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Epson's P-3000 handheld multimedia storage viewer. Courtesy of Epson, with modifications by Michael R. Tomkins. Epson: New photo viewers
By Michael R. Tomkins, The Imaging Resource
(Monday, September 25, 2006 - 15:56 EDT)

Epson America Inc. has today announced two new handheld multimedia storage viewer devices that update the company's existing P-2000 and P-4000 models with quite a few new features.

The Epson P-3000 and P-5000 are closely related, sharing the same overhauled design which is intended for single-handed operation. The only difference between the units is that the cheaper P-3000 unit ($499) has a smaller 40GB hard disk drive, plus silver panels at the top and bottom of the body. The all-black Epson P-5000 doubles capacity to 80GB, and costs $699.

On top of the overhauled design, which places controls more logically in reach of your right thumb, the devices have a number of other new features. Processing power has been improved, with Epson claiming the devices to offer download speeds 250% faster than predecessor models. LCD resolution remains unchanged, but the size goes up slightly from 3.8 to 4.0 inches, and color gamut expands considerably courtesy of what Epson says is the first four-color LCD system. Dubbed "Epson Photo Fine Ultra", the displays have red, blue, emerald green and yellowish green pixels, and are capable of displaying 16.7 million colors with a gamut covering 88% of the Adobe RGB color space.

Other changes include a new graphical user interface, extended file format support, the ability to open files as large as 30 megapixels (was 17.8 megapixels), and a slight increase in size and weight over the past models. Both the Epson P3000 and Epson P5000 are available immediately.

  Epson P-5000 Epson P-3000
Epson's P-5000 handheld multimedia storage viewer. Courtesy of Epson, with modifications by Michael R. Tomkins. Click for a bigger picture! Epson's P-3000 handheld multimedia storage viewer. Courtesy of Epson, with modifications by Michael R. Tomkins. Click for a bigger picture!
Estimated Street Price $699 $499
Storage 80GB hard disk drive 40GB hard disk drive
LCD Display

640 x 480 (VGA) LCD screen

Epson Photo Fine Ultra™ LCD technology, delivers 88% of Adobe RGB color gamut

4-color filter system (red, blue, emerald green and yellowish green)

Pixel count of 212 pixels per square inch

Memory Formats

Built-in memory card slots support CompactFlash® Type I & II and Secure Digital™

Supports Memory Stick®, Smart Media ™ and Multimedia Card with optional third-party adapter - sold separately

Multimedia Viewing - JPEG Image

Supports viewing (with zoom), slideshow (w/ selectable audio), rotating, deleting JPEG formats.

Multimedia Viewing - RAW Image

Supports RAW file viewing, zooming and rotating of the following cameras:

  • Epson R-D1, R-D1s
  • Nikon D1H / D2H / D1X / D100 / D70 / D70s / D2Hs / D2X / D50 / D200
  • Canon EOS: D30 / D60 / 5D / 10D / 20D / 30D / 1DMarkII / 1DsMarkII / 1DMarkIIn / Digital Rebel / Digital Rebel XT
  • Konica Minolta Maxxum 5D, Maxxum 7D
  • Pentax *ist D / *ist DS / *ist DL / *ist DS2 / *ist DL2
  • Olympus E-1 / E-300 / E-330 / E-500
Multimedia Viewing - Video

Supports the following file extensions:

  • .mov / .avi / .divx / .asf / .mp4 / .mpg / .mpe / .mpeg / .vob / .mod
Multimedia Viewing - Audio Supports MP3 (file extension .mp3) and AAC (file extension .m4a) for audio playback. Included software, Epson Link2, will convert .wma and .wav files into a supported format.
Ergonomics

Designed for single-handed operation

Newly redesigned GUI

File Management

Maintains file names created by digital cameras

Copy files directly from memory cards

Create photo, video and audio albums

Copy/transfer files directly to memory cards and PC systems

View images from memory cards without having to download files to a hard drive

Micro Processor New, 250 percent faster than predecessor
Bundled Software

New software offers file transfer, video conversion and playlist support

Direct Print Technology Direct printing without a computer to select Epson printers with PictBridge technology
Video Interface

NTSC or PAL

Connects to television, monitor or projector with video input

Speaker Dynamic φ20 x 1 (Mono)
Interface High-speed USB 2.0 compatible
Minimum System Requirements

Windows – 2000, XP

Macintosh – OS X 10.2x or later

Power Rechargeable Li-Ion Battery and AC adapter (included)
Dimensions

5.9” x 3.49” x 1.46” in. (W x H x D)

Weight 415 g or 1 lb. with battery
Warranty Epson Exchange one-year limited warranty in U.S. and Canada
.

Original Source Press Release:

NEW EPSON� P-3000 AND P-5000 HANDHELD MULTIMEDIA STORAGE VIEWERS FEATURE WORLD�S FIRST FOUR-COLOR LCD, DELIVERING MORE THAN 16.7 MILLION COLORS FOR INDUSTRY-LEADING CLARITY AND DETAIL

Portable Multimedia Storage Viewers Feature 40-80 GB Hard Drives and Faster Image Processing for Storing and Viewing Digital Photos, Videos and Music Files

LONG BEACH, Sept. 25, 2006 – Continuing to meet and exceed the needs of digital photographers, photo enthusiasts and business professionals, Epson today introduced its latest multimedia storage viewers, the Epson P-3000 and Epson P-5000. With Epson’s exclusive Photo Fine® Ultra technology, the P-3000 and P-5000 feature the world’s first four-color filter system displaying 16.7 million colors to deliver Adobe® RGB color supporti. The new P-3000 and P-5000 provide a fast, convenient way to download, store and view photos in superior resolution and detail on-the-spot.

Building upon many of the features and strengths of previous Epson multimedia storage viewers, the P-3000 and P-5000 offer 40GBii and 80GBiii hard drive capacities (respectively) for storing and sharing thousands of digital photos, videos and music files. The P-3000 and P-5000 are designed to be the ultimate companions to any digital camera, featuring a high-quality, four-inch LCD for industry-leading precision, clarity and color, wider file support (including RAW), faster download and processing speeds, built-in memory card slots, and longer battery life than previous Epson models.

“ Without a doubt, these two products set a new standard of excellence in image quality in the area of handheld multimedia storage devices,” said Jennifer Burl, product manager, Epson. “The clarity, crisp details and amazing range of colors achieved by the P-3000 and P-5000 put them miles ahead of the competition, and you’ll certainly understand why once you see them. And, with faster download speeds and a larger range of file support, including the popular DivX® video format, these light-weight, handheld viewers offer the ultimate in portability for demanding photo enthusiasts, professionals and consumers alike, whether on-location, at work, at home, or traveling.”

Features of the Epson P-3000 and P-5000 Multimedia Storage Viewers
The Epson P-3000 and P-5000 Multimedia Storage Viewers offer many new and innovative features that give both professionals and enthusiasts a fast, convenient way to download, view and store photos and videos, and store and listen to music on-the-spot. Product highlights include:

  • Large Four-inch LCD: View and share images and videos with precise clarity and detail in 640 x 480 high-resolution
  • World’s First Four-Color LCD: New Photo Fine Ultra technology offers the world’s first four-color filter system of red, blue, emerald green and yellow green, rather than the standard three-color LCD technology; capable of displaying over 16.7 million colors, enabling images to be reproduced more accurately than ever before
  • High Capacity Hard Drive: Download, view and store thousands of JPEG and RAW photos, or videos and music with either a 40GB (P-3000) or 80GB (P-5000) hard disk drive
  • Adobe RGB Color Space Support: Supports images taken in Adobe RGB and a wide color gamut reproduces 88 percent of Adobe RGB color space
  • Expanded File Support: Supports image files (JPEG, EXIF and select RAW files), video files (MPEG4, Motion JPEG and DivX) and audio files (MP3 and AAC)
  • Faster Download Speeds: New processor provides speeds up to 250 percent faster than previous models
  • New Interface: An improved interface and three viewing modes enable users to quickly organize files, create albums and slideshows and assign file ratings for easy access
  • Long Battery Life: Rechargeable lithium ion battery delivers up to three hours worth of power to run in continuous slide show or video modes
  • Built-in Memory Card Slots: Two built-in slots for Compact Flash® I/II and Secure Digital™ memory cards; many other cards supported via third-party adapter
  • Direct Printing: Print photos directly to select Epson printers via USB 2.0 connection

More about the Epson P-3000 and P-5000 Multimedia Storage Viewers
The Epson P-3000 and P-5000 are designed to address the ever-increasing digital storage needs for multimedia applications. The Epson P-3000 has a 40GB hard drive and the Epson P-5000 has an 80GB hard drive for storing thousands of music, video, or image files. With increased support for viewing and zooming JPEG and select RAW files, as well as the addition of DivX video support, the P-3000 and P-5000 offer a wide variety of supported file formats. They also come with Epson’s new Link2 software, which provides an automatic file conversion function for most music and movie formats, as well as the ability to build, edit and store music playlists.

The Epson P-3000 and P-5000 are designed with a Hi-Speed USB 2.0 interface for easy and quick file transfer to a computer. Once images have been downloaded to the viewers from a memory card, they can be connected to a computer to back up the images to ensure they are saved. The P-3000 and P-5000 are both Windows® and Macintosh® compatible.

Pricing and Availability
The Epson P-3000 and P-5000 are currently available through authorized dealers, mail order, photo specialty stores, select retail outlets, distribution, select retail Web sites, and on the Epson retail Web site (www.epsonstore.com) for a price of $499 and $699, respectively. The product carries a one-year limited warranty and is supported by the EPSON ConnectionSM, a customer support and technical assistance line. For more information on Epson and its products, call 1-800-GO-EPSON (1-800-463-7766) or visit the company’s Web site at www.epson.com.

About Epson America, Inc.
Epson offers an extensive array of award-winning image capture and image output products for the consumer, business, photography, and graphic arts markets. The company is also a leading supplier of value-added point-of-sale (POS) printers and transaction terminals for the retail market. Founded in 1975, Epson America, Inc. is the U.S. affiliate of Japan-based Seiko Epson Corporation, a global manufacturer and supplier of high-quality technology products that meet customer demands for increased functionality, compactness, systems integration, and energy efficiency. Epson America, Inc. is headquartered in Long Beach, Calif.

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1Utilizes 88 percent of Adobe RGB color space.
2 36.5GB available storage, 3.5GB for system requirements.
373.8GB available storage, 6.2GB for system requirements.

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