Digital Photography Opinions, Observations, Articles, Insights, and Tutorials Olympus P-11 Dye-Sub Photo Printer The new Olympus P-11 dye-sub photo printer cranks out perfect (and I mean perfect) 4x6" prints in just over 30 seconds. With true photo lab quality and durability, it's the best snapshot sized photo printer I've ever used. There are two distinct advantages to using a dye-sub printer. First, there are no ink nozzles to dry out or clog up. Second, the professional look, feel, and durability of a dye-sub print simply can't be beaten. Three color passes plus a clear overcoating Like professional quality photo lab printers, the P-11 produces its color by combining cyan, magenta, and yellow in three thermal dye diffusion passes plus a clear overcoat in what's called the subtractive color printing process. #1 #2 #3 Followed by pass #4, a clear overcoating. The 4 pass cycle is fully contained within the printer, no dust or dirt from the outside is exposed to the print process. After the clear overcoating, the finished print is ejected out of the top of the printer into the top lid stacking area . (Don't forget to open the lid before you start to print!) Because the entire printing cycle is enclosed within the printer, plus the fact that there is no ink to clog up or leak, there is no maintenance or periodic cleaning necessary. The prints come out of the printer ready to display. (Most small format printers have microcut or perforated end tabs to snap or tear off to get a finished print.) The finished prints are bright, slick, and snappy, and are as good & durable as the best photo lab prints I've ever seen. Priced at around $149, the P-11 has a finished 4" x 6" print cost of around 30 cents apiece. (Finished print price includes the costs of both the paper and the color ribbon). In summary, the P-11 is reasonably priced, economic to operate, fast, quiet, easy to install & use, and produces virtually perfect color. What more could one ask for? What's in the box: The Printer. AC Adapter (w/power cord). Paper Tray (w/3.5x5 Conversion tray). Starter Kit - Ribbon Cartridge & 4x6 Paper (enough for 5 prints). CD-ROM (Printer Driver). Instruction Manual. Warranty Card. You'll also need to buy: A standard USB cable to connect the P-11 to your computer. . One or more P-10 series Print Packs. P-10 Print Packs fit both the Olympus P-10 (an earlier model) and the P-11 printers. The Print Packs come with a matched set of paper and color ribbons. The quantity of paper and color ribbon match one to one, there is exactly enough color ribbon for the quantity of paper in the box. Specifications Print Technology Dye-sublimation Resolution 310 dpi (Outstanding!) Colors Over 16,770,000 colors Print Speed 33 seconds or less from start to finish (excludes data transmission time.) Paper Size 4” x 6” (or) 3.5” x 5” **. ** Included adapter required for 3.5” x 5” paper. Maximum Print Area Edge to edge (border less) or with border (selectable in printer software). Paper Feed Tray Hidden, self-contained paper tray holds up to 50 sheets. Paper Exit Top lid flips up for printing, finished prints stack inside the top of the printer. Ribbon Cartridge Self-contained & hidden inside printer case via access door. Image File Formats Exif 1.0 – Exif 2.2, DPOF. I/O USB Connections USB A type PictBridge (camera to printer) connector on front panel. USB B type (computer to printer) connector on left side panel behind access door. Printer Drivers compatible with: Windows 2000/XP, MAC OS 10.2 or higher. Print Modes Print single image, print all, index print, multi-copies, select with or without borders, print dates. Power Supply AC adapter (24V, 2.5A) included with printer, 100 – 240V, 50/60Hz, 1.5A max. Dimensions 7.3” (W) x 7.1” (D) x 6.2” (H) Weight 5.1 lbs.