Singapore, 4 December 2006 - Epson, a world leader in digital imaging, announced the launch of the EPSON P-3000 and P-5000: Professional Photo Viewers.  As the only dedicated portable photo viewers currently available in the market, the pair succeeds the acclaimed EPSON P-2000.  Apart from improved performance and basic product updates, the two new photo viewers boast several significant new features and improvements.

Introducing 4 Colour Filter LCD - A world's first!
The EPSON P-3000 and P-5000 are the first products in the world to feature a revolutionary 4 Colour Filter LCD.  In place of the traditional RGB colour filters (Red, Green and Blue), the new photo viewers possess four colours - Red, Blue, Yellow Green and Emerald Green.  What this means for users is a wider colour gamut of up to 88% of Adobe RGB Color Space which results in clear, razor-sharp image quality.

In experiencing the visible difference, local commercial photographer Ken Seet said, "Photo viewers are tremendous aids to professional photographers as it allows us to review our photo shoot on location without a PC.  The crystal clear LCD screen on the new photo viewers recreates precise and accurate colour image production, which is important for our clients and us.  To meet these difficult demands, the EPSON P-3000 and P-5000 surpasses our expectations and delivers what we believed was possible, to the next level."

Pixel perfect digital images
Aside from the incredible colour accuracy of the 4 Colour Filter LCD, users can experience true colour depth with 24-bit full colour for smooth gradation and astonishing 198 pixel per inch (ppi) for precise details.  Plus, the  generous 4" proprietary EPSON Photo Fine Ultra LCD screen is now brighter to allow users to view images even under direct sunlight.  The amazing clarity on the LCD also provides support for up to 88% of Adobe's RGB colour space, a capability unmatched on any other portable photo viewing product.   

Versatile viewing
The EPSON P-3000 and P-5000 support most RAW format and can detail information such as camera settings and histogram.  For best images, both photo viewers come loaded with three viewing modes.  Choose between viewing 12 images (4 X 3 mode), 64 images (8 X 8 mode) and List (one-by-one mode).  The photo viewers are also smart companions for professional photographers as they allow highlighting of shadow areas for editing purposes.  Images can also be rated for easy sorting and categorisation.  Furthermore, the intuitively placed One-Touch zoom (up to 400%) and 4-Way keys mean there is no need to fumble across numerous sub-menus to toggle this commonly used feature. 

Also new, the EPSON P-3000 and P-5000 have an Image Detection feature.  This intelligent feature works by allowing the viewer to categorise and enhance the type of photo currently on display.  For instance, when 'Landscape' is selected, the photo viewer optimises landscape characteristics and provides a range of clearer colours.  If 'Portrait' is selected, it will automatically provide the preferred skin tone and also correct any fogging or backlight scatter.  

The perfect choice for photographers
For photographers on the go, the EPSON P-3000 offers a storage capacity of 40GB (gigabytes), while the EPSON P-5000 offers a larger 80GB storage capacity.  The table below illustrates the approximate number of photographs that can be stored:

Both new photo viewers come with built-in memory card slots that enable the transfer of images from a variety of commonly used digital storage devices.  Supported storage types include CompactFlash Type I and II and Secure Digital memory cards.  In addition, they can also be connected to an external USB storage and PictBridge device for seamless file transfers.

Double up with smooth Video and Music playback
Make the most of the super clear LCD display to watch great-looking videos on the move!  The EPSON P-3000 and P-5000 now support a wide range of video formats including MPEG 1, 2 and 4, DivX, H.264, Windows Media Player 9 and Motion-JPEG.  All these codec are backed by high bit rates to ensure smooth playback.  To optimise viewing pleasure, viewers can select from 'Home Video', 'Cinema' or 'Nature' mode to bring out the best colours and contrast. 

The new photo viewers also support MP3 and WMA formats.  Like any true dedicated portable media player, it also allows listeners to edit playlists, select tracks and comes with an Equaliser function to tease portable music aficionados.      

With Epson's tradition of innovative photo products, the EPSON P-3000 and P-5000 integrate outstanding new features to meet the needs of every professional photographer and enthusiast.  The photo viewers will be available from December 2006 and are priced at $888 (EPSON P-3000) and $1,218 (EPSON P-5000). 

Note:
Epson and all associated marks are trademarks of Seiko Epson Corporation.

Click here to learn more about the EPSON P-3000/P-5000 Multimedia Storage Viewer