Digital Format Order Format (DPOF)

Any experience with HiTi printers or competitor recommendations for the below need?

I'm using a Cannon EOS Digital Rebel as a youth sports photographer and need a quick turn around of about 20 images. I plan to show the parents to get input to make sure they like the action photo I selected of their child and to share with them a group photo at the end of the game. I expect to shoot prior to the game and the first 15 minutes. If I were to purchase the product below I would only print the group photo as a 6x8 and the other images would be smaller to keep the print turnaround time down (multiple images per sheet). I considered using a laptop computer to review the images with the parents. The expense to purchase a laptop would be greater and the photo quality would not be represented as well through a screen.

Product considering - Hi-Ti 730 DPOF printer for $399.00. It is a Dye Diffusion Thermal Transfer printer with an overcoating layer. It can print 4x6, 5x7, or a 6x8 borderless photo within 2 minutes. Refer to the HiTi website for more details: www.hi-ti.com.

Disadvantage - It requires electric power and is not run off of batteries. I would need to use the parks electricity.

Advantage - It will accept my CF Type II card as input and print based on DPOF (Digital Format Order Format) parameters that can be set while viewing images in the camera.

Hello! It looks like I'm now leaning toward a different model to support my current need: the HiTi Transphotable. I continued with my research and below is what HiTi had to say about my issue. Then after receiving the below message I searched "HiTi Transphotable" through Google and found a shutterbug article (Nov 2003) on the HiTi Transphotable product. It costs about the same as the 730PS, which I was considering. Advantage: Powered from the cigarette lighter socket in your car. Disadvantage: Limited to 4"x6" prints.

Message from HiTi:

Thank you for contacting us Hi-Ti service department. Please review our response below:

1. If you want to print 4X6 or 6X8, then I will suggest to get 730PS. Because PhotoShuttle and 640 will print 4X6 photo size only.

2. PhotoShuttle does not have the CF type 1 and 2 card slot, so I think this one is not a right choice for you.

3. The difference between 730PS and 730Gala is that 730Gala will allow you to print template in both mode (PC or Standalone mode), but 730 will allow you to print template in PC mode only. So if you don't need to print template then 730PS will be the right choice.

4. Also for your information. If you only want to print 4X6 size then you may want to consider this model Transphotable, because this Transphotable mode came with a DC connector (DC/AC power invertor) that allow you to connect to your car's cigarette light connector and has more physical resistant.

Hope this will help you to select a right printer for your application. If you have any other question, please do not hesitate to contact me. Thanks

Best regards,

Scott Wu
Hi-Touch Imaging Technologies (North America), Inc.
Customer Service Department
E-mail: scottwu@hitouchimaging.com
Url: www.hitouchimaging.com
285 S. Dupont Ave Suite#104
Ontario, CA 91761
Tel: 909-974-0099
Fax: 909-974-0011

Sorry, can't help too much - but there are a lot of small dye-sub printers on the market aimed at events photographers. Maybe you've already looked into other options, but if not Sony, Mitsubishi and Kodak make them as well.

I think you're right about the laptop - it will not only add to the expense, but it will take more time (download, maybe adjust a little in Photoshop, etc) and an LCD screen will be hard to see in bright sun. It's also one more battery to keep charged!

FYI - I ended up purchasing the HiTi 730PS model and plan to purchase an AC/DC converter to print in my car. Today I printed some good photos and learned more about its capabilities.