Epson introduces two new photo all-in-ones in the Middle East

They feature Epson Claria Photographic Ink, a high-definition, six-colour dye-based ink, giving better quality photos that last longer than those from the photo lab. A new print head mechanism has been designed to deliver fast print speeds and the 'REALOID' micro-processor greatly enhances processing power when using the Stylus Photo RX690 or RX610 in stand-alone mode. Both use individual ink cartridges for cost efficient printing; only replace the colour that has been used. The Stylus Photo RX690 and Stylus Photo RX610 are ideal partners for the D-SLR or mega-pixel camera user.

The Stylus Photo RX690 delivers premium quality borderless prints in just 23 seconds, draft photo prints in approximately 12 seconds and A4 documents at a speed of up to 40ppm. It has two A4 paper trays for advanced media handling - the first is a cassette style, to protect photo paper from dust, and is positioned at the front of the printer, while the second is positioned at the back allowing users to select between different sizes or paper types. An optional 'Auto Duplexer' is also available for double-sided printing.

The Stylus Photo RX610 offers premium quality borderless prints in just 27 seconds, draft photo prints in approximately 12 seconds, and A4 documents at a speed of up to 37ppm.

Both models feature Epson's Advanced Variable-sized Droplet Technology. With five different droplet sizes, the smallest droplet of 1.5pl is used for areas where fine colour gradation detail is required and bigger droplets where larger blocks of colour are needed. A new high-speed Epson Micro Piezo print head mechanism has also been developed to further enhance the print speeds. The new mechanism inside the print head increases the rate at which ink droplets can be ejected from the nozzles resulting in faster print speeds.

When selected, Epson's PhotoEnhance technology automatically detects images featuring skin tones, landscapes and skylines and reproduces these with enhanced colour settings to improve the overall tones and contrasts. A new night scene mode improves the quality of darker images. Exclusive to the Epson Stylus Photo RX690 is the option to preview the changes created by PhotoEnhance when in stand-alone mode. Users can then choose to accept the enhancements prior to printing.

The 6.3cm colour LCD preview display allows for easy viewing, cropping, reduction of red-eye and selecting photos without a computer. Both models are compatible with PictBridge and USB DIRECT-PRINT for convenient, stand-alone photo printing. Photos can also be printed directly from a Bluetooth mobile phone when the optional Bluetooth adapter is attached.

Epson REALOID is a unique, powerful, high-speed processor system used by the Stylus Photo RX690 and RX610 while in stand-alone mode. Increased processing power in stand-alone mode significantly speeds up workflow and reduces the processing time required before printing begins.

The versatility of the Stylus Photo RX690 and RX610 also enables direct printing onto printable CDs or DVDs to customise the look of digital photo albums, and copying is also enhanced with a new CD copy feature. Simply place the CD to be copied onto the scanner face with a blank CD inserted into the CD tray then press copy. This feature is ideal for photographers who need to produce additional copies of a personalized CD quickly. There is no need to access the original layout template from the computer.

From the 1200dpi CIS scanner it is easy to send high-quality digital images direct to memory card, email, pdf or computer file. The Epson Scan 3.1 software offers the latest in scanning functionality including Auto Photo Orientation to analyse the image content - it detects the position of the image and automatically rotates itself. This means that photos don't have to be carefully laid out on the scanner. Also, Epson Easy Photo Fix brings life back to old or faded images with its colour restoration, backlight correction and improved digital dust correction.

Photos printed with Epson Claria Photographic Ink will look better and last longer than those processed at a lab, up to 200 years when stored in an album and 98 years when displayed in a photo frame. It is a high-definition, six-colour, dye-based ink technology and is the ideal partner for the very latest digital-SLR or mega-pixel cameras, offering an extra wide colour gamut and smooth gradations for vivid prints with true-to-life colours.

Khalil El Dalu, General Manager, Epson Middle East, said, "The Epson Stylus Photo RX690 and Stylus Photo RX610 offer everything a photographer would need to print their own photos at home. These photo all-in-ones are the ideal partners for the latest digital SLR and mega-pixel cameras, ensuring the quality of the printed photos truly reflect the quality that the cameras are capable of producing."