In summary
Like its precursors, the SC-P405 sits between the entry-level and enthusiast/professional models in Epson’s A3+ printer range.
Aside from the product name and external packaging, the only thing that has changed in this printer since the Stylus Photo R2000 we reviewed back in June 2011 is the swap to lower-capacity cartridges.
As with the R2000, we feel most photo enthusiasts (particularly those who favour glossy and semi-gloss papers) would be better served by the Artisan1430. Although this printer uses dye inks, it can produce more vibrant colours on glossy media without requiring Gloss Optimiser and uses a standard ink set (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Light Cyan, Light Magenta and Black).
If you need roll printing, the Artisan 1430 won’t fit the bill. But it supports user defined page sizes up to 11,176 mm in lengths, which should cover most panoramic printing requirements ““ as long as you’re prepared to buy roll paper and cut it to size.
For those who must have pigment inks, Epson’s SureColor P600 printer is worth paying more for, particularly if you want to make B&W prints. Its ink set contains two levels of ‘Light Black’ inks plus the normal Cyan, Vivid Magenta, Yellow, Light Cyan, Vivid Light Magenta, Photo Black and Matte Black, thereby covering a full range of hues and tones for both colour and monochrome printing.
Full review
Epson’s new SureColor SC-P405 printer, which has just been released, has almost the same specifications as the Stylus Photo R2000 model we reviewed in June 2011. Its body design is also very similar so we think the new release has resulted from a desire by Epson to replace the Stylus Photo branding with SureColor and bring all single-function pigment-based photo printers from entry-level A3+ to large format under the same branding umbrella.
Angled front view of the SureColor SC-P405 printer. (Source: Epson.)
The main difference we can find between the P405 and its predecessor is a reduction in the capacity of the ink cartridges from 17 ml in the R2000 to 14 ml. It’s slightly more than the earlier R1900’s 11.4 ml cartridges but still won’t be popular in the current marketplace.
Epson has acknowledged that ink costs and frequent cartridge replacement are critical issues by launching its new EcoTank range of printers. We noted in our October review of the EcoTank Workforce ET-4550 that many photographers would welcome the introduction of this technology provided it involved longer-lasting DuraBrite or Claria inks.
The SC-P405 uses the same UltraChrome Hi-Gloss 2 pigment ink set as the R2000, with eight cartridges: photo and matte black, cyan, magenta, yellow, orange and red plus a gloss optimiser cartridge. There are no ‘light black’ inks and the orange and red inks replace the light magenta and light cyan inks in a traditional six-ink set.
They’re supposed to deliver better skin tones and allow more vibrant warm hues to be printed. But we couldn’t see much difference in colour prints from the P405 and the P600, which uses a traditional ink set with three levels of black ink, when we compared colour prints from standard reference images. However, the traditional ink set produced better B&W prints with no colour casts.
The SC-P405 is supplied with a set of reduced-capacity ‘starter’ cartridges. We weighed these cartridges before installing them and found the cyan, gloss optimiser and photo black cartridges weighed eight grams, the matte black and yellow cartridges weighed nine grams and the orange, red and magenta cartridges weighed 10 grams. We’ll use these weights to compare the capacities of the starter and normal cartridges when we attempt to calculate ink usage. (See below.)
Who’s it For?
Like its precursors, the SC-P405 sits between the entry-level and enthusiast/professional models in Epson’s A3+ printer range. Interestingly, despite fluctuations in the value of the AU$ over the years, its price tag is the same as the R2000 and R1900 were when they were first released. The table below compares Epson’s three current A3+ models.
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SC-P600 |
SC-P405 |
Artisan 1430 |
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Print head |
Advanced Micro Piezo AMC print head with ink-repelling coating technology |
Not specified |
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Printing technology |
On-demand inkjet with Variable-sized Droplet Technology |
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Nozzle configuration |
180 nozzles for each ink colour |
90 nozzles for each ink colour |
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Minimum droplet size |
2 picolitres |
1.5 picolitres |
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Resolution |
Max. 5760 x 1440 dpi |
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Paper sizes |
Cut Sheet : 89 to 329mm (3.5 to 13 inches wide) |
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Roll paper support |
Yes; 329mm wide on 2-inch core |
No |
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Max. paper thickness |
1.3 mm |
Not specified |
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Ink type |
Pigment-based UltraChrome HD |
Pigment-based UltraChrome Hi-Gloss 2 |
Dye-based Claria inks |
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Ink lightfastness |
Approx. 60 years by JEITA CP”3901A standard testing Over 200 years album storage |
Up to 98 years under glass Up to 200 years album storage |
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Ink cartridges |
C, VM, Y, LtC, VLtM, LK, LLK, PK, MK |
C, M, Y, PK, MK, R, O, GO |
C, M, Y, LtC, LtM, K |
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|
Auto switching of black inks |
Yes |
n.a. |
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Cartridge ink capacity |
25.9 ml each colour |
14 ml each colour |
~11 ml each colour |
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Interfaces |
Hi-Speed USB2.0, Ethernet, Wi-Fi (IEEE802.11 b/g/n) |
Hi-Speed USB 2.0, Ethernet (1 port), Wi-Fi (IEEE802.11n only) |
Hi-Speed USB 2.0, Wi-Fi Certified 802.11 (b/g/n) 2, PictBridge |
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|
Power consumption |
Printing: approx. 20 W; Sleep Mode: approx. 1.4 W |
Printing: approx. 20 W; Sleep Mode: approx. 3.5 W |
Printing: approx. 18 W; Sleep Mode: approx. 1.3 W |
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|
Acoustic noise (ISO 7779) |
48.2 dB(A) |
39 dB(A) |
43 dB(A) |
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|
Dimensions (wxhxd) |
616 x 228 x 369 mm |
622.5 x 218.4 x 325.1 mm |
616 x 322 x 215 mm |
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Weight |
15 kg |
12.5 kg |
11.8 kg |
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|
RRP (AU) |
$1499 |
$1099 |
$399 |
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When choosing between these printers, consider the following:
1. Pigment printers deliver better results on matte papers than glossy, semi-gloss or lustre papers, which are best used with dye inks.
2. Larger cartridge capacity will be cheaper for users who make a lot of prints. (There’s not much difference in print capacity between 11 and 14 ml cartridges but a big difference between 14 ml and 25.9 ml.)
3. Roll paper support makes it easier to print panoramic photos and imposes fewer restrictions on print length.
4. You won’t see much difference between 1.5 pl and 2 pl droplets when you examine prints.
5. Quieter printers are less stressful to work with.
6. Pigment inks sit on top of the paper, while dye inks are absorbed into the surface coating. The differences in nozzle configuration between the pigment and dye printers are largely compensated by the differences in how the inks mesh with the surface of the paper.
Setting Up
Setting up the SC-P405 is straightforward, although you have to remove 23 strips of blue plastic tape and several sheets of plastic before you can plug it into the mains. This done, you can install the starter ink cartridges, each of which is vacuum packed in its own plastic bag.
Each cartridge should be shaken vigorously before it is installed to mobilise the pigment particles. You then remove the strip of tape that protects the outflow port. Cartridge slots are colour coded to show which colour goes where.
Installing the ink cartridges. The Yellow cartridge has still to be installed.
After the cartridges have been installed you close the cover and press the ink button, which is indicated by a droplet icon and orange LED. This initiates the process that charges the print head, which takes roughly four minutes and uses part of the ink in the starter cartridges.
You can then install the software from the supplied CD, which is labelled ‘SC-P400 series Software Disc’. Interestingly, Epson seems to be selling this printer under different names in different regions. A quick check of the company’s websites shows it’s the P405 in Australia, New Zealand, Russia, Malaysia, Korea and Japan but the P400 in Europe and North America.
Both models use the same software ““ including the printer driver. An Epson representative told us ‘It’s just an Australian model naming issue. The printers and drivers are the same.‘ We can’t think of a logical reason for having two names for the entry-level pigment printer when the higher-specified models have the same names everywhere.
Installing the software takes a few minutes. In addition to the printer driver, the disc contains Adobe ICC profiles a Download Navigator and Epson’s Photo Print and PrintCD applications. A User Manual and Network Guide are also supplied as PDF files.
The SC-P405 supports the same paper handling facilities as the R2000. It can use both sheet and roll paper, the patter loaded via a pair of roll paper holders that are pushed into each end of a paper roll and clipped slots on the back of the printer. It’s a very basic system but works reasonably well.
Printing labels on coated CDs and DVDs is supported in the same fashion as in the R2000 and a special CD/DVD tray is provided. It slots into the front manual feed tray.
The Printer Driver
The driver for the SC-P405 is essentially the same as the drivers for the previous model (and typical of Epson’s mid-level drivers). It provides a basic interface plus a limited range of canned profiles.
The printer driver interface at the start of our tests, showing the ink status.
We found the driver tended to over-estimating brightness parameters and delivered prints that were too dark, compared with those we obtained using the same driver settings on the P600 and P800. Their colour balance also showed a slightly ‘cool’ bias.
To match the test prints from the P600 and P800 printers, we had to increase the brightness settings by 10 points and subtract cyan using the Advanced Colour Controls menu. The amount subtracted varied between -2 and -10.
Unfortunately, it was impossible to tell beforehand on the monitor just how much cyan needed to be removed; it seemed to vary, depending on the colour balance in the image. So if you buy this printer, be prepared for some test stripping to minimise paper wastage.
We also found it almost impossible to make neutral B&W prints when printing through the printer driver. Slight colour casts seemed to be introduced randomly and unpredictably, regardless of which driver mode we used. Different colour casts were also produced with different output quality settings.
We reported both issues to Epson and were told the problems could be attributed to the ink set, which has been designed for colour printing on glossy and semi-gloss papers. Without intermediate grey inks, neutral B&W prints are difficult to produce, although no explanation was provided for the apparent randomness of the colour biases we found. In the case of colour prints, the lack of intermediate light magenta and light cyan inks is the most likely explanation for the cyan biases.
The mode settings in the P405 driver with the PhotoEnhance mode circled in red.
When we switched to using the PhotoEnhance mode (circled above) we obtained fairly consistent colour prints with brightness levels and colours that were a reasonably good match to the images on our computer screen. In this mode, neither brightness nor colour adjustments are possible, although both can be made when you use the Adobe RGB and Epson Vivid modes.
As we found with the R2000, the Vivid setting boosted saturation and contrast noticeably. We wouldn’t recommend using this setting if you have already edited images but when printing unedited JPEGs, it is a quick way to add impact ““ although not controllable.
The driver contains the same Layout Manager function as the P800, which should make it easy to arrange several images plus text and diagrams on a single sheet for printing. We encountered the same issues with this function as we did on the P800 and, therefore, are unable to report on it.
Printing with ICC profiles via Photoshop.
Printing with ICC profiles requires you to go through an image editor; in our case, Photoshop. The print settings dialog box is shown in the screen grab above. You must switch to ‘Photoshop Manages Colours’ in the Colour Management panel and select the paper profile from the dropdown menu. This method worked quite well and suffered from none of the problems we experienced when printing through the printer driver.
Printing through Photoshop gives you more control over the output quality than printing directly through the driver. You can also access a wider range of media profiles and, if you have a spectrophotometer, create your own profiles and save them for use with the P405.
Printing
Epson provided two paper types for us to use during our tests: Premium Glossy Photo Paper on a roll and Ultra Premium Photo Paper Lustre in A3+ sheet. We added matte papers in the form of Epson Archival Matte and 170 gsm double-sided matte (a paper we favour for book and calendar printing). We also tried some A4 sheets of textured ‘fine art’ paper.
We encountered no problems attaching the roll paper holder and feeding the end of the paper roll into the rear slot. And, once the paper was loaded, there were no problems with making prints and removing and re-installing the paper roll.
The P405 provides a similar paper cutting function to the P800. When the image is printed, pressing the roll paper button on the control panel causes the printer to print a cutting line on the paper. Pressing it a second time retracts the paper to the correct position for making the next print.
The User Defined settings let you print images up to 15,000 mm long.
Panorama images were easy to print on the roll paper because the User Defined function lets you print images up to 1.5 metres in length (as shown in the screen grab above). The Print Preview display also shows you the position of the image on the roll.
We found we could adjust the effective margins at each end of the image by setting the User Defined paper height to allow for the latitude we wanted. (This was also a good way to conserve paper when printing smaller images that fitted within the width of the paper roll.)
While we encountered no problems with the rear sheet feed, problems did occur when we loaded the main sheet feeder with five sheets of A4 170 gsm matte paper. While the first sheet was printed correctly, the second, third and fourth sheets were passed through the printer without being printed on.
This problem recurred whenever we loaded more than one sheet at a time and affected all paper sizes: A4, A3, A3+ and the custom sizes we created. Occasionally, the auto-detect system mis-identified a stack of paper as thick media and directed us to load the paper via the rear manual feed path (which was inappropriate for 170 gsm paper). Removing the stack and loading papers one sheet at a time, was the only way to prevent the mis-feeding from recurring.
We recorded the following average printing times:
A4 on High Quality level 4, speed box unchecked: 2 minutes and 18 seconds
A4 on quality level 3 with speed box checked: 49 seconds
A3+ on High Quality level 4, speed box unchecked: 6 minutes and 38 seconds
A3+ on quality level 3 with speed box checked: 1 minute 28 seconds
Spooling time varied between a couple of seconds and 10-15 seconds but extended to more than 2 minutes just after the printer was switched on and after an ink cartridge was exchanged.
The first low ink warning (shown above) was posted for the Cyan cartridge after we had made four A3+ and 29 A4 prints (all with borders). However, we were able to print an additional 30 A4 sheets and got half way through an A3 print before the cartridge actually ran out. Changing cartridges mid-way into a print left no visible marks on the printed image.
Print Quality
We were able to make decent looking prints with the P405, but it wasn’t as easy as with other Epson printers (including the more expensive P600 and much cheaper Artisan1430 dye ink printer). Printing through the driver depended on matching the image with the correct driver settings (and, of course, choosing the correct paper profile from the drop-down menu).
Colours tended to be slightly desaturated with the Epson Standard (sRGB) setting, while the Epson Vivid setting boosted both brightness and saturation a little too much with some images. The auto setting in the PhotoEnhance sub-menu selected the correct balance of brightness, contrast and saturation for most of the images we tried (including landscapes, seascapes, buildings and portraits). But it failed on one or more of these parameters with more subtly-toned images.
On the whole, however, we think photographers who elect to let the printer set the colour management should print test strips until they get the feel for how the driver tackles different image types and tonal densities.
Printing through Photoshop delivered more predictable results. Unfortunately, neither method could produce prints that matched those from the P600 and P800 printers we have reviewed recently. This is largely the fault of the ink set, as outlined above.
Ink Costs
Actual ink consumption varies depending on the images you are printing, the paper type you use, how frequently you run the printer and environmental conditions such as temperature. But given the overall similarities of the ink systems in the two printers, we expect ink usage to be similar to the R2000’s.
Epson has the ink cartridges listed at AU$24.99 each on its Australian website, with the Gloss Optimiser at AU$19.99. This works out at AU$194.92 for a complete set of inks. At 14 ml per cartridge, this amounts to 112 ml of ink (when the Gloss Optimiser is included), at $1.74 per millilitre.
Like its predecessor, the P405 consumed cyan ink much faster than the other colours in the set and required replacement after 28 A4 prints, seven A3 prints and three A3+ prints, all in colour and nine B&W prints, also in A4 size. All were printed with white borders.
The Gloss Optimiser was also used up relatively quickly, with the warning light showing after we had made a further 13 A4 and six A3+ prints. At this point, the Magenta cartridge was also indicating a low level and the Yellow and Orange cartridges weren’t far off low. The Cyan cartridge (which had already been replaced) was down to roughly half capacity, as shown in the screen grab below.
The ink levels at the end of our tests.
Conclusion
Aside from the product name and external packaging, the only thing that has changed in this printer since the Stylus Photo R2000 we reviewed back in June 2011 is the swap to lower-capacity cartridges. While the P405 is the entry-level model in Epson’s pigment printer line-up, we don’t see it as a true entry-level product.
In part this is due to its high price point, which we feel is well in excess of market expectations (the US price of ~$600 is equivalent to ~AU$822). In addition, the limitations of the ink set make it difficult for anyone without considerable printing expertise to produce nice-looking colour prints and it’s almost impossible to obtain truly neutral B&W prints, even if you start with a neutral black image.
As with the R2000, we feel most photo enthusiasts (particularly those who favour glossy and semi-gloss papers) would be better served by the Artisan1430, which is priced at AU$399 (RRP). Although this printer uses dye inks, it can produce more vibrant colours on glossy media without requiring Gloss Optimiser and uses a standard ink set (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Light Cyan, Light Magenta and Black).
Its ink cartridges hold roughly 11 ml of ink and cost just under AU$30 each at Epson’s RRP so this printer will be a bit more expensive to run if you buy inks at the per cartridge RRP. You can save $20 with the six-cartridge value pack and plenty of bargains are available if you shop online.
The differences in lightfastness between Epson’s UltraChrome Hi-Gloss 2 pigment and Claria dye inks are insignificant. Both sets of inks offer fade resistance of around 100 years under glass and 200 years for album storage.
If you need roll printing, the Artisan 1430 won’t fit the bill. But it supports user defined page sizes up to 11,176 mm in lengths, which should cover most panoramic printing requirements ““ as long as you’re prepared to buy roll paper and cut it to size.
For those who must have pigment inks, Epson’s SureColor P600 printer is worth paying more for, particularly if you want to make B&W prints. Its ink set contains two levels of ‘Light Black’ inks plus the normal Cyan, Vivid Magenta, Yellow, Light Cyan, Vivid Light Magenta, Photo Black and Matte Black, thereby covering a full range of hues and tones for both colour and monochrome printing.
Its driver also includes Epson’s Advanced B&W controls and it uses higher-capacity cartridges. This printer has an RRP that is AU$400 higher than the P405 but Epson is discounting it by AU$300 until the end of January 2016. (The P405 is also being discounted by AU$150 during the same period.)
SPECS
Printer type: On-demand inkjet printer
Printing method:8-channelAdvanced Micro Piezo print head with ink-repelling coating technology
Minimum droplet size: 1.5 picolitres; Variable Droplet Technology can produce up to three different droplet sizes per print line
Resolution: 5760 x 1440 optimised dpi
Paper sizes: 4 x 6 inch, 5 x 7 inch, 8 x 10 inch, A4, letter (8.5 x 11 inch), legal (8.5 x 14 inch), 11 x 14 inch, 12 x 12 inch, B (11 x 17 inch), A3, A3+/Super B, user definable, plus 8.3-inch and 13-inch wide panoramic roll papers
Max. paper thickness: 1.3 mm
Ink system: Epson UltraChrome Hi-Gloss 2 pigment ink with 8 individual ink cartridges
Ink cartridges: Photo or Matte Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Red, Orange and Gloss Optimiser
Ink cartridge capacity: ~14ml/cartridge
Printer Drivers: Windows 7 (32-bit, 64-bit), Windows Vista (32-bit, 64-bit), Windows XP, Windows XP Professional x64 Edition; Mac OS X 10.5.x ““ 10.6.x
Interfaces: Hi-Speed USB (2.0), Wi-Fi (802.11n only),100Base-T Ethernet (1 port)
Power consumption: Approx. 20W (Printing mode), Sleep mode: 3.5W (240V); ENERGY STAR qualified (Tier 2)
Acoustic noise: Approx. 39 dB according to ISO 7779
Dimensions (wxhxd): 622.5 x 419.1 x 797.6mm
Weight: 12.5 kilograms
Rating
RRP: AU$1099; US$599.99
- Build: 8.8
- Features: 8.5
- Ease of use: 7.5
- Print quality: 8.0
- Versatility: 9.0
