Epson Press Release 30/07/04

Epson Introduces PRINT Image Matching III for Improved Digital Images

- TOKYO, Japan, July 30, 2004 -

Seiko Epson Corporation (“Epson”) today announced that it has developed PRINT Image Matching III, advanced technology that provides users of digital cameras an easy way to consistently produce the best quality prints, prints that accurately reflect the photographer’s intent.

In 2001, Epson developed the introduction of PRINT Image Matching, a technology to help ensure faithful output of the colors captured by digital cameras. Many digital camera manufacturers agreed to support the new technology, and Epson succeeded in driving further expansion of the digital photography market. Over one hundred models of cameras equipped with PRINT Image Matching have arrived on the market, including digital still cameras, digital video cameras, and camera-equipped mobile phones. On the printer side, this technology is supported by all Epson inkjet printers currently on the market (as of July 30, 2004). As digital cameras and camera-equipped mobile phones deliver ever-increasing image quality and resolution, user requirements such as the desire to create attractive, faithful reproductions and prints of their photographs, are growing, as well. To respond to this demand, Epson has developed PRINT Image Matching III, with improved color-correction functionality.

Backward compatible with PRINT Image Matching and PRINT Image Matching II, PRINT Image Matching III offers improved, more advanced color correction functions resulting in more optimal photograph correction than ever before. This capability enables the user to correct for effects such as color seepage in people’s faces and contrast and saturation in landscape scenes, producing more beautiful photographic prints than ever. Also, the newly added monochrome print command enables monochromatic printing with rich gradations.

Going forward, Epson will release PRINT Image Matching III-compatible printers, allowing printing from cameras, video cameras, and cell phone cameras currently supporting PRINT Image Matching.

*The following manufacturers have agreed to support “PRINT Image Matching”:
Casio Computer Co., Ltd.; Konica Minolta Photo Imaging Corporation; Kyocera Corporation; Matsushita Electrical Industrial Co., Ltd.; Mitsubishi Electric Corporation; NEC Corporation; Nikon Corporation; Olympus Corporation; PENTAX Corporation; Ricoh Company, Ltd.; Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.; Sharp Corporation; Sony Corporation; Toshiba Corporation; and, Victor Company of Japan, Limited. (Alphabetical, as of July 30, 2004)