Epson Redefines Fine Art Reproduction.

[prwhite]

Epson has announced the introduction of the 64-inch SureColor[SUP]®[/SUP] P20000 printer, successor to the Stylus[SUP]®[/SUP] Pro 11880.

Epson says this a no-compromise printer, engineered for true high-production of virtually any photographic imaging application, and will redefine fine art reproduction. The SureColor P20000 features an all-new, high-performance 10-channel print head that delivers output up to 2.8-times faster than previous Epson models.

The P20000 is also capable of printing at extremely high resolutions up to 2,400 x 1,200 dpi. According to Epson, the UltraChrome PRO nine-color pigment ink system provides outstanding color and black density.

The P20000 will be available in March for an estimated $11,995 (MSRP) through authorized Epson Professional Imaging resellers.

http://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/jsp/Pro/Home.do

 

[nirupakah]

Hm, quite disappointed here... why could they not replicate the ink set of P9000? Wouldn’t it be logical to complete the series, make a high-end photo printer (i.e. maximum ink set available among other things) and be a competition for Canon ipf9400? I had really hoped there would be 64inch wide Epson with orange and green...
I am not saying it is a bad printer. But does it really redefine anything? It might bring more speed, better ergonomics, might be wider. What does it bring (compared to the older model) in terms of colour gamut? Does it give me the best colour possibilities in the class? Probably not... Canon does. What is more important in the fine art printing? (ok, leaving the print permanence aside now). Printing on the thick media is great, now new here though.
It has four blacks (five if you count MK and PK separately): are the greys neutral or yellowish like in SP9900? (now I am wondering if thy Y in the ink designations GY, LGY, DGY comes from the end of “gray” or form the beginning of “yellowish”). It is well known that the neutral output with SP9900 is not achieved with using just the black and grey inks, quite the opposite...
Also the head must be different since it works with different resolutions (600 dpi instead 720 dpi etc.).
Any real-word user experience and feedback would be interesting.

 

[motormount]

A *bit* off topic here but it makes sense.

Does Epson defines somewhere how long and under what conditions a print will last?

I was searching something similar yesterday, with very poor results!

Thanks in advance!

 

[nirupakah]

I am sure you have seen this in the specification of the printer:

Print PermananceColor: Up to 200 years, Black-and-White: Up to 400 years. Visit Wilhelm Imaging Research for the latest print permanance data. www.wilhelm-research.com.

This goes with this note:

Ink lightfastness rating based on accelerated testing of prints on specialty media, displayed indoors, under glass. Actual print stability will vary according to media, printed 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 lamination or properly store them. Visit www.wilhelm-research.com for the latest information.)

So it is defined only very roughly... You can find some results here (not for the new printer though): http://www.wilhelm-research.com/epson/
If asked about print permanence, I always say – before citing those impressive numbers – that the whole thing is rather problematic because the results are based on the accelerated test... so no one really knows for real. Still, there are steps you can take to maximize the stability of the prints (not considering having them in the freezer in the dark...): put them behind (plexi)glass with UV filter (or lamination which personally I do not like), the lower the temperature the better, no ozone...

 

[PricelineNegotiator]

I am sure you have seen this in the specification of the printer:

This goes with this note:
So it is defined only very roughly... You can find some results here (not for the new printer though): http://www.wilhelm-research.com/epson/
If asked about print permanence, I always say – before citing those impressive numbers – that the whole thing is rather problematic because the results are based on the accelerated test... so no one really knows for real. Still, there are steps you can take to maximize the stability of the prints (not considering having them in the freezer in the dark...): put them behind (plexi)glass with UV filter (or lamination which personally I do not like), the lower the temperature the better, no ozone...

Strange. I was randomly looking at Epson machines last night and saw the information on how long a print would last. I even thought about it this morning and now this pops up.

 

[motormount]

To be honest i came across the wihelm research page, and because of the layout i closed it less than ten seconds later...
Seems like i have to give it a try, i was looking more for offset printing aging colors info then.

p.s. Looking at page like that, doesn't it makes you wonder how well organized the research was/is made?

 

[ogetsu]

Not to bump an old thread, but has anyone taken delivery of a P20000 yet? Our 11880 had died early in March, so we figured we may as well wait a month and upgrade rather than buy another 11880. We placed the P20000 order (in mid March) with an expected delivery in late April, and we still don't know when to expect it.

Just wondering if this has been anyone else's experience, or if they have had an opportunity to get some work done on one. If so, any first impressions?

Thanks!

**edit: The take up reel unexpectedly arrived on the dock this morning. Now we just need a printer to go with it!