New Epson Stylus Pro 3800 Ink Jet Printer Sets Standards for Excellence in Professional Imaging Quality, Performance and Price

17-Inch Format Printer Features New Print Head with Breakthrough Screening Technology, Auto-Sharing Black Inks and New Sleek, Space-Saving Design for $1,295

LONG BEACH, Calif. – Sept. 25, 2006 – Epson, the overwhelming brand of choice among professional photographers, continues to advance the possibilities of professional imaging with the introduction of the Epson Stylus Pro 3800. Incorporating a compact, 17-inch wide printer design, a new breakthrough screening algorithm and award-winning Epson UltraChrome K3 Ink technology, this printer delivers print quality and longevity unsurpassed by any other inkjet printer. For added productivity, a new auto-sharing black ink technology allows for automatic switching between photo and matte black ink modes to maximize image quality on a wide variety of media types. Available for $1,295 (estimated street price), this sleek and sophisticated printer is engineered to mark another turning point in the history of printing technology for professional photography, graphic design and prepress proofing.

“Throughout my career I’ve constantly pushed the limits of technology in an attempt to reproduce the bold colors that define my work,” said Pete Turner, master colorist and photographer whose photographs have appeared on hundreds of ads, magazines, record album covers, and are in the permanent collections of world-class museums. “Epson’s new Stylus Pro 3800 represents an amazing breakthrough for creative professionals, providing unprecedented control over the entire printing process without any compromises. Combined with Epson’s UltraChrome K3 pigment based ink, my prints have a sense of color and liquidity that I have never been able to get with any previous inkjet printing process.”

More About the Epson Stylus Pro 3800

Designed to exceed all expectations in the area of photographic image quality, the Epson Stylus Pro 3800 incorporates several new technologies and performance advancements for the most discerning professionals, which include:

– New Auto-Sharing Black Ink Technology: Breakthrough print head allows the printer to automatically switch between photo and matte black inks, providing virtually seamless transition times and greater conservation of black inks.

– Epson UltraChrome K3 Ink Technology: Using only eight individual cartridges at a time, Epson UltraChrome K3 inks incorporate high-density color pigments that produce the highest overall color gamut and fidelity among virtually any pigment-based inkjet printer in the industry. A high-gloss Microcrystal Encapsulation™ resin chemistry is also used to create prints with greater scratch resistance and reduced gloss differential.

– Three-Level Black Ink System: In addition to cyan, magenta, yellow, light cyan, and light magenta, Epson UltraChrome K3 features a unique three-level black ink system that simultaneously uses black, light black and light-light black inks to produce professional quality black-and-white prints that rival traditional silver halide. This technology is designed to create professional neutral and toned black and white prints without color crossover, metamerism or bronzing.

– New Screening Technology: Debuting a mathematical breakthrough from Epson, the printer features an entirely new, radical screening algorithm that consistently places droplets precisely, producing smoother tonal transitions and greater detail from highlights to shadows.

– High-Performance Engine Speeds: The extreme precision of the Epson Stylus Pro print engine delivers a 16″x 20″ photo lab-quality print (using 1,440 x 720 dpi – High Speed mode) in as fast as five minutes, 32 seconds – more than 20% faster than the Epson Stylus Pro 4800.[i]

– High-Precision Print Head Technology: The high-performance one-inch wide, eight-channel print head can achieve resolution levels up to 2880 x 1440 dpi with variable-sized ink droplets as small as 3.5 picoliters.

– Flexible Media Handling: Accommodating a variety of media in cut-sheet form between 4″x6″ and 17″x22″, including BorderFree® printing up to 16″x20″, the printer offers three different ways to load media – a high-capacity paper tray (120 sheets), top-loading manual tray optimized for fine art media and a front-loading, straight-through path capable of handling media up to 1.5 mm thick.

– Print Longevity: Prints created with the Epson Stylus Pro 3800 are predicted to resist fading up to 108 years for color prints and more than 200 years for black and white prints on specific Epson papers.[ii]

– New Sleek and Compact Design: Weighing in at only 43 pounds, the Epson Stylus Pro 3800 features a new compact design and narrow depth. Compared to the Epson Stylus Pro 4800, the dimensions and weight are reduced by 30 and 51 percent, respectively.

– Connectivity Flexibility: For added versatility, the Epson Stylus Pro 3800 ships standard with 10/100 BaseT Ethernet and USB 2.0 connectivity.

Since its introduction, Epson UltraChrome K3 ink technology has produced some of the world’s most renowned images from some of the most recognized photographers in the industry. Utilizing advanced new technologies along with Epson UltraChrome K3, the Epson Stylus Pro 3800 is a new benchmark in the world of professional photography. Underscoring Epson’s ongoing commitment to the creative community, the printer comprises new features, design and performance to best meet the needs of today’s most discerning professionals.

“It’s amazing to think that the Epson Stylus Pro 3800 is not only engineered to produce some of the best-looking photographic prints the world has ever seen but does so for a price that’s less than $1,300,” said Mark Radogna, group product manager, Epson Professional Imaging. “Without a doubt, this printer is poised to make a profound impact in the professional imaging community and it won’t take long for creative professionals everywhere to realize that this product represents their next must-have item.”

Availability, Service & Support
The Epson Stylus Pro 3800 will begin shipping in December 2006 and is priced at $1,295 (estimated street price). A Professional Edition will also be available which includes a high-end PostScript® Language Level 3™ compatible RIP by ColorBurst® and is priced at $1,495 (estimated street price). The Epson Stylus Pro 3800 is supported by the standard Epson PreferredSM Limited Warranty. This one-year program includes toll-free advanced telephone access Monday through Friday and usually next-business-day full unit exchange service in the unlikely event of any hardware failure. Optional Epson Preferred Plus Service Plans are also available, offering one or two additional years of protection. For more information on Epson warranties, service programs and products, call 1-800-GO-EPSON (1-800-463-7766) or visit our Web site at www.epson.com.

About Epson
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 alsoa leading supplier of value-added point-of-sale (POS) printers and transactions 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.