COLOGNE, Germany, September 24, 2002 – Eastman Kodak Company announced significant enhancements of its portfolio of digital minilab photofinishing equipment and Kodak DLS software and accessories, giving retailers more sales-driving, in-store processing opportunities and consumers better pictures and more output choices.
Several of the improvements mark key milestones in Kodak’s expanded Digital Minilab family of products and services, including:
- A new digital minilab from Kodak – System 89 DLS – which will deliver the full range of digital print capability and Picture CD output, with printing speeds up to 1,000 prints per hour.
- A new DLS enabled minilab – System 29 DLS – that delivers prints from film and digital files and are aimed at high and medium volume retail digital printing and services.
- A host of new components for the digital photofinishing system and Kodak DLS System Management Software that allow retailers to network their digital labs to other Kodak kiosks and equipment manufacturers so that the equipment pieces can “talk” to each other.
- An expanded relationship with a variety of minilab equipment manufacturers throughout Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Russia to deploy Kodak DLS software and accessories across the widest range of equipment platforms.
- A financing programme to small- and large-volume retailers to help finance the installation and operation of low-cost, on-site workstations for delivering better pictures and more choices to consumers.
- Expanded adoption of the Kodak Image Access Standard that advances connectivity among all Kodak DLS-powered photofinishing equipment and enables the development of new applications through third-party software developers.
- A low cost digital system – Kodak DLS Workstation 100 – offers a scalable solution to meet retailers’ diverse digital imaging requirements. The system enables private labels and Kodak Picture CDs and disks, Internet uploads and downloads, to print from DSC cards and a wide range of digital outputs, in minutes.
“The new portfolio of Kodak DLS software-enabled solutions can help retailers significantly improve workflow and productivity, leading to important sales growth opportunities,” says Rainer Scheithauer, Output Products Marketing Director, EAMER region, Kodak. “Additionally, with the versatility of the portfolio, retailers can find a Kodak DLS enabled minilab system that meets their current, existing needs without having to reinvest in an entire new system.”
Profit Potential for Retailers
Kodak’s digital infrastructure and image science provide retailers with state-of-the-art products and services that expand and enhance consumer choice and make it easier for consumers to print pictures. The digital minilabs enabled by Kodak DLS software and its proprietary scanning-technology and software algorithms will work in tandem with selected best-in-class providers of digital minilab systems that share Kodak’s high-quality and performance standards.
Among other enhancements:
- The versatile, affordable System 88 + DLS is being introduced, featuring the new Kodak 660 Film Scanner, which offers additional resolution and 120 film handling capability. It features the new Kodak DLS LX Version 2.0 software to provide the best possible quality prints from a variety of film and digital file images.
- System 89 DLS prints up to 1,000 prints per hour and includes fast, high resolution scanning and printing, easy touch screen operation and the full Kodak DLS software capabilities.
- System 29 DLS includes high volume output from film (135, APS and 120) and digital file images. It handles prints sizes up to 30 x 45 cms.
- Phogenix Imaging DFX photofinishing system is the first digital inkjet minilab in a series of planned Phogenix Imaging products that provide retailers a flexible, easy gateway to the digital arena. The Phogenix Imaging DFX is an affordable, full-featured digital minilab that uses commercial thermal inkjet technology to produce high quality, long-lasting prints.
The minilabs are supported by CPXe, an industry-wide initiative supported by Kodak, other imaging companies and the International Imaging Industry Association (I3A) to enable consumers to order high-quality prints anytime, anywhere from an increasing number of retailers and photo-finishing providers. CPXe participants will develop a standards-based network and an online public directory to facilitate the transmission and ordering of digital images between digital cameras, computers, desktop software, Internet services, photo kiosks and retail and wholesale photo-finishing providers. Consumers will be able to use the network regardless of the type of digital camera, computer operating system they use or the photo-finishing equipment used by the retailer—a significant change from the closed, proprietary systems available today.
(Kodak is a trade mark).