Epson announced today that they were releasing a new professional wide-format printer, the Stylus Pro 3800. It will use an 8-ink to print photos up to 16 x 20. It will be able to print those giant photos in 5 minutes and 32 seconds, which Epson says is fast. Sounds blazing.

The Stylus Pro 3800 will use three different black cartridges in addition to the usual colors. It will have black, light black and light-light black. Having all three of these black cartridges is supposed to improve the quality of black and white prints, which is why all three aren’t typically found on standard photo printers that casual users would buy. Other than that, the 43-pound Stylus Pro 3800 doesn’t have a whole lot of features, since printers like these are not made for people interested in LCDs and memory card slots. It’s really all about the wide-format capabilities and then the results you are going to get.

This printer will retail at $1295 and it will begin shipping in December. It’s probably safe to say that it won’t be available in your local Wal-Mart, so you will probably have to order it online.

New Epson Stylus Pro 3800 Ink Jet Printer Sets New Standards for Excellence in Professional Imaging Quality, Performance and Price [Press Release]