Archived from groups: comp.periphs.printers (
More info?)
Arthur Entlich wrote:
> You are speaking about dye sublimation printers, in all probability.
>
> Like inkjet, the answer is it depends, in terms of how fade resistant
> they are.
>
> Earlier models were terrible, in fact, they were originally used in
> the industry principally for proofing with warning not to leave them
> exposed to light if you wanted to use them for any color matching. The way
> they work is there is a continuous roll of film, slightly
> larger in width than the print width they can produce. This roll
> contains panels of dye in sequences of CMY and sometimes K, and
> sometimes a clear topcoat.
> The process they uses is each panel is set into place above a
> specialty transfer paper which has a surface designed to accept
> sublimated dye. Sublimation is the process of a material going
> directly from a solid to gaseous state without passing through a
> liquid phase. Using a special head with heating elements, similar in
> some ways to a thermal fax machine head, but with usually 64/128 or
> 256 heat levels, the head translates the image line by line into heat
> ranges which heats the dye which is held very close to the transfer
> paper. The dye then is deposed onto the receptive surface of the
> paper in differing densities.
> This process is repeated with each dye panel, moving the paper into
> the print path 3, 5 or 5 times depending upon how many panels are
> involved, building up the colors, and coating.
>
> The results, being continuos tone, are usually very smooth looking,
> and the surface of the paper is usually photo-glossy.
>
> Although costs have dropped on the consumables, it is still an
> expensive printing technique. The panel set can only be used once
> per print, and if you are printing one tiny dot of color in the
> middle of the print and nothing more, you still use up a full panel
> set of dye inks or that one print. Paper choice is usually limited
> to one or possibly two surfaces.
> To improve permanence, many use a UV clear coat layer as the last
> panel to coat the print. You see, the problem is, the very nature of
> dye sublimation is the dyes are designed to with heat dissipate into a
> gaseous state.
>
> However, dye sublimation dyes have become better, and, although I
> would be surprised they meet the permanence of most pigment ink sets,
> some newer ones are probably good for dozens of years in dark keeping.
>
> I think the Kodak "instant" prints they offer in those kiosks in
> department stores are dye sub and they do claim fairly lengthy
> permanence now. Older versions of dye sub printers, even those by
> Kodak were fugitive, however.
>
> Art
>
>
> SleeperMan wrote:
>
>> i just remembered about those nice little compact photo printers,
>> like Canon's CP series. They use some special films, which contain
>> paper and ink. I just wonder...how do those photos rank in
>> durability...? And i bet that one photo comes even more expensive...
Thanks for this detailed info...i guess i'll just stick with normal
printers...
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