Fuji DS-7

Some correction of these problems is possible with the supplied Adobe PhotoDeluxe software, but the output is certainly not the best we've seen.

The NC-3D printer which partners the DS-7 is a machine specifically designed to print photographic images from the DS-7 and other digital cameras. It's an inkless thermal system that Fuji calls Thermo Autochrome and prints on special glossy postcard-sized paper, of which 20 sheets are supplied. There's quite a wide print border, so although the paper itself measures 147 « 100mm, the images are only 113 « 85mm. It will print a maximum image size of 720 « 480 pixels.

The output quality is extremely high, but it had trouble reproducing skin tones. It's unlikely that many people will use it to print their holiday snaps, but the target market for this kind of product will be very satisfied with the results. It would also be fine as a low-volume ID card mug-shot printer. You could get about 16 passport-size images on each sheet, but the manual warns against setting the temperature of laminating machines too high. A full-size image took three minutes to print using the PhotoDeluxe software on a P100 with 16Mb of RAM. The cost of the paper is about 40p per sheet so it compares favourably with normal photographic prints, and is cheaper and of higher quality than a Polaroid.

With or without the printer, the DS-7 is a very easy camera to use and comes with all the bits and pieces you'll need for corporate photography. But its disappointing image quality makes it an inferior option to the Canon Powershot 600 (see issue 26, p151) or Ricoh RDC-2 for certain applications.

Author: David Fearon