Epson DURABrite Ultra technical brief

DURABrite Ultra pigment ink is the latest formulation in the DURABrite Ink family and is currently featured in the Epson
Stylus® C88 printer and the Epson Stylus CX3800 Series/CX4200/CX4800/CX5800F/CX7800 all-in-one printers. These
products are designed for the consumer and SOHO (Small Office/Home Office) customer who is looking for versatility,
productivity, ease of use, image quality on plain and photo paper, and image durability. This technical brief will focus on
the following key advantages of the 4-color, pigment-based DURABrite Ultra pigment ink:

• Enhanced support for glossy papers

• Ideal for printing everyday documents

• Durable output

• Wide media support

• Convenient individual ink cartridges

Advantages of DURABrite Ultra Pigment Ink—Enhanced Support for Glossy Papers

Many consumers are looking for a printer that can produce great everyday text documents and photos; with the new
DURABrite Ultra pigment ink, customers get high quality glossy photos without compromising the text and graphic
printing quality on plain paper that DURABrite Ink has been known for. DURABrite Ultra pigment ink offers these new
advantages when printing photos on glossy papers:

1. Better glossiness: Where previous formulations of DURABrite Ink were optimized mostly for plain and matte
papers and produced good quality photos on glossy papers, the DURABrite Ultra pigment ink now produces
extremely good output on even the best Epson glossy photo papers:

• Epson Ultra Premium Glossy Photo Paper—This “best of breed”

glossy photo paper has a heavier, professional weight with a
smooth, high-gloss finish.

• Epson Premium Glossy Photo Paper— This high-gloss paper

makes prints look and feel like a traditional photograph.

• Epson Premium Semigloss Photo Paper—This media has the

look and feel of true photographic paper, and is ideal for printing
displays or scenic color images. The semigloss finish delivers
beautiful results.

• Epson Premium Luster Photo Paper—This paper with Luster

E surface finish produces vivid, lifelike images that rival those
of traditional silver halide prints, with high saturation and high
D-Max for true photographic reproductions. It is compatible
with the DURABrite Ultra pigment ink when using the Premium
Semigloss Photo Paper driver setting.

• Epson Glossy Photo Paper—This glossy photo paper delivers a

smooth, glossy finish for everyday photos.

2. Reduced gloss differential: Gloss differential occurs when the
gloss of the paper is different from the gloss of the ink. By using a
new resin formulation, gloss differential with the DURABrite Ultra
pigment ink is reduced and the color gamut is improved.

3. Reduced metamerism: Metamerism is an effect where colors
appear to be different under dissimilar lighting conditions (such as
natural light and fluorescent light). With the new ink formulation,
metamerism is reduced.

DURABrite Ultra pigment ink has the flexibility to produce high quality
glossy photos as well as superb photos on matte papers. Epson printers
and all-in-one printers with DURABrite Ultra pigment ink all support
BorderFree® printing, too, so your customers can print borderless,
frame-ready photos right out of the printer—without trimming or
perforations.

DURABrite Ultra pigment ink is
compatible with many glossy photo
papers, plus still supports matte papers

DURABrite Ultra pigment ink produces:

Excellent gloss
level

Reduced
metamerism

More vibrant
colors

More glossy
paper choices

Epson Sales Training 08/2005

Advantages of DURABrite Ultra Pigment Ink—Ideal for Printing Everyday Documents

DURABrite Ultra pigment ink uses an exclusive Microencapsulation
technology where each pigment particle is encased in a resin. A unique
polymer pulls the particles apart so they are suspended in the solution
and never coagulate. The ink base then helps the DURABrite Ultra
pigment ink pigment particles penetrate into the paper.

Using this technology, DURABrite Ultra pigment ink offers these
printing advantages:

1. Extra-sharp text and graphics on plain paper: Because
conventional dye-based ink acts much like a watercolor paint, its
molecules are absorbed into plain paper. The spreading of ink into
plain paper’s fibers is referred to as feathering.

DURABrite Ultra pigment ink pigment particles “rest” near the

surface of the paper and are not absorbed into the fibers like
conventional dye inks. DURABrite Ultra pigment ink produces a
much smaller spot size than dye-based ink, resulting in sharper
output on plain paper. This applies to both text and graphics.

Dye Ink Text

2. Double-Sided prints without bleed-through: DURABrite Ultra pigment ink uses a special technology that
controls the penetration level of the ink and keeps the colorant near the surface. Additionally, output on plain and
matte papers is optimized with a higher optical density, which means your customers will get darker blacks.

3. Brighter colors: DURABrite Ultra pigment ink uses an innovative formulation of color inks, producing brighter
output on plain, matte, and glossy paper.

With these advantages, DURABrite Ultra
pigment ink is an ideal solution for
consumers who generally print everyday
documents. Customers can achieve
outstanding output, even on plain paper,
when printing greeting cards, reports, labels,
web pages, resumes, menus, and more.

With the added improvements for printing on
glossy papers, the DURABrite Ultra pigment
ink is the ideal solution for customers who
want one printer to produce everyday
documents and photos: it combines the best
of both in one ink set.

DURABrite Ultra Ink Text

DURABrite Ultra pigment ink offers what consumers are looking
for most:

Brighter colors on

Extra-sharp text

With the same size ink droplet,
DURABrite Ultra pigment ink has
a smaller spread into plain paper’s
fibers than dye-based ink

Double-sided
prints without
bleed-through

plain paper

Sharper graphics

Epson DURABrite Ultra pigment ink Technical Brief Page 2