Epson SureColor P20000

The Epson SureColor P20000 is our printing system for fine art prints, editions and reproductions. It prints with ten pigment inks at widths of up to 160 cm and resolves up to 2,400 × 1,200 dpi. The result: fine tonal gradations, neutral grays and a print image that looks flawlessly smooth even at close viewing distance.

In our studio, the printer stands at the end of one continuous chain.

Scanning, image editing and printing take place in the same studio in Berlin-Moabit, following the same color specifications on calibrated monitors. For a reproduction, this means the print can be assessed directly next to the original.

In 2017, our studio was among the first companies invited to test the SureColor P20000 for Epson. That unit carried serial number 9 and came to us straight after the start of production. Today we print on a more recently built SC-P20000.

We have known this printing system from the very beginning: how it behaves on different papers, and where its limits are.

The Epson UltraChrome PRO ink set consists of Cyan, Light Cyan, Vivid Magenta, Vivid Light Magenta and Yellow, three grays (Dark Gray, Gray, Light Gray), plus Photo Black and Matte Black.

The light color inks and the three grays have a specific job: they refine gradations and reduce visible grain, especially in highlights and in gradients. For black-and-white work, four levels from black to light gray are available. This supports the neutral grays and smooth transitions that photography and drawing require.

Photo Black and Matte Black are both permanently installed, and each ink has its own nozzle channel. Photo Black is used on glossy and baryta surfaces, Matte Black on matte fine art papers. There is no need to switch black inks between two jobs.

Pigment ink contains solid color particles that settle on and in the paper surface. Dye ink, by contrast, is dissolved in the carrier liquid. Pigment prints are therefore considerably more lightfast and less sensitive to moisture. For collections, editions and estates, that is a requirement, not one option among several.

On permanence, Epson cites the testing laboratory Wilhelm Imaging Research for UltraChrome PRO: up to 200 years for color prints and up to 400 years for black-and-white prints.

These are projections based on accelerated aging. They apply to specific papers and to display indoors behind glass. Paper, light, humidity and framing change the result.

For that reason we will not give you a blanket number of years. Instead, we recommend suitable ink and paper for your specific project.

The PrecisionCore MicroTFP printhead works with 800 nozzles per color channel, 8,000 nozzles in total. It places droplets in different sizes, the smallest at 3.5 picoliters.

Small droplets render detail and highlights; larger ones fill areas evenly.

A camera-based stabilization system monitors the paper feed. It keeps the media moving evenly, even on long runs.

Paper is a natural product. The raw materials a manufacturer receives and its production conditions change, which is why two deliveries of the same paper never turn out exactly alike. We therefore create a dedicated ICC profile for each paper batch, matched to the ink in use, instead of working with a generic manufacturer profile. This keeps the colors accurate, and a later reprint turns out like the first print. We measure the deviation as Delta E (ΔE). Our tolerance is a maximum of 2.5 ΔE; our target is an average of ΔE < 1.

When we print an edition, we take measurements and assess the print run under a standard illuminant.

If your work exists only as a digital file, there is no original to compare against. In that case we print with the color profile for exactly the combination of ink and paper intended for your project. If that profile does not exist yet, we create it.

By default we print on fine art papers from Hahnemühle. As a Hahnemühle Certified Studio Platinum, we work with the manufacturer’s papers at the highest certification level. We also stock papers from Ilford and print on canvas. If you would like a different paper, in most cases we can order it for you.

The choice of paper is usually yours: paper samples are available to view in the studio, because the same image looks different on matte cotton paper than on baryta.

One example from our project portfolio: the 200 fine art prints for Olaf Heine’s retrospective “Human Conditions” at the Kunsthalle Rostock were made on the Epson SC-P20000. Read the project report about Human Conditions.

Yes. Paper samples from Hahnemühle and Ilford are available to view in the studio. We advise you on which paper suits your image and its intended use, and order it for you if needed. As a Hahnemühle Certified Studio Platinum, we print with color accuracy on archival-quality media.

Yes, a proof is standard with us. You approve color and paper before the edition is printed.

That depends on the project. If you have a file, an embedded color profile is helpful but not essential. You can also bring us an existing sample print, which we reproduce at the size you need. Files reach us via a cloud link, by email for small amounts of data, or on a USB stick.

Are you planning a fine art print, an edition or a reproduction? Write to us. We will discuss paper, format and process with you in person.