might have to send back the 2nd one because of the clogging. It is just so difficult to lift that the thought of having to pack it up and ship it back again made me sick to my stomack. Luckily I was able to get it unclogged and now am fastidious about printing the nozzle check pattern every day. But who wants to be a slave to a printer?

Comments about Epson Stylus Pro 4900 Inkjet Printer:

Love this printer, especially the ability to use roll material. I print films for screen printing and this is perfect. Great prints plus I can save material by only using the size that I print.

Comments about Epson Stylus Pro 4900 Inkjet Printer:

This product produces great prints until print heads clog and cannot be cleaned which does happen. Epson's support is extremely poor rendering the warranty somewhat useless. I believe this product has issues and is a lemon

Comments about Epson Stylus Pro 4900 Inkjet Printer:

Save 1/2 the amount you would spend at a pro lab. Complete control over color and denisity on the paper you choose with the ability to tweak each print without being charged for an additional print. A no-brainer!!

Comments about Epson Stylus Pro 4900 Inkjet Printer:

Remarkably high quality printing, especialy in B&W. Industrial strentgh and build, great gamut coverage in color.
Some connectivity problems to work out..Ethernet connection less than dependable.