New ink and printers
Epson Digital Printing is updating its product lineup and adopting a new ink system.
Digital printing Epson renews its product range and relies on a new ink systemIn times of floods of digital images and where vacation photos are increasingly being printed at home on photo paper using inkjet printers, good black and white photos stand out. In addition to the correct implementation, however, the question arises as to where or how these black and white images are best printed. Most inkjet printers, most of which are equipped with four color cartridges, are less suitable for this - but certainly not if you want to achieve a certain standard of quality. New color system
The new UltraChrome K3 (K3) color system developed by Epson is capable of outputting black and white images - even if the output of these monochrome images was not the main focus when developing the inks. The K3 color system integrates a total of eight color ink cartridges. In addition to the colors cyan, magenta, yellow, cyan light, magenta light, light black and two black inks - one for matt or glossy media - the new Light Light Black ink as the eighth color significantly improves the gray balance and thus reproduces skin tones faithfully. The advantage of the new ink system (in conjunction with new printers) is that both "true" black and white prints and high-quality color prints are possible within a single printout using a single printer. With the K3 inks, Epson has also succeeded in significantly expanding the color space and now also covers the color space that was reserved for the silver halide crystals embedded in previous photographic materials. The ink should also last longer: On suitable media, Epson claims up to 75 years for color prints and up to 200 years for black and white prints.
Update for the printers
In addition to the new UltraChrome K3 inks, Epson will be launching new, matching inkjet printers in the coming months. The company is targeting "ambitious amateurs" and professionals so that they can create professional black and white, color and fine art prints. Epson is launching the Stylus Pro 4800 printer in June and the Stylus Pro 7800 and Stylus Pro 9800 in the autumn for the photography, proofing, digital fine art (high-quality reproductions) and technical visualization segments (e.g. POS materials). With these inkjet printing systems, the company covers the formats A3+ to B0. In addition to single sheets, the inkjet printers can also be used to print on roll materials.
The new entry-level specialist for semi-professional applications in A4 format is the Stylus Photo R2400, which also relies on the advantages of UltraChrome K3 ink technology.
One for allIf you are looking for a multifunctional device in A4 format (borderless) and want to do without the K3 inks and the highest color quality, you can still fall back on the new Epson Stylus RX700 in June. This device combines a scanner (with transparency unit), copier and printer in one. The RX700 is equipped with everything that makes the heart of technology enthusiasts beat faster: From the integrated 2.5-inch color monitor, integrated memory card reader and support for common memory cards, PictBridge/USB Direct Print to direct printing from Bluetooth camera phones and other compatible Bluetooth devices (using an optional Bluetooth adapter, however) to the high-speed USB 2.0. interface (PC and Mac) and scanning and saving directly to a memory card or to a connected CD-R or Zip drive, everything is integrated. Jürgen Franck
UltraChrome K3 ink from Epson Compared to the UltraChrome inks, Epson has optimized all components (pigments, resin for the pigment coating) in the new K3 ink technology. Key features are the consistency and the (small) size of the pigments, which is crucial in terms of reflective properties and print quality. The colored pigments are optimized so that the Epson UltraChrome K3 inks cover a much larger color space than the previous Epson UltraChrome inks.
With CMY, Cyan Light, Magenta Light and three black colors, the eight-color Epson Ultrachrome K3 system covers a larger color space.
Epson Stylus Pro 4400 and 4800.
RX700.
Epson Stylus Pro 7800 and 9800.
R2400.
(jf)
The new UltraChrome K3 (K3) color system developed by Epson is capable of outputting black and white images - even if the output of these monochrome images was not the main focus when developing the inks. The K3 color system integrates a total of eight color ink cartridges. In addition to the colors cyan, magenta, yellow, cyan light, magenta light, light black and two black inks - one for matt or glossy media - the new Light Light Black ink as the eighth color significantly improves the gray balance and thus reproduces skin tones faithfully. The advantage of the new ink system (in conjunction with new printers) is that both "true" black and white prints and high-quality color prints are possible within a single printout using a single printer. With the K3 inks, Epson has also succeeded in significantly expanding the color space and now also covers the color space that was reserved for the silver halide crystals embedded in previous photographic materials. The ink should also last longer: On suitable media, Epson claims up to 75 years for color prints and up to 200 years for black and white prints.
Update for the printers
In addition to the new UltraChrome K3 inks, Epson will be launching new, matching inkjet printers in the coming months. The company is targeting "ambitious amateurs" and professionals so that they can create professional black and white, color and fine art prints. Epson is launching the Stylus Pro 4800 printer in June and the Stylus Pro 7800 and Stylus Pro 9800 in the autumn for the photography, proofing, digital fine art (high-quality reproductions) and technical visualization segments (e.g. POS materials). With these inkjet printing systems, the company covers the formats A3+ to B0. In addition to single sheets, the inkjet printers can also be used to print on roll materials.
The new entry-level specialist for semi-professional applications in A4 format is the Stylus Photo R2400, which also relies on the advantages of UltraChrome K3 ink technology.
One for allIf you are looking for a multifunctional device in A4 format (borderless) and want to do without the K3 inks and the highest color quality, you can still fall back on the new Epson Stylus RX700 in June. This device combines a scanner (with transparency unit), copier and printer in one. The RX700 is equipped with everything that makes the heart of technology enthusiasts beat faster: From the integrated 2.5-inch color monitor, integrated memory card reader and support for common memory cards, PictBridge/USB Direct Print to direct printing from Bluetooth camera phones and other compatible Bluetooth devices (using an optional Bluetooth adapter, however) to the high-speed USB 2.0. interface (PC and Mac) and scanning and saving directly to a memory card or to a connected CD-R or Zip drive, everything is integrated. Jürgen Franck
UltraChrome K3 ink from Epson Compared to the UltraChrome inks, Epson has optimized all components (pigments, resin for the pigment coating) in the new K3 ink technology. Key features are the consistency and the (small) size of the pigments, which is crucial in terms of reflective properties and print quality. The colored pigments are optimized so that the Epson UltraChrome K3 inks cover a much larger color space than the previous Epson UltraChrome inks.
With CMY, Cyan Light, Magenta Light and three black colors, the eight-color Epson Ultrachrome K3 system covers a larger color space.
Epson Stylus Pro 4400 and 4800.
RX700.
Epson Stylus Pro 7800 and 9800.
R2400.
(jf)
