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Entered CNET Catalog: 10/12/2001
SKU: C11C393011
Manufacturer: Epson
Manufacturer description
Whether you're a professional photographer or a talented amateur, you want your best photo prints to last. That's precisely the thinking behind the Epson Stylus Photo 1280, the fast and friendly ink jet printer that brings you true, lightfast and water-resistant Photo Quality printing. With the Epson Stylus Photo 1280, your best shots will beam in brilliant, 6-color Photo Reproduction Quality on fade-resistant media rivaling anything you've seen on standard photo lab prints. You'll be in control as you conveniently print out everything from portfolios and soft proofs to panoramic and exhibition prints.User opinions
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User Rating: 
1/10
Chronic clogging print heads make this printer unusable
Pros: Beautiful photos when you can get it to work
Cons: Unusable due to constantly clogged print heads - I've been forced to trash it and by another brand.
I've been a long time user of Epson printers and have appreciated the beautiful photos they can print. Unfortunately every Epson I've owned has had a fatal flaw. This flaw is so serious that it makes Epson printers completely unusable for most people. I've long assumed that other printer brands have also had the same problem, but I've been wrong.
Right now I own an R200, C84 and a Photo 1280. I recommended a Epson all-in-one for a close friend. All four printers get heavy use for a week or so and then often sit idle for a week or two.
All four printers regularly experience severely clogged print heads that render them completely unusable. These clogs cannot be cleared by using Epson's cleaning procedures no matter how many times they are run. Clearing them takes extraordinary measures (using alcohol or Windex or disassembling the printer.) Even so, it can take days (yes DAYS) of cleaning to completely clear the print heads and make the printers usable again. In addition, cleaning the print head using Epson's utility uses large quantities of very expensive ink. I can honestly say I've used more ink cleaning the print heads on these printers than I've used printing.
I have used only Epson brand print cartridges in these printers. They are powered off using the printer power button (not a external switch) so the print head parks properly. I use good quality paper. I live in a high humidity area so they aren't subjected to excessively dry air. Repeated calls to Epson Tech support have not provided any useful suggestions. (They have told me that I should print more often.)
I also own a Canon Pixma IP4000 and a HP T45. Both printers can sit idle for extended periods. The HP has sat for up to a month without being used. Neither the Canon nor the HP has EVER had a clogged print head.
Simply put, no matter how cheap or appealing a product is it isn't worth a dime if it can't be used for its intended purpose. In fact, the cost for a product like this is double the competition because you end up buying one of their printers anyway when you give up on your Epson. Stay away from Epson printers.
User Rating: 
5/10
This printer really eats ink fast
Pros: The quality of the photo prints are wonderful and its an easy printer to use.
Cons: If you want to print banners it has a four foot limit. It also eats ink in a big way. I have had my unit two weeks and I've been printing 13 x 19 posters with it. After 12 posters, the printer was completely out of ink and these are big expensive cartridg
User Rating: 
6/10
Slow & Difficult to Color Correct!
Pros: Best 13x19 Printer Price on the Market! Sharp, vivid colors!
Cons: Very, very slow printing on Epson's 2880 mode! Took over 25-30 minutes to print an 11x14, 300dpi photoshop image on it's highest resolution. Once it was complete, the portrait was over saturated with red, and I had color correct it, and reprint again, not
User Rating: 
8/10
Great printer for good photographers.
Pros: Excellent colors - vivid and striking. Photo labs never captured my pictures accurately. Now I can print photos from home and have made numerous sales of my scenic photography.
Cons: A few frustrating problems - Hope you're listening, Epson, because others have experienced this too - roller smudges on the back of the prints occur sometimes and it would be great it you could tell us how to get 4 X 6 prints with no borders showing. Than
User Rating: 1/10
Bad investment for me
Pros: Its compact in size
Cons: I was so dissipointed in this printer. After using the Epson stylus 600 for many years I just assumed this one would be good too. I've gone through too much paper trying to get the colors right and its limited as far as banner size. If I had it to do over
User Rating: 5/10
Print head problems at 1 year
Pros: It did print great photo quality prints for about 9 months.
Cons: Requires Epson paper and ink - Expensive. The print head began needing more and more clean at around 9 month. Soon after I was unable align one of the print nozzels in the print head. I thought it just needed another self cleaning and hadn't gotten aro
User Rating: 
9/10
Couln't be more satisfied
Pros: I have had this printer for a year now and I never get tired anticipating the image quality of every output. It prints excellent quality even at 720x720 dpi. I just love it. I got it for $288 and I am glad that It was worth every penny.
Cons: To get the output that you want you'll have to do a little more than just with any ordinary home printer, which isn't bad, but may seem so for lazy and impatient people.
User Rating: 8/10
Amazing photo prints right out of the box
Pros: Within 15 minutes of having this printer out of the box I had produced a 13x19 inch print of amazing quality, definitely better than your typical photo lab. I will only buy Epson printers because of their well-thought out design and ergonomics, and this o
Cons: I can't say much about Epson support because, after some five years of owning their printers, I've never had to call their support! I really can't understand why others have complained about the 1280 here, except that they are too inexperienced to work wi
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