Buzz
The SureLab SL-D1030 is Epson's first Minilab with optional double-sided printing feature, incredibly compact in size and weight. The resulting photos are satisfying, with rich details, smoothness, accurate colors. Studio professionals or Lab owners can definitely consider this product to enhance their business efficiency.Technologies on the Epson SL-D1030
Epson shares that they utilize Micro PiezoTM printhead technology and Variable Sized Droplet Technology to produce ink droplets of various sizes by adjusting voltage, suitable for different types of paper. The company's advisors suggest that combining these two technologies can assist in enhancing color transitions and accurately printing challenging areas. For instance, the machine can recognize the beginning of blue ink and reduce the yellow ink to ensure accurate color transitions in the provided image.
The 6-color UltraChrome D6r-S ink set includes basic CMYK colors along with LM (light magenta) and LC (light cyan) to enhance smoothness in prints. Further details will be shared in the images below.Epson Cloud Solution PORT
The standout technology here is Epson Cloud Solution PORT (just by its name, you can tell it's a cloud service), assisting users/businesses in managing not just one or two but multiple groups of printers. You can monitor printer status such as ink levels, performance, whether trays are securely closed, or any paper-related issues inside the machine.
This technology isn't unfamiliar to those using Epson products (Epson has been deploying it in Vietnam for about a year now), but I'll share it for those interested in buying or learning more. Essentially, it's like a 'product manager.' If you're a business owner with 5 or 6 branches and dozens or hundreds of different printers, how can you check each machine? Want to know if your employees are being 'dishonest' or 'wasteful' with company assets? You can almost view all the data of Epson printers through the Cloud Solution PORT platform.Or for those of you running shops in remote areas, let's say in places like Cao Bang or Mu Cang Chai where transportation is difficult, when your machine encounters an issue, you report it to Epson staff. They'll assess the machine's status via Cloud Solution PORT and together, solve the problem remotely. If it's a serious error, technicians can even diagnose the issue, bring along appropriate spare parts for a more efficient repair for you. This service is available for both iOS and Android platforms, but I find the Windows interface more intuitive and user-friendly.Real-life Experience
To start printing, head over to Epson.sn, find your printer's name, download the driver, and proceed with the installation. Only the management software for printing and installing Surelab Order Controller require a machine license to activate. The usage is straightforward, especially if you're already familiar with Epson printers. Just make sure you have genuine paper for printing!
Unlike typical printers or bulky, cheap machines, Minilabs have gradually shifted to using ink cartridges with attached chips instead of manually pouring ink into tubes.This not only helps the machine use ink more efficiently but also relieves users from worrying about the ink inside. When the machine indicates low ink, users simply buy a new ink cartridge (a rigid plastic part with an attached chip tightly sealing the ink bag), and replace it when empty. The ink replacement process is also very quick, almost with just 2 simple steps.
Similar to most borderless printing products, the Epson SL-D1030 also has absorbent foam pads for excess ink, which is then transferred to a waste ink box, equipped with a chip similar to ink bags. When the machine signals, users just replace the entire box.Duplex Printing
For those in the calendar, wedding photo, or album printing business, machines like the D1030 will prove much more convenient. Now, photo sets will be thinner, with the same or equivalent quality but lighter, more economical, and require less effort. In terms of image quality, I don't see much difference compared to single-sided prints.However, with this automatic feature, users can avoid mistakes compared to manually flipping photos and save time and effort, increasing business efficiency.Once again, I'm impressed by the quick drying ability of the D1030. When the photo is retracted for double-sided printing and then delivered as a final product, the machine works very fast and the photo doesn't smudge at all. When holding the photo, it's almost immediately ready for use without waiting for both sides to dry.Image Quality
I use the printing app via LAN called Surelab Order Controller to print almost all of the photos. Firstly, what catches my eye is the depth of the black color reproduced by the Epson SL-D1030, especially in black and white photos, they look extremely stunning. Perhaps many people think that adjusting color is difficult but black and white is easy since you just switch the color, but in reality, achieving smooth transitions in gray areas is quite challenging. For someone who loves black and white like me, this machine completely satisfies me.
Another advantage is that I printed a Watch Ultra with a highlighter, emphasizing and enhancing the product. Upon close inspection of the print, I noticed that the D1030 didn't overlook this white area; the minute color dots are there, indicating that this product produces extremely detailed prints. Perhaps Epson's inkjet printing technology in commercial products like this one is at the top of the market.With these 'genuine' ink cartridges, the color quality is much better compared to cartridges from China, which tend to have faded colors. The color space of the D1030 is wider, reproduces colors better, and even after examining nearly 100 images, I didn't notice any graininess.
The LM and LC ink cartridges, as mentioned earlier, produce lovely light pink and light blue colors. I especially like how this machine blends sky colors. You can view my demo photos for a preliminary assessment (preliminary because the photos are taken through the camera's capabilities and your phone/computer screen). The quality is not much different from the images on the machine itself; in fact, my screen sometimes has a purple hue, which occasionally makes the black color unsatisfactory, but when printed, the photo quality satisfies me.I mostly print on glossy paper.Connectivity Features
Certainly, it's difficult for hobbyists to experience a Minilab printer like this, but Epson advertises extensively about its wifi connectivity and photo printing via the smartphone app (Epson Smart Panel). This feature would be more useful for those needing to print small quantities of decent quality photos. Or for some picky customers who don't want to send files for fear of privacy breaches, they can connect to the wifi and print directly.
Printing via phone is quite comprehensive; users can select size, customize colors or paper type, and achieve adequate print quality, but it's quite slow. Much slower compared to wifi connection and even more so compared to LAN. For studios and photo labs, using the LAN port is preferred for stability and high performance.
Design, Appearance, Weight
In terms of appearance, this machine doesn't differ much if you've seen or experienced the D830 before. However, the ink compartments on both sides of the D1030 are made black, giving it a more robust and sturdy feel. But the D1030 is a machine capable of duplex printing (with the duplex printing tray option), so those specializing in wedding albums or calendars will appreciate it much more because it can save both time and cost.
The plastic parts of the machine are finished very well, not too glossy nor too rough. Overall, Epson's product finishing has always impressed me. In the recent Epson showcase, I observed their larger (industrial) machines, and their finishing is even better, extremely sturdy.Additionally, the machine weighs only 23.1kg (for the duplex tray version, it's even lighter without it), so professionals can easily place it anywhere. In my product introduction video, Epson demonstrated a work cabinet that could hold 4 D1030 machines simultaneously, you can check it out.To elaborate further on the joints, when opening the paper tray, ink tray, or the removable paper frame (where A4 paper is stored), they operate very securely and smoothly. Unlike the typical EcoTank L6490 model that mod @Pnghhuy previously demoed, the D1030 is definitely more robust.With a 'full option' D1030 like the one I'm experiencing, you can print paper from 3 positions: the inner roll paper (maximum width 210mm - A4), the duplex tray below, and the top paper tray (this tray allows printing only one sheet at a time).
Conclusion and a Story to Share
During the product introduction event, I had a discussion with a professional invitation and photo printer in Thu Duc. He shared that Epson needs to improve its supply of paper and ink faster, fearing... 'customers waiting too long'. Meaning, for those truly willing to pay for good products (at higher than normal prices, not industrial ones), they are completely satisfied with what this D1030 brings.Furthermore, Epson also provides various types of paper and ink tailored to suit this machine at a relatively high price. However, in exchange, the quality is excellent.
