Dye-Sublimation Photo Printers and Linux

Last updated 2024-01-11

Notes on using dye-sub photo printers with Linux

Over the years, I've written drivers for many dye-sublimation photo printers. They are all part of the Gutenprint driver suite.

This is intended to be an overview of the current state of affairs, to help guide you towards purchasing something that is known to work with Linux. Please note that this does not cover inkjet printers, which are far more common, but have their own set of quirks beyond the scope of this document and my attention.

Also note that this document presumes you're using the absolute latest Gutenprint code. If you are using older code, especially something older than 5.3.4 (which is about three years old as of this writing!) I won't be able to support you until you update to something more recent.

How to compile current Gutenprint code

Meanwhile, if you're on a Mac, I do not have the technical capability of creating new builds, so I will be unable to help you.

I have physical access to all models marked with an asterisk.

Tier One

These printers have first-rate support. All known features are supported and tested. Basically, you can't go wrong with one of these.

  • Canon
    • Selphy CP series *
    • Selphy ES series *
  • Ciaat
  • Citizen
    • CX
    • CX-W
    • CY / CY-02
    • CW-02 / OP900ii
    • CX-02 Notes
    • CX-02W Notes
    • CZ-01
  • DNP
    • DS40 *
    • DS80 *
    • DS80DX
    • DS620/DS620A * Notes
    • DS820/DS820A * Notes
    • RX1 / RX1HS *
    • QW410 *
  • Fujifilm
  • Kodak
    • 305 Notes *
    • 605 *
    • 6850 *
    • 7000
  • Mitsubishi
    • CP-D70DW / D70DW-S Notes
    • CP-D707DW / D70DW-S Notes
    • CP-D80DW Notes *
    • CP-K60DW-S Notes
    • P93DW *
    • P95DW *
  • Olmec
    • OP1000
  • Shinko/Sinfonia
    • CHC-S2145 / S2 *
    • CHC-S2245 / S3 Notes *
    • CHC-S6145 / CS2 Notes *
    • CHC-S6245 / CE1

Tier Two

These printers have good support in general. Most features are expected, or known, to work.

  • Citizen
    • CW-01
  • DNP
  • Fujifilm
    • ASK-2500
  • HiTi
    • P461 (aka Prinhome) *
    • P510L
    • P510S
    • P520L *
    • P525L
  • Kodak
    • 805
    • 1400 *
    • 6800
    • 8800 / 9810 *
    • 8810 Notes
  • Magicard Notes
    • Avalon E
    • Rio 2E
    • Tango 2E *
    • Tango +L
  • Mitsubishi
    • CP30DW *
    • CP9550DW
    • CP9550DW-S
    • CP9600DW
    • CP-D90DW Notes
    • CP-M1 / CP-M15 Notes *
    • CP-W5000DW
  • Shinko/Sinfonia
    • CHC-S1245 / E1
  • Sony
    • UP-CR10L
    • UP-CX1
    • UP-DR150
    • UP-DR200
    • UP-D711MD *
    • UP-D895 *
    • UP-D897 *
    • UP-D898MD * / UP-X898MD
    • UP-971AD
    • UP-DR80MD
  • Stryker
    • SDP1000

Tier Three

These are models are expected to work, but have not been tested.

  • Canon
    • SELPHY ES20
    • SELPHY CP-220
    • SELPHY CP520
    • SELPHY CP530
    • SELPHY CP600
    • SELPHY CP810
  • DNP
    • DS-SL10
    • M4 / Q4
    • Q8
  • Fujifilm
    • ASK-2000
    • ASK-4000
  • HiTi
    • M610 Notes
    • P510K
    • P510Si
    • P518A
    • P518S
    • P720L
    • P728L
    • P750L
    • P910L
  • Kodak
    • 6900 / 6950 Notes
    • 7010 / 7015
  • Mitsubishi
    • CP9600DW-S
    • CP3800DW
    • CP9800DW / CP9810DW Notes
  • Nidec Copal
    • DPB-4000
    • DPB-6000
    • DPB-7000
  • Olmec
    • OP900
  • Sony
    • UP-991AD

Tier Four

These models are not expected to work without additional (possibly considerable) development.

  • Canon
    • SELPHY QX series
    • IVY series (ZINK)
  • Citizen
    • CX-02S
  • DNP
    • DS-SL20
  • Fujifilm
    • ASK-400
    • ASK-500
  • HiTi
    • P110 series
    • CS-200e
    • CS-220e
    • P310 series
    • P32x series
    • P530D
    • X610
    • All others not explicitly listed
  • iDRPT
    • Zeva 1966
  • Kodak
    • D4000
    • D4600
  • Liene
    • Amber M200 / 4x6
    • Pearl K100 / 2x3 (ZINK)
  • Mitsubishi
    • CP3020 series
    • CP9500DW-S
    • CP9550DW-A
    • CP9550DW-U
    • CP9800DW-U Notes
    • CP9800DW-S Notes
    • CP9820DW-S Notes
    • CP-D80DW-S Notes
  • Shinko/Sinfonia
    • DP-1045 / D3
    • CHC-S8145 / T1
  • Sony
    • UP-CR20L
    • UP-DR80 (non-MD version)
  • Zebra
    • P120i / WM120i *

If there's a dye-sublimation photo printer not listed here, it's probably not supported under Linux. This (and/or being listed under tier 3 or 4) is generally due to a lack of access to the actual printer, a lack of time/attention on my part, or both. So if there's a model you'd like to see added, drop me a line and we can try to work something out.

That said, these printers are expensive, and I tend to go through a lot of media when developing these drivers and performing regression testing. Contributions are always welcome!

Non-monetary contributions are also helpful, especially loaner printers (with appropriate media kits) or systematic testing on models in the tier 3 and 4 lists.

My general to-do list can be found here; this includes printers I'd like to support and incomplete or untested features on nominally-supported models.

Notes about Specific Printers

Sinfonia CHC-S6145 / CS2

Also applies to:

  • Ciaat Brava 21

Printing to these models requires an image processing library that is not bundled with Gutenprint. It is, however, Free Software.

Sinfonia CHC-S2245 / S3

Also applies to:

  • Kodak 6900 / 6950
  • HiTi M610

Printing to these models requires an image processing library that is not bundled with Gutenprint. It is, however, Free Software.

Mitsubishi CP-D70DW

Also applies to:

  • Mitsubishi CP-D70DW-S
  • Mitsubishi CP-D707DW
  • Mitsubishi CP-D707DW-S
  • Mitsubishi CP-K60DW-S
  • Mitsubishi CP-D80DW
  • Mitsubishi CP-D80DW-S
  • Kodak 305
  • Fujifilm ASK-300
  • DNP DS480
  • DNP DS680

Printing to these models requires an image processing library that is not bundled with Gutenprint. It is, however, Free Software.

All of the above models have been tested and confirmed to work, but some features require use of updated firmware that may not be available for public download.

Note that folks wishing to use these models with the popular Raspberry Pi units are advised to use the newest Raspberry Pi 4 model, as earlier ones exhibit communication issues with this family of printers.

Mitsubishi CP9800DW

Also applies to:

  • CP9800DW-S
  • CP9810DW
  • CP9820DW-S

These models are similar to the newer CP-D70DW family in that they require the driver to perform custom gamma correction and thermal compensation on the raw image data.

Considerable progress has been made in reverse-engineering the data tables and algorithms used by the manufacturer's drivers, and other than sharpening, it is feature-complete. Bugs not withstanding, it should now yield comparable results to what the official drivers generate.

This code has seen very little testing, as I lack access to a printer to test things out on and my only willing tester disappeared.

The image processing algorithms devised for these models have been integrated into the lib70x image processing library.

Mitsubishi CP-M1 family

Also applies to:

  • Mitsubishi CP-M15
  • Fujifilm ASK-500

The newer CP-M1 family, like other recent Mitsubishi models, requires proprietary image processing algorithms to generate usable output.

Considerable progress has been made in reverse-engineering the data tables and algorithms used by the manufacturer's drivers, and it is now considered feature-complete. Bugs not withstanding, it should now yield comparable results to what the official drivers generate.

This code has seen very little testing, as I lack access to a printer to test things out on. However what few reports I have received are positive.

The image processing algorithms devised for these models have been integrated into the lib70x image processing library.

Magicard Family

The Tango 2E is decently well-supported, with most features of the Windows drivers implemented. Notable exceptions include:

  • Custom holokote
  • Holopatch hole
  • Custom overcoat holes
  • Lamination (A feature unique to the Tango +L model)
  • CMYKOK, KO, and K-only ribbons
  • Magstripe encode-only
  • Magstripe reading

There are some untested features:

  • Magstripe encoding
  • Duplexing
  • Holopatch

Additionally, I have not yet figured out a sane way to query the printer status so errors can be properly reported to the operating system.

My unit also exhibits a slight registration error between the color layers and the black resin layer. I am still experimenting with ways of adjusting this.

The Rio 2E, Avalon E, and Tango +L models are likely to work as well, once the USB PIDs are known. Other Magicard models from newer or older generations may require additional work.

Panoramic Prints

  • Citizen CX-02
  • Citizen CX-02W
  • DNP DS620/DS620A
  • DNP DS820/DS820A

As of 2023-12-28, both discrete and continuous panorama prints of up to three sheets are fully supported on the above models.

  • Mitsubishi CP-D90DW (and CP-D90DW-P)
  • Kodak 8810
  • Kodak 6900/6950

Panorama prints are not yet supported on the above models. While I expect the techniques employed for the DNP/Citizen models to be broadly applicable, making progress will require direct physical access and a pile of sacrificial media. Sponsors (and/or documentation) welcome!

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