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August 20, 2007 – Epson USA today announced the release of three new Claria-ink printers. The Epson Stylus Photo R280 is a single-function photo printer that will sell for $99. The Epson Stylus RX595 and RX680 all-in-one printers combine print, copy, and scan for $149 and $199, respectively. All three printers will be available in September at major electronics and computer stores as well as on Epson’s website.
This new group of Epson printers utilizes Claria inks which produce smudge-free prints right out of the printer that can last up to 200 years in an acid-free album. Six individual inks allow for single cartridge replacement. MicroPiezo print heads can do more with less, using fewer nozzles that can spray five different droplet sizes as small as 1.5 picoliters, enhancing detail and color. These models also have Auto Photo Correction in common, including face detection which distinguishes faces from other image data and makes adjustments to create natural skin tones. Other correction tools adjust for washed-out photos and red eye. All three models also feature direct CD/DVD printing onto compatible media. The Stylus Photo R280 photo printer packs all these features in a small design, measuring just 17.7-by-11.1-by-7.4 inches and weighing only 17 pounds. Black text documents print as fast as 38 pages per minute (ppm), while 4-by-6-inch photos print in as quickly as 11 seconds. The R280 supports EXIF print and Epson’s Print Image Matching.
The RX595 all-in-one features the same print speeds as the R280, while the RX680 speeds things up to 40 ppm for documents. Both of these units incorporate copy and scan functions and utilize a 2.5-inch LCD for viewing menus, photos, and even slide shows. In addition to the Auto Photo Correction technologies shared with the R280, these all-in-ones enable users to restore old, faded photos and create photo greeting cards. Photos can be printed from a PC, from memory cards, and from PictBridge-enabled cameras. Scans can be made at 1200 x 2400 dpi and 49-bit color depth via a CIS sensor, while the copy function provides reduction and enlargement capabilities. The RX680 also features two paper paths for printing on two different paper types, and an auto duplexer allows for two-sided printing. The RX680 also adds movie clip printing.