Customer Reviews
BUYER BEWARE! 
2005-07-15
This printer is terrible. I am a graphic designer. I've had the printer for about 3 years. I have hated it since I got it. Hate isn't the word... Abhor, is more like it.
It's big, SLOW, clunky, jams, misfeeds, print quality is poor, impossible to service, if you require a RIP software, the printer isn't compatible with XP, ME or 2000.
To those of you who gave it a good review: Check your head...
I don't know what you are using it for.
Don't let anyone give you one for free 2004-04-03
This is quite possibly the worst printer ever made in all printer history. The color is horrible, it jams the paper every other print, slow as mollasses, impossible to service, and just generally looks bad. The roller-arms are spaced so that they never take its own specially priced paper straight into the feeder. Ink Cleanings usually last for two prints on most minimal print settings, then degrade into splotchy lined garbage. Makes the most horrible noises when printing and death rattles when jammed or confused. Don't let anyone give you one even for free. and for heavan's sake, don't actually spend money on one. I have two, one for parts, and the other for parts backup, as both are equally on their way to a trash heap in South America where orphan childern can beat the living daylights from its horrible plastic casing. If negative stars were available for review, this product would deserve them.
2 words: Garbage 2004-03-17
2 words: Feeder Failure.
May take 10 or more tries to get the very expensive paper to feed correctly. Then, it might just decide that it doesn't want to print any more and eject halfway. MANY wasted sheets!
2 words: Broken Brain
The software for this thing is awful.
The MAC RIP software is, without a doubt, the worst software ever unleashed on the public. Can't even begin to explain, it just doesn't work and crashes constantly.
2 words: No Support.
Where are the fixes???
2 words: Don't Buy!!!
Hillbilly Photographer 
2004-03-07
I have owned and used my Epson 3000 printer for nearly two years now with great results. At the time of purchase, it was the only printer available in its size range, which was its selling point for me. After recently converting it over to archival pigmented inks (Generations ProPhoto Inks from mediastreet.com) and creating a custom profile for the new inks, I can honestly say that I get better color from this printer than from my Epson 2000P. I do use the 3000 with an old PC with Windows 98 since there isn't a suitable driver for Windows XP. For those having trouble getting paper to feed in correctly, try feeding it in from the back. This works especially well with glossy photo paper, which does tend to misfeed from the front. This printer is regularly used to make 16x24 inch display prints originating from a Canon EOS-1Ds, and the results are amazing with vibrant, realistic colors and sharp detail. The only real problem I've ever had is occasional very slight banding, but this really isn't noticeable 95% of the time. Hopefully the new Epson 4000 will do an even better job, but the drawback there will be having to buy seven or even eight colors of ink instead of the four used by the 3000.
Printer won't work with Windows XP! 
2003-09-23
As a graphics designer this has been a good printer for me. It makes beautiful prints. The only drawback is that Epson has not decided to join the rest of us in the 21st Century. If you would like an expensive nice desktop printer, this is the one for you. However, if you do graphic design and require a StylusRIP Adobe Level 2 Postscript Driver...here's a newsflash...This printer is NOT XP compatible. In fact it's not Windows ME, or Windows 2000 compatible. There are no postscript drivers for anything higher than Windows 95/98. After several days of trying to speak to a human at Epson's Tech Support, I finally spoke to someone, and gleaned that they are in no hurry to advance with the times. At some point in the future they plan to develop an XP compatible StylusRIP driver. After a great expense and effort, I upgraded my office system and software to Windows XP. Because I had to have a RIP, I was forced to revert everything back to Windows 98. My bad! I should have checked, but I assumed that a company as large as Epson would be as progressive as the rest of us. All in all, I still like this printer. I am hoping that they will get on the ball soon.
If you run Mac OS 9 it might work out for you! 
2008-06-10
Back in the old days of OS 9 for Mac, I used this printer to make posters and get somewhat accurate color proofs for 4 color commercial printing. I could get some really nice photo printouts with the gloss paper but in time the ink fades so you're better off sending your digital photos to a lab to be printed.
I've had many problems with the automatic paper feed. I just gave up and manually put in one page at a time every time I wanted to print. When I upgraded to OSX the printer no longer worked because Epson does not have reliable updates for this printer! They suggested an update for OSX but it only worked for a short time. I finally gave up and bought an HP.
This machine is so last century 2008-04-17
I agree with the conclusion most of the other reviewers have reached -- this machine is an expensive dud. It started out working okay, but for no apparent reason I started to get the paper misfeeding problem, and the lines of gobbledygook, which wastes a lot of expensive paper. The Stylus RIP is mind-numbingly slow, despite maxing out my RAM and upgrading the computer's processor. It's a real Catch 22 machine -- it would be great if it could take advantage of the newer Macs with their super-fast speed and enormous RAM, particularly when printing A2, but the software only runs on an old machine. The only work-around I've discovered is to make any file to be printed a PDF, as that brings the size down to a manageable level. I rate Epson as a company, but this printer has turned out to be a complex lemon, and you're made to pay through the nose for any of the enhancements, like the network card, or the Stylus RIP-off software. and the paper doesn't come cheap either, particularly when so much gets wasted because of the paper feed problem, which Epson doesn't seem to bother to acknowledge and try to rectify.
Prone to paper misfeeds 2007-11-08
I'm on my second one of these. First was prone to a lot of paper misfeeds. I had hoped that was an anomaly when I bought the second one. Not so. It does the same thing. A real annoyance...I have to go over to the printer and baby through each print. I've tried the Epson cleaner sheets, too. They don't work. Avoid this printer. PS - You will also need to buy a 3rd party Postscript RIP if you use Mac.
Epson 3000 great for printing engineering logs 2006-05-22
This printer is the absolute best available for one thing: printing continuous feed logs with tractor feed paper. In fact, the only two decent printers for doing inkjet printing on continuous feed paper are the Epson Stylus Color 1520 and 3000.
They both work with external Jet Direct for networking.
Many "log printing" programs such as Lexco Lexview, Seelog Viewer, Atlas Metafile Viewer, and PDS Viewer, require either Epson or HP. If you don't want to spend thousands on an HP plotter, then Epson 1520 or 3000 is the only way to go.
Don't even think of using the Epson Stylus Photo R2400. WILL NOT NETWORK!
Excellent quality printer 2005-09-20
I am a graphic designer, and require excellent quality in color printing. The Epson 3000 is very easy to color balance, and produces outstanding results with premium glossy paper. Color photographs printed on the Epson 3000 are realistic and accurate. This printer is easy to use and is very cost efficient. The INK cartidges are easy to refill, and have saved me thousands of dollars in INK. This printer will treat you good, if you treat it good. Paper loading works fine if the directions are followed as supplied from the manufacturer. I would classify this printer as a professional printer, a novice in printing might have problems with it. For the money, this printer is outstanding.
