A-DIGITAL-EYE (21ST CENTURY DIGITAL CAMERAS, PHOTO PRINTERS, PAPERS, CAMCORDERS, IMAGING SOFTWARE, DIGITAL EQUIPMENT, REVIEWS AND MORE!)
EPSON UNVEILS NEW DURABRITE INKS AND GLOSSY PHOTO PAPER (10/07/03)
Epson has announced a new $59.99 C64 all purpose printer capable of borderless photo printing which uses what they describe as newly formulated DuraBrite pigment based inks and a new DuraBrite Glossy Photo Paper. The printer uses individual ink cartridges for each of the newly formulated DuraBrite ink colors. Last week we reported that the Epson Japan web site had news of new Photo printers and inks and thus we assumed Epson USA would make some announcements soon. Although the printer just announced is a 4 ink model, it is capable of 5760 by 1440 output with ink droplet output down to 4 picoliters and it uses the new DuraBrite Inks with the new DuraBrite Glossy Photo Paper. The key words in the new paper announced are "Glossy" and "Photo", addressing concerns by previous users of the pigment based DuraBrite inks that they did not print out well on existing Glossy paper. It appears Epson has resolved these issues with both newly formulated inks and Glossy paper. On the Japan site it also addresses the fact that the new inks can apparently be sprayed out at a smaller picoliter volume down to 1.5 picoliters. Prior pigment based inks had previously been limited to around 4 picoliters. Smaller picoliter sized ink drops should assist in the ability of the printers to produce better looking Glossy Photos and Epson Japan does claim that the color range of the new inks is improved. The major benefits to use of pigment based inks is they are less susceptible to fading or color shifting due to exposure to light or pollutants such as ozone, and therefore Photos can last much longer then dye-based inks, upward of 80 years. The DuraBrite inks are also water proof and thus colors will not smear with water contact. We assume that 6 ink Photo printers using the same inks are to be announced very soon. Here is the press release from Epson for more details.
UPDATE: The Epson C64 is already stocked in most major Retail Stores and is available for immediate purchase. We had a chance to check one out last night and one of the main changes that we noticed is the inclusion of the individual ink cartridges for all four colors. At the price of $59.99 it looks like a great all around printer. We did not yet find the new DuraBrite Glossy Ink Photo Paper on the shelves, but we will keep you posted.
Epson Unveils Its Most Affordable DuraBrite Printer Yet: the EPSON Stylus C64
New Printer Offers Water, Smudge and Light Resistance Along with Fast Print Speeds for Only $59LONG BEACH, Calif. - Oct. 6, 2003--Epson America, Inc. introduced the EPSON Stylus® C64 today -- the company's most affordable all-purpose DuraBrite® ink jet printer to date. The Stylus C64 replaces the Stylus C62, is available for an estimated street price of $59 and offers several features designed especially for value-driven customers who are looking for a simple printing solution at home.
The Stylus C64 is equipped with Epson's exclusive and renowned DuraBrite ink for water resistance, smudge resistance and light resistance for durable, long lasting results that make it easy to preserve cherished photos or important documents. This printer enables anyone to print brilliant borderless 4" x 6" snapshots, as well as text and graphics with ease and offers up to 5760 x 1440 optimized dpi and variable size ink droplets -- as small as four picoliters -- for sharp, vivid output. The Stylus C64 is able to speed through tasks with print speeds of up to 17 pages per minute (ppm) for black text and up to 9 ppm in color(a)."The EPSON Stylus C64 offers an outstanding value for customers who not only want a printer to handle their documents quickly and easily, but who also want to be able to print high-quality photographs. Epson's newly launched Durabrite Glossy Ink Photo Paper enhances the printer's photo quality on glossy paper," said Rodrigo Catalan, product manager, consumer ink jet printers, Epson. "This printer provides one of the best overall balances between photographic output, clear text, high speed and low cost of operation compared to any ink jet printer in its class."
The printer features a sleek more compact design and a DC motor for quiet printing of any output from the start to the finish. It is both Windows and Macintosh compatible and offers USB connectivity for quick and easy set up.
DuraBrite Inks
The EPSON Stylus C64 utilizes the newest and most advanced formula of DuraBrite ink, a pigment based ink that produces vivid, sharp images, and is also specially formulated to resist water, smudges and light. DuraBrite inks can be submerged in water without the ink coming off the page, unlike dye-based inks, which typically run and smudge. This feature is designed to give creators of photographs, fliers, menus, signs, postcards and any other printed output the ability to produce documents and images that will withstand damage caused by moisture-based threats such as rain, spills, humidity or people with wet hands.
DuraBrite inks also have a light-resistance rating of up to 80 years on certain specialty media and an unmatched 70-year(b) rating on plain paper, making it possible to safely place prints in areas where light would normally cause images to fade quickly. Bleed-through is reduced since DuraBrite inks rest on the surface of the paper, which is ideal for applications that require double-sided printing.
The Stylus C64 also includes individual ink cartridges for a more convenient, affordable home printing solution. Since these individual color inks can be replaced at any time, efficiency is maximized, lowering the total cost of ownership. Additionally, each cartridge contains a chip that relays ink level information on screen to the user via the printer driver.
BOOKMARK WWW.A-DIGITAL-EYE.COM FOR DAILY NEW/INFO. Email us! Number of visitors since 5/25/2000: