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8 inks, speed, silence–and stunning prints
 More is better. At least that's the thinking behind Epson's new 8-ink Stylus Photo R800 ($399 street). Its unique repertoire of cartridges includes CMY UltraChrome Hi-Gloss pigment inks, plus new red and blue pigment inks, a clear-gloss optimizer coating, and both Photo and Matte blacks for automatic switching between glossy and matte papers. With these, it produces borderless prints from 4x6 to 8x10 inches that Epson claims will last up to 80 years on display. But is that enough to unseat the 13x19-inch, 8-color Canon i9900 from the image-quality throne (reviewed September 2004)?
Perhaps, but to make sure, Epson added even more sizzle, including a Micro Piezo print head that achieves a 1.5-picoliter droplet size, 5760x1440-dpi resolution, and the ability to print directly onto specially coated CD-ROMs and DVDs. It also handles roll media, which makes it easy to print superwide 8x44-inch panoramas. Also, the R800's software lets you take advantage of Epson's Print Image Matching (P.I.M.) II technology, which improves the color accuracy of prints from many new digital cameras.
Setup is easy. Since the R800's print head is permanently installed, just insert the inks into their slots, connect the printer to your computer (Hi-Speed USB 2.0 or FireWire), and install the printer drivers and software. Another time saver: an auto head-alignment sensor (other Epson desktop printers don't have this). The printer also has a great manual, with a 12-page section on setting up color management that includes a step-by-step on printing profile targets.
In operation, the R800 is so quiet you have to look twice to see if it's printing, and it's faster than any of Epson's other 6- or 7-color printers—although not as fast as the Canon i9900. And, prints are dry to the touch and don't change much after printing, unlike those from most dye-based systems.
The R800 actually uses up to six colors at a time, including either Photo or Matte black. The optimizer coating is used only on appropriate media, and you can even turn it off. It increases the maximum black density of the print by about 1 percent, and improves the glossy appearance. Overall, prints show excellent image quality and an expanded red color gamut (for more info, see this this issue's "Digital Directions"). It also does a great job on black-and-white prints. If you want the ultimate image quality and long-lasting prints, the R800 is hard to beat. We only wish it came in a 13x19-inch version.
What's Hot: Excellent print quality and fine detail. Prints on inkjet-ready CDs or DVDs. Long-lasting prints.
What's Not: High priced for letter-sized printer. No USB cable in box. No built-in card reader.
Download our Certified Test Results: Epson Stylus Photo R800
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