The fact that at least two well-known retailers in the U.S., Wallmart and Ritz Camera & Electronics, are now actively phasing in the new Fujifilm DL 400 minilab system is clear evidence today that many DL 400 prints will find their way into photo albums and display environments in American homes over the next few years. The new Fujifilm DL 400 Dry Lab was announced at the PMA 2008 (Photo Marketing Association) trade show in February, 2008. Color fidelity and image permanence have incrementally improved as the technology matured. This RC color paper technology is chemically very sophisticated, yet it is what the public has been accustomed to buying for more than 30 years. The color image is comprised of isolated cyan, magenta, and yellow dyes protected in a gelatin binder layer. The silver particles and remaining silver halide compounds are then bleach-fixed and washed out of the print, thus creating a color photographic print. The oxidized developing agents in turn react with special color coupling compounds to produce cyan, magenta, and yellow dyes. The development of the exposed silver halide crystals into silver particles oxidizes the liquid developer in proportion to the amount of developed silver content in the red, green and blue light-sensitive emulsion layers of the resin coated (RC) paper. Digital “wet” minilabs like the Frontier 390 expose a latent image onto traditional silver halide photographic print materials with red, green, and blue laser photodiodes or other modulated light sources. Digital camera sales skyrocketed once consumers finally had a convenient and familiar way to print high quality photos. They became widely accessible to the public at major retail stores across the United States in year 2003. The Fujifilm Frontier 390 and other similar minilabs utilizing silver halide processing technology represent a significant benchmark for photofinishing technology in the first decade of the 21st Century. These inks are claimed to offer improved image quality and image longevity on specified Epson printers and matched Epson papers. It uses the latest Epson “Claria High Definition” dye-based inks. The RX680 targets the home printing market for convenient “do-it-yourself” document scanning, copying, and printing, as well as high quality photo printing. Also in test are samples made on an Epson RX-680 “all-in-one” inkjet printer. The Frontier 390 utilizes traditional RA-4 compatible silver halide photo chemistry, whereas the DL 400 employs dye-based inkjet inks and media. ![]() Now in test are samples of Fujifilm Crystal Archive II photo paper printed on a Frontier 390 “wet” minilab and samples made on the new Fujifilm 400 DL “dry” minilab. Aardenburg Imaging has now acquired print samples and started light fade testing on three systems that represent current consumer photo printing choices for 2008. Virtually all consumer photos are being digitally mastered these days.
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