Canon focuses on photo printing segment with DreamLabo

Canon’s stall at Print Expo was abuzz with activity as it presented its recently launched DreamLabo 5000 digital press. The Canon team was at pains to describe it as a solution for "wholesale photo finishers" who are seeking to switch from silver halide technology to digital.

19 Apr 2014 | By Samir Lukka

The machine marks Canon’s entry into the commercial photo printing business in India, which according to Alok Bharadwaj, executive vice-president, Canon India, is a Rs 3,000 crore photo printing industry with lion share coming from wedding albums and travel vacation photos

According to Gurjeet Dhingra, senior manager-marketing, Canon, the DreamLabo 5000 is a pedigree inkjet photo printer. And it is superior to silver halide for retail photos and photo albums.

The DreamLabo uses Canon’s thermal Full-photolithography Inkjet Nozzle Engineering (FINE) technology. The duplexing web-fed press comes with an onboard RIP and trimmer, enabling it to process 600dpi 8-bit RGB files, which it converts to 2,400dpi, and output trimmed prints.

This device is priced at half a million dollars; and aimed at the top photo lab chains in India who have serious volume.

Bengaluru-based GK Vale, who operates nine Canon Image Square stores in the city, is the first Indian firm to purchase and install this device at its Brigade Garden unit in December 2013.

The other key aspect of the DreamLabo is, "it's a workhorse". The GK Vale team testified that it runs 15-16 hours at a stretch. This makes it ideal for the 24/7 operation, which is what traditional photo labs are expected to provide.