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.

Epson’s Variable-sized Droplet Technology and MicroPiezo(tm) print head ensure that this printer provides outstanding photographic reproduction at fast speeds to satisfy the most demanding photographers.  The UltraChrome Hi-Gloss pigment ink has also been designed for unsurpassed print permanence in an A3 photo printer, with a lightfastness estimated* at over 80 years for glossy papers and over 100 years on matte medias; a flexibility and durability that truly rivals silver halide.

The Epson Stylus Photo R1800 is compatible with a wide range of Epson media, including Epson Premium Glossy Paper, Epson Photo Paper, Epson Archival Matte Paper, Epson Enhanced Matte Paper and Epson Water Color Radiant White.  It also prints onto roll media and ink jet printable CD/DVDs, making the Epson Stylus Photo R1800 one of the most versatile A3 printers on the market.

Richard Baylis, Sales and Marketing Manager, Consumer Products, Epson UK, says, “The Epson Stylus Photo R1800 breaks new ground in photo printing for the most demanding photo enthusiasts and semi-professional photographers, who need the freedom to print a wide range of formats for portfolios, display, and photographic exhibitions without sacrificing quality. The A3 printing capabilities, combined with Epson UltraChrome Hi-Gloss ink, delivers prints that can even exceed the quality you would get from a professional photo lab.”

Epson Stylus Photo R1800 features summary:
* Product availability April 2005
* Epson UltraChrome Hi-Gloss ink for outstanding photo quality and durability
* Borderless printing at a resolution up to 5760 x 1440 optimised dpi for outstanding photos
* 10 x 8 photos with borders at 1440 x 720 dpi in 66 seconds
* Capture the finest photo detail with 1.5pl inks droplets
* Eight individual cartridges for maximum cost efficiency
* Produce professional looking CDs and DVDs
* Advanced connectivity with USB 2.0 Hi-Speed and IEEE 1394 (FireWire)
* Bundled with sophisticated photo software including Epson RAW Print for fast, easy processing and printing of camera RAW files
* Stylus Photo R1800 RRP #399.99 inc Vat (guide price at time of announcement)

*Under fluorescent light (indoor display condition) with glass mount.
For use with EPSON Premium Glossy Photo Paper & EPSON Archival Matte Paper
The data is calculated by EPSON’s accelerated test and it does not mean EPSON guaranteed periods. The estimated longevity does not indicate the colour changing and the durability of the paper itself.  Lightfastness rating may vary depending on papers. 

Epson USA Press Release

New Epson stylus® photo r1800 printer PRODUCES 13-inch-wide glossy and Matte photos for DIGITAL photographers THAT CAN LAST 100-200 years*

LONG BEACH, Calif. – Feb. 14, 2005 – Introducing the latest ground-breaking digital photography product from Epson, designed to become “the” printer of choice for photographers seeking the best image and archival quality for both glossy and matte photos.  The Epson Stylus Photo R1800 offers digital artists a wide selection of photo printing features, extremely fast print speeds and a high level of enduring image quality up to 200 years* that will advance their photographic skills and creativity to new levels.

Based on the award-winning letter-size-format Epson Stylus Photo R800, the Epson Stylus Photo R1800 takes advantage of the same Epson UltraChrome Hi-Gloss™ eight-color pigment inks and is capable of making photo quality prints up to 13 inches wide and 44 inches long.  This is Epson’s fastest photo printer to date, capable of printing an 11”x14” color image in less than two minutes**.  Never before has there been a 13-inch-wide format archival printer offered as low as $549 (manufacturer suggested retail price).

“The explosive popularity of digital photography in recent years is giving birth to a whole new generation of digital photographers and artists with discerning tastes and complex media needs,” said Patrick Chen, product manager, photo imaging, Epson America.  “The Epson Stylus Photo R1800 addresses these customers by giving them the ability to quickly print stunning images on either glossy or matte surfaces in a wide variety of sizes that will resist fading for as long as one to two centuries.”

The Epson UltraChrome Hi-Gloss ink set is a unique eight-cartridge system designed specifically for professional and advanced amateur photographers and digital artists who seek superior image quality, fade-resistance, and flexibility.  Advancing beyond the traditional combination of cyan, magenta, yellow and black inks, the Epson UltraChrome Hi-Gloss ink set adds red and blue inks that expand the color gamut of these primary colors.  Using an eight-channel print head, the Epson Stylus Photo R1800 conveniently contains a Gloss Optimizer as well as both the Photo Black and Matte Black ink cartridges in the printer at all times, avoiding the need to swap cartridges.  The printer driver automatically determines which black ink to use based on the paper type selected.

About the EPSON Stylus Photo R1800
The EPSON Stylus Photo R1800 takes advantage of Epson’s Advanced Micro Piezo® ink jet technology to achieve a 1.5-picoliter ink droplet (the smallest dot size in the industry) and resolutions up to 5760 x 1440 optimized dpi.

With Epson’s patented, true BorderFree® photo printing technology, the Epson Stylus Photo R1800 is able to produce prints in a variety of frame-ready and portfolio-ready photo paper sizes.  Customers can print their photos (without having to trim the borders or tear off perforations) in seven sizes: 4”x6”, 5”x7”, 8”x10”, 8.5” x 11” (letter), 11”x14”, 12”x12” and 13”x19”.  Users can also print on 4-inch, 8.3-inch and 13-inch widths of photographic roll media.

Additional Values
The printer comes with Epson Print CD Software, Print Image Matching® Plug-in for Adobe® Photoshop® and three filters from Nik Color Efex Pro™ 2.0, which operate on both PC and Macintosh® platforms.  Epson RAW Print is also included for easy printing of RAW format image files.  Supported by Windows® 2000 and XP, Epson RAW Print works with the following cameras: Epson RD-1, Nikon® D70 and Canon® EOS Rebel.  Color management solutions include premium ICC color profiles, X-Rite® Complete Guide to Color Management, and an exclusive offer by X-Rite for Monaco™ EZ Color.

The EPSON Stylus Photo R1800 supports Windows 2000 and XP and Mac® OS X 10.2.4 or higher with both Hi-Speed USB 2.0 and FireWire® (IEEE 1394) ports. 

Media Choices with the EPSON Stylus Photo R1800
Epson offers a wide variety of papers for use with the Epson Stylus Photo R1800 including the following Epson-branded media: Premium Glossy Photo Paper, Premium Semigloss Photo Paper, Premium Luster Photo Paper, Enhanced Matte Paper, Watercolor Paper Radiant White, Velvet Fine Art, PremierArt Matte Scrapbook Photo Paper for Epson, Matte Paper-Heavyweight, Double-Sided Matte Paper, Photo Quality Ink Jet Paper and Premium Bright White Paper.

The Epson Stylus Photo R1800 raises the bar on long-lasting photos by supporting a wide selection of media types and sizes of borderless Epson archival media.  The printer’s output can resist fading up to 200 years* on Epson’s Watercolor Paper Radiant White, and up to 300 years* on Epson Premium Glossy Photo Paper when kept in “dark storage” environments such as in photo albums.  In addition, the rating for Epson UltraChrome Hi Gloss ink on Epson Premium Glossy Photo Paper has recently been updated to 104 years* in normal lighting conditions.

Direct CD/DVD Printing
The Epson Stylus Photo R1800 is the first 13-inch-wide format printer in the U.S. capable of printing directly onto inkjet printable CDs or DVDs.  Users simply place these disks in a tray that slides through the printer’s front-loading CD tray and path.  This capability is only offered by Epson and can be found on other printers such as the Epson Stylus Photo R200, R300/R300M, R320 and R800.  Users can create their own CD or DVD designs, or utilize colorful backgrounds and images with the included Epson Print CD software. 

Pricing, Support and Availability
The Epson Stylus Photo R1800 will be available in March 2005for an estimated street price of $549 through direct market resellers, specialty photo stores, computer superstores, on-line retailers, and Epson’s retail Web site (www.epsonstore.com).  The printer is backed by the one-year EPSON Exchange Warranty and is supported by the EPSON Connection, a customer support technical assistance line.

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 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.

Note: Specifications subject to change.  Epson UltraChrome Hi-Gloss is a trademark and Epson, Epson Stylus, Print Image Matching and Micro Piezo are registered trademarks of Seiko Epson Corporation. BorderFree is a registered trademark of Epson America, Inc. Third party brand or product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holder.

*Lightfastness rating of 104 years with Epson Premium Glossy Photo Paper, and 200 years with Epson Watercolor Paper Radiant White, based on accelerated testing of prints displayed indoors, framed under glass. The 300-year rating on Epson Premium Glossy Photo Paper is based on accelerated testing in dark storage.  See www.wilhelm-research.com for test details and information on other Epson papers. Actual print stability will vary according to 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 properly store them.

** Color photo speed is in Photo mode on Premium Glossy Photo Paper. Additional processing time will vary based on system configuration, software application and page complexity.