Exciting new Epson printers on the way?

5th March - 2002
By Ian Burley

Updated 25th April: European version of this printer revealed - 3 pages of news and pictures: click here.

Updated 18:00HRS, London: Our Japanese correspondent in Tokyo, Hiroyuki Kamijou, has provided a translation of the Japanese announcement and it’s added to the original story below (click here to jump there).

CeBIT 2002 update: 15th March, Epson reveals radical new printer - click here.

We’ve received news from Japan that long-rumoured new technology 7-colour Epson printers have been announced there. We have details of a Epson PM-4000PX A3 format ink-jet printer, which we believe is just one of a family of new Epson photo ink-jet printers we can expect here in the late spring. Epson model numbers are usually different for Japanese market models, but the specifications look very interesting. Here are some of the highlights:

7 colour printing

Most ‘true’ photo ink-jet printers include intermediate strength ‘photo’ cyan and ‘photo’ magenta inks to supplement full strength cyan, magenta, yellow and black. The new PM-4000PX features an intermediate black or grey, if you like. As far as we know, this is a first for Epson. Epson also calls its new inks ‘PX technology’ - we’re only guessing (actually, now confirmed - see addendum at bottom of page), but as a pioneer of long lasting pigment inks in its professional range, we wonder if Epson is including pigment ink in this model. There is also reference to a more conventional 6-ink mode.

Fast interfaces

Both USB 2.0 and Firewire connections are apparently featured on the PM-4000PX. USB1.1 has, so far, coped will with ink-jet printing demands, but this new selection of super-fast connectivity, already featured on Epson’s Perfection 2450 flat bed scanner, will banish any fears about USB bottlenecks.

Roll and sheet feed support

The one picture we’ve seen of the PM-4000PX shows an integrated roll paper holder behind the usual sheet feeder. Again, this is an Epson speciality already featured since the Stylus 870, over two years ago.

Japanese price

The quoted price in Japan is Y94,800, which is about UK£500 (US$725)

This news raises more questions than it answers, but it’s pretty exciting, nonetheless. Watch this space!

Addendum; translation of Japanese announcement from Hiroyuki Kamijou in Tokyo:

With PM-4000PX Epson introduced PX Ink Technology. The "P" stands for Photo, Permanent, Pigment, and Plain Paper.

The "X" stands for eXtra-ink, X (cross) - media, and eXcellence. I think the first two are Japanese English phrases. Extra here means premium, not additional. And cross media here means support of various kinds of papers.

Technologically, the word Pigment must be the key. With pigment ink which is derived from print-industry level printers and more micro granularity ( 0.1 micron, and 4pl average) Epson claims significant improvement of print quality -- either photo or picture.

PM-4000PX can be either 7 colours or 6 colours. Independent colour cartridges are: Photo Black, Grey, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Light Cyan, Light Magenta. With the Ink Change technology Matte Black can be used instead of Photo Black. Or, Photo Black and Grey can be replaced with Matte Black respectively to print with two Matte Black cartidges and colour ones.

Included accessories are roll-paper holder and CD-R tray.

Epson Japan announcement: click here

 

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