Continuing the Tradition
Epson had recently launched the EcoTank L8180 photo printer and we could not be more curious about how it adds value to the company’s lineage. Here we have SivaKumar,SeniorGeneralManagerofInkjetPrinters,EpsonIndia, in conversation with SmartPhotography.
Siva Kumar, General Manager of Inkjet Printers, Epson India, talks about the newly launched L8180 photo printer
Epson printers – whether designed for home use or professional use - are known worldwide for their superb image quality. How is the just-introduced Epson EcoTank L8180 photo printer different from Epson’s other photo printers as far as image quality is concerned? Epson continues its tradition of superb image quality, as mentioned by you, with the introduction of the new L8180 photo printer. With the EcoTank L8180, our aim is to provide extremely high quality photo prints with powerful performance and affordability along with the advantages of an InkTank system. This product is designed uniquely to cater to photo studios, photo enthusiasts, commercial photo shops and graphic design house. This multifunction printer also meets the requirements of graphic printing by delivering a higher colour gamut for stunning quality prints.
The L8180’s unique combination of 6 colour inks (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black, Grey and Pigment black) is a perfect choice to print photo or document, thereby eliminating the need to have separate printers for general document printing and photo/ graphics printing. Its black and grey Ink combination allows it to deliver an enhanced level of grayscale photo print quality. We have especially focussed on the design of the L8180 to make it more compact and stylish so it enhances the room ambience wherever it is kept. It’s an amazing photo printer.
Can you give our readers an idea of how affordable the EcoTank L8180 is in terms of its running cost?
Epson L8180 belongs to our EcoTank range of printers, making it inherently possess the capabilities of delivering high page yield, low cost per unit and reduced total cost of ownership. The page yield of L8180’s ink bottles varies based on the type of prints done, whether it is for printing documents or for images. As per ISO A4 print pattern, the page yields with regards to Dye black, Pigment black and Grey Ink are 6,700, 7,300 and 46,000 (conditions applied) respectively, while each of the CMY colours deliver 6,200 pages. These ink bottles are priced at MRP Rs. 989/- each.
Would you like to say anything about any new technology in the said printer?
Epson uses its proprietary Micro Piezo Heat-Free technology in its EcoTank range of printers which does not require heat in the ink ejection process. Instead pressure is applied to a Piezo element, reducing environmental impact while increasing productivity without compromise. This enables Epson EcoTank printers to consume as low as appx. 17 watts while printing. Leveraging Advanced Multi Size Dot Technology, the L8180 can produce 5 sizes of ink droplets when the Cyan, Magenta and Yellow inks are used, helping users achieve high print quality with higher speeds.
Please explain the ‘multifunctions’ that the L8180 offers.
Epson L8180 is designed to be a truly multifunctional printer that meets the most frequently used functions in of ices and photo studios. The printer comes with inbuilt features like scan, print, copy, Wi-Fi, A4 duplex printing, touch panel, network and SD card. Using the L8180, users can print up to A3+ paper sizes and scan papers up to the size of 8.5 x 14 inches. While L8180’s Cassette 1 is meant for feeding photo papers up to 5 x 7 inches, its Cassette 2 has an input capacity of 100 sheets mainly for feeding plain papers. It also includes a rear slot with a straight feeding option for feeding thick papers, which has an input capacity of 50 sheets. Additionally, users can also directly print on Inkjet coated CDs and DVDs.
5. Currently, what percentage of the printer market share does Epson have in India?
In India, Epson has been the undisputed leader in the overall Inkjet printer market maintaining the No. 1 position since 2017 and capturing 40.85% share (according to Worldwide Quarterly Hardcopy Peripheral Tracker, 1Q2021.) of the market in FY2020. In 2011, we were the irst company to bring the world’s irst integrated InkTank printer to India and have completed 10 glorious years in the country ever since with over 5 Million Happy EcoTank customers. Our EcoTank range of printers have been extremely successful in all segments, be it at home or of ice, or small commercial establishments like photocopy shops and photo studios. Epson dominates the market and thanks to the reliability of its ixed Micro Piezo print head technology and the resultant superior quality photo prints.
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