Printers: What Photo Booth Companies are Hiding
August 25, 2010 by Robert
Filed under Photobooth Articles
So you have decided to get a Michigan photo booth and started contacting companies. You spend 10 minutes on the phone with each photobooth vendor. They find out what you need, and say what they can do for you. Quick question, did the type of printer they use come up in the conversation? That’s like buying a car and not caring about the engine. The Photo booth’s main goal is to create memories that will last for years, and if they use the wrong printer, then they might not withstand the test of time.
What They are not Telling You
There are (2) main printer types used by photo booth rentals in Michigan. One of them is called an inkjet printer (IMAGE A), and the other is a dye-sublimation printer (IMAGE B).
I am sure that you have heard of the inkjet printer. It is most commonly found in a family computer room. The reason it is widely used by families, is because it is affordable and does the job. However, inkjet printer will create the illusion of an image by placing very small dots on the paper. This does not compare to a dye-sublimation printer which has a higher photo quality.
Which Photo Lasts Longer
When guests take photos in your photo booth, they will typically put the photos in their pocket until they get home. Dye sublimation printers have an over-coated protected layer to prevent the photo from getting damaged. This enables your photo to last for up to 100 years in normal conditions. The dye sublimation printer will give you waterproof photos that are fingermark resistant. The output from an inkjet printer does not even come close to these standards… even with special inks.
Have you ever seen a photo booth company put your picture in a plastic sleeve? This is actually done to protect the photo, because they use ink-jet prints. If you didn’t put it in the plastic sleeve, then the picture wouldn’t last.
Printing Speed
Time is of the essence, guests get anxious if they wait in line for too long. Dye sublimation printers can spit out a photo in less than 6 seconds. Some inkjet printers take up to 3 minutes. This is why many ink-jet printer photo booth companies say you are allowed to take unlimited photos during the rental. These companies are limiting you on time not materials. Encore Photo Booth, charges about the same as all the other companies, the only difference is that you will 5 x as many pictures with our printers.
The Verdict
Encore Photo Booth has you covered on quantity and quality. Any company that you consider should tell whether they use inkjet or dye sublimation printers. They shouldn’t try to justify their services with a protective plastic sleeve. This is just a short term patch for a long term problem. As you can tell from the information above, the dye sublimation printer wins hands down. This is the main reason why every Encore Photo Booth uses a dye sublimation printer. We want to make sure that your photos will last many years.
For info on reserving your Encore Photo Booth, message us here or call 877.643.8368