Epson has announced a new solution designed for creating dye-sublimation photo panels and other rigid substrates. New Epson DS Transfer Photo Paper, a high-quality, lightweight dye-sublimation transfer paper, combined with Epson SureColor® F-Series dye-sublimation printers, inks, and Wasatch RIP support, creates a complete solution designed to produce rigid photos with advanced print quality and vibrant images with minimal grain, consistency, and reliability.
Universal Woods, the world’s leading manufacturer of hard surface products for sublimation, has been using the new Epson solution—DS Transfer Photo Paper—with the Epson SureColor F6200 printer on its ChromaLuxe panels. “The new DS Transfer Photo Paper was manufactured with ChromaLuxe in mind, and it addresses some of our main concerns with sublimating—texture and lack of sublimation dye around the outer areas of the aluminum photo panel,” said Josh Bender, sublimation specialist, ChromaLuxe. “This complete Epson dye-sublimation solution achieved a WIR Display Permanence Rating of sixty-five years [Ed. Note: When printed on a SureColor F-Series and with Epson UltraChrome DS inks], the highest we’ve seen to date with ChromaLuxe prints.”
In addition, Image Wizards, the inventors of metal prints, has been using the new Epson transfer solution to create rigid photo prints. “The new Epson DS Transfer Photo Paper is the best dye-sublimation paper for rigid applications I have used,” said Roger K. Laudy, founder and president, Image Wizards. “In particular, the ink transfer onto metal prints on aluminum is amazing, with virtually no grain, as well as high ink transfer. This is easily the paper of choice for my customers.”
The new DS Transfer Photo Paper delivers excellent color gamut and black density, with reduced grain and mottling for smoother flesh tones and cleaner, lighter colors. In addition, it offers superb handling with almost no curl and warping under the heat of a flat press. The paper offers high ink transferability with slight transparency, which helps register the printed paper to the rigid substrate.
Best used with the SureColor F6200, Wasatch SoftRIP version 7.6 offers full support for the DS Transfer Photo Paper for color management, print cost estimation and color profiles.
“This new paper is especially beneficial for the SureColor F6200 user who is producing high-quality photographic prints on ChromaLuxe plates,” said Tim Check, senior product manager, Professional Imaging, Epson America, Inc. “There are a lot of multipurpose transfer paper solutions available; this is one of the first that is specifically designed for rigid photo print quality—reducing grain to provide a more dynamic range of color.”
The new DS Transfer Photo Paper is available now through Epson authorized Professional Imaging Resellers in three roll sizes for the following MSRPs:17” x 300’ ($65); 2 – $65; 24” x 300’ ($89); and 44” x 300’ ($165).
For additional information, visit www.proimaging.epson.com.
