Epson have issued a press release outlining their strong position in the professional photographic market, in spite of strong and increasing competition from Canon and HP.
They say that ongoing independent research conducted for Epson into the photo printing preferences of Australian professional photographers shows that most are relying on Epson printers to produce images for sale and gallery display. The survey, conducted by Taverner Research, found that 86% of Australian professional photographers use an Epson printer in their business.
And 88% of those who print large format (A3 to A1 size) choose an Epson printer to produce their images.
For the popular A3/A3+ sized printers, 97% of professional photographers say they depend on the quality, print durability and reliability that are the outstanding characteristics of an Epson printer and Epson ink and paper.
The research reflects the results from those photographers in Australia who say they earn 50% or more of their income from photography - the definition of professional photographer adopted for the survey conducted for Epson in 2004, 2005 and 2007.
The 2005 survey found that 70% of professional photographers owned an Epson printer.
Epson's Business Solutions Manager, Craig Heckenberg, said Epson's quality and reliability stood out in the survey results as the key considerations for professional photographers.
"The professionals are telling us they choose Epson primarily for the extremely high quality of the prints they are getting from their printer, with Epson's UltraChrome (TM) range of pigment inks, and the longevity of those prints. - an essential requirement when prints are sold," Craig said.
"The second most important consideration is the reliability of their Epson printers. Epson has long been known for the reliability of its printers - not just for putting in long hours of work, but also for the consistent quality of print that is produced over all those working hours.
"This is demonstrated by the results over the three surveys where a consistent 91% of Epson printer owners say they would recommend Epson printers to fellow professionals, family and friends.
"This reinforces our view that Epson will continue to lead the professional photography market based not just on its reputation for quality and reliability, but also for its innovation and willingness to work with professionals to help them get what they want out of their Epson printers, inks and papers."
Epson Australia
www.epson.com.au
