SPECIFICATIONS
Max Width: 13 inches
Roll Paper-Compatible: Yes
Number Of Inks: 9
Monochrome Inks: 4
Ink Type: Pigment
Minimum Droplet Size: 2 picoliters
Dimensions (WxDxH): 24.2x32x16.7 inches (trays extended)
Estimated Street Price: $799
It has been nearly 20 years since Epson debuted their first desktop photo printer, the Epson Stylus Photo, in 1996. In the time since, the venerable Stylus Photo series has introduced numerous technological innovations, elevating the digital print from novelty to the pinnacle of fine art. We won’t speculate on the future of the Stylus Photo brand, but the newest Epson photo printer aimed at professionals and enthusiasts departs from it, taking the name SureColor, which was previously reserved for large-format commercial-grade printers.
Though the name is different, the SureColor P600 isn’t a dramatic departure from popular photo printers like the Stylus Photo R2880 and R3000. Like those models, it can print images up to 13 inches wide, with the option to use roll paper for panoramas, now up to 129 inches long. New in this model, however, is the addition of a front-loading paper path for borderless photos up to 13×19 inches.
The SureColor P600 uses a new UltraChrome HD pigment-based inkset, with nine colors in total—four black and five color—although, in actual use, only eight inks are employed at one time. The printer automatically switches between two of the blacks, Photo Black and Matte Black, for optimal results with the paper type you’ve selected. UltraChrome HD utilizes newly developed core pigments, including a new Photo Black pigment 1.5 times denser than previous-generation inks. This improved black density delivers higher dynamic range, contrast and apparent sharpness, making this an excellent printer choice for black-and-white prints.
Also introduced with the SureColor P600 is Epson Print Layout software as an optional download. This application (currently in beta) enables users to automatically preview images prior to printing and consolidates printer settings, such as paper selection, layout and color management in a streamlined workflow. Contact: Epson, www.epson.com/p600.
