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Epson SureColor P600 Printer Comes To North America
28 October 2014
Following its European debut in September, Epson has announced the SureColor P600 13-inch professional photo printer for its North American market as well. The printer will make its debut in the Epson booth at PhotoPlus Expo in New York City from Oct. 30 to Nov. 1.
SureColor P600. Improved inkset, feed, software, connectivity.
Epson briefed us on the new SureColor line last month.
The new name drops Stylus in favor of the SureColor name for the company's commercial products. The letter designation of P indicates the printer is a photo quality printer.
The P600 will eventually replace the Stylus R3000, our Best 13x19 Pigment Printer. While there are obvious cosmetic differences between the two models, the P600 also features an improved design under the hood.
We asked just what that might be and were told the difference has to do with tighter hardware tolerances that enhance image quality, particularly using Epson's AccuPhoto HD image technology.
The newly-engineered printer is, Epson said, a commercial quality product that's also practical for the enthusiast.
NEW & IMPROVED
The P600 is a 13-inch wide printer accepting a variety of media (like thick art papers and rolls of canvas papers) with a tiltable, touchscreen LCD panel and streamed user interface.
Inks
The nine individual 25.9 ml ink cartridges are designed for low volume production as well than daily printing to avoid clogged print nozzles if you print only occasionally.
The UltraChrome inkset improves the density of both Photo and Matte Black (Photo Black more than Matte Black). In side-by-side print comparisons, we were told by Epson, the new blacks make the P600 prints look "like a haze had been wiped off."
The ink chemistry is different, too, using an advanced resin technology that produces more color per droplet. The colorant is new, too.
The P600 can produce 10 shades of black using three black inks and, unlike the R3000, autoswitches between Photo Black for glossy sheets and Matte Black for porous papers. There's also a new (and highly-recommended) Save Ink mode with a video explaining how to use it to miminize ink flushing when switching between blacks.
Printhead
It's a "workhorse printhead" with 180 nozzles per inch and a maximum resolution of 5670x1440 dpi with variable-sized droplets as small as two picoliters. An ink-repellent coating helps reduce maintenance.
Paper Feed
Paper feeding has been improved, an important consideration when loading a variety of fine art papers. Fine art sheets are now sucked into the printer so you don't have to worry about skew and alignment.
You can also print 10-foot panoramas from OS X now with the same maximum 129-inch paper length that has been available on Windows. This required a driver communication fix.
Connectivity
In addition to built-in 100-Mbit Ethernet, Wireless N and Hi-Speed USB 2.0 connections, the P600 supports both WiFi Direct and AirPrint. We weren't able to confirm that Epson iPrint, which we prefer to AirPrint, will be updated to support the P600.
Improved Print Dialog
A number of enhancements have been made to the Print dialog. There's an advanced Black and White mode (select among neutral, warm, cool or sepia treatments).
But Epson has taken a page from Canon and consolidated multiple print dialogs into one applications called Epson Easy Print Layout, which will be available at no charge on the Downloads and Drivers page. Epson told us they are interested in user feedback, considering the release as something of an open beta.
Epson said Easy Print Layout which lets you preview your settings, makes it a easier to go through the settings in the right order (rather than using multiple windows to get to the Print command). It also has options for gallery-wrap images to bleed an image with various techniques (solid color, mirroring or a real bleed). An "Ignore Size" option helps avoid creating custom paper sizes for odd-sized images. This will be a free download.
PRICE & AVAILABILITY
The P600 is expected to ship in the first quarter of 2015 for a street priceof $799.
For more information see the news release below.
Epson Unveils the SureColor P600 13-Inch Professional Photo Printer
Epson SureColor P600 Leverages Next-Generation Epson UltraChrome HD Ink to Deliver Exhibition-Quality Prints with Unprecedented Black Density
LONG BEACH, Calif. -- Epson has announced the industry's most advanced 13-inch photo printer, the Epson SureColor P600. Designed for creative professionals, fine artists and advanced amateur and pro photographers, the SureColor P600 combines an advanced MicroPiezo AMC printhead with next-generation Epson UltraChrome HD pigment inks driven by enhanced AccuPhoto HD imaging technology to produce exhibition-quality black-and-white prints with never before seen pigment black density and stunningly vivid color prints.
"The Epson SureColor P600 was designed to not only meet, but exceed the capabilities of today's exceptional digital image captures by producing prints with the superior level of quality our customers have come to expect," said Larry Kaufman, product manager, Professional Imaging, Epson America. "With the advent of next-generation Epson UltraChrome HD inks and unrivaled fine art and roll paper support, the Epson SureColor P600 is poised to represent the new benchmark in desktop photographic printing."
Advanced media handling, including a front-in and front-out paper path, enables borderless photos with exceptional clarity and sharpness up to 13x19 inches on a wide variety of glossy, matte and fine art papers, while improved roll paper support allows for breathtaking panoramas over 10 feet long for Windows and Mac users. In addition, custom images can be created and printed directly onto canvas, art boards and CD/DVDs.
The Epson SureColor P600 also offers new ease-of use features and capabilities, such as a 3.5-inch tilting color LCD and touch panel and unparalleled connectivity options for its class, making it easy to print from a home office or studio via USB, Wireless n, WiFi Direct or wired Ethernet. High-capacity individual 26-mililiter ink cartridges with an innovative Save Ink auto-switching Mode between Photo and Matte Black inks is also available to drive productivity.
More about the Epson SureColor P600
Designed to provide unmatched performance, exhibition quality and professional media support, the Epson SureColor P600 offers several innovative features, including:
- 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 1.3mm 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 5670x1440 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, WiFi Direct, Wireless n 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.
Pricing, Availability and Support
The Epson SureColor P600 will be demonstrated for the first time in North America at PhotoPlus Expo (booth #701), taking place Oct. 30 to Nov. 1 at Javits Convention Center in New York City and will be available for purchase in the first quarter of 2015 through authorized resellers for $799. The printer is supported by a one-year whole-unit exchange limited warranty plan and specialized technical support staff. For more information on the Epson SureColor P600, visit http://www.epson.com/P600.