Announced this morning, preceding PhotoPlus Expo, is the brand new Epson SureColor P600. Kicking off the new SureColor P line, the P600 uses Epson's UltraChrome HD Ink to deliver high quality and affordable prints from your home. However, the biggest announcement from this 13" printer comes in it's black intensity, at black density with L values as low as 2 (~10 shades of black density).
The Epson SureColor P600 also comes with a handful of additional features. With a 3.5" Color LCD Touch Panel mounting the front, the P600 has everything you've come to expect from a high quality printer. Wireless-n connectivity is equipped in this little printer, and allows for printing remotely using a variety of wireless printing options; and while limited to 13" wide, this print still allows for 13"x129" panoramas to be printed with ease. And despite its impressive 10 shades of black density, the SureColor P600 is also capable of producing gallery-quality color prints using a variety of Epson-based premium papers.
For more info, Epson sent us this information directly --
- Epson UltraChrome HD Ink: Industry leading professional eight-color ink set delivers rich color and a black density never before seen from a pigment ink. Built on Epson’s heritage of professional ink technology, this ink set offers instant color stability and exceptional print permanence ratings for color and black-and-white prints. Three-level Black ink technology simultaneously uses Black, Light Black and Light Light Black ink for richer blacks and unsurpassed gray balance.- Advanced Media Handling: The SureColor P600 features three paper paths, including a high-capacity, cut-sheet feeder; a single-sheet, front-in, front-out thick paper path for fine art media up to 1.3 mm thick; and a rear-mounted 2-inch core roll feeder. Allows users to print full-bleed, borderless cut-sheet prints up to 13”x19” on a wide variety of photographic and fine art paper, including Epson’s line of Signature Worthy® papers. It also offers enhanced roll paper printing up to 129-inches long for both Mac and Windows users, for gorgeous panoramas, as well as CD/DVD printing.- AccuPhoto HD Image Technology: Created in collaboration with the Rochester Institute of Technology’s Munsell Color Science Laboratory, this complex mathematical architecture and advanced screening technology ensures precision placement of each individual ink droplet for smooth, grain-free images. This technology optimizes ink usage to maximize color gamut and provide smooth transitions and gradations, and reduces the metameric index to achieve consistent color under different lighting conditions.
- MicroPiezo AMC Printhead: The eight-channel, high-precision printhead produces a maximum resolution of 5670 x 1440 optimized dpi and variable-sized droplets as small as two picoliters and places them with precision and accuracy. For decreased maintenance and increased reliability, the printhead also incorporates an ink repellent coating.
- Intelligent High-Capacity Ink System: Nine individual 25.9 ml ink cartridges with pressurized ink technology ensures reliable ink delivery at all print speeds.
- Auto-Switching Black Inks: The Epson SureColor P600 automatically switches between Photo and Matte black inks to produce the deepest blacks and richest color on glossy, matte or fine art media, and an innovative Save Ink Mode uses less ink when switching from Matte Black to Photo Black.
- Unparalleled Connectivity: Built-in 100 Mbit Ethernet, Wi-Fi Direct, Wireless n1 and Hi-Speed USB 2.0 provide flexible options for fast connectivity to multiple computers in a home or studio.- Advanced Black-and-White Photo Mode: Professionals can choose from one of four pre-set modes – neutral, warm, cool, or sepia – for stunning neutral or toned black-and-white prints. This feature provides intuitive and consistent control through custom slider bars and a color tone wheel for advanced tone adjustment. In addition, customized settings can be saved and recalled to achieve consistent prints, and using the optional downloadable Epson Print Layout software, users can automatically preview personal images with the selected settings.
The Epson SureColor P600 will be available in the early months of 2015 for $799 (MSRP). If you'd like to know more about this printer solution and are coming to PhotoPlus Expo this week in New York City, stop by the Epson booth (booth #701) and ask for a demonstration.
I wonder if we'll ever get anything larger than 13x19 printers for personal use. Back in the film days, I could print 30x40, and larger, on my Durst Pro 4x5 enlarger. Today you need to go to a service bureau to get large prints. While most service bureaus are reasonably priced at such things, you lose critical color and density control of your printing and, more importantly, time. There's possibly a point of diminishing returns on production of such printers, but it would be nice to be able to make at least 20x30 prints on your own.
We can make 20x30+ prints at home - we just have to pony up the extra expense involved in buying the larger format printers! Or, get a friend to buy one and use his. :)