Epson debuts 13- and 17-inch desktop pro printers

Epson introduced of the $799 13-inch SureColor- P700 and $1,295 17-inch SureColor P900 desktop photo printers, replacing the SureColor P600 and SureColor P800. The new SureColor P700 and SureColor P900 are the smallest professional 13 and 17-inch printers in their class, with a 30 percent size reduction from Epson’s previous generation printers, and are designed for use in photography, graphic design, fine art, and illustration, the company says.

“Fifteen years ago, Epson stunned the industry with the Stylus Pro 3800 that provided unprecedented creative control for photographers, allowing them to print up to 17-inches wide without a darkroom,” said Reed Hecht, senior product manager, Professional Imaging, Epson America. “With the introduction of the SureColor P700 and SureColor P900, a new generation of photographers will experience another breakthrough in printing technology – truly redefining not only the photographic print but also the printing workflow.”

The printers tout a new 10-channel MicroPiezo AMC printhead to increase productivity, with dedicated channels for both Photo and Matte Black ink types – no ink switching necessary. Featuring new UltraChrome PRO10 pigment ink with Violet, the SureColor P700 and SureColor P900 deliver an extremely wide color gamut and support Advanced Black and White Mode to create unparalleled, professional black and white photographs.

“Preliminary data for the Epson 10-color UltraChrome PRO10 pigment inks in the new SureColor P700 and SureColor P900 create stunning museum-quality prints with WIR Display Permanence ratings that we believe will equal the ratings achieved by the current UltraChrome PRO12 inks of up to 200 years for color prints and up to 400 years for B&W prints,” says Henry Wilhelm, director of research at Wilhelm Imaging Research. “Prints framed with UV-absorbing acrylic – and those displayed under LED illumination – will achieve significantly higher ratings.”

Users can easily print directly from iOS devices to the SureColor P700 and SureColor P900 in a color-managed workflow. Using an updated mobile version of Epson Print Layout software, full support, and color management tools are provided for iPhone and iPad printing. These printers also feature a new print driver mode – Carbon Black – which dramatically increases Dmax by up to 11 percent, for best-in-class black density and reduced bronzing and gloss differential on glossy papers, the company said.

The SureColor P700 can accommodate both roll and cut-sheet media, and the SureColor P900 accommodates cut-sheet media, and an optional fully enclosed roll media adapter supports both 2-inch and 3-inch rolls and roll printing up to 10 feet long. Additional features include a 4.3-inch customizable touchscreen, upgraded wireless connectivity including 5GHz and an interior LED light to watch the progress of a print.

The SureColor P700 and SureColor P900 incorporate a range of features to produce exhibition quality prints from the convenience of a desktop:

• Outstanding image quality and color — All-new UltraChrome PRO10 Ink with Violet produces a wide color gamut for vibrant and rich colors
• No photo and matte black ink switching — Dedicated channels for both black ink types – no switching needed
• New 10-channel MicroPiezo AMC printhead — Consistently delivers prints with outstanding speed, consistency and accuracy; supports variable size droplet technology as small as 1.5-picoliters for remarkable output quality
• Easy printing from smart devices — Print color-managed files directly from an iOS device with an easy-to-use interface
• New Carbon Black Driver technology — All-new Carbon Black Driver mode dramatically increases Dmax for best-in-class black density on glossy papers
• Professional media handling — Accommodates rolls and sheet media up to 1.5 mm thick of Epson Professional, Signature Worthy and Legacy papers as well as third-party media
• Compact design — 30 percent smaller than the previous generation
• Print permanence — UltraChrome PRO10 ink is expected to create prints that last up to 200 years for color and 400 years for black-and-white