Epson Stylus Photo R1900

Pros: Outstanding glossy/luster color photos - resolution, clarity, color depth, fidelity & brilliance. Very Good matte photos. More than adequate neutral B/W photos.

Cons: A bit slow printing text from non photo applications. Smaller ink cartridges incease ink cost.

Summary: After 4+ years, my still functional Epson 1270 was a candidate for replacement, given technology advances alone. Based on personal experience with Epson printer reliability and customer service, the choice was the R1900. Features influencing the decision were A3+ (13x19) borderless printing capability with Epson?s K3 Ultra Chrome pigment (long print life) inks, expanded paper choices, gloss/matte paper choices without swapping black inks, high resolution, and color brilliance and fidelity.
Installation was quick and easy. The test prints were made using Epson Premium Glossy, Premium Luster, and Presentation Matte papers, using both the ?Let Printer Manage Color? and ?Let Photoshop Manage Color? (specific paper profiles) settings. Although the supplied Epson ?standard? profiles proved totally acceptable, the free Epson downloadable premium profiles are definitely superior and I will use those for all exhibition quality prints.
Test prints were compared to the same images printed on the Epson 1270 (dye ink) and the Epson R2400, a more expensive pigment ink printer with a different ink configuration which facilitates ?neutral? (no color cast) black & white fine art printing.
Compared to the Stylus 1270, all R1900 prints had better color depth, clarity, fidelity, and brilliance than the 1270 dye ink prints. Very likely the added ?Gloss Optimizer? cartridge of the R1900 contributed to the advantage.
Compared to the R2400, the R1900 color prints were at least equal to the R2400 in most every case. In a few instances the R1900 premium profile gave marginally better results, specifically for skin tones. However, the differences were VERY subtle and could well reflect my own subjective judgment.
With additional black ink cartridges and an ?Advanced B/W? print mode, the R2400 has an edge for the photographer requiring high volumes of exhibition quality B/W prints. However, the R1900 can deliver acceptably neutral B/W prints (especially using the Epson premium profiles). Toned monochrome prints appeared to be dead even between the two printers. I was delighted to discover that the 5% opacity ?slightly brown? toning which I sometimes add for B/W print ?richness? also enhanced the neutrality of the R1900 B/W prints.
For all photographers not needing to print larger than 13x19, or those not requiring large numbers of exhibition B/W prints, I would recommend the R1900 as an excellent choice for a mid-priced photo quality printer.