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Quick answer: The Ricoh MP C3004 and IM C3000 are both 30 ppm A3 color multifunction copiers — and in our warehouse they sit $500 apart ($1,795 vs $2,295). The MP C3004 is the legacy-line value pick with the same core capability; the IM C3000 is the current-platform machine with a faster document feeder, a higher volume rating, and a longer support runway. If you print under ~15,000 pages a month and want maximum value, take the MP C3004. If you'll hold the machine long or push volume, the IM C3000 earns its premium.
| Ricoh MP C3004 | Ricoh IM C3000 | |
|---|---|---|
| Series / era | MP C legacy line ("ex" refresh) | IM C current line (2019 platform) |
| Speed | 30 ppm color & B/W | 30 ppm color & B/W |
| Feeder scan speed | 110 ipm simplex / 180 ipm duplex | 120 ipm simplex / 240 ipm duplex |
| Paper handling | 2 x 550 trays + bypass, 11x17 capable | 2 x 550 trays + bypass, 11x17 capable |
| Recommended monthly volume | 20,000 pages | 50,000 pages |
| Toner yield (black/color) | 29,500 / 18,000 pages | 31,000 / 19,000 pages |
| Firmware platform | Fixed feature set | Always Current Technology (updatable) |
| Our price, low-meter | $1,795 | $2,295 |
Price, plainly. At $1,795 it's the least expensive way into floor-standing tabloid color — same 30 ppm speed, same dual trays and single-pass feeder class, on a platform so widely deployed that parts and toner are cheap and everywhere. It was Ricoh's bread-and-butter office color machine for years, and the "ex" edition is the refreshed version of that platform with an updated controller. For an office printing a few thousand color pages a month, the extra $500 for the IM buys nothing you'll feel.
Three things. The feeder is quicker (240 ipm duplex vs 180), which matters if you scan stacks daily. The volume rating is 2.5x higher — 50,000 recommended monthly pages vs 20,000 — so it shrugs off busy months. And it's on Ricoh's current IM platform with updatable firmware and a longer parts horizon, which also means stronger resale when you upgrade. The full series context is in our IM Series vs MP Series guide.
The purchase price is only the entry fee — toner and service dominate copier economics over time, as we break down in our cost-per-page guide. At this speed tier the two machines' supply costs are close enough that the 3-year total cost difference stays near the $500 sticker gap. Translation: this is a strategy decision, not a math trap. Decide on hold period and volume, not on hidden costs.
If your color volume is light, the IM C2000 gets you onto the current IM platform at 20 ppm for less than the MP C3004 — the "newer machine, slower speed" trade.
If you don't need 11x17, the compact MP C307 delivers 31 ppm color from a small-footprint unit at the lowest price in our color lineup.
No. It's a discontinued line but a thoroughly supported one — toner and parts are plentiful, and a low-meter unit has most of its mechanical life ahead of it. Buy it for value, not for longevity-of-platform.
The "ex" marks Ricoh's refreshed edition of the C3004 platform with an updated controller — same engine and speed, newer internals than the original release.
They're close. Toner yields are nearly identical (29,500/18,000 vs 31,000/19,000 pages black/color), and both use affordable, widely available supplies. Neither wins the running-cost battle decisively.
Yes — both are A3 machines with full tabloid support and the same 2 x 550-sheet tray configuration.
For this class, under 150,000 total impressions is a genuinely low meter relative to the 80,000-per-month duty cycle. Every unit we sell is meter-verified and tested — our used copier buying checklist explains what else to verify.
Compare the MP C3004 ($1,795) and IM C3000 ($2,295), or browse all used color copiers. Every machine ships tested with a 30-day money-back guarantee, with free delivery and installation across Southern California from our Santa Ana warehouse. Questions? Call or text 714-696-6082.
