Epson has confirmed that its new Surelab SL-D3000 inkjet minilab is now available in Australia, with a base price of $29,995 in single paper roll configuration.
Epson says the Surelab SL-D3000 is ideal for traditional minilab environments ‘and also offers new business opportunities for print shop owners, school photographers, photographic studios and professional photographers.’
It can print on glossy, matte and lustre media up to 30.5cm wide to produce photographic prints, greetings cards, invitations, flyers, banners, and promotional leaflets.
The SL- D3000 uses Epson’s Micro Piezo printhead technology with Epson’s newly developed ink formulation for commercial use, and sophisticated Look Up Table (LUT) to deliver reproduction at a maximum resolution of 1440x1440dpi.
Epson’s high capacity 700ml/cartridge UltraChrome D6 six-colour photo ink-set achieves a wider colour gamut than silver halide colour printing, producing prints that are vivid, with dense blacks.
Craig Heckenberg, Epson’s Business Unit Manager, said Epson has supplied professional photographic printers for the past 15 years and the SL-D3000 has all the benefits that come with that experience and expertise.
‘Epson is synonymous with the highest quality in professional photo printing, and now is the right time to introduce an Epson-branded digital dry lab with Epson innovations – including the newly developed UltraChrome D6 photo ink – that brings added value to the market,’ said Craig.
The power-efficient SL-D3000 uses significantly less energy than a wet lab, and does not need a water supply, air filter or chemicals, reducing impact on the environment and the total cost of ownership. Further lowering the cost per print, the printhead and LUT are carefully configured to use ink economically while maintaining the best print quality.
Precision rollers ensure accurate paper handling while an automatic nozzle check system ensures consistent, high quality output. The SL-D3000 supports banner and panoramic printing on gloss and high lustre media.
The SL-D3000 begins printing quickly without the need to warm-up chemicals, and can automatically move finished prints to an optional A4 job sorter.
The SL-D3000 is free of the financial overhead of an ongoing maintenance contract.The only regular maintenance required is consumables replacement.
The Epson SureLab actively monitors performance and provides direct feedback to the operator. A simple front panel enables operation of key features while PC software provides advanced options and intelligent help.
The SL-D3000 has been designed for operation within a studio environment. It requires minimal periodic maintenance and service support. On-screen support helps step staff through problems and cleaning is undertaken through the insertion of a simple cleaning sheet.
For placement flexibility and easy installation, the SL-D3000 has wheels for easy mobility and a small footprint for studios that have limited floor space. All key functions, consumable loading and output delivery ports are at the front. It can be positioned in a corner to save space, as it is operated from two adjacent sides, and can be operated as a stand-alone device with direct PC connect or in a bank via a Print Server.
The dual-roll model allows two different media types and/or two different roll widths to be loaded simultaneously for versatility and improved productivity. A single-roll configuration will also be available.
The SL-D3000 is now available in Australia and pricing starts from $29,995 (ex GST) for Single Roll units.
To view a short video on the Epson Surelab, click here.
Epson SureLab D3000 key features:
* 6-colour, compact digital dry lab for high-quality photo production;
* Prints on glossy, lustre and matte paper at up to 30.5cm (12 inches) wide;
* Epson professional UltraChrome D6 ink-set (C,M,Y,K,Lm,Lc);
* Resolution of up to 1440 x 1440dpi;
* Produces up to 650 4 x 6inch (10.2 x 15.2cm) prints per hour;
* Supports roll media from 4 to 12 inches (10.2 to 30.5cm) wide;
* Dual-roll model allows two different media types and/or two different roll widths to be loaded;
* Optional A4 job sorter for convenient job collection;
* Easy to operate – virtually no maintenance required except consumables replacement;
* Convenient, power-efficient printing with no chemicals;
* Can be positioned in a corner and operated from two adjacent sides;
* Small footprint and wheels for convenient installation.
What is the average cost of producing a 4×6 photo in USD with this new Epson SL D3000 digital Lab. This is a very important aspect of commercial photo printing service.
Sorry, cant help at this stage – this is something Epson has been reluctant to reveal. Also very important down here in the ‘land of the 8-cent print’. Clearly more expensive than silver halide. or the figures would be readily available!