HP B8850 Review

Announced just last week, the HP B8850 is a new, competitively priced 13 inch / A3 photo printer aimed squarely at the keen amateur photographer. The B8850 offers a very similar specification to its well-received big brother, the B9180, whilst cutting features that most users won’t need to bring the price down. Is the HP B8850 a veritable bargain, or does it cut too many corners? Jon Canfield finds out, as we bring you the World’s first ever review of the HP Photosmart Pro B8850 printer.

Website: HP B8850 Review

Published: Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Reader Comments

1. What about the "pizza wheel marks" (like B9180)?

   Nickoning at 03:33pm on Wednesday, January 23, 2008

2. Can you recommend some good black and white printers?

   Frank Stanton at 05:56pm on Wednesday, January 23, 2008

3. Does this print full bleed or is that just advertising photo propaganda to make me want to buy it?

   Naples Wedding Photographer at 08:06pm on Wednesday, January 23, 2008

4. A good review - but as we all wait for a DJ90 format pigment machine from HP, here comes a re-invented wheel.

   CCC at 09:41am on Thursday, January 24, 2008

5. good review; but did you experiance any sign of the dreaded pizza-wheel marks on any prints. is the feed mechanizm any differant from b9180??

   cal at 06:50pm on Thursday, January 24, 2008

6. The feed mechanism is slightly improved over the B9180, but it's the same basic assembly. In other words, if you're seeing wheel marks with your preferred media now, you probably will with the 8850 as well.
   I did not see any evidence of wheel marks with the test unit though.
   Rollers are a bit closer together making the feed for 4x6 media more reliable now as compared to the B9180.
   
   On the issue of black & white printers, what type of paper do you want to use? Photo rags and other fine art medias do beautifully with this (and the Canon 9500 and Epson 2400). The bronzing issue is something all printers that don't use a gloss optimizer or some form of coating will exhibit. Unless you're viewing the print at an angle it isn't an issue. I did feel it was important to mention in the review though as it is there, and I would hope to see something like the gloss enhancer used in the Z3100 come down to the desktop printers.
   
   Jon

   Jon Canfield at 08:30pm on Thursday, January 24, 2008

7. Thanks for a great review and for very informative reader comments. I use Photoshop Lightroom; does the Photoshop plug-in also apply to that software.
   
   Thanks.
   
   John

   John Kelly at 02:57pm on Sunday, January 27, 2008

8. Hi John -
   
   The plug-in does not work in Lightroom. Here you'd want to choose the appropriate profile in Lightroom. The printer driver will automatically recognize that Lightroom is handling color management and shut it off in the driver.
   
   Jon

   Jon Canfield at 03:22pm on Sunday, January 27, 2008

9. As always are the cost of the ink not mentioned in the review (or i missed it?). The ink is quite expensive for some other HP printers in for example the Photosmart series. (the 363 cartridges)

   Jan Morgils at 10:53pm on Monday, January 28, 2008

10. I didn't mention ink costs, but they are the same as the B9180 - about $33 for a 27ml cartridge
    
    Jon

    Jon Canfield at 11:54pm on Monday, January 28, 2008

11. Hi,
    I am an invitation designer. I am looking for a printer that delivers crisp text and awsome graphics/photos. How does the 8850 rate?.
    And about the media handling I use a lot of heavy card stock 80# to 120# and I'm not really sure what weight of paper .7mm is? Do you have any idea?

    Dawn at 02:59am on Monday, February 04, 2008

12. Hi Dawn -
    
    Text output in my testing was excellent. I don't print text on these printers normally, but the output I reviewed showed sharp text at all sizes.
    
    The paper weights you have listed here will work. The #80 should feed through the standard tray while the heavier paper would need to use the specialty tray.
    
    Jon

    Jon Canfield at 04:54pm on Monday, February 04, 2008

13. Thanks for nice review. You printed a 13X42 Panorama. Can you do the same with the B9180?

    Larry Mulmed at 09:33pm on Sunday, February 10, 2008

14. Hi Larry -
    
    Yes, you can print the same panoramic sizes with the B9180. HP doesn't announce support for it, and you need to make the custom page size, but it is possible to do this.
    
    Jon

    Jon Canfield at 03:18am on Monday, February 11, 2008

15. How is the build quality. Is it the same quality as the 9180?

    Joe at 01:25am on Friday, February 15, 2008

16. The print heads and assembly, as well as the case and trays all are the same quality as the 9180. As for internal parts, I couldn't tell you for certain, but it seems to be every bit as sturdy as the 9180.

    Jon Canfield at 03:25pm on Friday, February 15, 2008

17. Hi Jon. Can you tell me if media entered in the special media tray which uses a straight paper path are subjected to the "pizza wheels"? I'm looking to print on thin sheets of metal and the product I will use to coat the metal cannot be subjected to pizza wheels, that is, I'm looking for something where no wheels will touch the surface of the media after it is printed (they'll leave tracks in the precoat). If this is the case with the straight paper path of this printer I think I might've found me a printer.

    Fred at 05:10pm on Tuesday, April 15, 2008

18. Fred -
    The feed mechanism has changed slightly with the 8850. I haven't seen any signs of wheel marks, but I haven't printed on metal either. I do actually have some in though that has been waiting for me to have time to print. I got the material from booksmartstudio.com so I don't know if it's the same as what you're using. I'll try to run a test print tomorrow.
    
    Jon

    Jon Canfield at 11:26pm on Wednesday, April 16, 2008

19. Thanks for the response Jon. Much appreciated. Booksmart is what I plan on using- their plates are precoated with inkAID. If you ever get around to using it I'd love to hear your thoughts. Thanks again.

    Fred at 05:28am on Sunday, April 20, 2008

20. I just did a couple of sample prints on the BookSmart Studios Fine Art Metals. Good news, and not so good (isn't it always that way?).
    The thinner metals print just fine with no wheel marks. That's the good news. For the media setting I used Rigid Photo.
    When using the brushed silver metal, I do see wheel marks. This metal is a little thicker than the others. I also had a problem with the ink rubbing off on this particular metal that I don't have with the thinner materials.
    
    So, if you stay with the .012 metals or thinner, you'll be fine based on my limited testing.
    
    Jon

    Jon Canfield at 04:05pm on Monday, April 21, 2008