Choosing a Dye Sublimation Photo Printer
Looking for a digital photo printer for your home or business? There are many types and sizes of printers available to choose from these days. Printers specifically designed to get quality color photos usually include those that print by either using an inkjet or a dye sublimation process.
What Are Dye Sublimation Printers?
Digital dye sublimation printers use heat to transfer solid layers of ink on a roll of film onto various types of materials. Inkjet printers, on the other hand, transfer ink through a series of small dots onto paper. Also dubbed "sub printers," dye-sublimation printers come in various sizes and models and serve many purposes.
- For home and small business use, dye sublimation printers most often print digital photographs and images onto coated paper or cards. Because they are compact, they are often transportable. Ideal if you want to be able to print photos on demand, such as at events or while you are away from home.
- In other commercial environments, larger designs and models may be for printing onto fabrics, plastics, and other compatible materials and media. This type of dye printing technology is also useful in medical imaging.
What Consumables Do They Use?
With any type of printer, there are additional consumables or supplies that you need to replace from time to time. In these types of photo printer, you will need:
- Film: These printers use rolls of transparent film embedded with dyes of the main colors for printing (cyan, magenta, and yellow) and a laminate finish. The rolls of film, or ribbons, are replaced as one unit when they deplete.
- Paper or Print Media: Dye-sub printers use specially coated photo paper for printing either borderless or bordered photos. This is available in different sizes, and most printers offer a range of options.
What Features Does This Brand Offer?
Sony, with DNP, has released various models of compact digital photo printers with dye-sub technology.
- Their range of models is sized to print everything from business card size only, to desktop sizes for up to 8x10 letter sizes, to larger machines.
- Input and output connections include USB interfaces to connect to a PC and slots for inserting your media sticks and cards.
- Consumables are produced as "print packs" that combine coated photo paper, print ribbon and protective lamination material in one kit. These are bought based on the paper or photo size you print.
- Settings within the printers allow you the option of printing your photos with glossy or matte finishes.
For further detail and specifications of individual models, please refer to the manufacturer's website.
Content provided for informational purposes only. eBay is not affiliated with or endorsed by Sony or DNP.