Designed for the photography and fine art markets, Canon’s new series of 12-colour imagePROGRAF PRO large format printers comprises three models: the 1524mm imagePROGRAF PRO-6600, the 1118mm PRO-4600 and the 610mm PRO-2600, which replace the imagePROGRAF PRO-6100, PRO-4100 and PRO-2100 respectively.
Combined with a new pigment ink set, LUCIA PRO II (11 of the 12 inks are newly developed. The Matt Black ink is the same one used by the imagePROGRAF GP-2000/4000), the new 12-colour series delivers the highest photo print quality of any imagePROGRAF yet. The launch of the new series addresses market demand for greater image durability and light resistance to help increase long-term print storage, and offers new environmental benefits.
While the 12-colour imagePROGRAF PRO was already renowned for producing photo quality prints with stunning, vivid colour and unsurpassed clarity and detail, the matt black ink in the LUCIA PRO II ink set, together with a newly designed colour matching table, has improved the reproduction of darker shades and the black density on fine art papers. On the same media types, this development has also expanded the dark areas of the colour gamut to render detailed shades of grey.
The LUCIA PRO II ink set also allows users to futureproof their printed output as the new inks provide substantially improved scratch resistance on photographic papers, to make handling, mounting and finishing easier, such as for fine art printers (PSPs), while a very light-resistant pigment in the ink set dramatically increases colour fastness. Enhancing their value, photographic and fine art prints can therefore now be produced in even higher quality with the new imagePROGRAF PRO series and then preserved for up to 200 years without the colours fading.
Regardless of the skill or experience of the user, the new imagePROGRAF PRO series is easy to use and offers increased productivity, thanks to its ink ejection status monitoring system, simplified settings and easier media handling. Its dual roll capability allows a second roll of a different media type and size to be loaded at the same time so that the user can automatically switch from printing on matt to gloss paper without interrupting the workflow. By accelerating the automatic media feeding process, the media loading time has also been reduced by approximately 40% from 123 seconds (the previous imagePROGRAF PRO series) to 73 seconds (the new imagePROGRAF PRO series).
In line with Canon’s goal of reducing the environmental footprint of its products and operations by using resources responsibly, minimising waste, increasing efficiency and supporting innovation, it has reduced the amount of expanded polystyrene packaging material used for the new imagePROGRAF PRO series.
In addition, its reduced power consumption, using 85W or less during operation and 2.3W or less during standby, as well as other satisfied criteria, has helped the series achieve a ‘Gold’ product rating under the U.S. Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT) Registry, the highest level of registration in the field of imaging equipment products. EPEAT is an environmental evaluation system established by the Green Electronics Council (GEC), an NPO in the United States, for the purpose of market development and promotion of environmentally friendly products.
Mathew Faulkner, EMEA Director, Marketing and Innovation, Wide Format Printing Group, Canon Europe, commented, ‘The new imagePROGRAF PRO series takes the resounding success of our current range and makes it even better, with new design and performance features added in response to feedback from our customers. We’ve raised the bar for print quality as well as significantly increasing image robustness in terms of light and abrasion resistance, which is crucial for fine art printers and professional photographers. With its improved media handling and increased automation, we’ve also made it easier to use and more productive.
‘The new imagePROGRAF PRO series makes an attractive proposition for our customers – professional photographers can invest in technology that allows them to further commercialise their work through print, while maintaining full control of the output and quality of their work.’
CANON SOUTH AFRICA
CZA-Marketing@canon.co.za
http://www.canon.co.za
