NEW EPSON R2000 INKJET PHOTO PRINTER

Almost every day I see announcements of new stuff, and I just pass along because it’s not anything I need. Better quality and more efficient printing of my images will stop me in my tracks. Specially when this new Epson R2000 is an improvement on the Epson R1900 the printer I use most. 

It doesn’t look all that different, a box with a paper input on top and output in the front. But although this new R2000 has the same inkset colors that to me are the best for reproducing the kinds of photographs I make, it has a new printhead like its bigger pro brethren, and larger ink cartridges. Yes its a 13 inch wide printer and designed to handle all types of media including printable DVD and CD-R discs, with brilliant long lasting pigment colors.

I’ve been a very satisfied owner of an Epson R1900 printer, so in a way a new replacement model could be a scary proposition. Does this new R2000 do everything my R1900 has done for me? One new thing that has been added is besides the usual wire USB and ethernet connections is you can now print with the R2000 using a WiFi 802.11N wireless connection. So since many of us with broadband use a wireless router we can connect with this new R2000 with WiFi making where we locate this printer easy and convenient.

Some may question my interest because the R1900 and R2000 do not have support for B&W printing, but I have been able to print grayscale images quite accurately simply by changing the file mode to RGB that does support a color managed print that is quite neutral gray, or I can add a sepia tint if I like. And with Epson;s Ultrachrome Hi-Gloss2 ink I am not concerned the neutrality of the gray will shift because of any ink age effect. The R2000 prints should be as archival as any digital photo print can be.

At a $499 list price this new Epson R2000 should be the most affordable access to professional level inkjet printing of the highest quality that will be available. But I will not know that from experience until I receive an R2000 from Epson to use and test for my report on this new product in Shutterbug.