About DigiLabs Software
Where can I get it and how do I download it?
Digilabs software is FREE when using DigiLabs services including e-commerce web
services, prints, proof magazines, cards & coffee table books.
Click here to download >
Do you offer both Mac & Windows Versions?
Yes. You can download our Mac & Windows versions
from our site.
What are the system requirements for both Windows
and Mac Versions?
Windows 98/NT/2000/XP / Mac OS X 10.1, 256 MB. Internet connection required for
online ordering.
How much does the software cost?
Digilabs software is FREE to its web, print and proof magazine customers.
A licensing key is required to do in-studio printing (prints, packages and proof
magazines) or to send print work to the lab of your choice as well as to do in-studio
slide show presentations. We call this the 'Full Version'. You can try these
features for free during our 30-day free trial of our software. Download here
to get started. After the 30-day free trial, the Full Version is $399 (single
license) to enable printing and presenting in-studio. Click
here for the complete price list, or click
here to order the software online.
How do I download the full version? And, how much
does it cost?
Again, our software is free to our web, print and proof magazine customers. Photographers
wanting to use our software for in-studio printing and presentations will want
to try our 'full version' for a 30-day free trial. Try and see for yourself how
Digilabs software will save you money and time and streamline your workflow. Download
Here >
After your free trial, Digilabs full version (for in-studio printing and presentations)
is available for $399. Volume and Business license are also available.
Click here for the
complete price list.
Or, go online
and buy a key.
What can I do with Digilabs software and what is
the feature set?
Professional photographers can use Digilabs software to:
- Instantly upload 100% studio branded, e-commerce enabled web
galleries (online proofing)
create custom proof magazines and automatically send to print with Digilabs
OR send to your studio printer or lab of your choice
- Create print and print package orders and automatically send
to print with Digilabs OR send to your studio printer or lab of your choice
- Manage, Organize, Edit and Archive an Entire Shoot At Once:
feature set includes auto-rotations, batch sorting, renaming, categorizing,
corrections (color, density and gamma), filters, cropping and much more
- Print In-Studio
- Present In-Studio
- Create, customize & order cards (greeting, postcard, wallet & composite)
- Order prints, print packages
- Create, customize and order Coffee Table Books
- Create, customize and order both photographic and press print Proof Magazines
Click here for a complete description or to download
the user guide
About the Web Proofing/Gallery Service
How much does it cost?
We offer a wide array of options including
- The option for Digilabs to automatically print and fulfill
print orders OR send print work to the lab of your choice.
- The option to charge your customers' credit cards (using your
merchant account if you have one or PayPal (we have two shopping cart choices)
OR have Digilabs do the charging
- The option to pay as a % of Sales (no hosting
fees) OR to pay on a hosting fee basis (no transaction fees)
On a % of Sales Basis (zero hosting fees)
14% transaction fee + 3% credit card charging fee = 17% total unlimited galleries
and 2500 images.
On a Fee Hosting Basis (zero transaction fees)
$40 per month for unlimited galleries and up to 1,500 images and 1 penny per
image in excess of 1,000 images OR
$65 per month for unlimited galleries and for up to 7,500 images and 1 penny
per image in excess of 5,000 images
$125 per month for unlimited galleries and images (100,000 image cap.)
If you want Digilabs to charge credit cards and/or fulfill print orders, we
charge 7.5% of the sale in addition to the hosting fee.
Click here for
a complete price list
How many images can be stored per event?
Unlimited; your plan defines the cost
How long will my images stay on the Web?
It is up to you. In the administration area, you can set automatic expiration
dates for your galleries (2 weeks to 1 year). You can use our web gallery/order
management system to activate and deactivate galleries as well.
Can users purchase prints from the Web?
Yes. We offer two shopping cart options (ours or PayPal). You can decide who
handles credit card charing (you or Digilabs) and who handles print fulfillment
(we can automatically print and fulfill orders or you can send orders to the
lab of your choice).
You set print sizes and pricing (unlimited print options/categories) as well
as shipping & handling and sales tax in our software.
How do users order prints from the Web and how
do I, the photographer, receive orders?
When creating a gallery using our software, simply enter your pricing for your
various print sizes and types (e.g., color vs. black & white) within the software
(on the Web Settings Page). You can also set other customization options (e.g.,
adding your logo, text, gallery colors, studio info, number of images per page
and size of both thumbnail and zoom image, speed of slide show, whether you
want to enable users to email images and gallery to friends, etc.).
When a customer orders prints from your gallery, you will automatically receive
an email that includes the following information: (a) Notification that you
have paid and the amount (b) Customer information - name, address, contact info
(c) Order information including file name(s), print size(s) and quantities.
You can also log in to our web based gallery/order management system to view
your orders in real time organized by gallery and date. You can see all of
your order information including a thumbnail image of print orders as well as
your billing/accounting history.
Does Digilabs charge transaction fees for Web
orders?
Only if you want us to. We have an option to pay on a hosting fee basis and
in this case, there is no transaction fees. Alternatively, we offer the option
to pay on a transaction fee basis so that there is zero hosting fees. Some
photographers like this option so that way the only pay for online services
when they make a sale. We offer both options to better meet photographers'
needs.
Who prints orders from the Web? Can I have my
own lab print Web orders?
You can have any lab you wish print and fulfill the order. Alternatively, we
also provide a turnkey print fulfillment option in which we can automatically
charge credit cards and print and fulfill orders to your customers and you simply
just get paid. So, in short, you can send print orders to any lab, print orders
yourself (if you have the equipment) or have Digilabs print and handle it for
you.
Does Digilabs offer finished print services?
Yes. Click here for
our price list >
What size file should I use for the Web?
Digilabs' software automatically resizes images for optimal web viewing (72
DPI) so there is no need for you to resize images for the web. Our software
also resizes images automatically for print and proof magazine work as well
(300 DPI) so there is no need for you to resize for print work as well.
Can people copy my images from the web?
We have the maximum security available to discourage users from copying images
from the web including: blocking right-click save function for Windows users,
making images invisible when trying to print from the browser so that printers will print
a blank page and more. You can also watermark images (you choose text, font,
placement) quickly in one action with our software. Additionally, images on
the web are by nature low resolution (maximum is 72 DPI) which compares with
300 DPI for lab prints.
How do I upload to the Web?
Our downloadable software will
enable you to quickly and easily upload galleries instantly from your computer
(Mac and Windows).
View Tutorial
on how to create web galleries using Digilabs Software >
We also offer toll-free support (866-344-4522) and encourage users to call us
so that we can walk you through the upload process.
How can Digilabs help me promote my web galleries
to increase sales?
Our printed custom card will be available shortly and every card created can
include your studio contact info as well as a URL to your Web gallery. You can
have clients log-in or link to web galleries directly from your site (if you
have one) or to the log-in page (non-branded) if you don't have your own site.
If you do have your own site, this is a great way to build your business as
all viewers going to view galleries go through your site to get there. It also
makes it simple as the only address your viewers need to know is your website.
In addition, our galleries have tools to market your galleries. One tool is
the optional feature to enable viewers to email images and the gallery log-in
access to friends - which is great form of viral marketing. Additionally, we
have a registry in our galleries so that when viewers enter their contact info
(optional) upon viewing galleries, you will automatically be notified with their
contact info.
Can I add watermarks to the images?
From the software you can choose to add watermarks to the images. If you choose
to add a watermark, you can select where it will be displayed on the picture,
as well as its text, font style, size and color. Watermarks can be added to
any output you wish including web gallery images as well as print output.
Why does Digilabs cost significantly less than
comparative offerings?
Simply stated, we are more efficient and leverage stronger software expertise
(it's not a mistake that we are located in Silicon Valley). Digilabs leverages
many years of expertise in software and Web application development, photographic
print processing and digital press printing to bring empowering desktop solutions
for professional photographers. Digilabs desktop digital workflow/management
software solutions not only streamlines the workflow but also leverages the
work that is done once to enable the photographer to create a variety of photo
output with hardly any extra steps.
See how our web gallery services compares
with respect to features and price with leading competitors.
See how our proof magazine prices compare with
competitive offerings.
About Digital Press Proof Magazines
How are your proof magazines different from other
labs?
We are only lab in the United States that enables photographers to customize
every element of the proof magazine so that photographers can customize cover
pages, order forms, the number of images per page, margins, font, etc. Photographers
can place text and images anywhere so that proof magazines do not have to look
like contact sheets. Photographers can create collages and image overlays and
import Photoshop designs and images so that the magazines can look like flush
mount books (magazines). Our software makes it simple and efficient and our
technology makes it incredibly affordable.
We are also unique in that our proof magazines are double-sided like a real
book or magazine. We also offer traditional proof magazines printed on photographic
paper (single-sided).
What is the cost of Digilabs' Press Print Proof
Magazines (double-sided)?
Our prices start at 75 cents per page for an 8.5x11 proof magazine and we offer
4 sizes including 8.5x11, 10x13, 10x15 and 11x14. See complete pricing information.
What sizes do you offer?
We offer 4 sizes including 8.5x11, 10x13, 10x15 and 11x14.
See complete pricing
information >
What are your prices and sizes for Photographic
Proof Magazines (single-sided)?
We offer 3 sizes including 8x10, 10x13 and 10x15 and prices start at $1.65 per
page.
See complete pricing
information >
How do I send orders to Digilabs for Digital Press
Proof Books?
Use Digilabs Software to create and send proof magazine orders to us. Download
the software now. If you wish to set up an account or send us images for
a trial, please contact us at 866-344-4522 x126 or email us at photographer@Digilabs.biz
How are Digital Press Proof Books printed? What
kind of machine is used?
We print our press print proof magazines using an HP Indigo digital press (similar
to offset print output) which represents the highest quality print output available.
We print on special matte paper that is unique to an Indigo press which is both
substantive but not too bulky. Our Indigo enables us to print double-sided
proof magazines.
Learn more about our printing technology
>
Our photographic proof magazines are printed using Kodak equipment (Kodak LED
printer) and Kodak professional paper.
Can I add watermarks to the images?
From the software you can choose to add watermarks to the images. If you choose
to add a watermark, you can select where it will be displayed on the picture,
as well as its text, font style, size and color. Watermarks will be added to
printed images and web gallery images.
Why should I use a Digital Press Proof Book?
- You can create proof output that reflects that uniqueness
of your clients and your work. Our software makes it easy to customize every
element.
- Starting at 75 cents per page, we can save you significant
money.
- Because our press print proof magazines are double-sided, they
are sleek and sophisticated looking
- Efficiency; no need to upload all your images to the lab.
What eventually is sent to the lab are finished prints, which is significantly
smaller and consequently saves time and money
- You can easily dress up proof magazines
with leather covers (we supply), custom covers and design to show your high
value work.
About Photographic Proofs & Prints
Do you offer photographic proof books (multiple images on a single page) as
well as proof prints?
Yes. We print photographic proof magazines (single sided) as well as any size
prints up to 40x40. We use a variety of papers and surfaces including metallic,
true black & white and canvas.
What sizes and prices do you offer?
For photographic proof magazines, we offer: 8x10, 10x13, 10x15.
Click here for our
price list >
What machines do you use to print?
Kodak RP30 and RP50 as well as a Kodak LED for photographic proof magazines.
Do you offer color and density corrections?
We offer density and color corrections for prints but not for proof magazines.
How do I do color profiling with Digilabs?
We calibrate to SRGB and as stated above, we correct all print work except proof
magazines. For proof magazines, we have built-in calibration tools in our software
so that way if you calibrate your monitor, you can attach your ICC profile.
If you don't calibrate your monitor, you can use our automated calibration tools
in our software that will give us an idea of where your monitor's calibration
to better match what you see on your screen with our proof magazine output.
How do I order lab prints and photographic proof
magazines?
From the software you can order orders prints under the 'Order/ prints' menu.
Our software automatically resizes images to 300 DPI to maximize upload speed
while ensuring sufficient resolution for excellent print quality. Our software
has a built-in FTP process so that way you can upload print orders from your
computer directly to our servers.
You can order photographic proof magazines using our software under the Preferences/layout
option to choose size and style of your photographic proof magazines.
What is the turnaround time?
2-3 Business Days plus the shipping time.
About Lab Prints
How do I order finished prints from Digilabs?
From the software you can order orders prints under the 'Order/ prints' menu.
Our software automatically resizes images to 300 DPI to maximize upload speed
while ensuring sufficient resolution for excellent print quality. Our software
has a built-in FTP process so that way you can upload print orders from your
computer directly to our servers.
For alternative sending options please contact support at 866-344-4522
What kind of equipment do you print on? Tell me
about the quality?
Kodak RP30 and RP60. We print using the finest professional equipment and
papers. We pride ourselves on quality control and providing custom corrections
(density and color) on all prints we do whether it is proof prints or finished
prints. We guarantee the quality of our work and will reprint any job if requested,
no questions asked. We also offer free test prints so that you can see the
quality of our work.
What sizes and prices do you offer?
We print any size up to 40x40 and offer a variety of papers and surfaces including
metallic, true black & white and canvas.
View our price list.
What kind of turnaround time can I expect from the time I place an order on
my desktop?
2-3 Business days plus the shipping time.
What kind of digital retouching services do you
offer and at what prices?
We charge $35 per hour for digital retouching. Sloppy borders, custom cropping
and corrections are provided at no extra charge.
About Printing At Studio Functionality
What is the Print @ Studio option?
Our downloadable software will
enable you to create custom proof magazines which you can then send to print
to your studio printer(s) and/or to the lab of your choice. You can also create,
edit and send to print print and print package jobs to your studio printer and
our software makes it simple and seamless process. Our software automatically
optimizes print space for a variety of packages with a wide variety of paper
size options to guarantee that print packages are printed to maximize paper
size constraints. Use our editing tools (e.g., cropping, corrections, filters,
etc.) or use the photo editing software of your choice (e.g., Photoshop).
How do I order the software version for printing
at home/studio?
Try Digilabs software for FREE for 30-day trial. See how Digilabs software will
save you time & money streamlining your work and creating compelling proof,
print and web output.
Click here to start your FREE trial
>
How much does it cost?
After your free trail the Digilabs, full version which enables printing in-studio
as well as presenting in-studio, will cost for Single license - $399.
Volume and Business licenses are also available. To order, buy a key
here.
Can I print anywhere locally?
Yes.
How do I set up to work at my studio/home printer?
No special setting is needed. Just select the "Print" menu option.
Can I add watermarks to the images?
From the software you can choose to add watermarks to the images. If you choose
to add a watermark, you can select where it will be displayed on the picture,
as well as its text, font style, size and color. Watermarks will be added to
any desired image/print.
About Photo Calendars
What is the Digilabs Photo Calendar solution?
The Digi-Labs Personal Calendar is a calendar that you create on your Personal
Computer with your own images, texts, and events. After creating the calendar,
it then can either be printed on your home-printer or on our professional digital
press, and can be used as a regular wall-calendar. Calendars printed at Digilabs
are printed on 12" x 18" , 17x11 (fold) and 12x9, paper using the latest
professional digital printing technology. We bind the calendars and send
them to you within 1-3 business days. We use FedEx for US shipments and United
States Postal Service (USPS) for international shipments.
These calendars are a unique and compelling way to promote your business, they
are also a unique product you can sell to your customers.
What are the sizes of the calendars and how much
do they cost?
12" x 18" Professionally printed and bound. 17x11 folds at the middle (conventional
calendar) and 9x12 Ready for use Calendar. See
samples. Our retail price range between $19.99 for a single copy with special
prices for pro Photographers. See
pricing. Contact us for re-seller quotes or for custom quotes for larger
quantities
How do I create calendars and how do I order?
Use our web-based
interface or download MyPhoto
Calendars Software to create your customized photo calendars, once created,
print calendars using our state-of-the-art digital printing solution, ordering
is done directly via the software or on-line when using the web base interface.
What is the quality of the output?
The calendars are printed on HP-Indigo digital press, the best digital printing
solution available. Hp Indigo liquid ElectroInk technology produces deep, rich;
offset-quality printing that is uniform and vibrant. By using breakthrough image
tracking technology, it delivers uncompromising image print quality. The hp
indigo offers an 800 dpi output resolution.
Learn more about our printing solutions
>
What size images should I use for the calendars?
Though you can get photo quality results when using as few as 150-200 dots-per-inch
(dpi) images. We recommend images at 300 DPI.
In our MyPhoto Calendars Software and on the Web base interface, you can easily
view the actual used image dpi.
Will I need to be a graphic designer to create
my own Personal Calendar?
Absolutely not. MyPhoto Calendars comes with many design templates that were
professionally pre-made for your use. You can get a great calendar simply by
selecting one of our design templates and customizing its content with your
own personal information. If you feel creative, you can always start changing
the design template, adding your own design touch. The level of change and design
you choose to take depends only on your creativity and preference.
Can I print at home using MyPhoto Calendars?
You most definitely can but you will need to buy a license ($29.95)
click here
to buy >
What are the differences between the Web base
and the Downloadable software?
Though both enable you to create fully customizable, personalized family calendars
and every element of the calendar can be easily customized with your images
and text. There are still a few differences:
The desktop application enabled to insert images in the dates as well as your
own events while the web based interface enables only text events. The application
also enables to create a collage of images on every page while the web enables
you to upload one image per page. The application offers more variety of pre
designed templates than what is offered on the web. Naturally, with the application
you can save your work and design indefinitely, while your work will be saved
on the web for 14 days. With the application, you will have to download and
install the application on your computer, while on the web there is no application
to download or install.
Can I see a sample of your output?
We will be happy to mail you a sample, email us at: info@Digilabs.biz
with your mailing address.
Information about images
What is dpi, image size, and why is it important?
When sending a job to be printed, whether at home or at a professional printer,
it is important to remember that the quality of the printed image will always
be only as good as the quality of the images used in the creation process.
Generally, a computer monitor will present an image using a screen resolution
of approximately 72-96 dots-per-inch (dpi). That is, any inch on the screen
is divided into 72 dots vertically and 72 dots horizontally, and those dots,
also known as Pixels, generate the presentation for this inch on the screen.
Printing on paper, however, requires a higher dots-per-inch resolution to achieve
photo quality output. The quality will depend on the image resolution as well
as an array of other factors, such as the color range that can be applied to
a dot by the printer, the printer technology (Inkjet, Toner, Ink), and the paper
quality. Typically the DPI of a printable image should be at least 150 (DPI),
200 DPI will be better, and a 300 DPI image will insure the high quality of
the printed output.
How do I figure out what is the dpi of the image?
The Image size in measured in pixels. The quality of the printed output is measured
in dots-per-inch. For simplicity, lets treat a pixel as a dot. In other words,
the quality of the printed output will be measured by the number of pixels/dots
we can print per inch. The more dots the printer can access the higher the quality
of the picture can be. So if an image is 600 pixels per side, and it is printed
at 600 dots-per-inch (DPI), it will print out as an image 1 inch wide and high.
If we would like to enlarge that image to be 2 inches the DPI will drop to 300,
and if the image will be enlarged to 6 inch the DPI will drop to 100.
If you divide the number of pixels of an image by the DPI you seek the printable
image to be (typically 150-300) the result will be the appropriate size of that
image.
Pixels / DPI= Size of image (in Inches)
For example: If image
size is 1,280 x 1,024 pixels and you want to the printed output to be of 200
DPI quality, divide the pixels (1,280 x 1,024) by the DPI you seek (200). That
will result in a 6.40 x 5.12 inch image with 200 DPI quality on the printed
output, or 4.27 x 3.41 inch 300 DPI image (1,280:300=4.27 inch. 1,024:300=3.41
inch)
To calculate the image print DPI, you divide the image size in pixels with the
image size in inch (as will appear on paper) .
DPI = Pixels / Size of image (in Inches)
For example, a 640 x 480 pixel image displayed as an 8 7/8 x 6 2/3 inch image
has a 72 dpi resolution. When printed at this size, this image will suffer from
low quality, as it has a 72 dots-per-inch resolution. If this image would be
used to print a 2.1 x 1.6 inch image (representing a 300 dots-per-inch resolution),
its quality will be excellent.
In our Digilabs and MyPhoto Calendars Software you can easily view the actual
used image dpi. Right click on the image, second item on the menu will be “picture
setting”, click on it and a dialog box called “object setting” will open, Look
under the top right hand side box (titled Location) it will read “image is XYZ
dpi”.
What is the “right” dpi?
You can get photo quality results when using as few as 150-200 dots-per-inch
(dpi) images. The basic rule to keep in mind is that in order to maintain image
quality, the number of pixels in the image bitmap file must increase as the
size of the printed picture increases. Otherwise, individual pixels will become
larger in the print and the picture will get a jagged and grainy texture.
In our DigiLab and MyPhoto Calendars Software you can easily view the actual
used image dpi. Right click on the image, second item on the menu will be “picture
setting”, click on it and a dialog box called “object setting” will open, Look
under the top right hand side box (titled Location) it will read “image is XYZ
dpi”.
What are the suggested guidelines for image quality?
Below are a few rules of thumb to use when using images for print:
- Start with the largest images you can get out of your digital
camera or scanner.
- The original image as viewed on screen in 72 dpi should be
2 to 4 times bigger than its size on paper.
- Try to maintain a resolution of not less than 150 dots-per-inch
for the image. (In our program you can tell the dpi of your image by right-clicking
a picture and going to ‘picture setting’).
- Don’t overshoot! Most people will not be able to see the difference
without searching for it.
- The following table will sum the common image sizes and their
recommended printed size:
|
Digital Camera Image Size |
Good
Quality (150 DPI) |
Better
(200 DPI) |
Best
Quality (300 DPI) |
|
(Pixels) |
(Inch) |
| Width
|
Height
|
Width
|
Height
|
Width
|
Height
|
Width
|
Height
|
| 1,280
|
1,024
|
8.53
|
6.83
|
6.40
|
5.12
|
4.27
|
3.41
|
|
1,600
|
1,200
|
10.67
|
8.00
|
8.00
|
6.00
|
5.33
|
4.00
|
|
2,260
|
1,440
|
15.07
|
9.60
|
11.30
|
7.20
|
7.53
|
4.80
|
|
2,560
|
1,920
|
17.07
|
12.80
|
12.80
|
9.60
|
8.53
|
6.40
|
|
3,072
|
2,048 |
20.48
|
13.65
|
15.36
|
10.24
|
10.24
|
6.83
|
What are the drawbacks of too much dpi?
For printing, more dpi is better. However, too much information will require more
memory and time to print, as well as a larger output file that will take much
longer to upload. On the other hand, in most cases, the difference in quality
between a 200 dpi image and 400 dpi image will not be noticeable to the human
eye.
What is image compression and why should I care
about it?
Images tend to be quite large in size. For example, a 4”x6” image in a 300 DPI
and 24 bit color will be more than 6 MB in size. This requires large storage space
and is very slow to transmit on the network.
JPEG is a compression technique designed for compressing images of natural, real-world
scenes. It works well on photographs, naturalistic artwork, and similar material.
JPEG is "lossy," meaning that the decompressed image is not quite the same as
the one with which you started. JPEG is designed to exploit known limitations
of the human eye, notably the fact that small color changes are perceived less
accurately than small changes in brightness. Most changes in the image are invisible
to the eye.
JPEG can achieve a 20:1 compression ratio without any visible loss, and up to
50:1 ratio with small to moderate defects. That is, the above 6 MB image can be
compressed to a 300 KB image with no visible change to the image.
Keep in mind that in most cases, you can achieve great compression ratio without
any visible differences to the image.
In summation, if you are using reasonable quality images and reasonable compression,
your images are expected to be of high quality when printed. If the images you
start with are either of low quality or too compressed, the final printed results
will be as good (or bad) as the images you used. However, keep in mind that too
much is not always better. A 4”x6” 300 DPI non-compressed image and a 200 DPI
JPEG compressed images will probably produce similar results. However, transferring
it to print over the network using a 56KBps modem will take approximately 18 minutes
with a high DPI image that is non-compressed on oppose to 25 seconds of a moderate
DPI image that is slightly compressed.
Information about Digital printing
What printers are used to print my order?
We use the hp Indigo press to print our products. The HP Indigo uses digital offset
press technology that delivers enhanced image quality.
What is the quality of the printed output?
The hp Indigo liquid ElectroInk technology produces deep, rich, offset-quality
printing that is uniform and vibrant. By using breakthrough image tracking technology,
it delivers uncompromising image quality. The hp indigo offers an 800 dpi output
resolution.
What is monitor calibration and why would I want
to do it?
Monitor calibration ensures that the printed results match what you see on the
screen. In general, for our press print proof magazines, your monitor should be
calibrated to SRGB with a Gamma setting of 2.2.
Click here to learn more about monitor calibration
>
What is so special about your printers?
Endless opportunities are now available to the patrons of Digi-Labs thanks to
the groundbreaking technology offered by the digital printing equipment of the
hp Indigo press. Through our services, customers are not only able to exercise
innovative applications which were previously unavailable with conventional presses
(such as professional customized printing in short runs), but can also do so relatively
inexpensively.
The high-tech printing technology used by Digi-Labs offers our clientele affordable
short-run printing while guaranteeing high quality performance and customize print.
Through the usage of advanced digital solutions, Digi-Labs is able to meet the
needs of its clients by allowing complete personalization of individual print
jobs--making each piece unique and custom-made, yet professional and economical.
Since costs of traditional methods of printing hardly depended on job size, but
rather on standard setup expenses (time, film/plate creation etc.) producing a
low numbered short-run was previously very pricey and impracticable for an individual
or a company. However, as a result of its flexible and efficient characteristics,
this digital press now allows our customers to produce as few as one print, in
a very high quality and for a reasonable price.
The technological advantages provided to our customers and us by the digital press
could be explained by the usage of liquid ink, the manner in which the ink is
applied to the paper, and by the high dpi (dots per inch--the usual measure of
printed image quality on paper) capabilities of the presses. Using liquid ink
for printed images is very helpful to the creation of images of high resolution
and brilliant color. The unique electronic printing process used by Indigo is
a combination of high performance digital imaging technology and liquid ink offset
printing quality, promising to present beautiful and professional results every
time. While the Indigo press first uses a “plate” to carry the image, it then
employs an offset printing technique to get that representation from the plate
and onto the paper. This method begins when ink is smeared on the plate and the
image is transferred onto a rubber “blanket,” which will then carry the image
onto the paper as the final product. In conventional presses, each individual
plate is only able to hold a single image for the duration of an entire run. Therefore,
in order to generate a new piece, an additional plate must also be created. However,
in digital presses, such as the Indigo press, the plate can be changed during
the actual run, so that custom and personalized printing become possible. The
superior and premium printing choices that Digi-Labs is able to provide to its
customers is related to the high dpi and press technology, which the Indigo press
uses.
Why DigiLabs Produces Optimal Press Printing
When it comes to press printing e.g., cards (greeting, postcard, etc.), photo books and calendars, not all files are equal; depending on your workflow, the print outcome can be dramatic. Ordering press products via software that typically is used for photographic printing e.g., ROES or FTPing JPEGs, PSD files, etc. can produce undesirable print quality and the reason for this is because it is using a RASTER instead of VECTOR based file. Raster files (e.g., JPEGs) use pixels (dots) to represent text. While photographic images enjoy excellent quality when printed using 300 dots per inch resolution, graphic shapes, however, such as lines, borders, and especially text do not print well at 300 dots per inch. The nature of the text curve (or its line art) and its sharp contrast from the background will cause it to be jaggy. This is why text is eventually rasterized typically using 1200-2400 dots per inch resolution. Unfortunately, rasterizing the original image to a higher dpi will not help, since raster files cannot be scaled to a higher resolution without significant loss of print quality. This is the reason why fonts use Postscript and True-Type technology, so they can maintain their characteristics as vector graphic until the last minute before printing. This enables the device to optimize their usage for the best print quality for the specific printing device. Because the resolution on a monitor is much smaller than that of print output (typically between 72-96 dots per inch), it is difficult to discern the quality issue on a monitor but is quite apparent when printed.
In contrast, vector files describe objects according to their geometrics including points, lines, curves and polygons (mathematically precise and not dependent on dots) so that you can scale up to the maximal dpi available for text drawing on any specific printer without losing any quality.
DigiLabs software creates vector based files to create press products e.g., its cards, books and calendars and the bottom line is that text will come out clear, sharp and precise.
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