FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 1, 2002
Epson Introduces New 24-inch-wide 7600 and 44-inch-wide 9600 Photographic Printers With New Seven-color Ultrachrome(Tm) Ink System
LONG BEACH, Calif. - May 1, 2002 - They're the most advanced wide-format
photographic ink jet printers ever manufactured by Epson, delivering a level
of image quality to meet the needs of today's most demanding digital imaging
professionals. Epson America Inc. is once again raising the bar on the
professional-level imaging market with the introduction of the EPSON Stylus
Pro 7600 and EPSON Stylus Pro 9600.
Both new ink jet printers introduce several advanced new features and
technologies including EPSON UltraChrome ink - a new archival system that
uses seven individual colors to create exhibit-quality output on a wide
selection of media in color and black and white. The EPSON Stylus Pro 7600
replaces the EPSON Stylus Pro 7000 and 7500 for printing images as wide as
24 inches, while the EPSON Stylus Pro 9600 replaces the EPSON Stylus Pro
9000 and 9500 for printing as wide as 44 inches.
"Designed in collaboration with some of the world's best photographers and
printmakers, these new print engine technologies will produce some of the
world's most exciting photographic prints," said Mark Radogna, senior
product manager, professional graphics, Epson. "With the introduction of
these new print engines, Epson has delivered an incredible tool allowing
creative professionals to produce their vision without compromise."
EPSON UltraChrome Ink
Building on the technology of EPSON Archival Ink and EPSON
DuraBright Ink, EPSON UltraChrome Ink retains the advantages of high
resistance to water and light, plus the largest color range ever for
pigmented inks. These printers can also print stunning black and white
photographs with the addition of a new lower density black ink-Light
Black-which helps produce more neutral grays with no color casting and
crossover.
The EPSON Stylus Pro 7600 and Stylus Pro 9600 are the first Stylus Pro
models to use UltraChrome inks and create a level of color that is now
extremely close to that of Epson's popular six-color, photo dye-based inks.
The end-result is more vibrant and saturated reds, oranges and yellows.
Furthermore, the EPSON Stylus Pro 7600 and Stylus Pro 9600 offer
lightfastness ratings for color images up to 100 years under glass, and
greater than 100 years for black and white prints under glass, on specific
Epson papers.*
User-Interchangeable Black Inks
In order to produce the highest level of image quality possible on different
media types, the EPSON Stylus Pro 7600 and Stylus Pro 9600 offer three black
ink modes that can be easily changed by the user. Epson designed both
printers to feature a new interchangeable black ink system that allow users
to choose between the standard Photo Black ink cartridge and an optional
Matte Black ink cartridge. The Photo Black ink has been optimized for
glossy, semi gloss, luster, etc. and also supports virtually any type of
paper, while the Matte Black ink has been optimized to support a wide range
of matte papers, such as fine art papers. The Matte Black ink mode also
yields higher density and contrast on matte papers and is ideal for fine art
photography printed on matte media types. The three Black Ink Modes are:
- Photo Black Mode - uses all seven colors including a Photo Black ink and
Light Black ink to produce a D-Max rating as high as 2.0 on media such as
EPSON Premium Luster and Premium Semimatte.
- Matte Black Mode - uses all seven colors including a Matte Black and
Light Black ink to produce a D-Max rating as high as 1.69 on media such as
EPSON Enhanced Matte, and EPSON Fine Art papers.
- Dual Black Mode - uses six colors with two Matte Black cartridges for
matte or plain paper media and is available for customers who favor faster
print speeds over maximum image quality.
EPSON Photographic Dye Ink & EPSON ColorLife(tm) Media
At the time of purchase, customers have the option of configuring their
Stylus Pro 7600 or Stylus Pro 9600 for use with six-color EPSON Photographic
Dye rather than the new seven-color pigment-based UltraChrome ink. When
printed on EPSON ColorLife media, EPSON Photographic Dye prints offer a
lightfastness rating up to 26 years in color when displayed under glass*, as
well as a slightly wider color gamut and D-Max rating as high as 3.0. This
option is generally suited for professionals working in color comping,
general purpose graphics and other applications that don't demand
archivability or for those who require the lowest possible operation cost.
Increased Resolution, BorderFree(tm) Printing and Faster Print Speeds
The EPSON Stylus Pro 7600 and Stylus Pro 9600 are the first professional
graphics printers capable of printing at 2,880 x 1,440 dpi resolution -
resulting in finer blends and smoother photographic transitions. They also
use variable droplets up to three different sizes per line and as small as
four picoliters to greatly decrease print time while optimizing photographic
quality. Furthermore, Epson's advanced Micro Piezo DX3(tm) ASIC technology
controls the printing process to produce consistent image quality and color
output from print to print.
Another first for these products is BorderFree printing - a feature that
enables users to print over both left and right edges of the media while
automatically cutting top and bottom edges for full-bleed prints on all four
sides of the paper, depending on media type. A built-in cutter is included
to trim prints faster and with greater accuracy and safety than manual
techniques.
The EPSON Stylus Pro 7600 and Stylus Pro 9600 print about 2.5 times faster
than their predecessors - the EPSON Stylus Pro 7000/7500 and Stylus Pro
9000/9500. Depending on the print mode being used, speeds vary from 8
square feet per hour to a maximum of 192 square feet per hour. Extremely
photographic printing can be produced at approximately 16 square feet per
hour, while speeds for everyday "production quality" printing can reach
about 87 square feet per hour.
Media Handling and Flexibility
Images can be printed on virtually any media type (up to 1.5 millimeters
thick) as wide as 24 inches on the Stylus Pro 7600 and up to 44 inches wide
on the Stylus Pro 9600. Some of these include plain paper and specialized
Epson papers such as true glossy, semi-gloss, luster, matte photographic
papers, canvas and fine art papers, commercial-grade proofing medias and
more. Cut sheet media can also be fed automatically using the printer's
high-speed cut sheet loading feature while user-adjustable roll media
spindles can accept either two- or three-inch media cores.
For roll media, users can cut sheets using the built-in automatic cutting
system or an optional manual cutter for the thickest of media types. An
optional high-speed automatic take-up reel system is also available (on the
Stylus Pro 9600 only) for completely unattended production of large print
jobs.
New Driver & Connectivity
The EPSON Stylus Pro 7600 and Stylus Pro 9600 use an entirely-new EPSON
photographic driver for Macintosh and Windows, allowing for complete density
control even when the driver color management feature is turned off. This
standard driver also gives users the ability to set up a Macintosh or
Windows PC as a dedicated network spooler to greatly enhance their
productivity.
A wide selection of printer interfaces includes USB (compatible with 1.1 and
2.0), IEEE 1394 FireWire(r), ECP Parallel and EPSON Type-B expansion slot
standard with optional cards available for 10/100 BaseT Ethernets.
EFI Fiery Spark Professional 2.0 Software RIP
An optional Fiery Spark Professional 2.0 Adobe(r) PostScript(r) 3 Software
RIP (Raster Image Processor) with Pantone(r) color matching from Electronics
for Imaging, Inc. (EFI) is also available for the EPSON Stylus Pro 7600 and
Stylus Pro 9600. The RIP is designed to help maximize several of the
printers' advanced features using applications that are engineered around
the needs of graphic artists, advertising agencies, fine arts studios and
other professionals who create color composites and proofs for press runs.
Standard features with Fiery Spark Professional 2.0 include drag-and-drop
hot folders for automated workflow activities, paper simulation capabilities
for advanced proofing, Spot-On technology for managing spot colors, and one
easy-to-use interface for total job management. Additional RIPs for these
printers will also be available from several other third-party
manufacturers.
Availability
The EPSON Stylus Pro 7600 and Stylus Pro 9600 will be available in June 2002 through authorized Epson dealers. The optional Fiery Spark Professional 2.0 Software RIP will also be available through Epson dealers.
Service & Support
All EPSON Stylus Pro printers are supported by the standard EPSON Preferred
Limited Warranty. This one-year program includes toll-free advanced
telephone access Monday through Saturday and typically next-business day
on-site technical service in the unlikely event of any hardware failure.
The EPSON PreferredSM Plus Service Plans are programs that offer one or two
additional years of protection. For more information on Epson warranties,
service programs and products, call 1-800-GO-EPSON (1-800-463-7766) or visit
our Web site at www.epson.com.
About Epson
Epson offers an extensive array of award-winning image capture and
image output products for the consumer, business, photography and graphic
arts markets. The company is also a leading supplier of value-added
point-of-sale (POS) solutions for the retail market. Founded in 1975, Epson
America, Inc. is the U.S. affiliate of Japan-based Seiko Epson Corporation,
a global manufacturer and supplier of high-quality technology products that
meet customer demands for increased functionality, compactness, systems
integration and energy efficiency. Epson America, Inc. is headquartered in
Long Beach, Calif.
Note: Specifications and terms are subject to change. EPSON, EPSON Stylus
and Micro Piezo are registered trademarks of Seiko Epson Corporation. EPSON
Archival, EPSON Photographic Dye, UltraChrome, DuraBrite, ColorLife,
BorderFree and DX3 are trademarks, and EPSON Preferred is a service mark, of
Epson America Inc. All other product brand names are trademarks and/or
registered trademarks of their respective companies. Epson disclaims any
and all rights in these trademarks.
*Preliminary data from Wilhelm Imaging Research, Inc. indicates the
lightfastness of color UltraChrome prints made by the EPSON Stylus Pro 7600
and 9600 printers will be rated up to 100 years under glass on specific
Epson media. Data indicates the lightfastness of black and white UltraChrome
images printed using the 7-color mode will be rated as greater than 100
years under glass on specific Epson media.
Lightfastness ratings for both pigment and dye inks are based on accelerated
testing of prints displayed indoors, under glass. Actual print stability
will vary according to image, display conditions, light intensity, humidity,
and atmospheric conditions. Epson does not guarantee longevity of prints.
For maximum print life, display all prints under glass or laminations or
properly store them.
CONTACTS:
Epson America Inc.- John Jatinen
Phone: 562-290-5173
E-Mail: john_jatinen@ea.epson.com
Or
Walt & Company - Jennifer Gurien
408-496-0900 ext. 2984
jgurien@walt.com
