A closer look at the Sony UPDR80
Unlike digital cameras and inkjet printers, dye-sublimation printing technology has not changed much over the last ten years. However, print quality has improved, speeds have increased and prices have dropped dramatically. The first dye-sub printer that Imaging Spectrum sold was the Kodak XL-7700. With a price tag of $24,895 the XL-7700 could print a color image in about 5-6 minutes for about $7 a print. With the introduction of the Sony UP-DR80 this fall, professionals and pro-sumers alike can now own a photo quality dye sub printer for under $1,200.
ProMatte Finish
What is dye-sublimation? I’ll leave that to Wikipedia. Suffice it to say that dye-sub is continuous tone and very durable, like a traditional print. The printing process is quick and the print doesn’t have to cure or dry like some inkjet prints. The draw back of dye-sub has always been the fact that it can only print on smooth, glossy paper. Manufacturers have tried to simulate a lustre (E-Surface) or matte finish by manipulating the protective laminate that is laid down during the printing process. The results have not been great, however, Sony’s new ProMatte finish from the UPDR80 is very nice. (Email me with your mailing address if you would like to see sample prints from the UPDR80.)
The UPDR80 Can Print & Cut 4x8 Photo Cards
Intermediate Cut
Another cool thing about the UPDR80 is that it has the capability of making an intermediate cut. That is, you can print three 4×8s or two 6×8s at once and the printer will cut between them. The 4×8 size is especially popular for producing holiday photo cards.
Small and Lightweight
The printer is very lightweight and easy to move, making it great for events. Just be careful because it’s not a tank like the Shinko S1245 and it’s not as fast either, outputting an 8×10 in a little over a minute. Also the small size puts limits on the capacity. Once loaded the printer will only produce 50 prints before needing to be reloaded with paper and ribbon, but it is very easy to load (watch the video above). Initially, we had some customers running into overheating problems when the printer was used continuously over extended periods (like at an event). Sony recently released a firmware update that has alleviated the problem (available here). We have tested the UPDR80 with Express Digital Darkroom and with Windows 7 with no issues. And for you fellow Mac users out there, yes there is a Mac OS driver (here).
Plug into Sony SnapLab 20L for computer free printing
If you own a Sony 20L SnapLab here is a cool feature – the UPDR80 will plug right into it! This enables the 20L to print 8×10, 8×12 or 4×8 photo cards. Sony released special borders in October that we can send you if you own a 20L or you can design your own.
Overall, we are very impressed with this little printer. The quality is good enough for the pro, it can hang at smaller events and the price point is almost half of the big boy dye-sub printers. If you have any questions about the Sony UPDR80 please contact us or leave a comment below.
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Comments
@Tammy, yes you can use the UPDR80 with Darkroom as a “windows printer”. Install the printer in Windows so it shows up in your printers and faxes, then you can enable it in Darkroom. If you have any questions or problems, just let us know. Thanks.
My friend that does event photography has purchased the Sony dye-sub and has made an adjustment to the monitor low resolution and all his prints are dark and he ahs purchased 3 printers the Sony UPDR80,Sony UPDR200 and the Sony UPCX1 he is currently running 10.6.2 Apple OS and using iphoto and impinting the photo from a raw format and all 3 printers.
@Darrell, it could be a number of things. The first thing I would do is to get a known good image (like the old PhotoDisc Test Target or similar) and print that to see if it comes out dark. Some monitors are so bright that people end up under exposing or making their images darker so they look good on a screen that is way too bright. Printing a good reference file will help you determine if your monitor and printer are “in the ballpark”. If the print is still dark, check to see that your profile/color management settings are correct. Most printers ship with ICC profiles that you can use to get a print that’s much closer to what it’s supposed to be. If that doesn’t help, give us a call and we’ll try to figure out what’s going on. Thanks!
What is the longevity of a sony pro-matte print? Will it last as long as a Fuji Pro Crystal Archive print or a Kodak
Endura print under similiar conditions
@Joel, that’s a good question and there isn’t an exact answer. I would guess similar to half as long depending on how it’s displayed. I was able to find some older research at Wilhelm Imaging Research that compared Sony PictureStation (similar material to what’s in the UPDR80), Crystal Archive, and Kodak Edge Generations paper. It said the Sony stuff would last half as long, but Sony has had many material changes since then. Here is a link to the article: 4×6 Consumer Print Longevity. Hope that helps!
Hey, I also had a question about using this with Express Digital Darkroom. I’ve set it up as a Windows printer, and in the Printer Options it shows up as enabled, yet System Properties and the rest of the program refuses to detect it! I’ve tried looking for support or advice from Express Digital, but that’s been a little frustrating. Any advice on what I’m doing wrong? (It’s been printing fine from other software…)
I just ran the UP-DR80 for an entire weekend at a race event and it ran great. I really like that it can print several sizes from the same printer and same media. When its real busy you’ll have to change paper/media every 50 or so prints, but it is really fast. It beats my 6800 that only prints the smaller sizes and weighs as much as a boat. Some have said it wasn’t fast enough, but at about 1 minute per print I’m not sure that an extra 30 seconds makes that much of a difference.
@Rob, if you are still having trouble, give us a holler. In general, you want to get the printer working in Windows first (do a test print from the Windows Printer and Faxes), then start up Darkroom and add/enable the printer there (as a Windows Printer). Make sure you tell Darkroom what size prints you want the printer to do (in this case 8×10 or 8×12) and make sure there are no other 8×10/8×12 printers enabled in Darkroom. After that, try to place an order for an 8×10 in Darkroom and it should work fine (go to orders tab and make sure it’s set to AutoPrint or print the order manually you should see Darkroom hand the print off to the Windows print queue). Hope that helps!
Hi,
I am using the UP DR80 with Retinal Imaging software. I just received the printer back from a warranty job. I am receiving a message that the wrong paper size is checked.
I have changed the paper size and get the same message.
Any ideas here?
Thanks as always…
Jeff
Hi Jeff,
Check the size setting on the blue paper holder. Make sure it is on 8″. This setting is easily changed when loading paper causing a “unknown paper size” or “incorrect paper size” error. I will email you a more detailed description. Please contact us if you are still having trouble.
Thanks,
Eric
I have tried two different paper/ink cartridges in the printer, however from the same box, and I keep getting the ribbon/paper error light. Any ideas what else may cause this error or do I have defective cartridges?
I just purchased this printer it should be here this Thursday. When I ordered it I read that you tested it on Express Digital. Well I just put my key in for Express Digital and looked at all the printers that are listed and the updr80 is not one of them. I even went to their site and it does not have this printer listed. Are you sure it works with it, that is the reason that I purchased it to use with that software. Thanks, Tammy