Ricoh C7500 - General Thoughts

[D0N0TR0N]

Looking to lease a C7500, coming from a Ricoh C5310. Have done quite a bit of research and had several conversations with my Ricoh reps but no one near me has one. I'll get some samples coming in soon but just looking for:

• Any input on what paper types work or don't work. Can print up to 470gsm but I've had a hard time finding anything heavier than 350 and the few I have found are exponentially more expensive.
• Does the 5th color work well or is it gimmicky (mostly interested in white ink on black media, or clear coat to give an aqueous like finish)
• What software do you use - currently use Fiery Impose but this will come with JobFlow which seems it will help streamline a lot of the multi-up printing we do (business cards, 5x7 announcements)
• Will this be a significant step up in terms of color and print quality from my current 5310? Ricoh tells me yes.

Looking for any feedback from first hand experience either owning or working on this printer that's not coming from someone that wants my money.

Thanks!

 

[Shawnd]

Going from the single door to the double door is a huge step up just in user serviceability. I would recommend getting the TCRU training for someone onsite so you can work on most of the issues yourself. That alone is a huge upgrade. The 5th color is only as good as your customer base and your graphic design capabilities to use it.

It will handle more media, print faster and will look better. You are going from lite production to a production machine, big difference.

 

[kslight]

I have a 7210 but mostly incrementally different machine AFAIK…

1. I normally avoid stocks that heavy (the 7210 isn’t spec’d for it). Sometimes I’ll do 18pt C2S…I find one side at a time works best for this. I have several years ago gotten 24pt but you may be limited / have to get parent sizes. I have not had any issues I can think of running other paper through this machine within spec….there are a great deal of advanced settings to dial in if you have any regular issues.

2. It works fine but in the 3.5 years we’ve had our machine I think we’ve sold under 1000 clicks using it. It is probably easiest to utilize if you are primarily doing in house design…I can get barely get our customers to manage the basics so I can’t imagine explaining setting it up to them lol. When I have used it it’s been something I’ve had to handle the design on. We have white, gold, silver, and clear. Clear is most useful, imho, don’t really have customers that want black media. When we got our machine there was a promotion to include that stuff as the deal. Otherwise I’d say for most it’s probably not worth the extra investment unless you have customers calling for it.

3. I have fiery impose but I only use it for specific tasks (I have a hot folder setup for certain on demand business card imposition)…99% of the time I impose with Quite Imposing or Fusion Pro when doing variable data.

4. I don’t know if it’s an appreciable difference in color/resolution, but I am pretty confident it is a significant step up in performance, time between service visits, registration, and media range. And should save you $ on clicks.


As an aside but not sure what configuration you are planning on, I will say that I’m very happy we did not select an inline booklet maker, instead choosing an offline handfed machine (duplo dbm150).

 

[D0N0TR0N]

Thank you for both of your comments. They are helpful. Primarily interested in the spare TCRU unit with significant less down time and better color output. Don't plan on using the 5th color too much, we will see. Lower click for color will be nice too, but for sure a significant increase in monthly lease compared to my 5310. Just pray to those print gods these larger orders keep coming in.

The only inline option that has me tempted is a GBC punch as we do quite a bit of coil binding. Have other machines for cutting and finishing.

 

[kslight]

Thank you for both of your comments. They are helpful. Primarily interested in the spare TCRU unit with significant less down time and better color output. Don't plan on using the 5th color too much, we will see. Lower click for color will be nice too, but for sure a significant increase in monthly lease compared to my 5310. Just pray to those print gods these larger orders keep coming in.

The only inline option that has me tempted is a GBC punch as we do quite a bit of coil binding. Have other machines for cutting and finishing.

I’ve not heard great things about the GBC punch but never used one. I have a 3HP builtin and use that for one specific job though and it’s okay, though sometimes not perfect it’s close enough.

 

[LeGerbs]

As others have mentioned the TCRU training is invaluable to productivity and uptime. One of the big things I notice when I compared the two is the 1.5m maintenance cycle on the 7500 vs the 450k cycle on the 5310. We use the Ricoh c9210 in house that has 20m clicks and it's been a powerhouse since day one.

 

[[email protected]]

I’ve not heard great things about the GBC punch but never used one. I have a 3HP builtin and use that for one specific job though and it’s okay, though sometimes not perfect it’s close enough.

The durability of the GBC-branded punch as improved a lot over the years so I wouldn't be concerned about it very much unless you intend to use it almost continuously. Regarding TCRU, when purchased from Ricoh direct the training and skid of spare parts are included in the price. If you purchase from a dealer make sure that you have that conversation. The training itself takes at least a day and is very thorough.

 

[D0N0TR0N]

The durability of the GBC-branded punch as improved a lot over the years so I wouldn't be concerned about it very much unless you intend to use it almost continuously. Regarding TCRU, when purchased from Ricoh direct the training and skid of spare parts are included in the price. If you purchase from a dealer make sure that you have that conversation. The training itself takes at least a day and is very thorough.

That's the first positive thing I've heard about the inline GBC punch, but I think they were pretty bad a decade+ ago which might have killed their reputation. Still on the fence, won't have to sign anything until early next year. I'm sure I'll dive down the rabbit hole again before then.

From Ricoh direct, will have the TCRU training with them. Honestly, this is what keeps me coming back to the 7500 over the refreshed 5400. Not that my 5300 was down a lot but have heard from other owners that their 7500 is down significantly less with less maintenance problems. Much higher monthly volume hopefully translates to less attention/replacing parts. Missed a pretty sizable print job a few months back with a downed printer, which is inevitable, just hoping it will be a lot less.

 

[bcr]

i've got two of the GBC inline punches on C5310's.

They've had some issues but in general they work ok. I don't do particularly high volumes atm but it's nice not having to manually punch any more, with the exception of very thick covers and transparent plastic ones which I do offline.

 

[print4lifemn]

Former Ricoh Solutions Engineer here. This is JUST MY opinion, based on my own personal experience.

Ricoh makes very good gear, and the C7500 is no exception. As to your questions:

• Any input on what paper types work or don't work. Can print up to 470gsm but I've had a hard time finding anything heavier than 350 and the few I have found are exponentially more expensive.
  Most standard stocks will print very well, including coated and heavier stocks. Synthetics are sorta "meh", in terms of feed and potential imaging issues, but really all vendors' gear struggles with synthetics in this segment.
  
  
• Does the 5th color work well or is it gimmicky (mostly interested in white ink on black media, or clear coat to give an aqueous like finish)
  5th color works as well (or better) than other vendors' offerings in the segment (Irridesse, Fuji Revoria, KM 14010). The C7500 is Ricoh's 2nd generation offering the ability to swap the position of the black & specialty colorants, so white can be run in 1-pass as an undercoat on dark/black stock with CMYK on top. This is a game-changer for registration, time and waste savings. Do NOT expect the clear to behave like an aqueous coating. It's not as glossy (not even close), and it would be very expensive to run as a full flood coat, if that's what you meant. Closer to "spot" aqueous, but still nowhere near as glossy. You won't want to use it, for instance, on top of photos. Almost imperceptible, since the prints already have a slight gloss to them. Rather, consider them as accents over the top of artwork (geometric patterns, shapes, etc.) or in white or "void" areas of a design, where they will be much more noticeable and appealing, IMHO.
  
  
• What software do you use - currently use Fiery Impose but this will come with JobFlow which seems it will help streamline a lot of the multi-up printing we do (business cards, 5x7 announcements)
  JobFlow isn't an imposition solution. It's a programmable workflow tool. Think of it as "Hot Folders on stereoids". It can be customized, scripted endlessly using any language you prefer, (python, perl, even Powershell or batch file), and a it's client-server model, making it much more appealing in 2025 in terms of serurity, IT requirements, and usability. It can even be hosted on a virtual server (blade, etc.). JobFlow can *integrate* with Fiery Impose, calling impositions as a workflow step, but doesn't have this capability natively. Also, be aware that the free version of JobFlow has many limitations to everything I listed above.
  
  
• Will this be a significant step up in terms of color and print quality from my current 5310? Ricoh tells me yes.
  I'd say yes. Sorry, but the C5400 is still a glorified office copier in "Production" clothing. Registration will be much worse owing to the lack of a dedicated active registration system found on midrange Ricoh's and above, and competitor's midrange models. Side-by-side samples may look very similar, but day-to-day running between the C54XX and C75XX models will be night-and-day: better/broader substrate support, faster and more consistent output (larger, more ruggedly designed paper transport/2nd transfer application, larger diameter drums, paper transfer belt/roller, etc. Also the C5400 touch-screen interface is a toy compared to the C7500's operator panel, which has design roots in Ricoh's high end continuous lineage.

Edit: fixed "PowerScript" to "Powershell".

 

[D0N0TR0N]

Former Ricoh Solutions Engineer here. This is JUST MY opinion, based on my own personal experience.

Ricoh makes very good gear, and the C7500 is no exception. As to your questions:

• Any input on what paper types work or don't work. Can print up to 470gsm but I've had a hard time finding anything heavier than 350 and the few I have found are exponentially more expensive.
  Most standard stocks will print very well, including coated and heavier stocks. Synthetics are sorta "meh", in terms of feed and potential imaging issues, but really all vendors' gear struggles with synthetics in this segment.
  
  
• Does the 5th color work well or is it gimmicky (mostly interested in white ink on black media, or clear coat to give an aqueous like finish)
  5th color works as well (or better) than other vendors' offerings in the segment (Irridesse, Fuji Revoria, KM 14010). The C7500 is Ricoh's 2nd generation offering the ability to swap the position of the black & specialty colorants, so white can be run in 1-pass as an undercoat on dark/black stock with CMYK on top. This is a game-changer for registration, time and waste savings. Do NOT expect the clear to behave like an aqueous coating. It's not as glossy (not even close), and it would be very expensive to run as a full flood coat, if that's what you meant. Closer to "spot" aqueous, but still nowhere near as glossy. You won't want to use it, for instance, on top of photos. Almost imperceptible, since the prints already have a slight gloss to them. Rather, consider them as accents over the top of artwork (geometric patterns, shapes, etc.) or in white or "void" areas of a design, where they will be much more noticeable and appealing, IMHO.
  
  
• What software do you use - currently use Fiery Impose but this will come with JobFlow which seems it will help streamline a lot of the multi-up printing we do (business cards, 5x7 announcements)
  JobFlow isn't an imposition solution. It's a programmable workflow tool. Think of it as "Hot Folders on stereoids". It can be customized, scripted endlessly using any language you prefer, (python, perl, even Powershell or batch file), and a it's client-server model, making it much more appealing in 2025 in terms of serurity, IT requirements, and usability. It can even be hosted on a virtual server (blade, etc.). JobFlow can *integrate* with Fiery Impose, calling impositions as a workflow step, but doesn't have this capability natively. Also, be aware that the free version of JobFlow has many limitations to everything I listed above.
  
  
• Will this be a significant step up in terms of color and print quality from my current 5310? Ricoh tells me yes.
  I'd say yes. Sorry, but the C5400 is still a glorified office copier in "Production" clothing. Registration will be much worse owing to the lack of a dedicated active registration system found on midrange Ricoh's and above, and competitor's midrange models. Side-by-side samples may look very similar, but day-to-day running between the C54XX and C75XX models will be night-and-day: better/broader substrate support, faster and more consistent output (larger, more ruggedly designed paper transport/2nd transfer application, larger diameter drums, paper transfer belt/roller, etc. Also the C5400 touch-screen interface is a toy compared to the C7500's operator panel, which has design roots in Ricoh's high end continuous lineage.

Edit: fixed "PowerScript" to "Powershell".

Thank you for the thorough response! C5400 is a glorified office copier in production clothing made me chuckle. But overall great info and feedback with all those bullet points including synthetics, clear coat, JobFlow. Very helpful.

 

[CreoleCuisine]

Looking to lease a C7500, coming from a Ricoh C5310. Have done quite a bit of research and had several conversations with my Ricoh reps but no one near me has one. I'll get some samples coming in soon but just looking for:

• Any input on what paper types work or don't work. Can print up to 470gsm but I've had a hard time finding anything heavier than 350 and the few I have found are exponentially more expensive.
• Does the 5th color work well or is it gimmicky (mostly interested in white ink on black media, or clear coat to give an aqueous like finish)
• What software do you use - currently use Fiery Impose but this will come with JobFlow which seems it will help streamline a lot of the multi-up printing we do (business cards, 5x7 announcements)
• Will this be a significant step up in terms of color and print quality from my current 5310? Ricoh tells me yes.

Looking for any feedback from first hand experience either owning or working on this printer that's not coming from someone that wants my money.

Thanks!

My company recently upgraded from the 7210 to the 7500. The color is noticeably better - more vibrant. We run a lot of synthetic, 12mil and 8 mil, and have zero issues. I did order some thicker 14mil synthetic samples to try and it ran flawlessly. I cannot find anything thicker reasonably priced.

The 5th color works well. I have neon pink, gold and white. The neon pink is super eye-catching. The gold is a tad more subtle, I use it sparingly on certain menus but you CAN see a difference. Its best seen on larger areas of color, not so much text. I am also trying to figure out how to print on black cardstock. Have you come across any instructions online?

I also use Fiery impose. JobFlow was included and I did get some training however I find saving templates in impose and setting them up in the device manager presets is a tad easier.

 

[Shawnd]

On our 7110 we had a profile setup for black paper printing white on it. Check your paper profile as I think there is a setting for black paper as it will turn off some of the sensors.

 

[D0N0TR0N]

My company recently upgraded from the 7210 to the 7500. The color is noticeably better - more vibrant. We run a lot of synthetic, 12mil and 8 mil, and have zero issues. I did order some thicker 14mil synthetic samples to try and it ran flawlessly. I cannot find anything thicker reasonably priced.

The 5th color works well. I have neon pink, gold and white. The neon pink is super eye-catching. The gold is a tad more subtle, I use it sparingly on certain menus but you CAN see a difference. Its best seen on larger areas of color, not so much text. I am also trying to figure out how to print on black cardstock. Have you come across any instructions online?

I also use Fiery impose. JobFlow was included and I did get some training however I find saving templates in impose and setting them up in the device manager presets is a tad easier.

Appreciate the feedback! I'm coming from a C5310 so should be a larger margin of better color. Received 10 different proofs that I sent out to be printed on the 7500, compared to my 5310. It was significant in every aspect that matters to me. I had high expectations, but was still surprised how well the colors came out from a toner printer. Colors we more accurate, solid backgrounds were consistent and didn't see banding, even photography was a big step closer to my canon inkjet (though not in the same league). When I print wedding/graduation invites with photos our 5310 always made them pretty dark, and lighter skin tones often had red/orange hues. This does not do either of those. At almost double the price is it worth it? I don't know yet, but I hope to be able to gain a larger demographic with the better colors, synthetics, and insanely thick media (470gsm), than I am now.

Opted not to do the 5th color, it was significantly more. I can add that on a later date if I feel the need. Having spoken with a handful of 7500 printers most say they use it a handful times a year, mostly with white which is what I would do, but currently don't have many asking to do that kind of printing.

 

[Shawnd]

Opted not to do the 5th color, it was significantly more. I can add that on a later date if I feel the need.

Not all models can do this, I had to specifically order the E option that comes with the 5th toner blank banks so I could order it down the road.

The regular CMYK version from what I was told you can't upgrade to 5th color.

 

[D0N0TR0N]

Not all models can do this, I had to specifically order the E option that comes with the 5th toner blank banks so I could order it down the road.

The regular CMYK version from what I was told you can't upgrade to 5th color.

My Ricoh rep assured me, probably worth a follow up. Thanks for the info.