Epson Now Shipping Its New Signature 'Ultra Hi-Definition' Line of Photo Printers, Bringing Professional-Level Prints at Industr

Epson is now shipping its new signature Ultra Hi-Definition line of photo printers in the U.S., designed to bring professional-level print technology to home photo enthusiasts, with the fastest six-color 4"x6" photo printing in the industry. Featuring a professional print head and superior new ink formulation called Claria™, the Epson Stylus® Photo R260 and R380 photo printers, along with the Epson Stylus Photo RX580 photo all-in-one, deliver faster photo print speeds than any previous Epson model, and offer nearly three times the photo print speeds of comparable HP models.(1) The new Epson Ultra Hi-Definition product line is engineered to set a new standard in the ink jet photo printer category, providing print quality and longevity that is superior to lab photos.
"We’re very confident that consumers will love the benefits of Epson Ultra Hi-Definition printing technology," said Steve Semos, product manager, Epson. "These new photo printers and all-in-one can not only blaze through photos and everyday prints at amazing speeds, but more importantly deliver stunning photo quality with richness, depth and clarity, unparalleled to any other consumer printer. With a variety of user-friendly features, including automatic photo correction, direct printing onto ink jet printable CDs and DVDs, and the ability to print photos directly from memory cards, digital cameras and cell phones, the new signature Ultra Hi-Definition product line enables photo enthusiasts to unleash their creativity with the best home printing technology available today."
The new Ultra Hi-Definition photo printers introduce a newly designed professional MicroPiezo® print head with DX5 technology — the key component of the new product line — providing superior photo print speeds and quality. All three Epson models deliver a borderless 4"x6" photo in as fast as 13 seconds (draft mode) and a better-than-lab quality borderless 4"x6" photo in as fast as 32 seconds (default photo mode). In addition, the new printers blaze through everyday printing with print speeds up to 30 pages per minute for both black and color(2). The new photo printer line provides the ultimate combination of speed, photo quality and longevity for smudge, scratch, water, and fade resistant prints that can last for up to 200 years in an album or 98 years under display conditions(3).
More About Epson MicroPiezo Technology
Epson’s exclusive MicroPiezo technology is renowned for the unique benefits it provides in Epson’s full line of high-performance ink jet printers, helping Epson earn the reputation as the brand overwhelmingly preferred by professional photographers. In addition, a range of leading commercial and industrial companies across the globe are delivering innovative photo lab printing, digital printing and textile printing products and services utilizing Epson’s advanced MicroPiezo printing technology. All of Epson’s ink jet printers use a permanent print head, offering unmatched durability, flexibility and performance to meet a range of printing needs. Epson’s new Ultra Hi-Definition photo printers feature the latest generation of MicroPiezo technology, delivering extreme nozzle efficiency, precise firing accuracy and variable-sized ink droplet placement (five sizes of ink droplets, as small as 1.5 picoliters) for output quality and performance that is superior to models from other manufacturers that use thermal print head technology.
More About Epson Ultra Hi-Definition Photo Printers
The Epson Stylus Photo R260, R380 and RX580 offer many new and innovative features to provide consumers with an advanced printing system right at home, including automatic photo correction(4), which automatically adjusts improperly lit photos and corrects skin tones for better-looking prints, and Claria ink, for the ultimate combination of photo quality and longevity. All three models feature a front-positioned PictBridge™ port for direct photo printing from PictBridge-enabled digital cameras and phones, deliver beautiful BorderFree® photos from 4"x6" to letter-size, and print directly on ink jet printable CDs and DVDs without messy labels. Additional features for each of the products include:

• Epson Stylus Photo R260 photo printer: The entry-level photo printer in the new Ultra Hi-Definition product line offering outstanding print quality, new Claria ink with individual ink cartridges, and CD/DVD printing for a remarkably low price; available for $129.99 estimated street price
• Epson Stylus Photo R380 photo printer: The step-up from the Epson Stylus Photo R260, offering the same Ultra Hi-Definition quality and versatility, plus a robust set of PC-free photo printing capabilities, including a high-quality 3.5-inch color LCD, built-in memory card slots, convenient standalone features, and direct photo printing from video clips; available for $199.99 estimated street price
• Epson Stylus Photo RX580 all-in-one: Rounding out the Ultra Hi-Definition product line, offering full-featured scanning, printing and copying, as well as color restoration for faded photos and the ability to create customized photo greeting cards without a computer; the all-in-one also features a built-in 2.5-inch color LCD for viewing, selecting and editing images, and prints directly from popular media cards and Flash memory drives or digital cameras and cell phones via PictBridge connection or optional Bluetooth; available for $199.99 estimated street price

Availability
All Ultra Hi-Definition printers are both Windows and Macintosh compatible and are available at major computer and electronics superstores and can be purchased through mail order, the Internet and Epson’s own retail site, https://www.epsonstore.com/. The models are backed by the one-year Epson Limited Warranty and are supported by the EPSON Connection(SM), a customer support and technical assistance line. For more information about Epson and its products, call 1-800-GO-EPSON (1-800-463-7766) or visit https://www.epson.com/.
About Epson America, Inc.
Epson offers an extensive array of award-winning image capture and image output products for the consumer, business, photography, and graphic arts markets. The company is also a leading supplier of value-added point-of-sale (POS) printers and transaction terminals for the retail market. Founded in 1975, Epson America, Inc. is the U.S. affiliate of Japan-based Seiko Epson Corporation, a global manufacturer and supplier of high-quality technology products that meet customer demands for increased functionality, compactness, systems integration, and energy efficiency. Epson America, Inc. is headquartered in Long Beach, Calif.

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(1) Tests included the HP PhotoSmart D7160/ D7360 and Ultra Hi-Definition Epson Stylus Photo R260, R380 and R580, printing 4×6 color photos in default mode. Print speeds measured for the HP models were as fast as 88 seconds, while speeds for the Epson Ultra Hi-Definition models were as fast as 32 seconds. Speeds are based on printing a color photo (ISO image) using comparable papers and settings. Epson speed is based on Photo Mode on Premium Photo Paper Glossy. HP speed is based on HP’s "Printing Shortcuts" driver setting of "Photo Printing Borderless" using driver defaults on HP Premium Plus Photo Paper. All times were measured from start of paper feed, and fractional times were rounded up to whole seconds. Tests conducted by Torrey Pines Research in September, 2006.
(2) Pages per minute speed measured after first page, based on black text and color text patterns in Draft Mode on plain paper. Color photo in indicated mode on Premium Photo Paper Glossy measured from start of paper feed. Additional print time will vary based on system configuration, software application and page complexity. See https://www.epson.com/printspeed for more information about print speed.
(3) Print permanence ratings are based on accelerated testing of prints on specialty media, displayed indoors under glass or UV filter or stored in archival sleeves in album storage. Actual print stability will vary according to media, printed image, display conditions, light intensity, humidity, and atmospheric conditions. Epson does not guarantee longevity of prints. For maximum print life, display all prints under glass or UV filter or properly store them. See https://www.wilhelm-research.com/ for the latest information.
(4) Not available when printing using Mac OS X.