Kodak boosts in-store digital prints

The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle reports that Kodak plans to expand its retail photofinishing presence with new self-service systems in grocery, drug, and other mass-merchant stores.

The Kodak Digital Picture System 900 and Digital Picture Center systems allow users to upload photos, adjust colors, edit the pictures, select sizes and packages, and burn CD-ROMs. Users can also scan film at the new terminals.

Click on the headline of this article to see the related press release from Kodak.

Kodak Introduces Unique, Full-Service, Affordable Retail Printing System

Additional Digital & Traditional New Product Announcements Expand Kodak's Offerings to Consumers and Professionals

Eastman Kodak Company today reaffirmed its commitment to providing high-quality, innovative products to help retailers succeed in today's changing marketplace.

According to the most recent Photo Marketing Association (PMA) reports, total digital camera images for 2005 are estimated at 17 billion, with 22 billion projected for 2006 and 26 billion for 2007. This creates a tremendous opportunity for the industry to help consumers capture, share, archive and print these images. And as Kodak continues to deliver innovative solutions for digital printing, retailers can profit from a plethora of opportunities.

Kodak's newest retail printing solution is the KODAK Digital Picture System 900 (DPS 900). This unique system gives retailers an affordable way to offer onsite printing of both digital and film media, thereby tapping into the rapidly expanding digital market, while also retaining important revenue from film customers as the market transitions. The DPS 900 builds on the proven technology in Kodak's award-winning Picture Kiosk family, the most widely used digital printing kiosk at retail today, with nearly 75,000 units installed worldwide.

Combining a 35 mm film scanner with Kodak's powerful Picture Kiosk G4 platform and award-winning KODAK 6850 and 8800 thermal photo printers, the KODAK DPS 900 provides a total photo solution for retailers of virtually any size. Compared with a digital mini-lab, the KODAK DPS 900 has a significantly lower total cost of ownership, including lower capital investment and labor costs. Additionally, it is much easier to operate and maintain, and offers modularity and flexibility to allow far more options for the retailer, including the ability to print from both digital and film files, and to create high margin products such as CDs and enlargements. As film volumes decline, the DPS 900 can easily convert to a total digital print solution.

Consumers also benefit from the outstanding image quality and durability of prints made with the DPS 900. Enabled with the innovative KODAK PERFECT TOUCH Technology, this system enhances each image to reveal more vibrant colors, richer detail and fewer dark shadows. Thanks to the quality of Kodak's high-speed thermal printers, prints are wipeable, waterproof, stain-resistant and last a lifetime under typical home display conditions. The DPS 900 will be available beginning in May in the US and Canada.

"The DPS 900 brings ease and speed for printing digital and film media at retail, without the huge investment of a mini lab," said Phil Faraci, President, Consumer Digital Imaging Group and Senior Vice President, Eastman Kodak Company. "This new solution fills an important niche for retailers who want to tap into the rapidly expanding digital marketplace while retaining important revenue from film customers as the market continues to transition. This affordable full-service photo solution offers the benefits of increased volume and additional revenue for retailers while providing a high-quality printing solution for consumers."