Like its predecessor, the Stylus Photo 2200, the Epson Stylus
Photo R2400 isn't for everyone: it's expensive both to buy and
operate, it's a space hog, and it's a bit awkwardly designed. But
when your images mean everything to you -- especially if they're
black-and-white -- then the R2400 is the printer to own. Its
flexible paper handling, long-lived and colour-accurate prints,
expanded grey tonal range and nth-degree driver controls are
designed with enthusiast and pro photographers in mind.
If your medium-format printing needs lean more towards scrapbooking, collateral business materials, or draft proofing, less-expensive models such as the Stylus Photo R1800, the Canon i9900, or the HP Photosmart 8750 will likely suit you better. I still haven't forgiven Epson for integrating the monochrome-challenged Ultrachrome ink set into the R1800 and excluding the R1800's red and blue inks from the UltrachromeK3 set in order to create an artificial distinction between the two: positioning one as a large-gamut colour printer and the other as a tonally adept black-and-white device. Those of us who want both vibrant colour prints and gallery-quality black-and-white output should be feeling justifiably peeved right about now. Nevertheless, for the best in desktop photo printing, the Epson Stylus Photo R2400 is the model to beat and definitely worth the upgrade from the SP2200.
Design
Like clowns in a Volkswagen, the number of paper-handling
accessories you pull out of the Epson Stylus Photo R2400's box
during setup seems endless. It comes with two attachments for
feeding roll paper, a special attachment for the paper-input
support designed for use with matte paper, and yet another
paper-input support for feeding single sheets of heavy stock.
Throw in the nine ink cartridges, and setup really feels like a
whole do-it-yourself project. In truth, you can be up and
printing in as little as 10 minutes.
The R2400 gets high marks for design, not for its looks but for its flexibility: cosmetically, it's a large -- 615 x 615 mm with trays extended -- silver and dark-grey plastic that resembles all of the other printers that make their way through my office. It's got four buttons up front: power, cancel/feed paper, ink out and roll-paper select. Paper trays pop out all over the place. The main input tray extends up or folds down into the top of the printer. The front panel has a main output feed that extends out to support large paper, plus two swing-out supports for smaller paper. You fold all those in and pop down another front panel for the straight-through path; the printer inhales the media when you load it, extending out the back of the printer, and exhales the paper as it prints. The R2400 lacks a support in the back for the paper, which I guess makes sense for thick, stiff stock, but I'd feel a lot more secure if there were at least a piece of plastic back there. A single-sheet feeder snaps into a well behind the main paper tray, as do the two roll-feed holders. All these different pieces can't be attached at the same time, and keeping track of what has to be folded up in order to use another can get mighty confusing. Unlike many printers I've seen recently, however, there's nothing flimsy on this model: every piece of plastic feels stiff and sturdy.
The Epson Stylus Photo R2400's ink-carrier design works like those of most printers: when you press the ink button, the carrier moves into place in a well where you can access it. A flashing light indicates which inks are low or out, so at least you don't have to go back to your computer and look it up in the driver. You still have to physically swap the matte - and photo-black cartridges, however, which is a major pain. It's especially annoying given that the R2400's sibling, the R1800, manages to find a permanent place in the carrier for both.
Props to Epson for including a FireWire cable in the box. The driver -- the same one which Epson ships with many of its printers -- has two modes: Basic and Advanced. I don't expect anyone who buys this printer to use the Basic mode. But all the screens are easy enough to understand, at least for the intended audience. One minor annoyance: the driver frequently reverts to the High Speed option.
In addition to the driver software, the bundled CD includes Epson Raw Print -- another Windows-only goodie -- and four free filters from Nik Multimedia's Color Efex Pro. After installation, Epson also points you to its site, where you'll be able to download the latest canned ICC profiles for the printer. Given the Stylus Photo R2400's high price, it would have been nice to get colour-profiling software or Epson Film Factory as well.
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