Epson ET-2850 printer review. A4/Letter EcoTank printer. Detailed review of the four colour printer
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- Опубліковано 25 лют 2023
- Review of the ET-2850 EcoTank printer from Epson. Are the four colour inks of this ink tank printer good enough. Who is the printer best for and what does it print really well. Black pigment ink and dye coloured inks.
This review supports the main written printer review at:
www.northlight-images.co.uk/e...
where there is more technical detail and links to all related articles and videos for the ET-2850
For more detail about 'fine art' prints/papers and the ET-2850 see:
• Making fine art prints...
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I don't really print many photos or graphics at all, mainly home office work. I was looking for reviews of this specific model because it's the cheapest AIO Ecotank with automatic duplex. Despite your obvious interest in photo printing there was a tonne of useful information that has made my decision more informed, particularly the usable paper weights. It also helped me knowing that if some graphics are to be printed matte paper and profile combination give the best results for this model, which is satisfactory for my use. Thanks very much.
Glad it was of help for what you wanted.
@@KeithCooper I picked one up in the sale. I am satisfied with gray scale on matte paper for photographs. I am struggling to get good colour profiles though and borderless printing is a bit hit and miss. I am aware that it only functions on certain paper types but I frequently end up with maybe a millimetre of white border on some prints, even when using Epson's print preview to double check the printing area. For the main purpose of home office work it is excellent. It also feeds the 250 GSM card stock I need to use without a problem, unlike the inconsistent HP inkjet I previously employed.
Thank you so much. Like some other people I was looking for a basic review of the printer not one specifically for photo printing BUT your review was interesting and informative. Thank you very much
Thanks - if you've not seen it, there is more detail in the main[written] review at:
www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-et-2850-printer-review/
What a delightful review of a printer. Thank you!
Thanks very much
If you have not seen it, there is more detail at:
www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-et-2850-printer-review/
Excellent vid. Cheers for this. Looking to get an eco tank later this year so this incredibly informative 👍🏻
I'll be looking at others, but be careful to check what inks are included if you want gloss/lustre photos...
@@KeithCooper OK. Will do. Cheers for the heads up on that.
Thank you. That was very informative. Interesting also to know about the papers. Might be I'll try some of them.
Thanks - the full list of papers is in the main [written] review
www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-et-2850-printer-review/
A very helpful and well-delivered video! Thank you!
Glad you enjoyed it!
I'm very happy with my printer. Bought it one year ago and ink tanks are not even half full now. I only had one issue with wifi but the wifi card was broken. It got replaced for free (guarantee)
Excellent - it's a good solid printer
the seller said this was great for crafts, not true for my crafting needs thanks for the thorough reviews
Unfortunately 'crafts' is a term with little precise meaning in many areas - I try to test card media [they need to be specified for inkjet use] and the like, but my main use is for art/photo printing
Thank you for your videos. The real challenge is, how well does it print Black and White prints? Could you make a video about black and white prints? Love your videos. Keep up the wonderful work. Thank you. Hi from Sandpoint, Idaho USA.
Not a printer I'd personally pick for B&W I'm afraid...
However, see the main [written] review, which includes links to any related videos
www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-et-2850-printer-review/
I just bought this printer, very happy with it and was easy to setup with the android app.
Useful to know - I have no such devices to try
Excellent video, thank you.
Thanks!
Thank you so much! Researching printers now. This one is likely to be my choice for a new one. My other printer costs over 400 dollars for a full set of toners. Just can't justify it for what I need. Thanks again!
Thanks - if you've not seen it, the main [written] review has more info
www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-et-2850-printer-review/
Thanks, Keith!
I have to criticize the Epson app strategy: This Epson Smart Control is now the third (!) App they keep running in parallel to Epson iPrint and Epson Print Layout. All with completely different user interfaces. Why is it not possible to advance a single software?
Who knows - it's phone stuff
I leave well alone ;-)
Fantastic video, you should be on the telly
I'll alert my agent ;-)
Hi Keith, I recently bought a BenQ PD2500Q Designer Monitor, which comes colour calibrated. I also have the EPSON ET2850 which I bought today. I’ve been printing out my packaging designs on Canon Matte Photo Paper to check over the colours and even make little models for quality control before sending off for mass print. I’ve noticed that browns and beige colours come back with pink or purple undertones, not at all close to what’s on screen. I’m aware screen isn’t what prints but my monitor being colour calibrated with certificates… I’d hope it would come out close. Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated
Yes - see the main written 2850 review.
Your monitor is factory calibrated, but that means nothing without profiling it. The certificate has no meaning whatsoever in this respect - see my BenQ monitor reviews as well.
What you are doing needs careful attention to colour management - the printer for example, need colour profiles for printing with any accuracy.
Sorry, but there is no simple answer for what you're doing, other than to look more into colour management.
I have an Epson 2760 that use for office use... and of course the wide format 8550 Epson that you convinced me to purchase after it was back in stock! I will retire the 2760 after the ink runs out. The print heads got damaged by broken loose styrofoam (the styrofoam that protects the printer in the box.) after a move. I should have blown it out with compressed air before using. Regardless, I love the ink tanks!
Glad the 8550 is a good one for you!
Tx Keith!
Glad it's of interest!
for cards and stickers on vinyl and heavier yardstick which is a better result between the 2850 and the 8550?
No idea - I've never seen a 'sticker' media to test which would print in these printers
In general, the 8550 is a vastly more capable printer - see my detailed [written] review
Lots of good information and very nicely presented, I am just wondering if anyone can recommend a similar eco tank printer that can do better quality prints ?
Thank
ET-8550/8500 - walks all over the 2850, which I consider a 'home office' printer from a photo POV
www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-et-8550-printer-review/
and www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-et-8500-printer-review/
[the articles include links to all related videos]
Thank you for the video! that explained why photos from my ET2720 is always having blue shade in the dark part. however, im not able to use the mat paper set up for it. i print through lightroom and it has to use the "color managed by the printer" to get the relatively correct color. is there a way profile somewhere i can download for the printer? 😢
I don't know the inks used by that printer - see my main [written] review and see if it's the same as yours.
There may be some epson profiles installed - but most paper supply companies simply won't bother with profiles for basic printers like that
www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-et-2850-printer-review/
It would have been handy to show how you mark that the reservoirs have been topped up after initial setup. --Got to Setup/ Set Ink Level
Ah - thank Epson for sending me an already full machine and no inks...
Thanks
Glad it was of interest!
If you've not seen it, there is more info in the main [written] review at
www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-et-2850-printer-review/
Great videos! I have a et15000 which works great, but can't get it to be recognised by epson print layout software? Is there a reason for this?
MANY THANKS FOR YOUR VIDEOS
Thanks
See my main [written] review
www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-xp-15000-printer-review/
Make sure you have the printer driver installed correctly
@@KeithCooper sorry Keith, but my printer is an ET 15000 not XP.
Still great review, but not sure if it's worth you doing review of ET 15000.
Just curious to know how to get it to work with print layout?
Cheers, Allan.
@@allanmarks9806 Ah, my mistake...
I don't know if the et-15000 is supported at all. They seem to have extended EPL support to lower end printers of late, but I don't have a list of what works.
Another thing depends on the driver - on Macs it's possible to mistakenly install an airprint version of the driver, and it simply won't work with EPL
I set up an E-8500 this afternoon and was once again briefly caught out [MacOS 13 this time]
@@KeithCooper sadly I'm on Windows connected via ethernet, but will try software again?
Thanks.
I have a question before I open the box. My husband bought this printer to replace my HP but I make greeting cards and so also print envelopes. My Question--can I print a #10, 5x7 or most importantly an A-2 envelope? I also occasionally print on cardstock..Will this be an issue? if so, what is the max gsm that it will accept? thanks!
I've never printed envelopes - you need to check the specification for that
This is not however a printer I'd pick for any commercial activity - it's a basic home office printer - see my main [written] review for more.
www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-et-2850-printer-review/
Basic card stock is unlikely to produce good results
Not sure if you can help me but I thought I'd see if you can give me some suggestions after watching your video. I just purchased the ET 3850 and completed the entire setup process. I chose the correct paper size and paper quality. I printed a basic document with a small picture header that I had on file. I am extremely disappointed in the quality of the print. The blacks are gray and the entire document is grainy. I notice the same thing when I scanned a document and even before I hit print the document looks distorted and grainy. There are no lines or separations in any of the images so I'm confident that the alignment for the heads is correct. Any suggestions before I take this thing back or I bought it.? Any assistance is greatly appreciated.
Likely not a paper good for pictures - but with the same inks as the 2850, not unsurprising.
The issues [and some fixes] are explored in my main [i.e. written] review at
www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-et-2850-printer-review/
hello! thank you for your video reviews, it is very helpful to see, how the printers work! could you please recommend me a printer for my small publishing house? we have been printing mostly photography books/zines. we are running on an old Riso duplicator (we have 7 colour drums and combine them with several ICC profiles), which is quite a punk way of printing photographs, so I wanted to get second machine which is a more accurate for colour images. I dont like the way how laser prints look like because we usually print on recycled papers (90 - 120gsm) or on Munken papers and it shines on the surface of the paper, so I have started to look for ink printer. we need A3 duplex printer with a good combination of print speed and image quality. do you think that some EcoTank or Workforce printer would by OK for us?
An area I don't know well, but almost any inkjet of the sort I look at simply won't print well on those papers.
Sorry, but nothing I've looked at comes remotely close to your requirements.
@@KeithCooper ok, thank you very much! these are quite specific needs, I know.
Wow! I learned a lot. How do you rate Canon printers at photo? They seem to use dye ink for the colours and pigment ink for the black? Is it the same issues with them? Can they also be set to matte paper to make them use the black on fotos, or do they always use the black even on photos? I have red rewues on the Epson ET2815 not beeing the best for photos. Is the 2850 the same? It is another design and a great deal more expensive. Right now there is an offer for the ET2856, 25%off. I was hoping it was abowe the 2815 in this matter. Actually i came pretty close to buy one. Photo quality matters to me, but the advise you give; why don`t you buy a photo printer? It is about the price. I have the pixma ix6550 for A3+ and ip6700D 5colour inks aswell with an Epson photo rx560 also with 5colour ink. I am quite happy with the photo quality from them even i use cheap ink. Is it likely i will be dissapointed with a new 2856? The reason for purchating it, if i do, is the tank and the size of it. It will fit into a cubbard with just a few mm spare on its depth. 34,7cm. So what about the duplex unit? Is that in addition to the 34,7cm? I never tryed this myself, but in net there are some people swapping between dye and pigmet ink on the same printers. Is that possible? isen`t some printers (pignment?) using heated nozzles? Thank you if you will enlighten me a little more.
Christmas greetings from Norway.
The smaller Canon printers have colour management issues on Macs, but they work well.
The 2850 is not a printer I'd pick for photo use - it's more a home office printer
See the main written review for more on this and how to get the best from it.
www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-et-2850-printer-review/
My wife bought one recently, she knows it doesn't come close to my 3880 or Pro 1000, but at least she can say her printer is "Keith certified" (welll at least for matte papers).
Indeed - I can send the profiles too if it would help ;-)
@@KeithCooper I've just sent you an email.
Keith ,I need a printer for small office use and home ,not into photo printing.i need a printer that is fast and clear and cheap on ink.What would you suggest .
Ah, no idea I'm afraid - I don't really test aspects of office type printing.
That means there's a huge range of printers and manufacturers I've just never looked at.
Throughout the video you emphasise that if one wants a photo printer then one should buy one. However which are the best printers at the 'consumer' end of the price scale? The cheaper ones tend to be all in one and, as you have pointed out with this Epson, compromises are made when the maker includes scanner etc. I really would like to try little bit of printing, probably A4 to begin with. I have a bog standard HP Envy which can produce photo prints but is underwhelming and extremely hard to match the colours to the screen. They tend to be towards the yellow/green end. the eco tanks/mega tanks seem to be more economical (but with a higher up front cost) and there are so many models. It seems like the makers turn out models every three months! I am sure that this is a kind of 'how long is a piece of string' question and, without taking up too much of your time, I wouldn't mind a bit of a steer, with quoted models if poss. Thank you.
For win users, the Canon G550 and related models are quite good, but colour management is broken on Macs
The XP-15000 is quite good from Epson - photo ink-tank ones tend to be a bit more
See my written reviews for more, but I'm afraid I test relatively few lower-end printers
@@KeithCooper Thank you. After I wrote this question I found your review of the G550 and as i have a Win PC then the colour management should be ok from what I take from your comments. I will look at the 15000 which has the advantage of being A3. I have looked at many of your videos and reviews and I know that you test higher end printers but you have a lot of knowledge and thus why I asked. I appreciate you taking the time to reply
Me again. I have a Epson 2850 and a Epson 3600. When printing Black and White prints they print with a blue tint. I set the printers to monochrome or greyscale and the prints still have a blue tint.
I would think if you set it to print in monochrome then it should be monochrome. It I stop the printing halfway through I'm seeing that the printer is mixing all the colors in an attempt to produce a black and white print.
My question is: Can I set the printer to use the black only?
Epson support told me it must be the editing software I'm using. I don't believe that.
Very nice videos. Thank You.
Essentially, B&W is more difficult for inkjet printers. There is no such thing as 'black only' printing any more - it never worked particulalry well anyway ;-)
See the specific coverage of B&W in my main [written] 2850 review
www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-et-2850-printer-review/
I've got an HPm479fdw & HP M452dw laser printer. I'm looking to print on waterslide decals and transfer paper. Would an inkjet be better ?
Not an inkjet with aqueous inks like the 2850 - or any photo/art printing inkjet for that matter [i.e. none of the ones I review]
Contact a supplier who does printers for signage
Would you recommend this for making stickers?
Not really, the pigment black often rubs off.
I'm told some media is OK, but I've not seen any to test.
So do higher quality pigment inks and printers not have the issue of light reflecing off the pigment inks on glossy paper? I thought it was only an issue because of the difference in reflectivity of the different inks but thought that high quality pigment inks will reflect light just like this ink does??? Thank you.
Gloss differential can be an issue on some papers with the 'better' printers
If you want high gloss mirror finish - it's dye ink. This is where printers like the ET-18100 and PRO-200 excel
However I rarely want prints on high gloss paper ;-)
The 2850 reviewed here, really is an office printer which can do photos if you need.
@@KeithCooper OK thank you, ive bought this printer for my dad who wants to print the occasional photo, if the printer only uses the dye inks the photos look terrible with a strong cyan/magenta tint. Maybe that could be fixed with a custom profile.
But in your other video you say any matt setting will make the printer use all the inks, I got that to work with one of the settings and the photo looked really good. - I guess we will buy matt photo paper to reduce the reflection issue.
Im still new to printing.
Thank you for all your info.
If you've not seen it, check my main [written] review for the printer - it lists the papers I tested.
www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-et-2850-printer-review/
@@KeithCooper OK Thank you i have read through your very thorough review, would you recommend luster / semigloss paper for this printer - reducing the problem of the reflective black pigment ink or would you recommend matt papers?
@@jeffreylebowski4927 yes, the semigloss was reasonable - it's a tricky printer to get the best from.
Had I got any, a semi-matte might have looked even better
Hi, would this printer be any good for printing on heat transfer paper for t-shirt designs
I don't know I'm afraid - I've never tested any such paper
Today, I purchased an ET2850 printer and set it up as per the instructions provided. I was excited to use it to print high-quality photos on glossy photo paper. However, I encountered an issue that I need assistance with.
When I attempted to print on glossy photo paper, the output exhibited a peculiar problem. The photos turned out with noticeable cut lines, as if a sharp blade had sliced through the paper. This issue is affecting both the inside and outside of the paper.
While the photo print quality itself appears to be good, the presence of these cut lines is detracting from the overall quality of the output. It's not the outcome I was hoping for when I invested in this printer, and I'm unsure how to resolve this issue.
I am reaching out to seek your guidance and assistance in rectifying this problem. Could you please provide me with instructions on how to troubleshoot and resolve this issue? I want to ensure that the printer is functioning correctly and that I can enjoy the full benefits of high-quality photo printing on glossy paper.
Your help in resolving this matter would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you in advance for your assistance
As a new printer, it should definitely not do this. Check back with the supplier or Epson.
It's not at all common, but I have heard of new printers having faults - I had one shipped from Epson once, which had been damaged in transit...
@@KeithCooper"Thank you so much for your reply, I returned the printer to the shop and tried a new printer with different glossy paper, but the same result occurred. Do you know what the problem might be, and how can I resolve it? Your help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance."
Unfortunately I've never seen this problem - I only had the one 2850 here for a while to test
www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-et-2850-printer-review/
@@KeithCooperthank you so much. Really appreciated your valuable comments and articles
la Epson ET 2850 utilizza il nero pigmentato solo nei testi? e nelle stampe fotografiche mescola i tre colori dye per creare il nero ?
allora per le stampe fotografiche è meglio la ET 2810 che utilizza direttamente i tre colori DYE?
English please...
Can it replace with all pigment ink instead of 3 dye?
Depends if you care about the warranty ;-)
Has anyone managed to get decent quality on glossy paper? I use mine, or wanted to, as source images for my oil painting but everything comes out really, really purple when it should be black. I'm using Kodak Premium Photo Paper: Gloss. When I accidentally forgot to set the paper type the quality was actually much better but smudged even days after printing.
Ah - that Kodak paper is likely one of those which simply won't work well with the printer...
This printer is not a photo printer - with some care I was able to get quite reasonable results on some papers but it was more as a challenge to prove it could be done than as something I'd suggest ;-)
See the actual written review for details about media choices and how they affect print quality.
www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-et-2850-printer-review/
Do you know if this printer has a print memory feature does it remember all what was printed out?
Do you mean as in being able to re-print it?
No desktop printer I've ever tested, and only a few large format ones [with internal disks] have such a feature
hello, thank you for this video, i did download epson print layout on your advice but now i get the message that the program don´t see the printer and ask for the printerdriver. im sure i did dowload and instal this but he still keep asking. i work with windows. can you help me =
Do a re-install of the printer driver - I've not tested this on any windows systems, but am told it works fine
Hi Keith, i hope you're keeping well buddy, after watching this video i was thinking great this ticks all the boxes, as it scans and it can take paper upto 300gsm Brilliant, UNTIL......i realised (after clicking onto your video ) that this is a A4 printer!! So im back to square 1 again!! My heart is set on the Epson Workforce WF 7830DTWF as it does tick all the boxes except the fact that the thickest paper it will take is 250gsm. Now on the grand scale of things that extra 50 gsm isn't such a deal breaker as i have plenty of paper from 200 - 250gsm but i'm guessing for watercolour paper techniques the thicker the better but like I say i could get away with that on 250gsm it just means i can't drench the paper in water. My question to you, in your expert opinion which printer would you recommend that will copy/scan/ upto 300gsm weight and upto A3 in size. Ive been in contact with a company called Printland and they have a fast delivery service and combined with an ink multipack it is at a very good price. So at the moment I'm holding out for the Epson WF - 7830DTWF but if you can suggest a printer that has all the above functions incl printing on thick watercolour/mixed media paper upto 300gsm, I'd really appreciate your expert advice. Thankyou Keith.
Thanks!
Pushing into the heavier duty printer area moves a bit out of my testing range, but the max gsm figures are very flexible
See this one for example
www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-wf-c8690-printer-review/
The ET-2850 with its four inks is very paper dependent in results and needs careful profiling
@KeithCooper Thankyou So Much for that Keith, I shall definitely check that out, getting a printer is definitely a big investment so getting the right one that meets my needs is a must. I really appreciate you taking the time to reply and quite frankly what you don't know about printers isn't worth knowing!! Just one thing Keith, in terms of printers that make less noise ( a consideration if working at night time on my nights off from work ), what are your thoughts about Laser Printers for home/ light use.
@@huggyhuggsbears1265 Thanks - unfortunately my knowledge of laser printers was last updated when someone gave me an Apple LaserWriter 16 a good few years ago, which is still sitting in a corner somewhere ;-)
@@KeithCooper That's OK Keith, I think I will speak to the manufacturers of whichever make of printer I decide to go for, I'd hate to buy a printer only to realise I've made the wrong choice, better to be safe than sorry. Thankyou once again Keith for your helpful advice, I wish you and your channel all the best take care mate.
Why do my prints come out darker than on the monitor and a little on the red side?
Monitor calibration and brightness
Start here ;-)
www.northlight-images.co.uk/why-prints-look-wrong/
Do You know about hooking to a wifi system where we are running windows and Linux Mint 21.1
Sorry - not used a win pc for over 20 years I'm afraid, and UNIX for even longer
Do you think the prints would come out better if the color inks were switched to dye inks?
No - the three colour ones are dye inks anyway
The printer driver and firmware are optimised for the inks it has
It is a home office printer which makes photo prints which are passable to the market it is aimed at
As ever, if you want a photo printer, buy a photo printer ;-)
Can you print on pvc cards with this printer?
No - there is no straight through print path
www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-et-2850-printer-review/
Got to ask??? What happens if you touch those things (white ribbon and such) that you are not supposed to touch?? AAAAAAAAAAAAAAnd what advantages or disadvantages are encountered whilst printing from your mobil device??? First Epson in decades??
The inside parts can affect positioning accuracy, but you have to be particularly clumsy to cause damage ;-)
Mobile devices are not associated with colour accuracy or other aspects of colour management. Fine for snaps, hopeless for any quality ;-)
However, the 2850 is much more of a 'home office' type printer, not one you'd necessarily pick if photo printing was your main aim.
Is it good for printing A5 leaflets
A5 is supported, but not borderless
@@KeithCoopertut thank you
Do you recommend a printer for leaflets as I don’t know what to choose
Sorry - not a type of printing I do. I print photos and artwork - this is what I test.
I wanted actual video showing me how to set up this et2850 has I am dyslexic. Not confident to just start it up as the paperwork manual is I afraid absolutely rubbish. Can you please one video setting this printer from start to end please sue in Bromsgrove uk
Sorry - the 2850 was only here for a short while. I usually only get printers on loan - I cannot afford to buy such things for testing, but I do have a video covering setup - not sure if it's what you wanted?
ua-cam.com/video/0teRRIlJd5Y/v-deo.html
All 2850 videos are referenced from the main [written] review at
www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-et-2850-printer-review/
The moment i saw the thumbnail of this video i knew you were British.
Yes :-)
Any recommendations wich printer to use for phone cases?
Nope, not something I've ever looked at I'm afraid
0mg shut up