Epson Introduces an All-Star Graphics Desktop Printer for Professional Designers and Advanced Digital Image Artists

Business Wire, Feb 12, 2001

Business Editors & High-Tech Writers

ORLANDO, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 12, 2001

EPSON Stylus Pro 5500 Offers Graphics Professionals a Winning

Combination of Long Lasting Images, Higher Resolution, Faster Output

and Unsurpassed Image Quality

It's the most advanced EPSON ink jet printer to date with a winning combination of features engineered to meet the needs of the most demanding professional graphics users.

Epson America Inc. today announced a new 13-inch wide format, high-end ink jet printer -- the EPSON Stylus(R) Pro 5500 -- designed to create exhibit-quality prints and eliminate the costly need for interim analog proofing.

Featuring up to 2880 x 720 dpi resolution, variable-sized three-picoliter droplets and photographic quality output, this new printer provides photographers and digital fine artists the perfect desktop printing solution for creating high resolution images up to 13 inches in width at extremely high speeds and intensely detailed output.

Furthermore, the EPSON Stylus Pro 5500 uses Epson's advanced pigmented inks on a large array of professional photography and proofing media that can resist fading for generations.

"The EPSON Stylus Pro 5500 represents an outstanding investment for graphic artists, professional photographers and other creative professionals who are looking for a cost-effective way to produce photo-lab quality prints that can be sold in addition to giving designers a tool that's perfect for tasks such as comping and pre-press proofing," said Mark Radogna, senior product manager, professional graphics, Epson. "The EPSON Stylus Pro 5500 represents the most technologically advanced printer to ever display the EPSON logo."

One of the Stylus Pro 5500's most advanced features is its high-speed output. In about three and a half minutes, the printer can blast out a high-quality letter size (8.5 x 11-inch) photograph that is superior in image quality to its predecessor the Stylus Pro 5000. The printer can match the quality of a chemistry-based letter size photo in about five and a half minutes and even surpass that level of image quality in approximately 11 minutes (using the highest resolution level).

Epson's award-winning Micro Piezo(R) DX3(TM) print head technology enables the Stylus Pro 5500 to place extremely precise and now variable-sized droplets of ink on a wide array of media for ultra-sharp resolution and high print-to-print consistency.

The printer's innovative six-color, high-capacity, six-cartridge inking system (cyan, magenta, yellow, light cyan, light magenta and black) now uses six heads with 96 nozzles to create intensely detailed photographic output on a wide array of media, while maximizing the efficiency of ink use. The quick-drying ink system also makes it possible to manually handle prints immediately after exiting the printer without the risk of smudging.

EPSON Stylus Pro Archival Ink and Media

As the level of print quality continues to rise for professional graphic artists, so does the need to preserve images against time and the elements. Epson continues to address this issue by equipping the Stylus Pro 5500 with EPSON Archival(TM) Ink technology -- a breakthrough in chemical engineering that enables prints to last for generations without fading or damage caused by light or moisture.

This pigment-based ink system is designed to deliver a color gamut that rivals dye inks and gives users the ability to create heirloom-quality prints on a wider range of media than standard dye-based ink.

Epson is also launching a new line of cut sheet archival media for the Stylus Pro 5500 that includes premium luster paper, glossy photo paper, matte, semi-glossy paper, canvas, water color papers, DuPont/EPSON proofing media and many more.

Cut sheets as wide as 13 inches in width and up to 19 inches in length are easily inserted into the printer's 250-sheet feeder, which can also handle media as thick as 200-pound bond. An optional 250-sheet tray is available to increase the printer's total paper capacity up to 500 sheets.

The EPSON Stylus Pro 5500 uses the latest driver technology, offering compatibility with Macintosh OS 8.5.1 through 9.1, in addition to Microsoft's Windows 95, 98, Me, NT 4.X and 2000 operating systems. A wide selection of printer interfaces includes a USB, parallel and EPSON Type-B expansion slot standard with optional cards available for 10/100 BaseT and FireWire.

EFI Fiery Spark Professional RIP

An optional Fiery Spark Professional RIP (Raster Image Processor) from Electronics for Imaging Inc. (EFI) is also available for the EPSON Stylus Pro 5500. The RIP is designed to help maximize several of the printer's advanced features combined with applications that are engineered around the needs of graphic artists, advertising agencies, fine arts studios and other professionals who create color composites and proofs for press runs.

Fiery Spark Professional also adds the benefits of advanced throughput options, job control, workflow flexibility, easy-to-create high quality graphics and presentations. Additional RIPs for the EPSON Stylus Pro 5500 will also be available from several other third-party manufacturers.