Epson’s new 64 inch Stylus Pro 11880 large format printer with UltraChrome K3 ink with Vivid Magenta sets a benchmark for outstanding print quality combined with fast print speeds for colour critical printing applications such as retail point-of-sale displays, contract and imposition proofing, photography, limited edition fine art print making and detailed colour maps.

Several new productivity enhancing features make the Stylus Pro 11880 one of the fastest and easiest to use photo quality large format printers on the market. These include the new MicroPiezo TFP (Thin Film Piezo) print head with 360 nozzles for each of the nine ink cartridges, active Photo and Matte black inks, high capacity 700 ml ink cartridges, professional media handling capabilities from A4 to 64 inch wide rolls, automatic nozzle check technology, and improved image processing algorithms.

The Stylus Pro 11880 is the first Epson printer to have the new MicroPiezo TFP (Thin Film Piezo) print head with 360 nozzles per inch for each of the nine active ink cartridges. It has been finely tuned with the new Epson UltraChrome K3 ink with Vivid Magenta to precisely control dot shape, size and placement for the highest image quality possible.

Epson’s UltraChrome K3 ink with Vivid Magenta is an outstanding eight colour pigment ink with Vivid Magenta and Vivid Light Magenta that has colour gamut advantages over conventional 12 colour ink sets on gloss, matte and fine art media. And by using only eight colours Epson maintains a simplified colour management process providing easier colour control. Through the use of high density pigments UltraChrome K3 with Vivid Magenta ink produces high quality prints with excellent short and long term colour stability, and virtually no metameric effects.

Epson’s new Ink Repelling Coating for the printhead and automatic nozzle check combine to eliminate down time by minimising and detecting nozzle clogging before it becomes serious, and to eliminate paper waste used during the cleaning process. It uses a sensor near the print head that counts the electrical charges on the ink droplets as they are fired. A lower than expected electrical charge means insufficient ink was fired, so the print head cleaning process automatically starts.

Because both Photo and Matte black inks are mounted and active on the Stylus Pro 11880 users save time and money as the printer immediately and automatically switches between the two black ink modes as required. Each of the eight UltraChrome K3 colours (including photo and matte black) has its own individual 360 dpi nozzle set on the printhead so the Stylus Pro 11880 does not need time to switch between photo and matte black. High capacity 700 ml ink cartridges ensure the printer can run unattended to complete long print jobs.

In line with its commitment to increase productivity while improving print quality across a range of applications, the Stylus Pro 11880 has professional media handling capabilities accepting roll or cut-sheet paper from A4 up to 64 inches wide and up to 1.5mm thick poster board. It has a built in automatic media cutting system and an automatic take-up reel system as standard.

The Stylus Pro 11880 can print a barcode and text on partially used paper rolls to record how much paper is left and what type of media it is, allowing users to confidently switch between paper types and rolls for different jobs.

To enhance productivity even further and minimise paper use the Stylus Pro 11880 can also print many Borderfree sizes on media from 8 x 10 inch through to 54 inch.

To complement the enhancements introduced by UltraChrome K3 with Vivid Magenta, the Stylus Pro 11880 uses Epson’s new Image Processing Technology, a new image half toning algorithm that improves print speed and produces more stable half tones and an even better print quality in both high and low resolution print modes. Clearer half tones are readily visible in the details of higher color saturation patches.

Epson’s new Image Processing Technology further improves Epson’s outstanding grey scale stability - the core requirement for accurate colour printing - by reducing colour twist, which brings out greater detail in shadows and supports stable shadow gradation across all tones.

And as would be expected from the leaders in ink technology, Epson’s UltraChrome K3 with Vivid Magenta ink retains Epson’s renowned superior print permanence capabilities on genuine Epson media.

As a result of Epson’s technology innovations in the Stylus Pro 11880 this printer is up to 2.6 times faster than previous printers. For many production environments where time is a valuable commodity, this dramatic reduction delivers substantial time savings and greater revenue opportunities.

The Stylus Pro 11880 comes with USB2.0 and Gigabit Ethernet as standard interfaces.

The Stylus Pro 11880 will be available in October with a recommended price of: $22995 Ex GST.

Epson's new Stylus Pro 880 series Thursday, 19 July 2007

Epson today announced four new Stylus Pro 880 series large format printers and Epson's new UltraChrome K3 ink with Vivid Magenta for colour critical printing applications such as retail point-of-sale displays, contract and imposition proofing, photography, limited edition fine art print making and detailed colour maps.

The Epson Stylus Pro 4880, Stylus Pro 7880, Stylus Pro 9880 and Stylus Pro 11880 provide the most advanced print durability, colour accuracy and colour consistency across a wide range of media in print widths from 17 to 64 inches.

To extend its leadership in the high quality large format print market, Epson has also announced eight colour UltraChrome K3 with Vivid Magenta in this new printer range, the most advanced fourth generation pigment ink available, delivering a colour gamut equivalent to conventional 12 colour ink sets.

As the name suggests eight colour UltraChrome K3 with Vivid Magenta expands UltraChrome's already large colour gamut for highly accurate colour reproduction of more vivid reds and blues and smoother tonal gradation in proofs, photographs and fine art prints.

A breakthrough new pigment ink chemistry developed by Seiko Epson allowed the creation of a higher density form of magenta pigments. Epson then worked with some of the world' leading professional photographers and print companies to fine tune the printer driver, ink and print head to produce prints with expanded gamut in blues and reds without losing any of UltraChrome' brilliance and colour depth in other colours of the spectrum.

The result is an outstanding eight colour pigment ink with Vivid Magenta and Vivid Light Magenta that has colour gamut advantages over conventional 12 colour ink sets on gloss, matte and fine art media. By using only eight colours Epson maintains a simplified colour management process providing easier colour control. And with high density pigments UltraChrome K3 with Vivid Magenta ink reproduces high quality prints with excellent short and long term colour stability, and virtually no metameric effects.

To complement the enhancements introduced by UltraChrome K3 with Vivid Magenta, the 880 series printers use Epson¹s new Image Processing Technology, a new image half toning algorithm that produces smoother tones and more detail for even better print quality in both high and low resolution print modes. Epson¹s Image Processing Technology further minimises print quality differences between print modes, resulting in greater colour consistency. Smoother colour gradations further improve the accuracy of colour reproduction across all media.

The new Image Processing Technology also further improves Epson's outstanding grey scale stability - the core requirement for accurate colour printing - and reduces the amount of coloured ink needed in colour prints, resulting in greater detail in both highlight and shadow areas.

And as would be expected from the leaders in ink technology, Epson's UltraChrome K3 with Vivid Magenta retains Epson' renowned superior print permanence capabilities on a range of genuine Epson media up to 1.5 mm thick.

The Stylus Pro 4880, Stylus Pro 7880, and Stylus Pro 9880 have USB2.0 and Ethernet as standard interfaces. The Stylus Pro 4880, Stylus Pro 7880, and Stylus Pro 9880 can use either 110 or 220ml ink cartridges, while the Stylus Pro 11880 uses high capacity 700ml ink cartridges.

The Stylus Pro 880 series printers will be available in October with recommended prices of: Stylus Pro 4880 - $2995, Stylus Pro 7880 - $5395, Stylus Pro 9880 - $10895, Stylus Pro 11880 - $22995 Ex GST.

Epson Australia www.epson.com.au

Epson® launches the world’s first 64” printer to feature a Micro Piezo TFP printhead and new UltraChrome K3 inkset

The 64” Stylus Pro 11880 is the world’s first large format printer to feature Epson’s latest printhead technology and UltraChrome K3 ink with Vivid Magenta. It is designed for professionals in the photography, fine art and proofing markets.

17 July 2007 – The Stylus Pro 11880 is the first 64” large format printer from Epson. It includes the latest Micro Piezo Thin Film Piezo (TFP) printhead for superior printing performance and is optimised for pigment ink technology. The eight-colour inkset features a new formulation of UltraChrome K3 with Vivid Magenta, widening the colour gamut and further strengthening Epson’s award winning UltraChrome K3 ink as the choice of professionals. The Stylus Pro 11880 incorporates nine 700ml high capacity individual ink cartridges, with automatic switching between Photo & Matte Black inks, and also ink status LED’s for each cartridge. The new Gigabit Ethernet interface delivers fast data transfer speeds, coupled with the on-board data processing module. Epson Super Halftone technology, a new screening algorithm, further improves image tone and definition. The combination of features and inkset make the Stylus Pro 11880 the most advanced digital large format printer on the market.

The new Micro Piezo TFP printhead fulfils all the requirements of a professional printer – quality, durability and speed. The nozzle density has increased from 180 to 360 dpi for each colour, the world’s highest for an inkjet printhead using piezoelectric technology. Epson has doubled the number of nozzles on the printhead, while maintaining the same size of ink droplet and accelerated print speeds. Despite the microscopic size of its elements, this next-generation Micro Piezo head retains all the advantages of the current printhead, including Variable-sized Droplet Technology. Meniscus control helps to produce perfectly spherical dots and manages the degree of droplet impact. It also improves the speed of jetting, further enhancing the print speed.

UltraChrome K3 with Vivid Magenta further expands the already wide colour gamut of UltraChrome K3 and is a breakthrough in pigment chemistry. The full inkset includes nine ink cartridges: photo black, matte black, light black, light light black, cyan, light cyan, yellow, vivid magenta and vivid light magenta. The two magenta inks use new high-density pigments that create more vibrant colour, especially blues and magenta, for example those found in seascapes or landscapes. Both photo black and matte black cartridges are installed at the same time so there is no need to exchange. The most suitable black ink is automatically chosen depending on the media type used.

The UltraChrome K3 ink with Vivid Magenta, enables superb grey balance and precise colour without any colour cast. It also maintains the superior features of the UltraChrome K3 ink such as great colour accuracy of neutral and dark colours, excellent short-term colour stability and smooth tonal gradation from shadow to light. Metamerism is virtually eliminated with this new inkset. The permanent Epson Micro Piezo printhead also offers unrivalled consistency in each print. Every print will be the same as the first, even if the artwork is printed months apart, making it ideal for studios producing limited edition print runs.

The Stylus Pro 11880 is compatible with a wide range of Epson media up to 1.5mm in thickness, including glossy paper, matte paper, matte board, fine art paper and plain paper. It features an automatic take-up reel to support heavy-duty production for improved usability. It will also support flexible paper handling for cut sheet printing from A3 up to 64”. The optional paper basket stores prints cleanly and securely.

Epson is also launching MyEpsonprinter.eu. The new online portal allows Epson Stylus Pro owners to retrieve up-to-the-minute technical information and monitor the performance of each printer. The secure website allows users to view print job activity, hardware information and historical data, and tracks key performance indicators such as cost of ownership and cost per print. MyEpsonprinter.eu can also be accessed remotely by service contractors to quickly identify the cause and scope of any queries, which saves time and unnecessary call-out fees.

Martin Johns, Business Manager Pro Graphics, Epson UK, says, “Epson’s leading research and development into pigment chemistry has long set its professional printers apart, and along with its high-quality output, Epson has become widely known as the choice of professionals. The launch of our new 64” inch printer means that as well as going larger with Epson, quality and productivity is also further enhanced for truly vibrant, first-class output.”

Epson Stylus Pro 11880 key features summary:

Professional paper handling up to 64” wide
Consistent output with Epson Micro Piezo TFP Printhead Technology
High-density Epson UltraChrome K3 with Vivid Magenta Ink Technology
Standard USB 2.0, and Gigabit Ethernet interface
Flexible paper handling with roll or cut-sheet media from A3 / tabloid up to 64” wide. BorderFree roll printing from 10” up to 64” wide
Accepts media up to 1.5 mm thick poster board
Productive printing with built-in automatic media cutting system and take-up reel system
Record information about paper with media bar code tracking and identification system
Superior image processing with Epson Super Halftone Screening Technology
Easy to use and maintain with Auto Ink Droplet Detection System
High-quality printing with maximum resolution of 2880 x 1440 dpi
Nine individual high-capacity ink cartridges – 700 ml
Automatic change from photo black to matte black
Pressurised ink cartridge technology
High-performance print engine speeds
Large 2.5” back lit LCD control panel
Ink status LED system
MyEpson Printer network compatible
Stylus Pro 11880 RRP excluding VAT from £9995 – available September 2007

The Canon imagePROGRAF iPF9000 Printer takes large format color production to the next level. With the iPF9000, Canon delivers impressive 60" full-bleed color output, strength in paper handling and speed in output-everything a professional needs to productively and efficiently create enhanced color materials. The iPF9000 printer is designed to fulfill the needs of any digital artist looking to create captivating images from capture to output. The 12-color pigment ink system was designed to expand the spectrum of color for environments from photography to design, to take advantage of within their output. The iPF9000 incorporates the new 12-color pigment ink system with LUCIA inks, and the new L-COA controller, which intelligently processes the data directing the rapid printing process. Combined with Canon's dual print head design and the most ink nozzles per color in the industry (as of May 2006), the L-COA controller helps achieve print speeds of under three minutes for 16.5" x 23.4" (A2) size prints with 1200 x 1200 dpi resolution on a glossy photo paper. The iPF9000 has the tools that address the needs of the Graphic Arts market, focusing on the photographic, fine art, proofing and poster sign markets.

Its built-in features put the power to produce at your fingertips. Designed for reliability, simplicity, and above all quality, the iPF9000 is the professional's answer for superior quality prints. Canon has created a way in which breathtaking large quality prints can be created right out-of-the-box, with software that is just as innovative as the printer itself, such as PosterArtist, Digital Photo Print Pro, and Print Plug-in for Adobe® Photoshop®.
Features:

* 12-Color Pigment Ink System - New LUCIA inks expand the range of color reproduction by providing a wide color gamut.
* Automatic Switching Between Black Inks - utilizes automatic switching between Regular Black and Matte Black Ink, helping to eliminate wasted ink and time of swapping out ink tanks.
* New Print Head System - dual print head system with a total of 30,720 nozzles.
* Efficiency & Speed - The iPF9000's built-in 40 GB HDD processes jobs fast, and maintains productivity and enables easy unmanned printing.
* Borderless Printing - 4-sided edge to edge printing, only with roll media.
* Non-firing Detection and Compensation Function - when clogged or non-firing nozzles are detected; print head cleaning cycle is automatically executed. If the nozzle remains obstructed, the iPF9000 will automatically compensate by rerouting the ink to functioning nozzles.

LUCIA Pigment Ink Technology

The iPF9000 printer features a new 12-color pigment ink system featuring Red, Blue, Green, Gray, Photo Gray, Cyan, Photo Cyan, Magenta, Photo Magenta, Yellow, Regular Black, and Matte Black. The large color gamut provided by the 12 inks produces brilliant colors. The addition of gray and photo gray helps to create smooth gradations and less graininess, creating a crisp monotone output.

New Print Head - PF-01 - Dual print head system

Print Head (PF-01) -
Engineered for speed and advanced image production, the iPF9000 boasts Canon's dual print head system to lay down ink with unprecedented speed and accuracy. Unlike conventional printers with a single print head, the iPF9000 uses two high-precision, high-density print heads with a total of 30,720 nozzles. It lays down precise 4pl ink droplets to produce sharp detail and excellent image quality.

The superfine 4pl droplets produce delicate color gradations and high-definition. The twin lines of nozzles on the new print heads enable the iPF9000 to minimize the number of printing passes and still maintain print quality. Each of the 2 print heads contain 6 colors, for a total of 12, each employing 2,560 nozzles for a grand total of 30,720 nozzles. This print head technology enables the iPF9000 to print at a true 1200 dot pitch with remarkable speed.

L-COA Controller - New Print Controller

The L-COA1 print controller intelligently processes the print data to implement high-speed processing in order to accurately lay ink down for optimal image quality. Combined with Canon's dual print head design and the most ink nozzles per color in the industry, the L-COA controller helps achieve print speeds of under three minutes for 16.5" x 23.4" (A2) size prints, at 1200 x 1200 dpi on a glossy photo paper.

(*Print speeds noted here are bench-mark testing results conducted by Canon Inc. The testing conditions are as follows: The print time is measured from the start of printing until the image is exited out from the printer. These tests were conducted with a Pentium® 4 3.2GHz CPU running Windows XP, 1GB RAM, USB 2.0, from Adobe Photoshop 7.0, ISO/JIS-SCID No.5 (bicycle chart) enlarged to 410mm x 512.5mm, using printer driver default setting.)

DPPP - Software application with professional editing tools and templates

This image editing and layout software is designed to easily edit and output large-format prints from images captured with a digital camera. For novice photo software users, DPPP simplifies advanced functions such as red-eye correction, dust removal, skin tone improvement and many other features. Furthermore, you can layout images in a variety of ways using the templates provided within the application. For Adobe Photoshop users, DPPP is capable of 2-way communication to enable the quick exchange of image files between the two programs. Avoid inaccurate prints by utilizing the Soft Proof function, which provides the ability to view the actual output colors in advance on the monitor, and the Real Preview function which confirms in advance how many images will be laid out on roll paper.

Print Plug-in for Adobe® Photoshop® - An export print module

This application was designed to enable direct printing of 16-bit RGB images directly from Adobe Photoshop 6, 7, CS and CS2. This plug-in is a true export module that bypasses the print driver on Windows® and Macintosh® computers. The module was designed to be an integral part of a photographer's 16-bit workflow without compromising image quality. The plug-in facilitates the printing of 16-bit images by processing the data outside the conventional driver and sending the data directly from Photoshop to the printer, dramatically increasing gradations and as a result, overall image quality. The print history function enables the user to apply past color, profile and print settings to future jobs. The module allows for improved efficiency in color adjustment tasks and high-definition prints for Photoshop users.

Features

* Soft proof - preview window
* Print history function
* Advanced color and quality controls
* Easily apply custom ICC profiles

Printer Driver

The imagePROGRAF printer driver works with both Windows® and Macintosh® operating systems offering exceptional, high quality prints through easy usability and accurate color. The printer driver incorporates existing imagePROGRAF functions along with new, easy to use functions. The monochrome photo mode produces neutral, high quality monochrome images with the primary use of the black, gray and photo gray inks. This mode helps to ensure minimal shifts in color that are commonly caused by the use of color inks in black and white prints, thus outputting neutral tones with smooth gradation. Another easy to use feature is the free layout feature, which allows for custom nesting of separate images and documents.

PosterArtist - Software application with poster designing and printing capabilities

This template driven software was developed by Canon specifically to create large-format posters easily. PosterArtist helps users of all levels to create professional looking posters, banners and signage with extreme ease. This application offers a variety of templates, hi-res royalty-free images and clipart designed to target a wide array of markets such as food service, education, offices, retail and much more.

Specifications:

• Print Head (PF-02) Technology: - FINE Full-lithography (Ink-jet NozzleEngineering)
• Print Head (PF-02) Configuration:
- 6 Colors per Print Head
- Dual Print Heads (Total 12 Colors)
- Print Head (L) Y/PC/C/PGY/GY/MBK
- Print Head (R) PM/M/BK/R/G/B
• Print Head (PF-02) Replacement: - End-User replaceable
• Number of Nozzles: 2,560 Nozzles per Color... 30,720 Nozzles Total
• Droplet Size: 4 Picoliter
• Nozzle Pitch (Head Resolution): 1200 dpi x 2
• Print Head Swath: 1.07"
• Print Resolution (Max.): 2400 x 1200 dpi
• Ink Type: LUCIA Ink (Pigment-Based)
• Ink Tank (PFI-701 or PFI-301)Colors: - Cyan, Photo Cyan, Magenta, Photo Magenta, Yellow, Black, Matte Black, Red, Green, Blue, Gray, Photo Gray
• Ink Tank Capacity*: 700ml (PFI-701) or 330ml (PFI-301)
• Ink Supply Method: Tubing System with Sub-Tanks for Continuous Ink Supply
• Nozzle Recovery System: Non-Firing Nozzle Detection and Compensation
• Printer Controller: L-COA Controller
• Printer Memory: 640MB
• Print Speed/A0 size**Photo Glossy Paper ***: - 5 minutes
• Built-in Hard Disk Capacity: 40GB
• Media Feed Roll Feed: - One Roll, Front Output
• Media Feed Cut Sheet: - One Sheet, Front 0utput
• Media Width: - 8" – 60" (Cut sheet), - 10" – 60" (Roll Feed)
• Minimum Media Length: - 8" (203mm)
• Maximum Print Length: Manual Feed - 63" (1.6 m), Roll - 59' (18 m)†
• Borderless Printing Width (Roll Media Only): 10", 14", 16", 24", 36", 42", B2 (20.28"/515mm), A1 (23.38"/594mm), A0 (33.11"/841mm), B0 (40.55"/1030mm)
• Media Cutter: User-Replaceable Durable Rotary Blade (CT-06)
• Media Thickness: 0.07 – 0.8mm (2.8 – 31.4mil)
• Media Core Sizes: 2" (3" Core with Optional 3"Core Spool)
• Media Output: Automatically Winding Media Take-up
Reel (Standard), Basket (Optional)
• Printable Margins: Manual Feed (Top/Front) - Leading and Left/Right Edges: 0.20" (5mm), Trailing Edge: 0.90" (23mm)
• Printable Margins: Roll Feed - All Sides: 0.20" (5mm) or 0" for Borderless
• Maximum Media Roll Outer Diameter: - 5.9" (150mm)
• Minimum Printable Line Weight: - 0.02mm
• Line Accuracy - +0.19%/-0.25%
• Bundled Software Printing Software: - Printer Driver 2006, Print Plug-in for Photoshop‡,Printer Driver Extra Kits (Free Layout, imageRUNNER Linking Function)
• Bundled Software: Applications - PosterArtist 2006ss, Digital Photo Print Pross
• Utilities - GARO Status Monitor, Media Configuration Tool, Remote UI
• Printer Language: GARO (Canon Proprietary)
• Operating System: Windows®98SE/Me/2000/XP/2003 Server, Macintosh® OS 9.1/X 10.2/ 10.3/10.4
• Interface Standard: - USB 2.0 High Speed, - 10/100Base-T/TX
• Optional: - IEEE1394 (FireWire)
• Acoustic Noise Operation: - 52dB or Less
• Acoustic Noise Standby: - 35dB or Less
• Acoustic Power (Operation and Standby): - 6.7 Bels or Less
• Power Supply: AC 100-240V (50-60Hz)
• Power Consumption Maximum: - 190W or Less
• Power Consumption Standby: - 5W or Less, (8W or Less when EB-05 is Installed)
• Power Off (Standby): - Less than 1W (Compliant with Executive Order)
• Certifications: UL, FCC Class B, ENERGY STAR®
• Operational Environment: Temperature - 59 – 86 F° (15 – 30 C°)
• Operational Environment: Relative Humidity - 10 – 80% (No Condensation)
• Dimensions with Stand ( W x D x H ) 90.5" x 31.6" x 45.1", (2299mm x 766mm x 1144mm)
• Weight with Stand and Take-up Reel: Approx. 365 lb. (165kg)
• Package Dimensions ( W x D x H ): 97.7" x 41.4" x 48.8", (2480mm x 1050mm x 1238mm)
• Package Weight (Including Pallet): 552 lb. (250kg)
• User Replaceable Items: Ink Tank PFI-301/PFI-701, Print Head (PF-02), Maintenance Cartridge (MC-08), Durable Rotary Blade (CT-06)