dpnow launch comment
Release Issued by Epson:
Innovative ink technology reinforces Epson’s position at the forefront of digital imaging
New ink technology from Epson revolutionises black & white and colour photography and colour proofing.
May 10, 2005 – Marking a new era in digital imaging, Epson – the preferred choice of professional photographers, self-publishing artists and companies in the proofing market – today announced the availability of UltraChromeTM K3, a new standard in ink technology for the photographic, fine art and proofing markets.
Unlike other inks, the Epson UltraChrome K3 8-colour ink set has three black inks, as well as a full set of colour inks, offering the ultimate in black & white and colour printing. The three black inks offer more neutral gradations in colour and black & white prints, resulting in life-like replication of skin tones required by commercial and professional photographers. The third black ink – light light black – gives excellent greyscale performance and smoother tonal reproduction for the ultimate in high quality black & white and colour printing.
The new ink boasts many features to make it ideal for professionals who cannot afford to compromise on quality. Featuring 8 ink cartridges, the UltraChrome K3 ink set produces a wide colour gamut for accurate reproduction of saturated colours and accurate simulation of industry proofing standards. Furthermore, it delivers prints that look good in any lighting condition, and have a professional finish even when printed on glossy media.
The UltraChrome K3 ink technology addresses many of the issues faced by professionals in the photographic, fine art and proofing industries. For instance, UltraChrome K3 technology removes the “rainbow effect” occasionally seen in black & white inkjet prints. The ink technology also gives a great glossy finish with an even higher Dmax to give dense black shadows
Similarly the ink takes proofing to another level. The UltraChrome K3 ink set technology delivers more consistent results, resulting in accurate proofing, even when working remotely or from two different printers. UltraChrome K3 produces colours that stabilise within half an hour, allowing proofing professionals to make accurate colour matches quickly.
With a unique, advanced black & white mode in the printer driver, photographers and artists can have absolute control over the tone and hue of black & white prints, whilst interchangeable photo or matte black inks enable printing on high quality photo and art media.
UltraChrome K3 ink offers outstanding durability, so prints are more likely to look good for longer on a wide range of paper types. The ink is highly light, gas and water resistant, resulting in a lifespan of up to 75 years in colour and over 100 years in black & white.*
To coincide with the launch of the new UltraChrome K3 ink, Epson announced a new range of printers - the Epson Stylus Photo R2400 and the Stylus Pro 4800, 7800, and 9800. These new printers allow users to print any size with maximum formats ranging from A3+ to A0+, in addition to the ability to print on a wide range of materials including high quality photo and art media.
The printers feature Epson’s core technologies to deliver outstanding results for high definition images. These include Epson’s ground breaking Micro Piezo™ print head technology, which delivers ink in microscopic nozzles that measure a fraction of the diameter of a human hair, thereby allowing greater precision for finely detailed images. Meanwhile, Epson's Variable-sized Droplet Technology ensures that even the finest detail and colour tones are reproduced accurately.
Marc Tinkler, Marketing Manager, Pro Graphics, Epson Europe, said, “Until now, professional photographers, artists, as well as professionals in the proofing market have demanded greater control and consistency. Despite many satisfied photographers and artists, some have been hesitant to adopt the digital format for high-end colour and black & white photography. Epson’s UltraChrome K3 ink technology promises to revolutionise the photographic industry by offering them the ultimate black & white, and colour printing solution, as well as greater control and consistency for proofing.”
Epson UltraChrome K3 ink key features summary:
• 3 black inks deliver the most advanced black & white digital photographic results to date
• Wide colour gamut resulting in accurate reproduction of saturated colours and industry proofing standard
• Prints look good in any lighting condition
• Colours stabilise shortly after printing
• Unique, advanced black and white mode allows users to take control over hue and tone of black & white images
• Outstanding durability, with a lifespan of up to 75 years in colour and over 100 years in black & white*
Epson Stylus Photo R2400 and Stylus Pro 4800/7800/9800 range features summary:
• Flexible media handling from A3+ through to A0+ with roll and sheet feed capability
• Incorporates Epson Micro Piezo technology and Epson’s Variable-sized Droplet Technology for high definition results
*Please refer to www.epson.com for test conditions
