Sinfonia (Shinko) CHC-S2145 Dye Sublimation Printer Review
We recently purchased the Sinfonia (Shinko) CHC-S2145 printer and due to the lack of reviews on the internet, we thought we would write a short review. We initially chose the printer because of its high media capacity and output speed, as we didn’t want to be carrying media forever or having people waiting to take their photos.
For those who are unsure, a dye-sublimation printer uses heat to transfer the dye from an ink ribbon to paper. They are popular with the photographic community due to their speed and also the fact that they print in continuous color rather than individual dots like inkjet printers.
The first thing we noticed when opening the printer box was the build quality of the unit, which is what you would expect from a unit made in Japan. It’s quite heavy, weighing in at 20kg without the paper roll and ink ribbon, however strategically placed handles on either side of the unit make it easy to maneuver. The unit has an overall dimensions (in mm) of 296 wide x 342 high x 416 deep.
The printer features a front-loading design to easily load roll paper, ink ribbon, and complete basic maintenance tasks. Setting up the printer with consumables is a breeze thanks to color coordinated loading markers.
The printer accepts media from 6×4 “to 6×9” and has the ability to cut 2×6 “strips (from the 4×6” media kit) which is the configuration we used for our photo booth. A standard 6×4 “tape and paper set has a capacity of 700 copies and can print each 6×4” photo in as little as 7 seconds. The photo exits the printer horizontally at a considerable rate, so it can be easily mounted inside a box (like a photo booth) to hide the printer with a simple rectangular cutout to allow the print to come out.
The advantage of using a dye sub-printer is that it operates at a fixed cost per print, regardless of the individual characteristics of the photos. This allows for greater control over profit margins.
Although the print results are not that of a professional photo lab, you really can’t go wrong using it as a printer for portable event photography and photo booths etc.
We have used the Symphony for a total of 3 events now, each time the unit runs smoothly with flawless results. With a capacity of 700 prints per roll, we never have to worry about running out of media during an event.
Overall, the Sinfonia CHC-S2145 is an excellent choice for mobile and event photography given its professional results, fast print time, and high media capacity.