Epson’s New Stylus Photo R1900 Printer

January 13, 2008: Epson is expected to replace its popular Stylus Photo R1800 model with a new Stylus Photo R1900 A3+ printer at the end of this month.
The new model uses an updated version of the company’s pigment-based UltraChrome ink set, known as UltraChrome Hi-Gloss 2. In the new ink set, which uses individually-replaceable cartridges, an orange cartridge is used instead of the blue cartridge in the R1800’s ink set to improve the rendition of skin tones. The other ink colours remain unchanged but Epson has improved the Gloss Optimiser. The quick-drying, ‘next-generation’ ink set promises archival stability of up to 200 years under glass. Auto switching between photo and matte black cartridges is supported.
The company has also included a new Radiance Technology system, which takes advantage of the wider colour gamuts of modern ink sets. The system is based on look-up table (LUT) technology developed jointly with the Munsell Colour Science Laboratory at the Rochester Institute of Technology. The technology is built into the printer software where it optimises how the individual UltraChrome Hi-Gloss 2 inks are mixed. Its effect is to reduce grain and dramatically improve colour transitions in prints.
During manufacture, Epson applies Epson PreciseColor colorimetric calibration to the MicroPiezo print head, eliminating the need for repeated re-calibration. The R1900 is also up to 35% faster than its predecessor. Epson claims it can produce a standard ‘photo’ print (which contains roughly 25% of white space) in one minute and 46 seconds at a resolution of 1440 x 720 dpi. Variable-sized Droplet Technology gives the R1900 a minimum ink droplet size of 1.5 picoliters and enables it to support a maximum resolution of 5760 x 1440 dpi.
The R1900 is capable of printing on both cut-sheet and roll papers. Users can select from glossy, lustre and matte papers, as well as thicker fine art media, roll papers and canvas. It can also print directly onto inkjet-printable CDs and DVDs. Bundled software includes Epson’s Creativity Suite and Print CD applications plus a Camera RAW plug-in for Creativity Suite, which allows fast and easy printing of raw files. Enhanced connectivity allows to computers to be connected to the R1900 simultaneously vie two USB 2.0 Hi-Speed ports.
An ink-repelling coating has been applied to the print head to prolong its lifespan and reduce the amount of time spent on maintenance. A built-in sensor also allows for automatic print head alignment and nozzle checking. The RRP for the Stylus Photo R1900 is $1099. For more information, visit www.epson.com.au.