Any dye-sublimation photo paper sources?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Gernot Hassenpflug
  • Start date Start date
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Gernot Hassenpflug

Hi, and a Merry Christmas to all.

I'm working with enhancements to the ALPS printer drivers for linux and
MacOSX (end of the road, I know, but still fun), and use them to print
photos in dye-sub mode, as well as usual decal printing using CMYK color
printing (standard ALPS heat transfer method as also used in the Canon
SELPHY ES and CP series photo printers).

I do buy the ALPS photo postcard media, but I am looking for
normal-sized photo media (in Japan this is L size, I suppose in the rest
of the work KG size or something like that is often used).

However, I am unable to find dye-sub compatible photo media in the shops
in Japan, or on the internet (except for mug transfer). It is true I can
obtain rolls of dye-sub media for those types of photo printes that cut
the media (commercial-grade machines) but no pre-cut photo media such as
one can buy for inkjet printers.

Can anyone point me to sources of dye-sub compatible media for photo printing?

Many thanks,
Gernot Hassenpflug
Tokyo, Japan
 
Gernot said:
Hi, and a Merry Christmas to all.
Click to expand...

The same to you.

I did a Google search,and found dozens of possible sources for your
paper needs. Have you had a chance to do that,and to decide if any of
them are suitable for you?

Good luck.

Mort Linder (USA)
 
Mort said:
The same to you.

I did a Google search,and found dozens of possible sources for your
paper needs. Have you had a chance to do that,and to decide if any of
them are suitable for you?

Good luck.

Mort Linder (USA)
Click to expand...

Hello Mort,

I have spent *weeks* searching online, in both English and Japanese, with
absolutely no luck whatsoever on Google, despite reading plenty of
products on everything from eBay to Alibaba that came up in the
searches, not to mention great research papers by Fuji about their
development of high-grade dye-sub photo paper.

Maybe you are seeing something I am not (since I have been in Japan
since 1998 I may not be familiar with the terms used in the West
anymore).

The only paper types I can find are:

(1) transfer papers for transferring the dye-sub image to other media
(mugs, cups, etc.)

(2) roll sheets of photo media for Sony, Nikon, and other dye-sub
printers for kiosk use.

If you can tell me what search criteria you have used, I would more more
than happy to try again.

Best regards,
Gernot Hassenpflug
 
Gernot Hassenpflug said:
Hi, and a Merry Christmas to all.

I'm working with enhancements to the ALPS printer drivers for linux and
MacOSX (end of the road, I know, but still fun), and use them to print
photos in dye-sub mode, as well as usual decal printing using CMYK color
printing (standard ALPS heat transfer method as also used in the Canon
SELPHY ES and CP series photo printers).

I do buy the ALPS photo postcard media, but I am looking for
normal-sized photo media (in Japan this is L size, I suppose in the rest
of the work KG size or something like that is often used).

However, I am unable to find dye-sub compatible photo media in the shops
in Japan, or on the internet (except for mug transfer). It is true I can
obtain rolls of dye-sub media for those types of photo printes that cut
the media (commercial-grade machines) but no pre-cut photo media such as
one can buy for inkjet printers.

Can anyone point me to sources of dye-sub compatible media for photo printing?
Click to expand...

Gernot-

I'm not familiar with the inner workings of the ALPS, but have a Canon
Selphy printer. The images it produces are not as vivid as those
produced on a color inkjet printer and glossy paper.

The Selphy has a two-part system consisting of a roll of film and a pack
of paper. Would Selphy paper work with the ALPS?

Fred
 
Gernot-

I'm not familiar with the inner workings of the ALPS, but have a Canon
Selphy printer. The images it produces are not as vivid as those
produced on a color inkjet printer and glossy paper.

The Selphy has a two-part system consisting of a roll of film and a pack
of paper. Would Selphy paper work with the ALPS?

Fred
Click to expand...


Dont All Dye-sub Printers work on a 2 part system..?

I have a Panasonic one, the only problem is very Dark prints, I managed
to get hold of the service manual and the adjustment for the print head
voltage did not do thing.
 
Fred McKenzie said:
Gernot-

I'm not familiar with the inner workings of the ALPS, but have a Canon
Selphy printer. The images it produces are not as vivid as those
produced on a color inkjet printer and glossy paper.
Click to expand...

Yes, Canon licenced the ALPS system and uses it in the SELPHY series.
The Selphy has a two-part system consisting of a roll of film and a pack
of paper. Would Selphy paper work with the ALPS?
Click to expand...

Technically, SELPHY paper will work in an ALPS, since the media is the
same type. However, I do not need the ribbons, I want to purchase only
the paper. I am happy to buy even rolls and cut the darned things up
myself if I can just find some in L size.
 
Gernot said:
Hello Mort,

I have spent*weeks* searching online, in both English and Japanese, with
absolutely no luck whatsoever on Google, despite reading plenty of
products on everything from eBay to Alibaba that came up in the
searches, not to mention great research papers by Fuji about their
development of high-grade dye-sub photo paper.

Maybe you are seeing something I am not (since I have been in Japan
since 1998 I may not be familiar with the terms used in the West
anymore).

The only paper types I can find are:

(1) transfer papers for transferring the dye-sub image to other media
(mugs, cups, etc.)

(2) roll sheets of photo media for Sony, Nikon, and other dye-sub
printers for kiosk use.
Click to expand...


Hi Gernot,

Based upon your last reply, I carefully searched the net again, and I
fear that you are correct The various sources all offer rolls of the
paper media type that you seek,and I found none for cut sheets. I have
an analogous situation with inkjet photo paper, where the only brand
that works well with my printer comes in only USA letter size. For
making 5x7" (circa 13 x 18 cm.)prints, I therefore acquired a
guillotine paper trimmer, and cut each sheet in half. If you have no
other source, then you could well do something similar.

Regards,

Mort Linder
 
Hmm, I guess the uses are a bit different. Wait a few years :-) The
dye-sublimation ink is water-proof and does not age like inkjet
printing, so it will still look fresh 10 years or more down the line.
Dont All Dye-sub Printers work on a 2 part system..?
Click to expand...

There are various makes of dye sublimation (more correctly dye
diffusion) printers for photo printing, with ALPS being a major player
in the past but no longer in production: IIRC, they did license their
system to othes, including Canon for the SELPHY series printers.

The ALPS system uses thermal transfer like the SELPHY series (I am not
familiar with the Panasonic models), but unlike the SELPHY series, the
ALPS printer is a general printer, with narrow ribbons and the ability
to feed media of custom sizes.

Unfortunately, ALPS never made L size photo paper, only Letter size and
Postcard size.
So I am trying to find L (or KG, which I think is 4"x6") size photo
paper.
I have a Panasonic one, the only problem is very Dark prints, I managed
to get hold of the service manual and the adjustment for the print head
voltage did not do thing.
Click to expand...

Is that a general printer like the ALPS (model number please, never
heard of these). Probably you need to set something in the
driver. Voltage would set the print head temperature, determining how
the ink ribbon is laid down (or not), rather than how much ink is
deposited.
 
Mort said:
Hi Gernot,

Based upon your last reply, I carefully searched the net again, and I
fear that you are correct The various sources all offer rolls of the
paper media type that you seek,and I found none for cut sheets. I have
an analogous situation with inkjet photo paper, where the only brand
that works well with my printer comes in only USA letter size. For
making 5x7" (circa 13 x 18 cm.)prints, I therefore acquired a
guillotine paper trimmer, and cut each sheet in half. If you have no
other source, then you could well do something similar.
Click to expand...

Hello Mort,

Many thanks for your follow-up. Good to know that what I discovered is
indeed the case. One last hiccup is whether the paper can be bought
without the extra cost of included inks (which I do not need).
I have written to one supplier online and asked, so far no reply.
If you managed to ascertain whether the paper is sold "raw", i.e., not
packaged with inks, that would be wonderful to know.

I am more than happy to buy a decent paper trimmer if I can get the
media in decent quantities.

Regards,
Gernot
 
I do buy the ALPS photo postcard media, but I am looking for
I have never seen the dye sublimation paper. I don't know how it looks like.
But, I can help you in another way. Dye sublimation (sublimate = in Physics
transition from solid to gas without going through a liquid stage) could
print to almost any synthetic material, especially to polyester, pvc, etc.
If you use a plastic film (polyester or pvc) you can print on it (like ID
card). Read this article
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dye-sublimation_printer .
http://www.dyesublimation.com/sublimationpaper.html I suppose the specific
papers should be polymer coated paper.
 
Hello, thanks for the reply.
I have never seen the dye sublimation paper. I don't know how it looks like.
But, I can help you in another way. Dye sublimation (sublimate = in Physics
transition from solid to gas without going through a liquid stage) could
print to almost any synthetic material, especially to polyester, pvc, etc.
If you use a plastic film (polyester or pvc) you can print on it (like ID
card). Read this article
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dye-sublimation_printer .
Click to expand...

This I know :-)

Actually, the dye-sublimation is incorrectly defined, since for the
photo printing the ink does not in fact sublime, it diffuses (but the
name stuck, and sublimation is indeed used for the transfer printing
onto other substanceS).
http://www.dyesublimation.com/sublimationpaper.html I suppose the specific
papers should be polymer coated paper.
Click to expand...

That is interesting.
I was hoping for some practical experience from someone, but I suppose I
can try to find some "coated paper" and see if that works on a test
printer (preferably one with a damaged printhead).

Aside: Problem is, the ALPS printers are expensive and precious, and I
do not wish to risk damage to the printhead by using media that could
pose a hazard to it.

BTW, I received a reply from the vendor I wrote to about the roll media:
they only sell the media including inks, not separately.
I think I will try to find some sources in China, perhaps there are some
businesses that can help me.

Regards,
Gernot
 
Gernot said:
Hello Mort,

Many thanks for your follow-up. Good to know that what I discovered is
indeed the case. One last hiccup is whether the paper can be bought
without the extra cost of included inks (which I do not need).
I have written to one supplier online and asked, so far no reply.
If you managed to ascertain whether the paper is sold "raw", i.e., not
packaged with inks, that would be wonderful to know.

I am more than happy to buy a decent paper trimmer if I can get the
media in decent quantities.

Regards,
Gernot
Click to expand...

Hi Gernot,

I found apparent sources of dye-sub paper without ink or ribbons, but I
suggest that you contact the store directly to make sure. It is B&H
photo in New York City,

www.bhphotovideo.com

The 2 brands each have 2 rolls of dye-sub paper, each roll giving 600 or
700 prints in the 4x6" size = 10x15 cm., and no mention is made of inks
or ink ribbons.

Fuji, store # FUASK200046 2 rolls per box, each giving 600 prints of
4x6", $185.-

DMP, store # DN900931C 2 rolls per box, each giving 700 prints of
4x6", $190.-.

If this might be what you need, I suggest that you contact the store by
e-mail to ascertain that indeed no inks are included, and also find out
the shipping charges. They offer free shipping within the USA, but
shipping to Japan might be expensive.

In any event, good luck, and Happy New Year.(Should I say Gute Sylvester?)

Mort Linder
 
Mort said:
Hi Gernot,

I found apparent sources of dye-sub paper without ink or ribbons, but
I suggest that you contact the store directly to make sure. It is B&H
photo in New York City,

www.bhphotovideo.com

The 2 brands each have 2 rolls of dye-sub paper, each roll giving 600
or 700 prints in the 4x6" size = 10x15 cm., and no mention is made of
inks or ink ribbons.

Fuji, store # FUASK200046 2 rolls per box, each giving 600 prints of
4x6", $185.-

DMP, store # DN900931C 2 rolls per box, each giving 700 prints of
4x6", $190.-.

If this might be what you need, I suggest that you contact the store
by e-mail to ascertain that indeed no inks are included, and also find
out the shipping charges. They offer free shipping within the USA, but
shipping to Japan might be expensive.
Click to expand...

Hi Mort, Many thanks for that. Unfortunately, that is the place I had
written to, and they sent me a nice reply stating that this is ink plus
paper combined, and they do not sell separately. So I am out of luck
worldwide I think, unless I can source from the media maker in China
(presumably) directly.
In any event, good luck, and Happy New Year.(Should I say Gute Sylvester?)
Click to expand...

Jawohl, einen guten Rutsch ins neue Jahr!
Mort Linder
Click to expand...

Gruesse,
Gernot Hassenpflug
Tokyo, Japan
 
Gernot said:
Hi Mort, Many thanks for that. Unfortunately, that is the place I had
written to, and they sent me a nice reply stating that this is ink plus
paper combined, and they do not sell separately. So I am out of luck
worldwide I think, unless I can source from the media maker in China
(presumably) directly.

Jawohl, einen guten Rutsch ins neue Jahr!
Click to expand...


Hi Gernot,

Es tut mir leid. At least I tried.

I studied German for 2 years in college in New York. Then I lived for 5
years in Utrecht, NL, where the Dutch language has no more der, die,
das, des, der, dem, etc., but almost all simply de. Therefore my German
grammar has gone downhill.

I hope that you eventually find the paper that you need. It is so
frustrating to need something that no one seems to have.

Regards,

Mort
 
I was hoping for some practical experience from someone, but I suppose I
can try to find some "coated paper" and see if that works on a test
printer (preferably one with a damaged printhead).
Click to expand...

I know for sure, that some companies sell separately ink rolls and paper for
professional models. For example, these sheets for Olympus P400 printer
http://www.systeminsight.co.uk/Olympus_P440_P-A4NE_Photo_Paper.html .
Don't worry, all papers are suitable for all models.
 
Yianni said:
I know for sure, that some companies sell separately ink rolls and paper for
professional models. For example, these sheets for Olympus P400 printer
http://www.systeminsight.co.uk/Olympus_P440_P-A4NE_Photo_Paper.html .
Don't worry, all papers are suitable for all models.
Click to expand...

That is great!! Thank you, I did not find such links unfortunately in my
searches before.
I will have a look further (also in Japan) and find out if I can
purchase L size separately somewhere too (A4 is fine for me too, but not
right now).

Regards,
Gernot Hassenpflug
 
Hmm, I guess the uses are a bit different. Wait a few years :-) The
dye-sublimation ink is water-proof and does not age like inkjet
printing, so it will still look fresh 10 years or more down the line.


There are various makes of dye sublimation (more correctly dye
diffusion) printers for photo printing, with ALPS being a major player
in the past but no longer in production: IIRC, they did license their
system to othes, including Canon for the SELPHY series printers.

The ALPS system uses thermal transfer like the SELPHY series (I am not
familiar with the Panasonic models), but unlike the SELPHY series, the
ALPS printer is a general printer, with narrow ribbons and the ability
to feed media of custom sizes.

Unfortunately, ALPS never made L size photo paper, only Letter size and
Postcard size.
So I am trying to find L (or KG, which I think is 4"x6") size photo
paper.


Is that a general printer like the ALPS (model number please, never
heard of these). Probably you need to set something in the
driver. Voltage would set the print head temperature, determining how
the ink ribbon is laid down (or not), rather than how much ink is
deposited.
Click to expand...


Panasonic SV-AP10

Uses 3 types paper 4x5 ,4x6 and edecice, I have the Postcard 6"x4"
plus a Ink casset that seems to be a role of plastic with the colurs on
it.

It can run with out a computer, uses a TV as a monitor..

Has the same problem with dark prints.

The print head has the default votage printed on it, and the service
software has a grey scale test to setup the print head voltage, but
nothing changes when you aduste the voltage.

This is the grey scale gradations, this will fix the Dark prints but no
luck at all..

MS has a driver for WIN 7, Panasonic not longer list this printer or any
support..
 
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