Printer News

Epson continued to “think big” this morning while debuting a new 64-inch SureColor P20000 photo printer. Yes, you read that right: it’s a 64-inch photo printer! The Epson SureColor P20000 is the successor to the Epson Stylus Pro 11880, which came out eight years ago.

The Epson SureColor P20000 features a revamped PrecisionCore MicroTFP print head, a newly developed media feeding system, and a new Epson UltraChrome PRO nine-color pigment ink system that features four-level gray technology. While Epson seems to be aiming the 64-inch printer at the photo retail and print shop market, we suspect there will a number of photographers interested in this behemoth for making impressive, jumbo-sized prints for their next gallery show.

The Epson SureColor P20000’s new 10-channel PrecisionCore MicroTFP print head is designed to deliver output speeds that Epson says are 2.8 times faster than previous Epson models. The PrecisionCore MicroTFP print head measures 2.64-inches and prints at resolutions of up to 2,400 x 1,200 dpi, Epson said.

Epson UltraChrome PRO is the first pigment ink set to feature four levels of gray ink technology, including Gray, Light Gray, Dark Gray, and Black pigments to provide smoother transitions with less visible noise and reduced bronzing for superior grayscale output, Epson said. In addition, the SureColor P20000 uses improved Resin Encapsulation Technology for output with better gloss uniformity, and improved overall contrast ratio and clarity.

Epson’s announcement of the P20000, which is scheduled to start shipping at the end of March 2016 for $11,995, follows the company’s launch last fall of new 24-inch and 44-inch large format photo printers in Epson’s SureColor P-Series line.

Here’s a rundown of all the key new features in Epson’s 64-inch P20000 printer.

- Epson PrecisionCore MicroTFP Print Head Technology: Ten-channel print head supports variable size ink droplet technology as small as 3.5 picoliters. New enhancements include Nozzle Verification Technology and automatic nozzle cleaning without the use of additional media.

- Epson UltraChrome PRO Inks: UltraChrome PRO inks utilize the first four-level gray ink technology to produce better grayscale prints. New Yellow pigment formulation for up to twice the overall print permanence and longevity when compared with previous generation ink set. Individual ink cartridges up to 700 ml.

- Advanced Black & White Printing Technology: Utilizes a four-level black system to optimize black & white print quality and a new screening algorithm for producing professional black & white prints. Dedicated Photo Black and Matte Black channels support automatic real-time black Ink type switching.

- New Advanced Media Feeding System: Featuring all-new CMOS sensors, the SureColor P20000 captures photographs from the back side of the media in real-time and incorporates a pattern recognition algorithm to help ensure accurate and precise media placement. New inductive rollers are designed to automatically load cut sheet media without a skew and protect media from scratches throughout the printing process.

- Advanced Cut Sheet Media Handling: Designed for softer fine art papers, such as the Epson Legacy Paper line, the SureColor P20000 supports accurate cut sheet media loading for 13 x 19 inches up to 64 inches wide. The SureColor P20000 also supports straight-through poster board media up to 1.5mm thick from 17 inches to 64 inches wide. Border Free printing is also supported for a variety of media sizes.

- Internal Print Server: A secure, internal 320GB print server is designed to boost workgroup productivity by quickly transferring print jobs to free-up workstations; adds print queue management, as well as print job save and reprint functionality.

- Optional True Adobe Postscript 3 Hardware Engine: Optional Postscript engine available for $1199.95 enables direct and hot-folder batch printing and support for secure PDF printing; and is fully compatible with the latest Adobe Creative Cloud software suites.

- Optional Auto Take-up Reel System: User-installable and intended for unsupervised production of large print runs with roll-to-roll requirements; available for $1,295.