Epson India introduces first ever 12-color photo inkjet printers

New Epson Surecolor P7530 & P9530 photo and fine art printers

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The new 12-color Epson inkjet fit well in professional photo settings Photo Epson
The new 12-color Epson inkjet fit well in professional photo settings Photo Epson

On 1 October, Epson India announced the launch of two new SureColor P-Series printers – the 24-inch SureColor SC-P7530 and 44-inch SureColor P9530. Designed uniquely to cater to the full spectrum of creative needs, the SureColor SC-P7530 and SC-P9530 deliver extraordinary performance leveraging the all-new UltraChrome PRO12 pigment ink and PrecisionCore MicroTFP printhead technology for exceptional image quality at speeds up to 2.4 times faster than the previous generation. Epson says these printers are excellent for photo, fine art, graphic design, and proofing applications.

These new printers deliver a wide color gamut and capture every detail with amazing color brilliance and accuracy. When combined with the new 2.6-inch PrecisionCore MicroTFP printhead, the SureColor SC-P7530 and SC-P9530 produce outstanding quality prints at speeds up to 2.4 times faster than their predecessors and promote a more productive workflow with dedicated channels for Matte and Photo Black inks.

The Epson 12-color SC-7530 inkjet printer Photo Epson

The printers are complemented by the company’s newly-developed UltraChrome Pro12 inks. In addition to the 12-color ink set, the Epson designed, advanced printheads use up to 800 nozzles for each color, to produce accurate dot placement and eliminate misprints. They combine high-speed production with quality, thanks to the μTFP12 printhead with 300 dpi resolution and 12 channels.

Image outputs benefit from smooth gradations and accurate texture reproduction. Deeper blacks are achieved through black enhancement overcoating technology which results in more striking and dramatic prints.

Professional photographers demand the highest print quality to make their art more marketable to the discerning buyer. The two P-Series models have been developed to print in a wide range of applications for professional photographers, fine art reproduction, packaging, and contract proofers.

Archival and museum-quality prints

The printers are designed keeping in mind those who value true creative freedom and need to print on a wide variety of media. The SC-P7530 and SCP9530 support a variety of media – fine art papers, canvases, photo paper, and more.

Additional features include a sealed roll media door for dustproof design and an integrated LED light to view projects while printing. Versatile media handling supports both roll and cut sheet media and features a new top-loading cut-sheet feeder door and an internal rotary cutter for smoothly cutting most photographic and fine art roll-media types. A new customizable user interface features a 4.3-inch color touchscreen control panel.

“The SureColor SC-P7530 and SC-P9530 are Epson’s most advanced and innovative printers to date and are robustly built by integrating the latest PrecisionCore MicroTFP printhead and ink technologies to deliver printers that will far exceed customer expectations and that can deliver exceptional quality prints,” said LK Vasudevan, general manager, Epson India LFP/IE.

The Epson SC-P9530 12-color inkjet printer Photo Epson
The Epson SC-P9530 12-color inkjet printer Photo Epson

The new Epson printer’s release in India should be of interest to professional photographers and printers who produce fine art and museum-quality prints. Notable features include improved DMAX for a wider contrast ratio with enhanced clarity and increased sharpness on glossy papers, and the print permanence claimed as 200 years for color and 400 years for black and white prints.

Our view

Our view is that photographers and artists have always respected and explored technology seeking new levels of authenticity, vibrance, and ways of reflecting on the reality that they seek to reveal. These two new 12-color printers will surely be examined by them and also by the photo labs that work for them. As is customary, some of them will also seek to purchase the printers depending on their workload, the capital and consumable costs, and the cost of the RIPs needed to drive these printers efficiently.

Epson India responds

The Epson India office in Bengaluru has answered our queries. The printer prices are for the Epson Surecolor P9530: Rs.521,999/- including GST. And for the Epson Surecolor P7530: Rs.325,999/- including GST. The RIP software is an optional item. Epson recommends to its customers to buy any of the following RIPs from the respective distributors in India. These printers are supported by GMG, EFI, CGS, Dinax, Serendipity, ISI, Onyx, Caldera, Ergosoft, Digital Information, Shiraz Software, Dev Studio, and CAD Link RIPs.

In answer to my other worry since I am an Epson inkjet uses for many years, Epson India replies that even if these printers (the Surecolor P9530 and the Surecolor P7530) are not used daily, the printer still manages to keep its head intact. By this, I understand that the inkjets will not clog. Epson adds, “Also for the first time ever, we are providing a print head maintenance kit, which will help customers to maintain the print head condition at an optimum level.” For further information please feel free to contact Epson India.

2023 promises an interesting ride for print in India

Indian Printer and Publisher founded in 1979 is the oldest B2B trade publication in the multi-platform and multi-channel IPPGroup. While the print and packaging industries have been resilient in the past 33 months since the pandemic lockdown of 25 March 2020, the commercial printing and newspaper industries have yet to recover their pre-Covid trajectory.

The fragmented commercial printing industry faces substantial challenges as does the newspaper industry. While digital short-run printing and the signage industry seem to be recovering a bit faster, ultimately their growth will also be moderated by the progress of the overall economy. On the other hand book printing exports are doing well but they too face several supply-chain and logistics challenges.

The price of publication papers including newsprint has been high in the past year while availability is diminished by several mills shutting down their publication paper and newsprint machines in the past four years. Indian paper mills are also exporting many types of paper and have raised prices for Indian printers. To some extent, this has helped in the recovery of the digital printing industry with its on-demand short-run and low-wastage paradigm.

Ultimately digital print and other digital channels will help print grow in a country where we are still far behind in our paper and print consumption and where digital is a leapfrog technology that will only increase the demand for print in the foreseeable future. For instance, there is no alternative to a rise in textbook consumption but this segment will only reach normality in the next financial year beginning on 1 April 2023.

Thus while the new normal is a moving target and many commercial printers look to diversification, we believe that our target audiences may shift and change. Like them, we will also have to adapt with agility to keep up with their business and technical information needs.

Our 2023 media kit is ready, and it is the right time to take stock and reconnect with your potential markets and customers. Print is the glue for the growth of liberal education, new industry, and an emerging economy. We seek your participation in what promises to be an interesting ride.

– Naresh Khanna

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