u have to buy canon selphy fr canon online shop....

heehe, right, right, that's why 6 years living over there didn't move my mind a bit.

well, as far as I asked them (1 week ago), They only have Nikon Coolscan IV for ridiculous price of $78XX (normal price of Coolscan V, newer, should be HKD$5000, in USA)  amd Minolta Scan Dual II (no ICE). What a limited choice.

Then I walked to Man Shing and they have some second hand old scanners on display. The new one they have should be same as Man Shing.

No hope. I guess people are going to the flatbed film scanner market.

Updates. Updates. After 3 months.

After Man Shing got remodeled, the FILM SCANNERS all float up suddenly, same in Wing Shing now.

Coolscan V $4880. Coolscan 5000 $8XXX (forgot).

I bought one coolscan V at Wing Shing. I didn't pay attention but they pulled out the DEMO DISPLAY one for me.

I asked, "why the DISPLAY one is gone? Are U taking the DEMO to sell to me? Is it new?"

One long time staff (glasses, age 30s, long-time staff I remember) said "it's new, same, never used before."

I checked when the whole package came out. It was really never used with factory seal. So I was relieved.

Anyway I can return within 7 days if it has any problem.

I paid $4580 only. not as $4880 they said. I don't know if that is why.

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Well, the scanner now works totally as new. I'm fine. But what I don't like is their ATTITUDE, and MOTIVATION.

Well, DEMO is DEMO, even though it's never used. DISPLAYING naturally gets dust. and dust kills scanners.

Internation shops like B&H, etc, DEMO is DEMO. Customers have the rights to be informed.

Wing Shing as the most famous store in HK. I look down at their attiude and staff quality.

That's a long-time staff, I know, though I 'm not rich enough to become their "friend."

Dye Sub updates.

I went to Canon shop in Hung Ham and Canon shop online. Both have Dye-sub for sale.

I bought a Selphy 710 at Wan Chai Computer Mall in Mar 06. Both printer and papers are cheaper than Canon shop.

Sony pro shop next to Sogo also has Dye Sub for sale.

Otherwise, no broadway or Fortress has any Dye-Sub.

NEWS: Sony is making a new dye-sub. Coming out soon.

info for Dye-Sub fans or curious buyers.

well, moneywise, I understand that of course.

I don't print a lot. My photo sharing are usually done on the Internet.

Ocassionally I need a friend's gathering or family portrait photo, then I pull out a print.

So I don't bother to bring a memory card to a shop and go there again an hour later and come home for one photo only.

and I can control the print quality with photoshop.

Dye-sub is water proof, oil proof, which will be perfect for my friends who will never understand how to carry a photograph.

The postcard design on the back of dye sub papers, good for writing a few words to friends.

Dye-sub are sharper than inkjet, or I should say, the internal sharpening is higher on my dye-sub, funny?? (Canon ip4200 9600dpi vs Selphy 710)

Print cost of dye-sub is cheaper than inkjet while acceptably more than shop prints.

CONTROL. DURABLE. ACCEPTABLE COST. MY NEED OF PRINT.  makes my choice.

Bad thing is most dye-sub can print up to 4R usually so far, except HiTi and distinct Olympus. Sony pro shop prints big sizes as well.

If U ask me if I would buy an inkjet 4R printer or dye-sub, I would definitely pick a dye-sub.

I didn't do any super scientific test, but with the several years experience with dye-sub, I did have some comparisons made with inkjet before.

Testing.

Both INK and PAPER will help inkjet waterproof. CANON didn't lie this time.

The picture above is done by HP Photosmart 325 inkjet. on 4 different papers. I wanna see same ink reponse on different papers.

I dip my finger with water and slight rub, like making a fingerprint.

Same ink.  obviously Canon Photo Paper Plus (Glossy) stands the best with water. and HP inks does melt in water.

Next, I use Canon ip4200 and the winner, Photo Paper Plus (Glossy)



This time. Imersed into thin layer of water completely for few minutes, then do a finger print again.





Waoo. shocked. the inkjet print didnt fade/melf/lose any color after immersed in water and rubbed.

I let it dry out and it is as new. Surprised how Canon is improving in inkjet. I bet Epson too, if U know any. So Canon PRIMA ink really is waterproof.

I did the same test with a dyesub print. unfortunately didn't photograph it as a record. The dyesub print works as well against water as the Canon inkjet at first. But air bubble got into the most bottom paper base layer and the edge of the print looks puffed when it comes out.

The color didn't fade as I expected. The color film layers and plastic coating are water proof but the paper base is not.

so conclusion is: dye-sub is water proof on surface, but not underwater for long period. WELL, who will bring a photo to swim?? I'm talking about dropping into water by accident. Accident does happen.

Another weak things of inkjet. I printed a few 2R to put into wallet with the Canon ink and Photo Paper Plus tested above. Even though it is tested waterproof, inkjet ink still doesn't stand well in heat.

after some rubbing to each  other and my body heat to the wallet, the ink of the photo fades to the back of another photo. It makes the back of that another photo dirty. Well, remember not to print your namecard with inkjet then.

Here are what I know. U are welcome to speak out what U think and what U know too.

I'm as curious as U are.

Too late to see this thread. If you do not insisted on using Nikon scanner, a Minolta 5400II will be go for less than 5k. Most of current photo injet papaer claim waterproof print out. I believe dye subs are last century's product.........................for more permanent printout