PUBLICATION CENTER

Epson America has announced plans to upgrade the Epson Stylus Pro 3800 to the Epson Stylus Pro 3880. Like the other printers in the x880 series, the 17-in. Stylus Pro 3880 will use Epson UltraChrome K3® with Vivid Magenta ink technology. This eight-color inkset uses Vivid Magenta and Vivid Light Magenta inks to provide more intense blues and violets for an expanded color gamut.

The Epson Stylus Pro 3880 will also feature all-new AccuPhoto HD2 image technology for smoother color transitions and better detail in the highlights and shadows. AccuPhoto HD2 is a complex mathematical architecture and advanced screening technology that Epson developed in collaboration with the Munsell Color Science Laboratory at the Rochester Institute of Technology.

The technology was created to optimize ink usage to maximize the color gamut and provide smooth color transitions and gradations. It also helps make it possible to achieve consistent color under different lighting conditions.

Epson product manager Richard Day points out that the new Stylus Pro 3880 brings together a host of technologies in one of the most compact printer sizes available. Professional photographers and other creative professionals can optimize their working space while producing exhibition-quality color and black-and-white prints up to 17 x 22 in.

The eight-channel, high precision MicroPiezo AMC printhead produces a maximum resolution of 2880 x 1440 dpi and variable-sized droplets as small as 3.5 picoliters. An ink-repellant coating on the printhead is designed to help increase reliability and decrease maintenance. Ink is supplied in nine individual 80-ml ink cartridges.

Like the Epson Stylus Pro 3800, the 3880 can automatically switch between Photo and Matte black inks to produce deep blacks and rich colors on glossy, matte, or fine-art papers.

The 3880 also includes Epson’s Advanced Black and White Photo Mode, with Epson screening and intuitive controls for creating neutral or toned black-and-white prints. You can choose from one of four pre-set modes (neutral, warm, cool, or sepia) and use a color tone wheel for advanced control. Customized settings can be saved and recalled when making reprints.

The printer supports BorderFree™ cut-sheet media handling from 4 x 6 to 17 x 22 in. The high-capacity paper feeder is designed for photographic weight papers, while the top-loading single-sheet feeder is optimized for fine-art media. The front-loading straight-through path can accommodate art board up to 1.5 mm thick.

The printer will sell for about $1,295 for the standard edition. For professionals who plan to use the printer as a proofer for CMYK output, the Epson 3880 will be available in a Graphic Arts Edition that includes a ColorBurst RIP. The Graphic Arts Edition will sell for a MSRP of $1,495.

For more information, visit proimaging.epson.com