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Good news, Cameo fans!
Did somebody say Upgrade Time?
Yep, Silhouette’s bestselling Cameo machine has had a major overhaul with the release of the brand new Silhouette Cameo 3.
UPDATE: Good news! The Cameo 3 is now available to order on Amazon. We’ve had some time to play with the machine and you can read our review below along with a comparison of how it stacks up vs. Cameo 2.
For those looking for the best prices on the Cameo 3, head straight to our bundle deals section.
Post Contents
Silhouette Cameo 3 Launch Guide
First introduced in October 2011, the Silhouette Cameo has captured the imagination of arts and crafts enthusiasts all over the world; giving us the freedom to design, cut, and create whatever we want. The latest addition to the Silhouette family was announced last month at the company’s Summit in Hawaii.
As you’d expect, news of a brand new Cameo has triggered much excitement in the blogosphere.
We’ve rounded up some of the initial feedback below, as well as a useful video of the new Cameo 3 features.
Blog Coverage of the Cameo 3 Release
- Silhouette School Blog — A breakdown of the latest Silhouette products, as well as an insider video of the Cameo 3 direct from the summit.
- Craft E Corner — Detailed photos show the inner workings of the new machine.
- Silhouette UK Blog — Sneak peeks of the Cameo 3, plus photos of many of the new media features soon to be launched by Silhouette
- Terri Johnson Creates — An excellent round up of Silhouette’s new products, including many exclusive photos and a nice video.
Here’s a nice breakdown of the Cameo 3’s major improvements, courtesy of the mycraftecorner1 YouTube channel.
Brand New Silhouette Studio 4.0
Another significant development with the Cameo 3 is the much-anticipated arrival of Silhouette Studio 4.0, software that promises to make life easier for those who might have previously been turned off by the studio’s dicey learning curve.
Silhouette Studio 4.0 encourages beginners with step-by-step walkthroughs for a variety of common tasks, plus interactive guides.
This will be complimented by a simpler and streamlined interface, including:
- A freehand smoothing slider tool
- Easier and improved tracing tools
- Accurate cut time estimates
- Object-on-path functionality
The software upgrade will be available free for all Cameo products, although some functionality will only work with the new Cameo 3.
Silhouette is clearly taking steps to reverse the criticism that its software is only for advanced users.
We’ll reserve judgement until we get to use it ourselves.
Silhouette Cameo 3 Specs
What’s in the Box?
- Silhouette Cameo 3 cutting machine
- Silhouette Studio software
- Power cable and USB cable
- 12″ cutting mat
- AutoBlade cutting blade
- Crosscutter
- 1 month Basic subscription to the Silhouette Design Store
- 100 free digital designs
What Materials Can it Work With?
The Silhouette Cameo 3 really is at the forefront of developments with desktop craft cutters.
It can cut over 100 different materials — that’s all the usual suspects plus a bunch that you’ve never even heard of. It’s amazingly versatile and definitely deserves its marketing slogan as “the ultimate DIY machine”.
We tried it out with paper, vinyl, heat transfer vinyl, cardstock, foil and foam and were pleased with the results — reliable and consistent.
Maximum Cutting Size
In the battle of Cameo 3 vs Explore Air 2, the Cameo really stands out for its much increased cutting size.
It can cut up to a maximum of 12 inches wide by a mighty 10 feet long. We loved using it for small designs as well as for larger signage projects.
Software
Despite promises that Silhouette Studio 4.0 would be released in tandem with the Cameo 3, as of November 2016 it was still delayed.
This is quite disappointing as the new version promises a lot of positive change and is presenting itself as better for beginners than previous iterations.
Thankfully, there is now a patch available to set up the Bluetooth connection for your Cameo 3. Check out this tutorial to enable it.
There is also a mobile app — compatible with both iOS and Android — that will be particularly useful when all the features of Silhouette Studio 4.0 are here (like Bluetooth and the Silhouette Cloud).
Silhouette Cameo 3 Review
All things considered, we’re impressed with the Cameo 3.
It builds on the success of the previous models with some key new features, as well as a few cosmetic improvements that are ‘nice’ without being spectacular.
Cameo 3 vs Cameo 2
| Cameo 3 | Cameo 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Image |  |  |
| Auto-adjusting blade? | Yes: AutoBlade | No |
| Dual Carriage? | Yes | No |
| Bluetooth Enabled? | Yes | No |
| Price | >> Check Best Price on Amazon | >> Check Best Price on Amazon |
Here’s our take on the pros and cons of the Silhouette Cameo 3.
The Positives
The AutoBlade is a Big Win
This is going to make a lot of Cameo users very happy.
No longer do you have to manually adjust cutting depths and hope that you remember for each cut.
By using the AutoBlade setting (one of three, the others being Standard and Deep Cut), the blade settings will be automatically calibrated based on the material you are working with.
This will appeal to nearly everybody who uses the Cameo 3, both the experienced operators who sometimes forget to change the blade depth, and beginners who aren’t sure what the best setting should be in the first place. As a result, the machine’s learning curve is sped up considerably.
To use AutoBlade, you simply tell the software what material you are cutting, select AutoBlade, and let the machine handle the rest.
From our testing, the cuts were excellent quality across each blade setting.
Our rolls of vinyl were sliced and diced to perfection. No reliability issues to report.
Cutting Clearance is Doubled
The Cameo 3’s cutting clearance has risen from a lowly 0.8mm to 2mm.
With the addition of a Deep Cut Blade, this improves the cutter’s effectiveness working on thicker materials. However, as we will get to in our negatives, there is a caveat: the cutting force remains weak.
The Dual Carriage Work Well
While we don’t tend to draw and cut too often, we know many users do — and the dual carriage is one of the nice features of the Cricut Explore series. It also scores and cuts at the same time too.
The Cameo 3 hops onboard with its own dual carriages, and they work very well.
They also make use of the new push locking mechanism, a significant improvement on the unwieldy twist mechanisms of previous machines.
Anything that makes craft cutting a more efficient experience is a huge win in our books.
It Looks Beautiful
Forgive us, but we are suckers for the sleek and shiny.
The Cameo 3 is a beautiful cutting machine that is a pleasure to unbox.
You know that feeling of tearing open a brand new Apple product?
Silhouette provides similar tingles for Craft fans. In fact, there’s something rather Jony Ive about the clean minimalism of this model. It will look beautiful on your desktop.
Incremental User Experience Improvements
The small touches add up to a significantly improved user experience over the Cameo 2.
Some of the new tweaks we liked:
- Media guides on the slide-out tray — In addition to an extended platform, the new media lines are a useful marker for feeding the Cameo.
- Touchscreen improvements — The audio alerts took us by surprise, even though we had heard about them during our pre-launch research. The touchscreen interface has been simplified in a way that is clearly targeted at eliminating user errors and reassuring beginners.
- New storage compartments — Space is at a premium in our office, so the brand new compartments for the cross cutter and additional work supplies are a nice touch. A nod from Silhouette to the sheer mess their machines create. 😉
- Roller locking mechanism — Slide to lock, slide to unlock. Why didn’t they think of this the first time round?!
The Negatives
No Upgrade to Cutting Force
If you were hoping for some extra oomph in terms of cutting power, you’ll be disappointed. The Cameo 3 has the same 221 g/s that was built in to the last model.
This lags behind other top cutters and means that thicker materials such as chipboard, leather and metal are still out of the Cameo’s cutting depth range.
However, it was always optimistic to hope for super-deep-cutting.
Where is Silhouette Studio 4.0?
The Cameo 3 has been released, but the software is still nowhere to be seen.
We haven’t heard of an official release date for Studio V4 and it seems like a misstep to release a new cutter boasting software that isn’t yet available.
We hope the release is within weeks, not months.
Overall Verdict on Cameo 3
A raft of incremental improvements in the Cameo 3 and some key additions — particularly the AutoBlade and dual carriages – offset the disappointment that the cutting force is still restrictive.
That said, 90% of vinyl craft fans will get exactly what they want and need out of this machine.
It’s a highly polished cutter.
We look forward to seeing how the new Silhouette Studio 4.0 improves the overall experience.
Looking for a good deal on the Cameo 3?
Where to Buy the Cameo 3
If you’re looking for some of the best Cameo 3 deals, then look no further than Amazon.
Best Cameo 3 Bundle Deals
If there’s one thing we love about the launch of a new machine, it’s the onslaught of bundle deals that can add some terrific value to an already excellent package.
Well, the release of the Silhouette Cameo 3 is no exception.
Here are some of the best Cameo 3 bundle deals:
Please note, these offerings are only available on the US version of Amazon.
The Cameo Bluetooth Starter Bundle
This deal includes the brand new Cameo Silhouette 3 with Bluetooth, Touchscreen and 1 Year Warranty.
You’ll also receive: 24 Sheets of Permanent Oracal 651 Vinyl, an AutoBlade trimmer, an online guide and class, plus 100 exclusive designs with one month access to the Silhouette design store.
The Cameo Sketch Pen / PixScan Starter Bundle
The Sketch Pen / PixScan bundle includes the new Silhouette Cameo 3 machine, 8 sheets of vinyl, 2 feet of transfer paper, 12 exclusive Craft-e-Corner vinyl designs (complete with 12 full project tutorials), inspiration/tips/tricks for working with vinyl, a 4-pack of metallic sketch pens. Plus a hook, scraper, spatula, quick-pick-up tool; and the 12 inch Cameo PixScan Mat.
The Original Cameo 3 Starter Bundle
The default and bestselling Cameo 3 bundle comes with the brand new cutting machine, Silhouette Studio software, power cable and USB cable, 12-Inch cutting mat plus the autoblade cutting blade.
Cameo 3 and Siser Easyweed Heat Transfer Bundle
Interested in creating your own t-shirt designs?
This special Cameo 3 heat transfer bundle comes with the standard machine, 12 top colors of Siser Easyweed Heat Transfer (12 x 15 inches), plus a heat transfer guide and online class so that you can get up and running in no time at all.
Silhouette Cameo Pro Bundle for Home Businesses
This bundle is more expensive, but it certainly packs a lot of value in to the set.
The kit includes: the new Cameo machine, 3 Full Foot Rolls of Transfer Paper, 3 Full Rolls of White Vinyl, 1 auto-adjusting Blade, 3 fabric cutting blades, 5 additional cutting blades, a bottle of glass etching cream, starter tool kit (including a hook, scraper, spatula, ruler, microfiber cloth), and a special vinyl trimmer.
You also get access to the online beginner class led by Silhouette Guru Melissa Viscount.
A good option for anybody buying the Cameo 3 with intentions of launching their own home business.
Clearly, there is no shortage of mix and match deals for those looking for the perfect Cameo starter bundle!
Check through the options above and see which deal appeals to your needs.
New Silhouette Products for 2016/17
Looking beyond the release of the Cameo 3, Silhouette are gearing up for some major additions to their product line, right across the board.
The latest Summit unveiled a huge array of new products, starter kits and upgrades:
- Cameo light tote – Grey, Green
- Curio dust cover – Grey, Blue
- Whiteboard vinyl
- Printable vinyl
- Printable window cling materials – White, Clear
- Duct tape sheets – Grey, White
- Wood paper sheets – Dark, light, grey
- Cork sheets
- Leatherette sheets
- Wash-away fabric stabilizer
New Silhouette Starter Kits for 2016/17
- Sticker sampler pack
- Vinyl starter pack – Basic, Neutral
- Vinyl sampler pack – Bright & Bold
- Chalkboard sampler kit
- Chalkboard cardstock
New Cameo 3 Related Products
- Cameo 3 – Bluetooth edition
- Cameo 3 – Standard edition
- Cameo 3 AutobBlade
- Cameo 3 tote (reset)
- Cameo 3 light tote – Grey
- Cameo 3 dust cover – Grey, Pink
Other Updated Silhouette Products
- Sketch pen starter kit
- Neon sketch pen pack
- Natural sketch pen pack
- Metallic sketch pen pack
- Washi sheets
- Rose gold foil – Printable
- Scratch-off sticker sheets – Gold, Printable
- Metallic vinyl – Gold, Silver (9 in x 10 ft)
- Metallic vinyl – Gold, Silver (12 in x 10 ft)
- Metallic heat transfer – Gold, Silver, Pink, Mint (12 in x 36 in)
- Stencil material sheets – Adhesive, Non-Adhesive
- Clear transfer tape – 9 in, 12 in
Release list source: Silhouette School Blog
So… lots to look forward to from Silhouette in the next 12 months!
What do you think of the new Silhouette Cameo 3 machine?
A strong update? Or will you be sticking with your Cameo 2, Cricut Explore, etc?
Cameo 3 Rated
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User Experience
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Cutting Specs
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Materials Supported
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Software
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Community Support
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Value For Money
VCM Verdict
A raft of incremental improvements in the Cameo 3 and some key additions make it a valuable upgrade over the Cameo 2. Cutting force is still lagging, but its flexibility, the sheer scope of materials you can work with -- and the ease of use, tied to Silhouette's gigantic user community -- make the Cameo 3 a formidable craft cutter. Likely to be one of the bestselling vinyl cutters of 2017.
Hi, is the roll feeder for previous machine compatible with cameo3?
As far as we are aware, yes. It should be compatible.
Does anybody know when Cameo 3 will be available in Australia?
My old Silhouette went kaput a few weeks ago and this machine looks like it could be arriving just at the right time. Was going to opt for the Explore Air. Still not sure. Decisions decision!
Hi Mary,
Good question! Australian release dates have typically been a little while after the US/UK release. I can’t quite remember how long it took with the Cameo 2, but the best place to get an answer is probably their AU website:
http://silhouetteaustralia.com.au/silhouette-cameo.html
You could ping customer support a message on there and I’m sure they’ll be able to assist.
Sorry to hear of the broken machine!
pls is the silhouette cameo 3 compartable with laptop, and please what is the different between my own silhouette curio machine and your new silhouette cameo 3. pls I need answer
Yes, it is compatible with a laptop. Both Windows and Mac.
Regarding the differences between Curio and Cameo, there’s a nice article on them here:
http://www.silhouetteschoolblog.com/2015/09/silhouette-curio-vs-cameo-or-portrait.html
While this compares an older version of the Cameo, it should give you an idea of the main differences. Hope that helps.
This is a brilliant cutter. I’m not sure if I’d call it an essential upgrade – Cameo 2 vs Cameo 3… not a huge difference in features. Just small improvements. But as somebody who never bit the bullet on Cameo II, I’m glad I went for this one. So easy to start cutting. The kids love it too. 🙂
Yes, it’s fair to say a ‘non-essential’ upgrade from Cameo 2, but the machine has plenty of features that we’d be sad to give up now that we’ve got them. And you’re right, it’s very simple to get started cutting. That’s probably why Silhouette sells so many of them!
What retail stores carry? I don’t want to purchase online, I live in Los Angeles, California
Hi, would this vinyl be able to cut 3m vinyl wrap such as carbon fiber vinyls?
Hi Jonathan,
It should be able to, providing that it’s within the size restrictions and less than 2mm thick.
Is it available in India? if yes, pl. give link / contact info. TIA.
hi!
hello/ which store in London cameo 3 available ??
I Bought one online to make cards and cutouts for my daughters baby shower. I returned it . never once did it pull a sheet of anything through without jamming up on one edge and ripping the whole sheet to shreds. not one intact elephant from three days of attempting and trying every piece of advice i could find out there. I returned the $300 piece of poop and redesigned all the party goodies to be their various elephant shapes set inside a white or pink rectangle and used and old school plain old $10 paper cutter to cut my baby shower pieces in boring old squares and triangles.
THAT BEING SAID… I had come up with 101 brilliant ideas as to how i could really put this device to work and i am still mourning the loss of those creative impulses. Being new to the consumer models of electronic cutting devices for the most part, Did i get a totally defective machine or am i too stupid to operate this thing despite three days of checking and double checking with Silhoutette USA and bloggers and websites.before totally throwing in the towel..
Id like to try again but i sure am going to be angry if i have he same inablity to cut even one damn sheet of paper properly EVER…
Anyone? ANy thoughts or ideas? Id love to hear anyones sincere take on my experience with this machine and advice regarding purchasing another
Hi Paula,
Sorry to hear about your tribulations with the Cameo 3! You may have had a defective machine — we haven’t heard of those problems before, aside from people using the wrong settings and tearing through their material. Did Silhouette USA offer any useful advice?