NEWS: Epson SureColor P5000 replaces the 4900

Epson SureColor P5000 17" Roll Printer

Ron's Take

This past October I sat down with Epson in New York to get an early preview of the new P5000 in a room filled with amazing images that were made with this printer. My 4900 created some of the best prints I had ever seen up until recently, so I was happy to see that its replacement satisfied my extremely high quality bar.

Instead of spending a lot of time fawning over the printer body, I elected to have a deep technical discussion about the print head, inks and what I could really expect from this new printer.

Head Clogging Problem Solved?

The print quality of the Epson StylusPro 4900 was regarded to be one of the best Epson printers, but it also had a reputation as a printer whose heads clogged easily. The head clogging problem ultimately sent my 4900 to its grave after about 4 years of limited use so I've been a rather harsh critic of the 4900 because of this.

The first question on my mind during my preview of the new P5000 wasn't about print quality - it was about <censored> head problem. During this discussion I was asked not to quote specific figures, but after a lengthy discussion on the topic I felt convinced that Epson definitely understood the problem and had made significant improvements to hopefully eliminate it. Time will tell and it will be something I pay attention to when I get my review unit, but my expectations have been set that this is a problem of the past.

What's in a name?

The release of this printer marks the end of the StylusPro series of printers that many print masters knew and loved.The SureColor printers represent Epson's latest and greatest printing technology for photographers, but the number of digits is actually relevant.

Three digit devices like the P600 and P800 that I tested and loved are geared for desktop users. Most of  my readers fall into this camp and won't need a professional production class printer denoted by four digits as is the case with the P5000, P7000 and P9000 HDX ink based printers.

In the previous generation 3880 users who wanted roll support had to move up to the 4900 or greater, but Epson addressed this problem by offering roll support (albeit without a built-in cutter) with the P800. This is relevant because the P5000, just like its predecessor the 4900, is still a huge and heavy printer (albeit about 30 pounds lighter) that is designed for higher volume use. This means it won't go on your desktop and it's going to work best when used frequently versus the occasional print here and there. 

New Ink Set

The new ink set is supposed to offer improved blacks that yeild a higher DMax, bronzing has been reduced, and with the new violet ink you can accurately reproduce 99% of Pantone colors.

Click here to learn more about the new HDX ink set on the Epson Europe web site and click here to see what Epson US says.

Q&A

Here’s a few questions I had about this printer that Epson provided for me:

• Is WiFi supported? No, an Ethernet network cable or USB 2.0 is still required which Epson claims was done for performance/reliability reasons.  
• Is the annoying printable area issue improved to be more user friendly? Epson claims the Maximize feature I mention in my article has been made more discoverable, but I haven’t seen this UI change yet.
• Is it any faster? No, it performs about like the 4900. 8" x 10" prints from 0:59 to 2:26  (normal is 1:28) and 11" x 14" prints from 1:42 to 4:04 (normal is 2:31)
• Are letter size borderless prints possible? No, here’s the response I got from Epson:

When printing sheet media, the SureColor P5000 requires 3mm margins on all sides. The SureColor P5000’s setting are programed to print borderless on very common, specific photo sizes, including 8x10. However, [it] cannot print 8.5x11 borderless. With roll media, the SureColor P5000 can support borderless widths of 8”, 10”, 11”, 13”, 14”, 16”, 16.5”, and 17” print. Like the Stylus Pro 4900, the  SureColor P5000 does not support Borderless on Sheet media (SC-P800 best choice if that is the primary need), you can make  borderless 8" x 10 " prints by using a 10" wide roll of media and selecting one of the borderless trim modes for the cutter.

Press Release

LONG BEACH, Calif. – Jan. 11, 2017 – Epson is once again setting the benchmark for professional imaging excellence with the introduction of the new 17-Inch Epson^® SureColor^® P5000. Incorporating the latest imaging technologies, the SureColor P5000 resets the standard for the desktop photography, fine art, graphic design, and proofing markets. Leveraging the advanced Epson PrecisionCore^® TFP^® printhead and UltraChome HDX^® 10-color pigment ink set, the SureColor P5000 delivers outstanding output with an increased color gamut, higher-density blacks and twice the print permanence than the previous generation¹. A refined printer design includes improved dust and static control for reduced maintenance and increased durability and reliability.

“The SureColor P5000 is a replacement to the last Epson Stylus^® Pro model still available – the renowned Epson Stylus Pro 4900. The Epson Stylus Pro brand was iconic, and it helped Epson build a pronounced reputation within the photography industry. We have since announced the SureColor product line, which is bringing Epson’s photographic technology to the next level,” said Larry Kaufman, product manager, Professional Imaging, Epson America, Inc. “The SureColor P5000 brings all of the SureColor printing technology into a 17-inch desktop model, providing photographers and graphic designers with the best imaging technology has to offer.”

The SureColor P5000 leverages 200 mL UltraChrome HDX 10-color ink cartridges² utilizing newly developed core pigments, including new Orange and Green inks, as well as Black inks that are 1.5 times denser than the previous generation, delivering a wider contrast ratio and improved resin encapsulation technology for superior gloss uniformity and optically clearer, sharper images. Touting a refined design, the SureColor P5000 supports a 10-channel PrecisionCore TFP printhead that includes a new ink-repellant surface coating, along with improved dust and static control for reduced nozzle clogging and maintenance, and supports printless nozzle checks for time, production and resource efficiency.

The SureColor P5000 can support two different ink configurations. The SureColor P5000 Standard and Designer editions leverage Light Light Black ink for twice the overall print permanence, smooth and neutral tonal transitions and support of the Epson Advanced Black and White print mode, ideal for photography, fine art and graphic design applications. The Commercial Edition includes Violet ink, in place of Light Light Black, for an expanded color gamut, to deliver an industry-best 99 percent PANTONE^® PLUS FORMULA GUIDE solid-coated color matching³, ideal for commercial and flexographic proofing applications.

The SureColor P5000 offers versatile media handling capabilities with auto-switching between the high-capacity front paper cassette and roll media feeder. It includes a power-driven roll media spindle, ideal for producing panoramas and roll printing up to 100-feet, and an internal high-speed single pass rotary cutter. The high-capacity cassette can hold up to 100 sheets of premium paper for high productivity printing on sheets from 8”x10” up to 17”x22”. In addition, the SureColor P5000 features a front feed straight path for delicate fine art sheet media, including poster board, up to 1.5mm thick. Auto-switching between roll and cassette sheet feeding allow both sources to be loaded at the same time.

Additional Epson SureColor P5000 Features:

• Exceptional Print Permanence – Offers next-generation pigment ink technology for up to twice the overall print permanence than previous generation¹

• Remarkable Detail – Epson PrecisionCore TFP printhead delivers high print speeds with 360 nozzles per color channel, with variable-size ink droplets as small as 3.5 picoliters

• Epson Precision Dot Screening Algorithm – Ensures incredibly accurate control of the sizing and mixing of ink droplets for beautiful prints

• Borderless Printing – Four-sided BorderFree^® printing is available at common widths, including 8”, 10”, 11”, 13”, 14”, 16”, 16.5”, and 17”

• Optional SpectroProofer^® UVS – Developed jointly with X-Rite, the in-line spectrophotometer provides automated color management and verification-related tasks for a range of proofing applications. It supports all current illumination standards for UV and UV-Cut measurement and is UV selectable between M0, M1 and M2.

• LCD Control Panel – Full-color 2.7-inch LCD panel allows for easy setup, control and maintenance of the printer

Conclusion

I’ll have more info after I have a chance to review this printer, but in the meantime if you have questions that I haven't covered here or in the press release below then let me know and I'll see what I can find out.

Where to Buy?

CLICK HERE to learn more or order a Epson SureColor P5000 Standard Edition 17" Wide-Format Inkjet Printer at B&H today.

Other articles you may enjoy

If you enjoyed this article, you may also enjoy these:

• Epson SureColor P600 Printer Review
• Epson SureColor P800 Review
• Epson Stylus Pro 3880 Printer Review
• Epson Stylus Pro 4900 Printer Review
• How To: Using Epson’s Advanced B&W Photo (ABW) printing feature
• REVIEW: Epson Metallic Photo Paper Glossy & Luster
• Epson Legacy Papers Reviews & Video Tutorials with individual articles on Baryta, Etching, Platine and Fibre
• Epson Perfection V850 Pro Scanner
• Getting Great Color on Projectors (features Epson projectors)
• Printing Series - tips, more paper reviews and latest on Canon printers too
• Ron's Recommendations 

Disclosure

If you make a purchase using links found in this article, I may make a commission. It doesn’t cost you a penny more, but it does help to support future articles like this.

REVIEW: Epson Legacy Fibre & Video Tutorial (Legacy Series 2 of 5)

Epson Legacy Fibre Paper

Epson Legacy Fibre paper is a cotton fiber substrate that uses matte black ink to create archival quality fine art prints. Here are a few important facts about this paper:

• 100% cotton fiber
• Image Permanence: 200 years color / 400 years B&W (when used with Epson HD and Epson HDX Ink)
• 19 mil / 483 Mu caliper
• Acid and lignin free / pH buffered
• No Optical Brightening Agents (OBAs)
• Smooth surface / Matte finish

Check out the Print Your Legacy landing page with videos here to see what some well respected photographers think of this and all of the Legacy papers.

For more on my thoughts, continue reading.

Geeky Comparison

If you aren’t a geek you might want to skip this section.

When comparing Fibre next to a variety of other Epson papers you’ll see that its color gamut isn’t quite as large as some of the others:

Epson Legacy Fibre vs Legacy Etching,
Cold Press Bright & Natural, and Hot Press Bright and Natural
Click  for a larger view

However, in practice the differences don’t feel that large. In fact, if you compare the color gamut as a 2d chart (from ColorThink Pro) against Cold Press Natural then you’ll see they are fairly similar:

Epson Legacy Fibre vs Cold Press Natural Color Gamut
on a Epson SureColor P800

In The Hands Analysis

When holding the paper in my hand I observed that it is slightly brighter than Epson Velvet and much brighter than Hot Press Natural, despite the absence of OBA’s. This makes it more aesthetically pleasing paper with whites, yet it still retains the archival longevity of papers that do not have OBA’s.

The texture and thickness of my sample paper felt much like Ultra Premium Presentation Paper Matte in that it is very flexible. If you hold it at the edge it will flex down unlike Hot or Cold Press papers that stay rigid. However, the sample provided by Epson using Vincent Versace’s print felt more solid like a 19 mil paper should. As a result, I think might have received a sample that was closer to 10 mil vs the final paper that is 19 mil.

UPDATE: I did confirm that two of the three sample packs I had contained 10 mil Fibre Etching whereas the third contained 19 mil – which fills like the hot and cold press papers. I confirmed that the print results didn’t change, but the feel in the hand was significantly better without the flexing.

The texture is extremely smooth with no hint of any texture, so I really liked that. While there are times that I like texture, and appreciate papers like Etching, there’s also certain subjects that can be ruined if the paper has too much texture (i.e., a smooth vegetable or fruit). As a result those who are looking for a super smooth paper that isn’t going to have annoying reflections like RC papers, will find this to be an excellent choice.

In terms of durability, it’s like all matte papers with matte ink – you have to be careful as it’s easy to scratch or smudge so using gloves is recommended and protect as soon as possible.

Real World Print Analysis

Epson V850 scan of Legacy Fibre on a Mac (16-bit)
(Click for Original Mac Version above or Windows Version Here)

While the colors look a bit washed out in the scan, in real life it isn’t quite so faded looking. In fact the prints vibrant and the blacks look deep, but it’s not like Baryta bright and deep. As a matte paper, I found it to be very good. In fact, unless you have it next to better color gamut papers you’ll most likely find that feels exceptionally vibrant for a matte paper. This is definitely true of this photo (included by permission of Vincent Versace author of Welcome to Oz 2 and Oz to Kansas: Black & White Conversion Techniques):

Actual Epson V850 Scan of a Print from SureColor P9000 on Legacy Fibre

as well as this one which is available as a full resolution 24MB TIFF scan:

Full Resolution Tiff V850 Scan of a SureColor P800 Legacy Fibre Print

On a scale of 1 (worse) to 10 (the best I’ve ever seen), I’d give it a 7 whereas I’d give the Hot Press Signature Worthy papers a 8.5. It’s very good and pleasing to both the eye and hand.

Tutorial Video

This video teaches you how to print on this paper in both Photoshop CC 2015 and Lightroom CC 2015 on OS X El Capitan, but future reviews will also cover Windows 10:

If you’d like visual instructions, including Advanced Black & White, then be sure to check out the visual tutorial in the Epson Legacy Papers Reviews & Tutorials video which covers both Windows and Mac.

The printer paper profile you use will be in the format <printer> LegacyFibre_MK_<version>.icc (or sometimes icm) so for the Epson SureColor P800 you’d choose SC-P800_Series LegacyFibre_MK_v1.icc

Conclusion

Of the four Legacy papers I tested, this was my least favorite. While I did like it and found it to be very good, I honestly would go for Hot Press Bright (despite the OBA’s) if I wanted a bright smooth paper and if I wanted no OBA’s I’d reach for Hot Press Natural. If I wanted texture, I’d go for Legacy Etching, so this paper is left in a category where I’d use it if I had it but I probably wouldn’t buy it or chose it over the others for an important fine art print. 

Where to order

Click here to learn more or order at Adorama

Other articles you may enjoy

If you enjoyed this article, you may also enjoy these:

• Epson Legacy Papers Reviews & Tutorials – Intro article that links to all of the Legacy Series paper reviews
• REVIEW: Epson Legacy Etching & Video Tutorial (Legacy Series 3 of 5)
• REVIEW: Epson Legacy Platine & Video Tutorial (Legacy Series 4 of 5)
• Printing Series – Tons of resources on printing and print related tech
• Epson SureColor P600 Review
• Epson SureColor P800 Review
• Epson Exhibition Canvas Natural Gloss Review
• Epson Hot & Cold Press Papers
• How To: Using Epson’s Advanced B&W Photo (ABW) printing feature
• Getting great 4x6 prints without any hassle
• Choosing The Right Display Calibration Device
• NEC PA242W Monitor Review (PA241W & PA271W Review)
• NEC PA302W Monitor Review (PA301W Review)
• NEC PA322UHD 4k for Pro Photo & Video Editing
• Ron’s Recommendations

Disclosure

If you make a purchase using links found in this article, I may make a commission. It doesn’t cost you a penny more, but it does help to support future articles like this.

Epson Legacy Papers Reviews & Tutorials

Epson Legacy Paper Sample Pack, 8.5x11", 16 Sheets (4 of Each)

It’s been a while since I’ve done a “series” of articles, but when I set out to do my review of the four new Epson Legacy Papers I quickly realized I had too much content for one blog article! As a result, I’ll kick off this 5 part series with this overview article that talks about the papers as a group and follow up with an article on each paper individually. As I do, I’ll continuously update this article with links to the latest articles, so bookmark this page as the landing page to my Legacy papers reviews.

Introduction

About a month or so ago, I started working with Epson to do a review of their Legacy papers, so this review is the result of a lot of behind the scenes effort in my personal free time (usually on the weekends these days). I had already been deep into my reviews of the P600 and P800 as well as my upcoming scanner review of the Epson V850 Pro scanner (Adorama / Amazon), so doing these paper reviews to test out all this new Epson gear made sense.

The first question you may be asking is what’s the difference between these Legacy papers and the Signature Worthy papers? Well the answer there is simple in the case of the Etching, Platine and Fibre papers – these are guaranteed to be completely OBA free and of the highest quality. The Baryta does have a trace amount of OBA’s, but it’s an incredibly good paper! During my testing I compare the papers head to head and draw my own conclusions to that claim, but I’ll state right up front that the two new photo black papers here (Baryta and Platine) will be my new go to papers for my fine art printing needs.

Geeky Details

If you aren’t a geek, then skip this section as only geeks and nerds will appreciate the following gory details.

I’ve tested and examined the profiles in ColorThink Pro and these are all excellent profiles, so most people will never have a need to generate their own custom profile unless their printer isn’t supported.

Legacy Baryta has one of the widest color gamut I've ever tested

Legacy Baryta has blown me away as it’s even outperformed the legendary Exhibition Fiber (my previous favorite paper). The table of results below provided by Epson were made using using reflective measurement and measured using Chromix ColorThink Pro for gamut calculations:

Legacy Papers Compared

As you can see from the table above, the dmax (black ink darkness) of the Baryta is off the chart, and the Platine isn’t terribly far behind. Both Baryta and Platine outperformed Exhibition Fiber and look amazing in real life. The Etching and Fibre did well for matte papers, but fell just below the Hot Press papers for total gamut size.

Other Epson Papers Compared
Click for a larger view

Doing profile analysis, it does appear the better ink sets found on the 4900 up and new P7000 & P9000 do outperform my beloved P800, but my 45 year old eyes weren’t able to visibly detect any significant differences in real life.

Legacy Paper Reviews

The Legacy papers come in the following two photo black resin coated choices (click names to see in-depth reviews):

• Epson Legacy Baryta – This paper feels and looks a lot like Exhibition Fiber, but with significantly better dmax and seemingly less issues with scratching based on my limited testing. Simply put, I LOVE this paper so much that I want to reprint all of my EFP prints on it! Legacy Baryta has two coatings and one of those coatings has a small amount of an OBA.
• Epson Legacy Platine – OBA free and way better than Exhibition Fiber in a format that doesn’t curl as bad either. The dmax and color are simply jaw dropping, so if you are a big fan of photo black printing I urge you to check out this review!

and two matte black OBA free choices:

• Epson Legacy Etching – This is a bright but natural hearty paper that feels wonderful in the hand with a subtle texture that doesn’t ruin the print quality. Check out my review and video which features Advanced B&W mode! 
• Epson Legacy Fibre – This is the thinnest paper in the hands, but color prints still look stunning on it. Check out my review and video tutorial.

I’ve reviewed each of these papers in depth and discuss them in detail in their respective articles. Each of my reviews assumes you’ve read this article and will focus on the specific paper reviewed, so be sure to check out the rest of this article before you move on.

As a collective, I’ve found them all to be of the highest quality and a great choice for anyone who wants to show their work on premium gallery worthy papers. Pricewise, early indications are that they are inline with the signature worthy papers and others of this level of quality. They are premium papers, and priced as such, but if you are reselling your work they are an investment that will easily pay for itself when customers see how incredible your images look on this paper (especially Baryta & Platine).

For more of my overall thoughts, see the conclusion. However, my detailed thoughts on each paper can be found in the reviews above.

How to Print on Legacy Papers in Photoshop & Lightroom

I’ve done Tutorials and Walkthroughs on papers before on my printing series pages, but since we are in a world now with Windows 10, OS X El Capitan and Lightroom and Photoshop CC I thought I’d go ahead and do some new screen shots to help those who are tripped up by the older visuals. There’s a lot to digest here, so if you are new to printing you might want to pick up my Printing 101 book. 

ICC / ICM Profile Choices for Legacy Papers

For this review, I primarily used my Epson P800 printer and the v1 version of the printer profiles as shown below (found here):

• SC-P800_Series LegacyBaryta_PK_v1.icc
• SC-P800_Series LegacyPlatine_PK_v1.icc
• SC-P800_Series LegacyEtching_MK_v1.icc
• SC-P800_Series LegacyFibre_MK_v1.icc

The PK stands for photo black ink, and MK stands for matte black ink so make sure you are using the correct black ink with these papers or you will get unpredictable and lesser quality results.

Naturally if you were using a 3880 would show Epson_SP3880, 4900 would show  Epson_SP4900, etc… As of the time I wrote this article, I could not locate the P600 profiles but when they become available you’d see SC-P600 for the prefix. 

Photoshop Color Handling

To get the best results from Photoshop, you will have to set the Color Handling choice in the color management section to “Photoshop Manages Colors” then choose the appropriate printer paper profile listed above. The following sections show what this looks like on the Mac and Windows.

Photoshop for Mac Profile Selection

P800 Mac Photoshop Manages Colors Settings

For Photoshop on the Mac (all versions, although the dialogs may look different depending on your version of Photoshop and OS X), the key changes you need to make are:

• Make sure Color Handling reads Photoshop Manages Colors
• Choose the Printer Profile that matches the paper you will (Legacy Baryta for P800  Photo Black shown)
• Be sure Send 16-bit data is checked*
• Rendering Intent can be your choice, but I almost always use Relative Colormetric
• Be sure Black Point Compensation is checked (very important)

* NOTE: Windows doesn’t offer a 16-bit data checkbox, but it’s architecturally capable of printing up to 32-bit. In Windows, it’s up to the printer driver author as to control what color depth will be sent, and user options to change that value. I haven’t observed any visible difference between 8 and 16-bit data being sent, but that could change in the future so I always check this option.

See the table earlier in this section for instructions on which paper profile and ink to use for each legacy paper profile for your printer.

After you’ve done this, it is VERY important to click the PRINT SETTINGS… button to set your printer to turn OFF color management, otherwise you’ll get double color management and very poor results.

You should also use the preview as a guide as sometimes you’ll need to change the layout to make your print fit (which must match the printer settings choice too) as well as the position and size (use scale to fit media to shrink/grow to fit). Borderless typically isn’t represented accurately in this dialog, so only be sure that your print is oriented and not clipped or too small when using this dialog.

In the screenshot I’ve used all of the checkboxes under the preview, but these are not required and have no impact on your print. They are just tools to help you to some crude soft proofing to help you understand what to expect from your print. For most beginners I urge people to leave them all UNCHECKED as often they confuse more than they help.

Please consult the Mac Printer Dialog settings for Photo Black and Matte Black inks sections below for more important information.

Photoshop for Windows Profile Selection

For Windows 7 and up and most versions of Photoshop that are available today, the instructions for Photoshop are identical to the Mac above. here’s a screenshot:

P800 Windows 10 Photoshop Manages Colors Settings

Again, Photoshop on Windows and Mac are identical in this respect, so please read the previous section on the Mac for more details. After that, please consult the Windows Printer Dialog settings for Photo Black and Matte Black inks sections below for more important information.

Lightroom Color Management Profile Setting

To print in Lightroom’s print module, you need to either let the printer manage colors (as discussed later in Advanced Black and White mode) or choose an ICC/ICM color profile as shown here:

Using an ICC Profile in Lightroom (Mac Shown)

If you don’t see your profile listed, then choose OTHER from the list and locate the desired profile in the list and check it. When you return to Lightroom that choice should now be one of the menu options.

See the section entitled ICC / ICM Profile Choices for Legacy Papers at the top of this article to see which choice you should make for your desired paper.

Printer Dialog Settings

Once you’ve got Photoshop or Lightroom set up properly to print, you’ll need to set up the printer (using Print Settings via Photoshop and via Lightroom) to use the correct paper and ink type. The following sections discuss the correct settings for Windows and Mac.

Mac Photo Black Ink Printer Dialog Settings

When using Legacy Baryta and Platine papers, you should use Photo Black ink by choosing one of the media type Ultra Premium Photo Paper Luster (also referred to as Premium Luster Photo Paper (260) in some printer drivers) as shown here:

Baryta & Platine Photo Black Settings - Epson Printer Driver for Mac

When you do this AND you choose Photoshop Manages Color for your Color Handling setting (or Managed by Printer for your Color Management Profile choice in Lightroom) then you should see Print Mode and Color Mode disabled. If not, please make sure Color Mode is set to Off (No Color Management).

Please make sure Ink reads Photo Black.

Mac Matte Black Ink Printer Dialog Settings

When using Legacy Etching and Fibre papers, you must use matte black ink which means choosing a Fine Art Paper media type.

IF you’ve chose your paper size correctly (see the next section entitled Printing using Matte Black Ink – Mac if you haven’t), then you simply need to choose the Watercolor Paper – Radiant White media type from the Fine Art Paper menu group in the Media Type list. If you’ve done everything properly, your print dialog should look something like this:

Etching & Fibre Matte Black Settings - Epson Printer Driver for Mac

If your seeing Ink: Photo Black like in the previous section and the Fine Art Paper menu choices are disabled, please read the next section to fix this problem.

When you do this AND you choose Photoshop Manages Color for your Color Handling setting (or Managed by Printer for your Color Management Profile choice in Lightroom) then you should see Print Mode and Color Mode disabled. If not, please make sure Color Mode is set to Off (No Color Management).

Please make sure Ink reads Matte Black.

Printing using Matte Black Ink – Mac

Apple’s universal printer dialog architecture makes it very difficult to use Matte Black Ink if you don’t know what you are doing. The reason why is that matte black ink is tied to your media type choice which must be one of the Fine Art media types. However, all of those are disabled UNLESS you make the correct paper choice which is very unintuitive located in the Paper Size list on the Page Setup section of the Epson printer driver as shown here:

Page Setup - Paper Size - Epson Printer Driver Mac
Choose Front Fine Art, Front Poster Board or Roll Paper to enable Matte Black Ink

You MUST choose one of the Front Fine Art, Front Poster Board or Roll Paper choices for your desired paper to make the Fine Art media type choices to become enabled. Once you do that, you need to set them to Watercolor Paper – Radiant White when using Legacy Etching or Legacy Fibre.

Windows is simple as the Fine Art media types are never disabled, so just select the Fine Art media type you want it shows you the ink that will be used. In fact, some printers will even let you choose the ink type for any paper type on Windows.

Windows Photo Black Ink Printer Dialog Settings

When using Legacy Baryta and Platine papers, you should use Photo Black ink by choosing media type Ultra Premium Photo Paper Luster (also referred to as Premium Luster Photo Paper (260) in some printer drivers) as shown here:

Baryta & Platine Photo Black Settings - Epson Printer Driver for Windows

Please make sure Ink reads Photo Black.

Windows Matte Black Ink Printer Dialog Settings

When using Legacy Etching and Fibre papers, you must use matte black ink which means choosing a Fine Art Paper media type. Choose the Watercolor Paper – Radiant White media type from the Fine Art Paper menu group in the Media Type list. If you’ve done everything properly, your print dialog should look something like this:

Etching & Fibre Matte Black Settings - Epson Printer Driver for Windows

Please make sure Ink reads Matte Black.

Advanced Black and White Settings

Advanced Black and White mode is a printer driver feature that tries to maximize the grayscale tones to give you the widest tonal range possible. Put in plain English, this means you should see more details in the dark areas instead of just pure black. Since this mode treats your image as a grayscale, any color you have will be ignored and the warmth or coldness of your print will purely be determined by the settings you choose in this dialog. Please keep this in mind as it is NOT intended to be a faithful reproduction of what you see on the screen, but rather a black and white image that shows a lot of detail in the darkest areas.

Given the phenomenal dmax of Legacy Baryta and Platine, these papers are ideal for using Epson’s Advanced Black and White mode (often referred to as ABW). Matte papers and inks never have the same level of dmax as resin coated papers using photo black ink, but the wonderful texture of these papers still make them suitable for use with ABW.

I’ve already done a big article on Advanced Black and White (aka ABW) here, so please review that for more details. Since I was testing this feature for the P800 and P600 anyway, I decided to include some screen shots below for the PC and Mac.

Whether you are using Windows or Mac, the basic steps for using ABW mode are as follows:

1. Tell Photoshop or Lightroom to let the Printer Manage Colors (see more info in the sections that follow)
2. Set your paper type and photo black or matte black ink choice (see previous sections) in the printer driver
3. Set your ABW settings as desired (see the sections that follow)

While Windows and Mac dialogs look very different, the fundamentals on both platforms are roughly the same (except the odd paper size thing on the Mac).

Thee next sections show you how it should look for both Photoshop and Lightroom and previous sections show you the various nuisances for Mac and Windows about how to use photo or matte black inks.

Photoshop Using Advanced Black and White

Photoshop Printer Manages Colors for ABW Mode (Windows shown)

As previously shown for Photoshop, Windows and Mac are the same so the only key thing to note here is that you have to choose Printer Manages Colors from the Color Handling list. This disables the Printer Profile list because you are letting the printer driver do the color management. Everything else I mentioned with respect to printer profiles in Photoshop still applies (including checking 16-bit data on Mac).

After you’ve done this, then follow the instructions for using ABW for Mac or Windows later in this article.

Lightroom Using Advanced Black and White

Lightroom Printer Manages Color for ABW Mode (OSX Shown)

As previously shown, Windows and Mac are the same so the only key thing to note here is that you have to choose Managed by the Printer from the Color Management Profile list. This disables the Printer Profile list because you are letting the printer driver do the color management. Everything else I mentioned with respect to using printer profiles in Lightroom still applies (including checking 16-bit output on Mac).

After you’ve done this, then follow the instructions for using ABW for Mac or Windows below.

Advanced Black and White Printer Dialog Settings – Mac

On a Mac, you MUST use the Epson printer driver. This is not the AirPrint driver that will get installed automatically if you setup your printer right out of the box. If you don’t see these settings, please make sure you’ve set up using the disk and that you aren’t using the AirPrint version of the installed Epson printer.

Turning on Advanced Black and White Mode is easy, but you have to start by making sure Photoshop Color Handling is set to “Printer Matches Color” or Lightroom Color Management Profile setting is set to “Managed by Printer”. After that you do the following (for both):

First, make sure your Color Matching setting reads “EPSON Color Controls” instead of Color Sync:

Color Matching - Epson Printer Driver for Mac

Next, change the Basic Printer settings option labeled Print Mode from AccuPhoto HD to Advanced B&W Photo as shown here:

Printer Settings - Basic Section - Epson Printer Driver for Mac

Make sure you set the Media Type correctly (Luster for Baryta and Platine and Watercolor for Etching and Fibre) in this dialog, then click the Advanced Color settings to make further adjustments if desired:

Advanced Color Settings - Epson Printer Driver for Mac

See my article on Advanced Black and White (aka ABW) here, for more details on how to set this dialog as well as the Color Toning option shown here and on the basic section of this dialog.

Advanced Black and White Printer Dialog Settings – Windows

While I’m showing the driver for the P800 here, the fundamentals shown here work for all Epson printers on Windows that support Advanced Black and White mode. The key thing is to locate the Color media setting list on the main page and change that to Advanced B&W Photo as shown here:

Advanced B&W Photo Color Media Setting in Epson Printer Driver - Windows

After that you can click Advanced… to set advanced Color Controls settings for ABW mode:

Color Controls for ABW on Windows (via Advanced Button)

See my article on Advanced Black and White (aka ABW) here, for more details on how to set this dialog as well as the Color Toning option shown here and on the basic section of this dialog.

Print Your Legacy

While it may be pure marketing, I still find landing pages that feature videos of respected photographers talking about their use of these papers interesting. If you do to then be sure to check out the Print Your Legacy landing page with videos here.

Conclusion

A lot of people have come to my blog to read my Printing Series and have come away buying a new printer, then contacting me shortly thereafter to ask for advice on papers. For Epson users, my default response was always to pick up a pack of luster (review) for everyday use and get the Epson Signature Worthy Sample Pack (8.5 x 11", 14 Sheets) to find out what kind of paper you like for your best work. Now I’ll have to amend that and say pick up the Legacy sample pack as it takes Epson’s best papers to the next level.

The Epson Legacy Baryta and Platine are simply the best papers I’ve ever tested (and I’ve test a ton more than you see on this blog). I’ve got to get more packs in letter, 13x19 and 17” rolls as I’m wanting to reprint all my favorite prints on it – it’s that good! Please be sure to see my in-depth reviews of Platine and Baryta for more details.

The Legacy Etching and Fibre are both excellent papers, but they didn’t blow me away as much as the RC papers. Fibre feels super smooth and its color gamut is good, but if I’m out to impress I’m going to choose the more tactile Legacy Etching. I loved Cold Press Natural as one of the best papers to hold in my hands, so we’ll see if Legacy Etching is as good. It’s worth noting, that despite the name the texture is more pronounced but not intense (like a Hahnemühle German Etching) feel. I’d also consider Hot Press Bright to be my #1 go to paper for matte over both Etching and Fibre. With that said, for those who obsess about OBA’s, the Legacy papers are an answer to your prayers as the ultimate archival paper for centuries to come when paired with original Epson pigment inks.

I highly recommend the new Epson Legacy papers.

If you find this article to be helpful, my family would greatly appreciate you considering making a donation and/or using my links below when ordering your paper.

Where to order

Click here to learn more or order at Adorama now, or order the sample pack to just take it for a test drive. Click here to see B&H’s selections of Legacy Papers, including the sample pack.

Other articles you may enjoy

If you enjoyed this article, you may also enjoy these:

• Printing Series – Start here for tons more on printing topics
• REVIEW: Epson Legacy Fibre & Video Tutorial (Legacy Series 2 of 5)
• REVIEW: Epson Legacy Etching & Video Tutorial (Legacy Series 3 of 5)
• REVIEW: Epson Legacy Platine & Video Tutorial (Legacy Series 4 of 5)
• REVIEW: Epson Legacy Baryta & Video Tutorial (Legacy Series 5 of 5)
• Epson SureColor P600 Review
• Epson SureColor P800 Review
• Epson Exhibition Fiber Paper Review and How To Walkthrough
• Epson Exhibition Canvas Natural Gloss Review
• Epson Hot & Cold Press Papers
• Epson Metallic Photo Paper Glossy & Luster Review
• How To: Using Epson’s Advanced B&W Photo (ABW) printing feature
• Getting great 4x6 prints without any hassle
• Choosing The Right Display Calibration Device
• NEC PA242W Monitor Review (PA241W & PA271W Review)
• NEC PA302W Monitor Review (PA301W Review)
• NEC PA322UHD 4k for Pro Photo & Video Editing
• Ron’s Recommendations 

Disclosure

If you make a purchase using links found in this article, I may make a commission. It doesn’t cost you a penny more, but it does help to support future articles like this.

NOTE: I was not paid or solicited to do this article. I reached out to Epson after hearing other print masters who were testing it rave about how wonderful it was, and I agree. I was provided sample packs for testing and support for questions, but beyond that Epson had no involvement with this article and I was not compensated.

PRESS RELEASE: Epson P800 Replaces the 3880

Epson SureColor P800 17-inch Wide Professional Printer

Printing enthusiasts rejoice as your dreams have finally been answered – the all-new Epson SureColor P800 is the official replacement for the aging 3880! In addition to an improved ink set it offers an optional roll feeder (not the toy kind found on consumer printers) which is a must if you plan to print canvas.

The Epson P800 hiding at WPPI in Las Vegas this year

I had the pleasure of seeing the P800 in action and reviewing the prints at WPPI in Las Vegas this past March and I’m quite pleased to say that to my eyes they are a nice improvement over the 3880. I was also very pleased to learn that it has the same head design that kept the 3880 from getting clogged heads (unlike my 4900 which was clogged nearly every time I used it after about the first year I had it).

Epson Unveils New SureColor P800 17-Inch Wide Professional Printer

Epson SureColor P800 Features Unique Imaging Technology for
Producing Professional Color and Black-and-White Photographic Prints

LONG BEACH, Calif. – April 14, 2015 – Epson today announced the highly anticipated SureColor® P800 printer, representing a new benchmark in photographic print quality. Designed for professional use, the SureColor P800 is a full 17-inch wide borderless printer with unique Epson® MicroPiezo® AMC™ printhead technology. Leveraging an all-new Epson UltraChrome® HD eight-color pigment ink set, the SureColor P800 is capable of producing the next generation of color and black-and-white prints that will inspire us all.

“We understand how important it is for our printers to produce exceptional output that not only accurately conveys a photographer’s vision, but also delivers on the promise of longevity,” said Larry Kaufman, product manager, Professional Imaging, Epson America. “The SureColor P800 redefines the 17-inch photographic printing market, providing robust photo, fine art and canvas media handling capabilities, all focused on delivering stunning exhibition-quality prints that stand the test of time.”

The SureColor P800 features advanced media handling, including a sheet feeder for photo or matte media, and a front-in and front-out paper path for printing on thicker fine art papers and poster board. An optional 17-inch wide roll paper adapter is ideal for canvas and longer print lengths of up to 10 feet for creating breathtaking panoramas. Along with individual 80 ml high-capacity ink cartridges, the SureColor P800 is designed for serious professional use at home or in the studio.

More About the SureColor P800

The versatile SureColor P800 offers a range of new features:

• UltraChrome HD Ink: Industry-leading pigment ink technology delivers outstanding color with improved black density and print permanence
• Professional Features: Advanced Black-and-White print mode for professional-level neutral or toned black-and-white prints
• True Productivity with High-Capacity Ink Cartridges: Nine 80 ml ink cartridges with Auto-switching Photo and Matte Black Ink
• Advanced Media Handling up to 17-Inches Wide: Easily print on fine art and roll papers and create panoramas over 10 feet long; front-in and front-out paper path for media and poster board up to 1.5 mm thick and optional rear-mounted 2 or 3-inch core roll feeders
• Modern Case Design: Professional look and feel; compact printer design optimized for desktop placement
• Complete Connectivity: USB 2.0, Ethernet, Wireless n1, Wi-Fi Direct®, Apple® AirPrint™, and Google Cloud Print™ support

Pricing, Support and Availability

The SureColor P800 will be available for purchase in June 2015 through authorized resellers; pricing follows:

Epson SureColor P800 - $1,295.00 MSRP (or less at B&H)

Optional Roll Paper Adapter - $199.95 MSRP

UltraChrome HD 80 ml Ink Cartridge - $59.95 MSRP

The printer is supported by a one-year, whole-unit-exchange, limited warranty plan, and specialized technical support staff. For more information on the SureColor P800, visit www.epson.com/P800.

About Epson

Epson is a global innovation leader dedicated to exceeding expectations with solutions for markets as diverse as the office, home, commerce, and industry. Epson's lineup ranges from inkjet printers, printing systems and 3LCD projectors to industrial robots, smart glasses and sensing systems and is based on original compact, energy-saving, and high-precision technologies.

Conclusion

This is a significant announcement as the 3880 is an excellent printing machine, but it had become a technology dinosaur compared to other manufacturer printers which supported wireless printing. However, the cool features mean nothing if you don’t have an improvement in prints, and I felt that was present in the prints I observed at WPPI.

If you are wondering how it compares to a P600, you aren’t alone. I asked Epson this question and was told that the P800 is identical to the P600 in every way except for the improved advanced media handling, better roll support and other minor improvements. Rejoyce about this as it means it is likely to be free of head clogging issues that have plagued the 4900 (assuming you print at least one age per month).

The size of this printer is similar to the 3880 so it makes a great replacement for users who have one of those printers already.

More to come later this year when I get mine for review.

Where to order

Click here to learn more or order on the B&H web site. They aren’t expected to be ready to ship until June 2015.

Other articles you may enjoy

If you enjoyed this article, you may also enjoy these:

• See my printing series for a complete list of related views of printers, papers, techniques and more.
• Ron’s Recommendations 

Disclosure

If you make a purchase using links found in this article, I may make a commission. It doesn’t cost you a penny more, but it does help to support future articles like this.

Epson Ultra Premium Luster Review and How To Walkthrough Videos for Mac & Windows

Epson Ultra Premium Photo Paper Luster Inkjet Signature Worthy Paper

If you use an Epson printer, the odds are you’ve had a chance to use Epson Ultra Premium Photo Paper Luster so you know how good it is. If you haven’t, then run out and get some now because this is the paper that you grew up thinking was the stuff that professional studios used. It’s a high quality, but reasonably priced paper that is easy to use and produces gorgeous results on any Epson printer (as well as other printer brands if you can find the ICC Profiles for it).

This paper is also has the prestigious distinction of being an entry level member of the Epson Signature Worthy™ papers. These papers are for those who insist on the highest quality papers that perform extremely well with today’s best inks like Epson’s UltraChrome® K3 and HDR. When you buy this paper, you know you are getting what Epson believes to be the best media for their printers and something you should be proud to sign your name on. Based on my experiences with all of the Signature Worthy papers, I couldn’t agree more!

Quick Facts

Basis weight	240 g/m² (260 Roll Available)
Thickness	10 mil
ISO brightness	97%
Opacity	97%
Gloss at 60º	16
Hot lamination	Yes
Base material	Polyethylene Encapsulated Paper
Surface finish	Luster

Here’s a few more things to know about this paper:

• It has a super high color gamut available for vivid color reproduction
• RC paper base for photorealistic prints
• Luster E surface finish
• Dries instantly for easy handling with Epson inks
• 10 mil thickness for a durable photographic feel

Helpful links on Epson’s web site

• Premium Luster Photo Paper Fact Sheet
• Print Permanence Ratings (also see Wilhelm Imaging Research)
• Framing Tips for Photographic Papers
• Ink and Paper Compatibility Guide

Print Test Image

For this review, I chose to use the following image:

Copyright (c) Ron Martinsen - All Rights Reserved

However, I’ve printed hundreds of images on this paper so I’m quite familiar with it. I often use the Outback Print Printer Evaluation Image to evaluate papers and printers when doing side-by-side comparisons, but I already had done that with this paper and printer so I decided to use a different image for this review.

If you are doing your own evaluation, I strongly encourage you to use the Outback Print Printer Evaluation Image or something similar to it.

How To Videos for Mac OS X

The following videos are designed to teach you how to use your Epson printer driver with Photoshop and Lightroom to successfully print out your favorite images using Epson Ultra Premium Photo Paper Luster on a Epson Stylus Photo R3000, Stylus Pro 3880 and Stylus Pro 4900 printers. For the Mac versions I’ve created separate videos for each printer.

I should note that in one of the videos for the R3000 when I talk about the SPR3000 Luster profile I say SP stands for Spectrolina but ignore that. It actually means Stylus Photo in the case of the R3000 profiles.

Photoshop CS6 Tutorials

R3000 Tutorial

3880 Tutorial

4900 Tutorial

Lightroom Tutorials

The following tutorial applies to Lightroom 4.3 for Apple OS X (10.8 in this case) using Epson Ultra Premium Photo Paper Luster on a Epson Stylus Photo R3000, Stylus Pro 3880 and Stylus Pro 4900:

 

How To Videos for Windows

Since it took me so long to make the Mac videos I decided to consolidate them for the Windows videos. Besides, Windows users tend to be a little more computer savvy, right? ;-)

Photoshop CS6 Tutorials

The following tutorial applies to Photoshop CS6 for Windows using Epson Ultra Premium Photo Paper Luster on a Epson Stylus Photo R3000, Stylus Pro 3880 and Stylus Pro 4900:

Lightroom Tutorials

The following tutorial applies to Lightroom 4.3 for Windows using Epson Ultra Premium Photo Paper Luster on a Epson Stylus Photo R3000, Stylus Pro 3880 and Stylus Pro 4900:

NOTE: I say "distorted" for Zoom to Fill, but it's not really distorted. What I mean to say is that it will scale your image to fit which may be undesirable for pixel peepers. Most users are going to be very satisfied with the results.

Sample Pack

Okay, I know paper is expensive so if you just want to try out these papers and others from the Signature Worthy collection then I recommend the Epson Signature Worthy Sample Pack (8.5 x 11", 14 Sheets) .  If you like these then please support this blog by coming back here and using my links when ordering more paper – thanks!

Conclusion

Epson Ultra Premium Photo Paper Luster is a fantastic paper for any Epson user to begin with. It’s a high quality paper that you can be proud to give your customers and it’s available at a price that won’t break the bank. I use it all of the time and love it!

If you want to step up from this paper, then I strongly recommend Epson Exhibition Fiber as the ultimate paper to show off your work. In my opinion, EFP is one of the best papers on the market – period!

Where to order

Click here to order Epson Ultra Premium Photo Paper Luster on the B&H web site. My friends at Adorama have it available here and Amazon has it available here.

Other articles you may enjoy

If you enjoyed this article, you may also enjoy these:

• Printing Series – If you like this article, you will love this!!!!
• Printing 101 eBook 

• Choosing the right Epson printer
• Epson Stylus® Photo R3000 Review
• Epson Stylus® Pro 3880 Overview Review
• Epson 4900 Review
• Epson Exhibition Fiber Paper Review and How To Walkthrough
• Epson Hot & Cold Press Papers
• How To: Using Epson’s Advanced B&W Photo (ABW) printing feature – Great resource for printing black and white!
• Topaz Labs B&W Effects 2 (discusses Silver Efex Pro and Perfect B&W too) 
• Understanding Epson’s Printable Area Feature to Avoid Uneven Margins on the 4900 – Read this if your images won’t print in the center of the page

• Breathing Color Lyve Canvas – The best canvas I've ever used!  (discount offer)
• ColorByte ImagePrint (discount) – My favorite Epson RIP!
• Metallic Paper Comparison: Red River Polar Pearl vs LexJet Sunset Photo (Coupon Code Included)
• Ilford Galerie Prestige Smooth Pearl Photo Paper
• Paper discounts on my discount coupon code page from companies like Red River Paper

Disclosure

If you make a purchase using links found in this article, I may make a commission. It doesn’t cost you a penny more, but it does help to support future articles like this.

Epson Stylus Pro $1000 Rebates - 7900 for only $2795 or 9900 for only $4799

Epson has a $1000 instant rebate program going right now for the 7900 and 9900. As of October 5th this translates to getting a 7900 for not much more than the cost of a 4900 – only $2795!!!! That is an INSANE deal for this printer! It’s larger sibling the 44” wide 9900 is only $4799!

See my printing series for more info about choosing the right Epson printer and read about the pros like Greg Gorman, Douglas Dubler, Vincent Versace, John Paul Caponigro, and more who use the Epson 7900 and 9900 printers.

Click here to buy the 7900.

Click here to buy the 9900.

***THIS OFFER EXPIRES OCTOBER 31ST***

Contact local companies like JVH to get a great deal and hands on service during the delivery.

Save $100 off Lightroom too when you toss it in the cart with this order.

Don’t forget that you can use the Bill Me Later service to get no payments for 6 months to make it easier to spread out the cost of this purchase. B&H also offers white glove delivery which I highly recommend as these are huge and heavy printers that can’t be moved easily.

US delivery ONLY