Sony SnapLab User Manual

They want great prints – fast.
Make them your customers.

SnapLab

Digital Photofinishing Solution

www.sonybiz.net/digitalphotography

Print anywhere, anytime
for anyone

New from Sony; the state-of-the-art SnapLab Digital Photo Printer,
the world’s smallest and lightest standalone professional photofinishing solution.

Sleekly-designed and compact, the SnapLab is packed with features that are simple
to use, easy to understand and that your customers will love. Thanks to Sony printing
technology, the SnapLab produces photolab-quality prints in just a few seconds.
The touch-screen colour LCD and user-friendly interface mean greater ease-of-use
and more customer interaction. The result? More memorable and creative photos
for your customers and more opportunities and business for you.

The digital revolution is here …

and it’s here for good.

It’s a fact – film sales continue to decline
while the market for digital cameras, camera
phones and digital photofinishing services is
going through the roof.

Tens of millions of potential customers who
have digital photos stored in one form or
another regularly decide how and where
they can print their photos as quickly, easily
and cheaply as possible. Even people
without a digital camera receive photos via
email, the Internet or on their mobile phone
and sometimes want professional quality
prints, without always knowing where or
how to get them.

Make it easy for your customers

Let’s face it. Not all digital photos will be
printed. Some are forgotten, some are
forgettable and some are just bad! One of
the key advantages of digital over film is the
possibility to pre-select the photos we want
to delete, keep or print. But your digital
customers have a simple choice to make:

■ Not to print their photos

■ Print their photos themselves

■ Have their photos printed

on a professional system

With SnapLab you can offer a fast, affordable and professional
digital photofinishing service to your customers anywhere at any time!

SnapLab ■ Making it easier & more affordable

than ever before to provide digital photo services

THE EASIEST AND MOST AFFORDABLE WAY
INTO THE LUCRATIVE DIGITAL MARKET.

The Sony SnapLab is a terrific way to offer photofinishing
services at a competitive but profitable rate that
will help you win new and repeat business. Its affordable
price tag means that there is no longer a prohibitively high
investment required to enter the market. You can be up and
running for a fraction of the price of a digital mini lab, and in
a fraction of the time, so you can get a return on your invest­ment in months or even weeks.

Leaving aside the financial aspect, the SnapLab is practically
“Plug and Pay”! You don’t need training to operate it, nor do
you need to be a computer whiz or IT expert. User-friendly
touch-screen interfaces guide both you and your customers
through all operations. Changing paper rolls and ribbons
is simple too: release handle, replace cartridge and close.

■ Perfect for …

• Party & Event Organisers

• School, Colleges & Universities

• Hotels

• Corporate

• Hospitals

• Craft Shops

• Government / Law Enforcement agencies

• Librairies

• Indoor Amusement & Recreation Facilities

• Photo Shops

• Convenience Stores

• Tobacconists

• Newsagents

• Consumer Electronics Shops

• Tourism

• Cruise Liners / Ferries

Easy to use and effortless to maintain

Intuitive Touch Screen
User Interface

Easy to use and operate, this guides both you and
your customers through all operations.

Medias

The SnapLab accepts today’s most popular and
widely-used media devices: MemoryStick (STD,
DUO & PRO), CompactFlash, xD-Picture Card,
SD/MMC and SmartMedia

Paper

1

One roll of paper is
sufficient for up to 300
photos (9 x 13 cm prints).
When it’s time to change
rolls, simply drop a new
roll into the pull-out tray.
The printing side is on the
inside of the roll, so there’s
no need to worry about
touching printing surfaces.

2 3

Ink Ribbon

Changing ink
ribbons takes
seconds – the
side panel opens
for access to the
ribbon cartridge
and the new
ribbon simply
slots into place.

Customer can choose creative

4

options as desired

PHOTOS

on customers’ media

Start-up Menu to select
print style

Shot selection

Main Features

Creative and
editing Features

Other Features

The SnapLab has been designed to
be quickly operational and as simple
to maintain as possible, without
making compromises on printing
quality.

Quick start-up

The SnapLab can be used without a PC.
Once switched on, the SnapLab is
operational within 15 seconds and is ready
to print your photos.

Various media inputs

The SnapLab accepts today’s most popular
digital media.

Easy to use

The operation of the SnapLab is very simple.
No PC is required. With a large 8-inch
touch-sensitive colour LCD and a user­friendly GUI (Graphical User Interface),
it is easy and comfortable to operate.

High speed and high quality

A newly-developed thermal print mechanism
enables the SnapLab to operate at high
speeds, regardless of print size. Printing
a 9 x 13 cm (3.5 x 5 inches) photo takes
approximately 13 seconds*, while a
10 x 15 cm (4 x 6 inches) photo can be
printed in approximately 17 seconds*,
and a 13 x 18 cm (5 x 7 inches) photo in
approximately 18 seconds*. In addition
to this high speed, the SnapLab provides
photolab-quality prints, utilising Sony dye
sublimation technology. It outputs crisp,
vibrant colours with natural, continuous
tones on UV-protected archival-quality paper.

*Excluding image-processing time.

Compact

The compact body of the SnapLab enables
it to fit almost anywhere and its LCD panel
can be angled to accommodate a variety of
viewing positions.

The SnapLab has a robust set of
editing features built into the printer,
which are operated via its LCD
panel, without a PC.

Zoom, Crop & Rotate

Focuses on the subject, eliminates
unwanted background and rotates picture.

Colour Adjustment

Adjusts vibrancy.

Red-Eye Reduction

Reduces unwanted red-eye easily.

Sepia / Monochrome

Transforms colour pictures into black and
white or sepia-toned images.

Text input*

Messages and captions can be placed on
images and on borders without using a PC.
After they have been input, these will appear
on all prints except index and split image
printing. This is a useful feature for identifying
the name of an event or the date of the
photo.

*English only.

Multiple layouts

The SnapLab offers 30 built-in templates
that enable users to create anything from
ID cards to novelty products and add value
to each print.

Border composition*

The SnapLab provides value-added prints
by using borders to overlay preloaded logos,
event names, or a custom-designed frame
to your photo. The additional border designs
can be created using a Microsoft
Windows®-based version of Adobe
Photoshop®.

* Need to preload data onto a MicroDrive®or

CompactFlash
slot.

®

card and insert it into the expansion

®

®

Several other features provide
additional flexibility and greater
satisfaction for user and owner alike.

Screen saver customisation*

Screen saver images can be customised by
preloading data. Owners can display various
images such as a company logo or a special
promotion when the printer is not in
operation.

* Need to preload data onto a MicroDrive or a

CompactFlash card and insert it into the expansion
slot.

Image data spooling*

The SnapLab spools image data to be
printed after sending the order. This allows
users to remove memory cards and shoot
more photos while the job is printing.

*Need to insert a MicroDrive or CompactFlash card
and insert it into the expansion slot.

Order management

A print log can be viewed on the LCD and
exported to a MicroDrive or CompactFlash
card in “CSV” format. This exported data
can be used as a Microsoft Excel file on a
PC. In addition, the order number can be
printed, using Sony original pattern
lamination technology. The numbers are
barely seen from the front, but they become
visible when you tilt the print. With this order
number, owners can sort prints for smooth
distribution.

PC connectivity

The SnapLab is supplied with Windows
printer drivers to enhance its flexibility.
This allows the user to use powerful editing
functions on a PC that are not available
on the printer.

®

Security cable compatibility

The SnapLab is equipped with a security
slot for protection against theft.

Zoom / Crop / Rotate

Colour Adjustment

Sepia / monochrome

Red-Eye Reduction

5

Order and Print in approx.
13 seconds

(9 x 13 cm prints)

Next!

Sony Dye Sublimation Printing Technology

Heat

Ink
ribbon

One of the key benefits of dye sublimation
printing is the wide range of colour
reproduction that the technology makes
possible. The SnapLab uses this printing

Ink ribbon

Printing paper

method to maximum effect, producing
brilliant, crisp and clear colour prints.

Dye sublimation printing produces truly
photographic-quality prints thanks to a

Thermal head

Ink ribbon

Platen roller

Paper

unique process: ink is converted into a gas
by each heat element on the thermal head
which can apply 256 different densities. This
produces incredibly rich colours with a tonal
range of up to 256 gradations. These
gradations are used to reproduce the tonal
changes and neutral colours that are vital for
creating photo-quality prints.

Superior Colour Reproduction

Dye sublimation provides rich colour reproduction with 403 dpi resolution
and 16.77 million colour processing for each dot. Compare this to the 7­colour inkjet method which requires a resolution as high as 4550 dpi
(403x11.3) to reproduce prints of similar quality.

Each of the dye colours – cyan, magenta
and yellow – has a tone range of up to 256
gradations, and Sony dye sublimation
printing blends each and every one of them
to make true full-colour prints.

Other printing methods, such as inkjet,
cannot gradate each dot or blend the colour
dots – that’s why they simply can’t achieve
the same results.

Sony dye sublimation printing technology is
also environmentally-friendly. Liquid
chemicals are not used, so there’s no
chemical waste to be disposed of, and no
drainage needs too be considered when
installing the printer.

x 150

Colour Reproduction Chart

CLE Lab colour space

Green

-a* -100 -80 -60 -40 -20 20 40 60 80 100 +a*

Sony Dye Sublimation
Printer

Silver Halide
Photo

Ink Jet Printer

* Each measurement sample is printed with same image data

Cyan

Blue

Yellow

-100

+b*
100

80

60

40

20

0

-20

-40

-60

-80

-b*

Brilliant Colour

Red

Red

Magenta

Magenta

Sony Digital Photo Printer

403 dpi x 403 dpi

Sony Dye Sublimation Printing

(with lamination)

Ink Jet Printer

4800 dpi x 1200 dpi, 6 colour Ink

Only 6 coloursFull-colour prints

Silver Halide Photo

Specifications

SNAPLAB

Printing Method Dye sublimation Printing (Y/M/C/O)
Resolution 300 dpi
Print Size 5 x 7”(13 x 18cm)

Print Speed 5 x 7”(13 x 18cm): 18 seconds
(excluding image 4 x 6”(10 x 15cm): 17 seconds
processing) 3.5 x 5”(9 x 13cm): 13 seconds

Media Capacity 5x7”(13x18cm): 172
per print cartridge/roll 4x6”(10x15cm): 200

Paper Feed Method Roll paper, Automatic loading
Interface Memory Card Direct Slots:

Expansion Slot Compact Flash type x1
Compatible Image JPEG: JFIF, Exif 2.2 Compatible, DCF 1.0

File Format Compatible

LCD Display 8-inch touch sensitive colour LCD
Print Order when print Selected image, All image, Index, Border

from memory cards Composition*, Split Image
Image Adjustment Crop, Colour adjust, Monochrome/Sepia,

Printer Driver Support OS Win: 2000/XP Professional/XP Home Edition
Export module Windows Adobe Photoshop 5.0 or higher,

to create border data Photoshop Elements
Power Supply Input 100-240 V AC, 50/60 Hz
Supplied Accessories Paper holder x1

* Need MicroDrive or CompactFlash on the market. Image or format data needs to be saved when using

these functions

4 x 6”(10 x 15cm)

3.5 x 5”(9 x 13cm)

3.5x5”(9x13cm): 300

MS (Duo, Pro, PRO Duo)
SD
MMC
CF
MD
xD
SM

USB Host: USB (A) x 1 for USB Mass Storage
Class Device

PC Connection: USB (B) x1 for PC
Expansion Terminal: RS-232C (D-sub 9pin)

x 1 for future peripheral support

BMP: 24bit Windows format
TIFF: Exif 2.2 Compatible

Red eye Reduction

Operating instructions x1
CD-ROM (incl. Printer driver software) x1
AC power cord x1

DIMENSIONS

H

h

d

D

w

W

h 300 mm (11.9”)
H (when LCD is up): 447 mm (17.6”)
w 275 mm (10.8”)
W (when ribbon access door is open): 435 mm (17.1”)
d 380 mm (15.0”)
D (incl. paper tray): 552 mm (21.7”)

COLOUR PRINTING PACKS

2UPC-C15

Self-Laminating Colour Printing Pack

Paper size (after print):
127 x 178 mm (5 x 7 inches)
Contents:
A roll of print paper for 172 prints x 2 rolls
2 rolls of ink ribbon

2UPC-C14

Self-Laminating Colour Printing Pack

Paper size (after print):
102 x 152 mm (4 x 6 inches)
Contents:
A roll of print paper for 200 prints x 2 rolls
2 rolls of ink ribbon

2UPC-C13

Self-Laminating Colour Printing Pack

Paper size (after print):
89 x 127 mm (3.5 x 5 inches)
Contents:
A roll of print paper for 300 prints x 2 rolls
2 rolls of ink ribbon

© 2005 Sony Corporation. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part
without written permission is prohibited. Features and specifications are subject to
change without notice. All non-metric weights and measurements are approximate.
Sony is a registered trademark of Sony Corporation. Microsoft and Windows
are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. Macintosh is a registered
trademark of Apple Computer Inc. Memory Stick, Memory Stick Duo, Memory
Stick PRO, and Memory Stick PRO Duo are trademarks of Sony Corporation.
CompactFlash is a trademark of SanDisk Corporation. SmartMedia is a registered
trademark of Toshiba Corporation. MultiMediaCard is a trademark of Infineon
Technologies AG. Microdrive is a registered trademark of Hitachi Global Storage
Technologies. SD card is a trademark of Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.,
SanDisk Corporation in the USA and Toshiba Corporation. Adobe and Photoshop
are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated in
the United States and/or other countries. xD-Picture Card is a trademark of
Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. All other trademarks are the property of their respective
owners.

CA UP-CR10L/GB-22/12/2005