HP B8850

[Vincent]

We have just taken delivery of the new HP B 8850 printer, I will start the review of this on March 5th.

[owen]

I am looking forward to this review as I am in the market for an A3+ pigment printer.

Owen

[gplracer]

I look forward to this review as well. I plan to buy either the HP 8850 or the Epson R1900. It would be nice in the review to see how the HP performs on different media. I like luster the best. It would also be nice to see how the gloss compares to the R1900. I feel the R1900 and the HP B8850 are direct competitors. They retail for the same price. I want to know how they compare in several categories such as media, speed, and software. These things are important to me. Of course image quality is at the top of the list as well.

[Ken Sky]

Vincent
I hope you will make direct comparisons with the 9180. There are rumours that the 8850 will replace the 9150 so it would be useful to see the pros and cons. It might also give us a clue as to the possibility of HP entering the 17" pigment market.
Ken

[Romar]

I too am looking forward to this review. As far as I'm concerned the competition is from the Epson R2400 so I'd like a comparison if possible, please.

I'm not over-impresed with what I've read about the R1900 adn don;t really like the R2400 because of its stupid cartridge

[Romar]

Sorry about that. It left me before I was ready!

I too am looking forward to this review. As far as I'm concerned the competition is from the Epson R2400 so I'd like a comparison if possible, please.

I'm not over-impressed with what I've read about the R1900 and I don't really like the R2400 because of its stupid black cartridge swapping requirement. So for me it looks like a B8850 or an R2400 replacement which must surely be on the way.

Roger

[ienichols]

Vincent, et. al.,

Thanks for an excellent 'site. I've been in the market for a new A3 printer since before Christmas; was tempted by the Epson R1800, but then along came the R1900, and I read Vincent's reveiw with anticipation. However, I had just about made up my mind to buy the HP B9180, when along comes the B8850.

In page 1 of the review Vincent says:
"The specifications of the B8850 are slightly different to the B9180, for example the B8850 has fewer stepper motors to reduce the print head gap, this means it can't print on card media although it will print on smooth Fine Art media and canvas. it is also limited to in the area of self calibration, the 9180 offers greater accuaracy." and "Under the bonnet the B8850 has a basic closed-loop colour calibration system compared to the more advanced B9180. Having said that, in theory the 8850 should still produce excellent colur prints. The HP closed loop calibration process should not be confused with colour profiles. I have published a brief explanation of what it does below."

I am really keen to understand the differences in the closed loop self calibration system, and would welcome more information on how the two models differ, although ultimately the acheived output appearance is most important. I think the ability to print in card, etc., is less important to me.

So looking forward to more on the colour calibration side, and ultimate print quality...

Regards,

Ian

[Vincent]

Ian,

I will be working on the review later this afternoon, page 2 has some more information on the Closed Loop Calibration. Basically the printer reads a set of patches which it has just printed and then compares the result to a stored reference file, so if the Red is not strong (saturated) enough then it knows to pump out more red. Etc. This is not the same as profiles.

[ienichols]

Thanks Vincent,

I understand that the calibration is not the same as profiles, I use a color managed workflow currently, albeit with home calibrated scanner and printer profiles using Graeme Gill's Argyll CMS and a Spyder2...

I take it that the printer closed loop calibration is about the density of its primary colours, i.e., each cartridge individually, rather than the result of blending them, which would start to fall into profiling? As such it is able to ensure that each colour is being layed down at the intended density, the same as that used to generate any profiles used?

I also understand that this process is used to correct for any blocked nozzles / jets on the heads, a problem I have suffered on my Epson 680.

I am now trying to decide between the B9180 and the B8850, hence the interest.

Regards,

Ian

[Vincent]

I will be making several comparisons with the B9180 in the review. From what I have seen so far, there isn't much between the two.

[Ned Lud]

Is the B8850 review going to be continuing?

[enduser]

Let's hope the 8850 review doesn't take as long as the 9180 took to finish!

[Neil Snape]

The things I would miss in the 8850 would be the Ethernet card, the ability to print thick or curly media. Since the latest crop of Fine Art media tends to not lay as flat as it might or should, the 9180 wins hands down for this. It is already a tad tricky if there is any curl with the 9180 to get it to load. LEt's see what Vincent finds on this....

[Ned Lud]

...still waiting for the review to continue

[Romar]

Below are comments on the B9180 taken from the amazon.uk site. To be fair there was another very good customer review but the one quoted does raise some serious doubts.

Vincent, perhaps you can address these issues in respect of the B8850 when you continue.

Roger

<< Beware! The paper handling of the printer is dreadful, when it works the print quality is good, but most of the time it will chew media (even though I only use HP branded media). The support from HP is based in South Africa, where I was told they "do not have a Photosmart Pro B9180", ...so much for support. HP promised to exchange the device eventually.
The speciality media feed does not feed media squarely, there is no left side guide, and the right guide is about 2mm high, as such it produces bordered prints with tapered borders. The reprinting of the skewed prints leads to loads of expensive ink and paper being wasted.
The overall ink consumption and cost is horrendous, especially in terms of cost per usable print.
... ... ...
Overall the B9180 is poor, and HP support is absolutely useless. I wish I had bought an Epson. >>