HP Designjet 90 Printer series is announced today. The HP Designjet 90 printer is a six-color, A2+/C+-sized printer with resolution up to 2400 dpi and a 4 picolitre drop-size. There is an estimated U.S. street price of $995 for the HP Designjet 90 and $1,150 for the HP Designjet 90r. The HP Designjet 90 Printer series will be available for purchase in early Summer 2005 in North America.

HP Press Release

New High Productivity Printer for Professional Photographers and Graphic Designers Offering Superior Image Quality, Fade Resistance(1) and Ease of Use

Overview
The HP Designjet 90 Printer series is a new six-color, A2+/C+-size solution that delivers premium image quality and color fidelity at up to twice the speed of comparably priced printers. An ideal solution for creative professionals in design, proofing, and photography, the HP Designjet 90 Printer series can easily print postcard-size images, full-color pages, or banner-style pieces with a C+-size tray and optional roll-feed capability up to 18-inches. The 16 x 20 in. print size is particularly beneficial to professional photographers as it enables them to offer more value to their customers including photo enlargements and gallery prints—without having to outsource work to photo labs.

HP Photosmart 8750 professional photo printer is introduced today. The Photosmart 8750 produces nine-ink prints up to 13 x 19-inches and offers print life up to 108 years. The HP Photosmart 8750 has an estimated U.S. street price of $499 and is expected to be available for purchase April 2005 in North America.

HP Press Release

Overview
The HP Photosmart 8750 Professional Photo Printer is designed for the professional, fine art, portrait and serious amateur photographer who wants finished, professional-quality photos to sell, exhibit or admire for generations.(1) The HP Photosmart 8750 Professional Photo Printer produces nine-ink prints up to 13 x 19-inches with color management tools and remarkable printer flexibility to produce realistic color and true black-and-white photos with neutral grays.

Canon SELPHY CP600 Compact Photo Printer has been introduced. The SELPHY CP600 is battery-powered and incorporates Canon’s DIGIC II image processing engine. The dye sublimation CP600 offers 100 years light fastness and supports 100 x 150mm, credit card size, mini-stickers and 100mm x 200mm wide media. The Canon SELPHY CP 600 will be available from early April 2005 for £199.

Canon UK Press Release

Mobile SELPHY CP600 Compact Photo Printer first to incorporate DIGIC II

Canon, leader in photographic and imaging technology, is pleased to announce the launch of the battery-powered SELPHY CP600 Compact Photo Printer. The new flagship to the SELPHY range offers 69 second portable photo prints direct from any PictBridge compatible digital camera or digital video camera via USB connection. When connected to Canon’s latest Digital IXUS cameras, print times decrease to just 63 seconds.

Canon PIXMA MP760 Multifunction Photo Centre is a new multifunctional printer which includes a Film Adapter Unit for 35mm film scanning, plus a a 2.5 inch colour LCD screen. The photo printer on the MP760 offers 4800 x 1200 dpi and 2 picolitre ink droplets. The PIXMA MP760 will be available from March 2005 for £299.

Canon UK Press Release

Film-capable PIXMA MP760 Multifunction Photo Centre tops Canon range

Canon, leader in photographic and imaging technology, is pleased to announce the launch of the PIXMA MP760: Canon’s first high-end inkjet multifunctional product (MFP) to feature a Film Adapter Unit for 35mm film scanning. Designed as a comprehensive platform for photo printing from both digital and analogue sources, the device is Canon’s first MFP to feature a 2.5” colour LCD screen and simple user interface for quick image previews, adjustment and printing without a PC.

Auspiciousdragon.net have just punlished a detailed review of ColorByte’s ImagePrint RIP software for Epson printers.

“Then I stumbled across ImagePrint somewhere on the web. A UK retailer was offering to ship demonstration copies (fully functional but with the word “demo” across the centre of prints) which reduced the risk. It took just a few colour and then mono prints to convince me. The whole problem of colour management had gone. I got what I saw on the screen. The whole problem of gray neutrality had gone. Monochrome prints were perfectly neutral without me having to do anything other than push the print button. The whole problem of monochrome prints appearing to be different colours in different lights was reduced to nitpicking proportions (yes, in extreme cases you can produce a shift but you have to really try. In all normal viewing conditions there is no shift).”

http://www.auspiciousdragon.net/Photography/Articles/photoarticle%23003.html

Epson Stylus Photo R1800 has been announced today by Epson UK. The R1800 is an A3 version of the Epson Stylus Photo R800 that I reviewed last year, featuring the same 8 colour UltraChrome Hi-Gloss inks and 1.5 picoliter droplet size. The Stylus Photo R1800 will retail in the UK for £399.99 inc Vat and $549.99 in the USA. As the older Epson Stylus Photo 2100 currently costs over £400, this sounds like a bargain to me (especially as I paid over £500 for the Epson 2100 in early 2004!).

Epson UK Press Release

EPSON(r) introduces new bench-mark A3 photo printer for photo enthusiasts and semi professional photographers

The Epson Stylus Photo R1800 photo printer, the latest addition to Epson’s photo printer portfolio, is designed to meet the needs of the most demanding photo enthusiasts and semi-professional photographers.

February 2005 - Epson announces the launch of the Stylus Photo R1800 printer. Available from April 2005, it is to feature many of the award-winning capabilities of the successful Epson Stylus Photo R800.  The Epson Stylus Photo R1800 now delivers border-free printing up to an A3 format, enabling photo enthusiasts and semi-professional photographers to print images large enough for photographic exhibitions.

The Epson Stylus Photo R1800 delivers unsurpassed print performance in an A3 photo printer. High definition images are achieved through Epson’s UltraChrome(tm) Hi-Gloss pigment ink, which is delivered in 1.5 picolitre (pl) droplets to capture the finest details.  It includes Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Blue, Red, Photo Black, Matte Black and Gloss Optimizer Technology. The inclusion of red and blue ink increases the colour gamut and colour space, primarily making it closer (and in some areas wider) than Silver Halide, essential for photographers requiring premium colour reproduction.  The Gloss Optimizer provides a smooth gloss finish to prints for exceptional premium glossy and semi-gloss prints.

DIWA member and Danish website Digital Magasinet have published a review of the new Canon BubbleJet i9950 printer.

Website: Digital Magasinet - Canon BubbleJet i9950 Review

Epson Stylus Photo R1800 has been announced by Epson America, according to a news item over at Imaging Resource. The R1800 is an A3 version of the Epson Stylus Photo R800 that I reviewed in July last year, featuring the same 8 colour UltraChrome Hi-Gloss inks and 1.5 picoliter droplet size. I concluded my review by saying “Now, if Epson were to bring out an A3 version of the Stylus Photo R800, and I’m sure they will, one day, hopefully, fingers crossed, then that will definitely be the perfect photo printer.” The Stylus Photo R1800 will retail in the USA for $549.

Website: Imaging Resource - Epson announces Stylus Photo R1800

The Epson Stylus Photo RX620 has just been reviewed by BIOS Magazine. Tthe Stylus Photo RX620 is an all-in-one inkjet multifunction printer featuring a 2400X4800 dpi flatbed scanner, 2.5 inch preview monitor, integrated memory card reader, 6 individual ink cartridges and up 5760dpi print resolution. The Epson Stylus Photo RX620 can also back up data directly from CD-R/Zip drives via its USB port. The RX620 will cost £199 RRP inc VAT.

“Epson’s Photo RX620 (456x439x299mm, 10kg) is a robust and high performing all-in-one photo centre for photo enthusiasts. Placing the emphasis on high resolution printing and scanning, the Stylus Photo RX620 all-in-one offers a complete solution for home photo users working from both digital and analogue photo sources, but will be especially appreciated by those who have a portfolio of film-based images. It’s not the fastest printer on the block, but its results are definitely worth the wait. The Stylus Photo RX620 is an outstanding value-for-money offering for discerning photographers.”

Website: BIOS Magazine - Epson Stylus Photo RX620 Review

Check the Latest Prices for the Epson Stylus Photo RX620

Write a Review of the Epson Stylus Photo RX620

Fujifilm Digital Mobile Printer MP-70 is to be unveiled at PMA 2005. The MP-70 is specifically designed for printing credit sized photos from infrared enabled camera-phones at 254dpi. A small adapter can also be fitted to the Digital Mobile Printer MP-70 to connect it to a PictBridge-compatible digital camera.

Fujifilm USA Press Release

FUJIFILM UNVEILS PORTABLE, WIRELESS CAMPHONE PRINTER

Palm-Sized Printer Enables New Markets, Consumer Applications

Valhalla, NY, February 8, 2005 - Fuji Photo Film U.S.A., Inc. today announced the next step in printing solutions for today’s digital imaging generation. The new Fujifilm Digital Mobile Printer MP-70 - the first portable, handheld wireless printer specifically designed for the accelerating US camera phone market - creates a credit card sized, photo from an infrared enabled camera phone in about 20 seconds.

“The digital camera market exploded before the infrastructure to provide simple, quick prints was ready,” noted Bill Drysdale, Vice President, Marketing, Digital Devices Division, Fujifilm Imaging Group. “We’re taking steps to make sure that when the next generation of high-resolution camera phones reach mass market levels, the industry is already there.”

Fujifilm introduce Fujicolor Crystal Archive Paper Type II, a new silver halide colour paper for digital photo labs. Crystal Archive Type II replaces the popular Fujicolor Crystal Archive Paper Type One, making improvements such as more vivid color reproduction and brilliant whites.

Fujifilm USA Press Release

FUJIFILM INTRODUCES FUJICOLOR CRYSTAL ARCHIVE PAPER TYPE II

More Vivid Color Reproduction, More Brilliant Whites, Improved Highlight Detail and Image Stability

Valhalla, NY, February 8, 2005 - Fuji Photo Film U.S.A., Inc., a leading provider of imaging products and services, will debut the newest evolution in its renowned and trusted Crystal Archive Paper brand at the PMA 2005 Annual Convention and Trade Show in Orlando, FL with the introduction of Fujicolor Crystal Archive Paper Type II.

This new RA-4 silver halide color paper is designed to produce high-quality color prints, optimized for digital printers. In addition to the many superb features of the predecessor—Fujicolor Crystal Archive Paper Type One, Fujicolor Crystal Archive Type II incorporates a new silver halide emulsion technology, coupler technology and layer design technology to deliver enhanced color reproduction, white purity, image stability and processing tolerance. When used in conjunction with the newly developed Frontier 550/570 Digital Lab System, it allows for Prints in Minutes performance—super-fast processing, which results in a dramatic improvement in productivity.

Epson Stylus Photo RX620 announced: the Stylus Photo RX620 is an all-in-one inkjet multifunction printer featuring a 2400X4800 dpi flatbed scanner, 2.5 inch preview monitor, integrated memory card reader, 6 individual ink cartridges and up 5760dpi print resolution. The Epson Stylus Photo RX620 can also back up data directly from CD-R/Zip drives via its USB port. The RX620 will cost £199 RRP inc VAT.

Epson UK Press Release

EPSON® launches a standalone all-in-one home photo centre to meet the requirements of photo enthusiasts

Placing the emphasis on high resolution printing and scanning, the Epson Stylus Photo RX620 all-in-one offers a complete no-compromise solution for home photo users working from both digital and analogue photo sources.

4th February 2005 - Epson announces the latest addition to its all-in-one printer series, the Epson Stylus Photo RX620. The Epson Stylus Photo RX620 sports an array of features to meet the demands of photo enthusiasts who need to scan, print and store new and old images, making it the most versatile and easy to use all-in-one photo printer on the market.

The Epson Stylus Photo RX620 makes it easy to retrieve the photos you want from all of your photo archives. Using the 2400X4800 dpi MatrixCCD scanner, you can produce high-quality copies of photos, whilst the unique direct print function quickly produces photos directly from old negative film sources.

Globetechnology have just reviewed the new HP Photosmart 375 compact photo printer.

“Regardless of price — and keep in mind that the per-print cost mentioned above doesn’t include the unit’s $250 price tag — there is something appealing about being able print a nice looking picture whenever and wherever you like. The HP Photosmart 375 is a nearly ideal fit for amateur photographers on the go who don’t mind shelling out a few extra bucks in order to see hard copies of their pictures immediately.”

Thanks to Sanj for the link.

Website: Globetechnology - HP Photosmart 375 Compact Photo Printer Review

Check the Latest Prices for the HP Photosmart 375 Printer

DIWA member and Czech website FotoAparat.cz have posted their review of the new HP Photosmart 8450 printer.

Website: FotoAparat.cz - HP Photosmart 8450 Printer Review

PCWorld have asked if an all-in-one printer can match the quality of a dedicated photo printer, comparing Canon’s Pixma MP780 Photo All-In-One and the Pixma iP4000 photo printer (pictured).

“To check the status quo, I printed a few glossy photos on a recently released Canon MFP and on a Canon photo printer: Canon’s Pixma MP780 Photo All-In-One came out in September and costs $300; Canon’s Pixma iP4000 photo printer, which we reviewed in November, costs $150.

The MP780 uses the same inks as the iP4000 dedicated photo printer; and, like that printer, it has 1856 nozzles in its print head and can print droplets as small as 2 picoliters. So you might expect its photos to look as good as those from the iP4000. The good news is, you’d be mostly right.”

Website: PCWorld - Should You Buy a Multifunction Printer for Photos?

PCMagazine have reviewed the Canon PIXMA iP6000D, a new six colour, 4800 x 1200 dpi printer with 2-picolitre nozzles, card slots for all popular brands of memory card and a 2.5” colour LCD screen.

“As a rule of thumb, a higher model number in a printer line means more speed, better quality, more capability—and a higher price. Not so with the Canon Pixma iP6000D Photo Printer ($179.99 direct). Priced $20 lower than the iP5000, the iP6000D is far slower for business applications and offers slightly lower output quality for text and graphics. It’s slightly faster for photos, however, and offers essentially the same photo quality. It also adds a 2.5-inch LCD for previewing photos before printing. All of this makes it a printer of interest mainly for those primarily concerned with printing photos.”

Website: PCMagazine - Canon PIXMA iP6000D Review

Check the Latest Prices for the Canon PIXMA iP6000D

Write a Review of the Canon PIXMA iP6000D

CameraTown has just reviewed the Signature Z1 CD/DVD Printer, a compact and affordable desktop printer that prints directly onto CD-Rs and DVD+/-Rs with tough, waterproof thermal transfer ink.

“If you are tired of spending 20 to 30 minutes designing a full-color, photo-quality sticky label for your discs, tired of bubbles or peeling that often plague sticky labels, and would prefer to be able to print directly onto standard media - without fear of smudging or fading - then I reccommend you consider getting the Primera Signature Z1. While it is not inexpensive, it just might be an expense you can justify.”

Website: CameraTown - Signature Z1 CD/DVD Printer Review

PCMagazine have posted a review of the Epson Stylus CX4600 all-in-one printer/scanner/copier.

“The Epson Stylus CX4600 ($129.99 direct) comes up short on speed and on AIO niceties, with no ADF and no fax features other than a scan-to-fax option, which assumes you have a separate fax modem and fax program. For those who care about output quality, however, it makes up for these shortcomings with great-looking text, graphics, and photos. Like Epson’s inexpensive C66 printer, it offers among the best overall output that you’ll find in any ink jet, regardless of price.”

Website: PCMagazine - Epson Stylus CX4600 Review

DIWA member and Danish website Digital Magasinet have just reviewed the Hi-Touch 640PS Photo Printer. This dye-sublimation printer features stand-alone, direct printing of 6x4 inch lab-quality photos at an increased 403dpi (equivalent to inkjet 6400dpi) in only 75 seconds.

Website: Digital Magasinet - Hi-Touch 640PS Photo Printer Review

Pentax have unveiled the Pocket Jet 3 Series of mobile printers, with 300dpi printing available on the PocketJet 3 Plus model. Measuring just 10.04 inches wide and weighing less than one pound, the new series of printers will offer high quality text and graphics, rather than photo quality prints. The printers can accommodate letter, legal, or A4 width paper.

Pentax USA Press Release

January 24, 2005

PENTAX EXPANDS MOBILITY PRINTER LINE WITH POCKETJET 3 SERIES:

Latest Mobile Printers Feature Usability and Functionality Enhancements

Golden, CO. (January 24, 2005)…PENTAX Imaging Company, a leading worldwide provider of rugged mobile printers, has introduced the PocketJet 3 and 3 Plus portable printers to its product line. With more than ten years of mobile printing market expertise, PENTAX designed the PocketJet 3 family of printers to support mobile professionals who require highly reliable devices in rugged environmental settings such as sales automation, field service, public safety, utilities, insurance, federal, military as well as business travel.