Dye Sub Printers for Event Work

Hi. I'm looking for some advice about dye sub printers. I'm having some trouble finding some models to choose from and the only pro machine I've discovered is the Fujifilm Ask series and the HiTi.

I've never seen a dyesub print. Just how do they stack to some of the best inkjet (dye) models from Epson and the like? Also, how do they handle monochrome, well?.

Any tips, links or otherwise would be really helpful.

thank
Snapz

I have been used this one from sony in the past 2 years without any major issues:

http://www.vistek.ca …hoto-printer-upcr10l.aspx

Tagged. I went through looking at these about a year ago. I ended up going with Canon inkjets for event photos instead. Way more cost effective I think.....

43 North wrote in post #11921597
Tagged. I went through looking at these about a year ago. I ended up going with Canon inkjets for event photos instead. Way more cost effective I think.....

Ink might be fine if you got 5 mins to wait per print. But what if you are shooting an event with hundereds of pix backing up your print server and ppl waiting for their images. If they don't have time to wait 'cause they are 15th in the cue, you loose the sale
Nope, a dye-sub is the only way to go. Also the media price has dropped making them much more cost effective.

My hunt continues ..........

kenwood33 wrote in post #11921306
I have been used this one from sony in the past 2 years without any major issues:

http://www.vistek.ca …hoto-printer-upcr10l.aspx

Thanks for the link. Have you done any monochrome with this printer? I'm checking it out. Snapz

I use dyesubs for almost all of my work, for example last night I photographed a fancy dress party and produced 94 8x6 prints in less than 40 minutes. Each print cost me 14 pence.

Inkjets cannot compete on price, speed, quality etc. My printers are so different to what people have in their home or office that no one ever queries anything, if your client has an inkjet at home, can you honestly say that?

Also dye subs do nor suffer misaligned print heads or get clogged nozzles, and as they have print counters you will not need to refill them at inopportune times.

Many shops use dyesubs to produce their customers prints, so you have almost certainly seen them without realising. They are simply lab quaility prints, most are glossy although the latest models can do glossy and matt all from the same media.

My personal prefernce are printers made by DNP, but look for other names such as Mitsubishi, HiTi, Fuji and Sony.

When you buy a dyesub printer you will never ever go back to an inkjet!

Gary_Evans wrote in post #11923274
I use dyesubs for almost all of my work, for example last night I photographed a fancy dress party and produced 94 8x6 prints in less than 40 minutes. Each print cost me 14 pence.

Inkjets cannot compete on price, speed, quality etc. My printers are so different to what people have in their home or office that no one ever queries anything, if your client has an inkjet at home, can you honestly say that?

Also dye subs do nor suffer misaligned print heads or get clogged nozzles, and as they have print counters you will not need to refill them at inopportune times.

Many shops use dyesubs to produce their customers prints, so you have almost certainly seen them without realising. They are simply lab quaility prints, most are glossy although the latest models can do glossy and matt all from the same media.

My personal prefernce are printers made by DNP, but look for other names such as Mitsubishi, HiTi, Fuji and Sony.

When you buy a dyesub printer you will never ever go back to an inkjet!

Your print costs are .14 but your startup costs to purchase the dye sub is 10 times that of a good inkjet photo printer. In my situation I have a trailer with viewing stations. I run 4 printers at a time to kick out the volume of customer demands on site. I also offer 5 different print sizes when I sell photos, my inkjets are quick to adjust print sizes. Just my 2 cents.

I would love to have dye sub printers but the initial investment is not worth it to me. I have also never received any complaints from costumers and am making decent revenue at the events so I will stick with what is working for me.

43 North wrote in post #11923431
but your startup costs to purchase the dye sub is 10 times that of a good inkjet photo printer.

er, no. My dyesub cost me twice what a GOOD inkjet costs.

43 North wrote in post #11923431
I run 4 printers at a time to kick out the volume of customer demands on site.

So I make that that you have paid twice as much as me!

Gary_Evans wrote in post #11923552
er, no. My dyesub cost me twice what a GOOD inkjet costs.


So I make that that you have paid twice as much as me!

Cheers for that Gary. what printer(s) models are you using? I've also discovered these guys ...

http://www.systeminsig​ht.co.uk
http://www.systeminsig​ht.co.uk/store/

... they seem to be totally focused on dye-sub. Right now I'm looking at the Mitsubishi range. They also seem to have a longer life span than the rest which is reasuring. Ya neva know I might be able to land myself a demo for £££'s less.
As I'm just getting into this it seems like a good place to start.

A big concern for me is B&W. I do Art Noir and need a top notch B&W print. Can these machines handle that?

Big thanks to all respondents
Snapz

I have a shinko and love it, my first event paid for the printer and then some, since then it has been used at numerous events and is going strong an 8x10 costs me right around $1.00 to print

Do dye subs use a special paper or is it the same that you put through your ink jet? I imagine it would be different because of the heat correct?

Snappy7, if you are UK based you might want to look at these web page too

http://www.photomart.c​o.uk …ID=81&MenuID2=&​CatID=34,4

Even if you are not, it does show the range of suppliers out there.

If you use System Insight ask to speak to Stuart Morely, the best person to contact at Photomart is Mark Amies. They both know me and will take the time to talk through the different options with you.

My own personal machines are the DNP DS40 http://www.photomart.c​o.uk …81&RootCat=125&​CatID=34,4

and DNP DS80 http://www.photomart.c​o.uk …81&RootCat=125&​CatID=34,4

43 North wrote in post #11926130
Do dye subs use a special paper or is it the same that you put through your ink jet? I imagine it would be different because of the heat correct?

Totally different. You buy paper and ribbon as a pack of "media". You install them together and they run out together at the same time - there is no ink in a dyesub printer.

Dyesubs are also known as thermal printers, this is because the head inside heats the media as passes through. This is how the print is created.

I use a Mitsu 9550, great little unit, very reliable.

Gary_Evans wrote in post #11927915
Snappy7, if you are UK based you might want to look at these web page too

http://www.photomart.c​o.uk …ID=81&MenuID2=&​CatID=34,4

Even if you are not, it does show the range of suppliers out there.

If you use System Insight ask to speak to Stuart Morely, the best person to contact at Photomart is Mark Amies. They both know me and will take the time to talk through the different options with you.

My own personal machines are the DNP DS40 http://www.photomart.c​o.uk …81&RootCat=125&​CatID=34,4

and DNP DS80 http://www.photomart.c​o.uk …81&RootCat=125&​CatID=34,4




Totally different. You buy paper and ribbon as a pack of "media". You install them together and they run out together at the same time - there is no ink in a dyesub printer.

Dyesubs are also known as thermal printers, this is because the head inside heats the media as passes through. This is how the print is created.

thanks a lot for that Gary. Yep I'm in Kent by the way (the garden of England, coff, coff !) I've been into the world of dance for many years so when a mate of mine asked me into his venue to take some pix my attention was drawn from my intended path of weddings to events. I've always had a home studio but due to the lack of work around my area I'm investing in events instead.
Many thanks for the help so far.
Snapz

43 North wrote in post #11926130
Do dye subs use a special paper or is it the same that you put through your ink jet? I imagine it would be different because of the heat correct?

You buy a "kit" of ribbon & paper. They match each other equally so when the ribbon is finished so is the paper. To answer your question. No the paper is not inkjet. These are thermal printers and use heat to do their stuff. (Check out "sublimation" as in dye-sub)
You've seen them many times in stores & gas stations printing the reciept you just don't know it.

Take a look at some of the links in this thread and Google around and you'll see what I mean.

Snapz