Review of Sinfonia (Shinko) CHC-S2145 Dye-Sublimination Printer

We recently purchased the Sinfonia Shiko CHC-S2145 printer. Because there are not many reviews online, we decided to write a review. The printer’s high media capacity and fast output speed were the main reasons we chose it. We didn’t want people waiting for their photos or to load media forever.

A dye-sub printer transfers dye from an ink ribbon to paper using heat. These printers are well-known in the photography community for their speed and the fact that they can print continuous colour instead of individual dots like inkjet printers.

We were immediately struck by the high-quality construction of the unit upon opening the carton. It was made in Japan. The unit is heavy at 20kg, even without the ink ribbon and paper roll. However, the handles strategically placed on each side make it easy to move. It measures in mm at 296 width, 342 height, and 416 deep.

Front loading allows for simple loading of the ink ribbon, paper roll and basic maintenance tasks. The colour-coordinated loading markers make it easy to set up the printer and consumables.

The printer is capable of printing 6×4- to 6×9 inch media, and can cut 2×6 inches from the 4×6 ” media kit. This is the setting we use to create our photo booth. The 6×4″ standard paper and ribbon combo can produce 700 copies. Each 6×4″ print takes just 7 seconds. Because the photo leaves the printer at a very fast pace, it can be easily mounted inside a box (such a photo booth) and concealed with a rectangle cut-out.

The benefit of using a dye sub-printer is that there is no additional cost for each print, regardless how many photos are printed. This gives you greater control over your profit margins.

The print results may not be as professional as those from a professional lab, but you can use it for portable event photography, photo booths, etc.

We have used the Sinfonia at 3 events. Every event went smoothly and we were able to get flawless results. The Sinfonia can hold 700 prints per roll so we don’t need to worry about running out of media while at events.

The Sinfonia CHC–S2145 is a great choice for event and mobile photography due to its professional results, high media capacity and fast printing time.

Brooke Hutson, Source