The 4-inch LCD displays 16.7 million colors, but is that enough to convince you to part with some big bucks?
The 160GB Epson P-7000 Multimedia Photo Viewer, like the 80GB P-6000, is all about image quality. The 640×480-pixel, 4-inch LCD monitor is bright and sharp, but the next spec is one pros and high-end shooters who are obsessed (in a good way) with color accuracy should appreciate: The monitor displays up to 16.7 million colors, encompassing 94% of the Adobe RGB color gamut. That’s the best color depth monitor we’ve seen on any portable storage device.
The P-7000 has won numerous awards from the likes of Outdoor Photographer, Shutterbug, Moose Peterson’s blog, Creative Pro and others. Many photographers simply want the best display—period—and will pay for it. This is Epson’s market. Perhaps that explains the price, which some have complained seems high. Can you justify paying nearly $740 for this portable hard drive/player? Let’s take a closer look. In addition to the image quality, the P-7000’s software has been improved over previous models. Epson says the P-7000 can import images from memory cards 35% faster than previous Epson “P” series players, and a handy little jog wheel simplifies navigating through potentially thousands of photos and videos.
The P-7000 contains a 160GB hard drive (the P-6000 has an 80GB drive; all other features are the same), Hi-Speed USB 2.0, and accepts Compact Flash cards and, via an adapter sold separately, it will also handle, SD/SDHC, MultiMediaCard, Memory Stick, xD-Picture Card and SmartMedia cards. It will display JPEG and RAW still images, MPEG-4, Motion JPEG, H.264/AVC SVGA (800×600) or more videos, and MP3 and MPEG-4/AAC audio files. (As with any device, check the Epson support section for firmware updates, which could endow the P7000 with new features or improvements.)But does all that justify its price tag? That’s a matter of debate and it depends on your priorities. If image quality, even on a small portable display, must be accurate, this is the closest you’ll get. That, alone, might be worth ponying up the extra bucks. If image quality is less important than a rich feature set and lower price, consider the Wolverine ESP line instead—or come back tomorrow.
