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PRESS RELEASE: Enhanced Kodak Professional DP2 Software Streamlines Pro Labs' Workflow by Improving Scanning Accuracy, Image File Management
Plus: ProShots Lab Interface Software Streamlines Labs' Administrative Functions
LAS VEGAS, March 2 - As part of its ongoing initiative to enhance and simplify digital imaging workflows for professional imaging labs, Kodak Professional, a division of Eastman Kodak Company, today introduced two important new imaging solutions: an upgrade to its acclaimed Digital Print Production (DP2) software, and new Kodak ProShots Lab Interface Software.
Improvements in Kodak Professional DP2 software v5.0 range from support for RAW file formats in Kodak Professional digital cameras, to additional database support, to various workflow enhancements that deliver higher first-print yields and production efficiencies. The new version supports increased overall workflow flexibility and productivity, faster turnaround and increased "up time" for users.
"As we continue to refine DP2 software, we're unlocking new ways to speed workflows, increase first-print yields, and better integrate modular lab components," said Bill Poehlmann, Worldwide Product Manager, Lab Software, Kodak Professional. "Our consistent updates to DP2 software continue to simplify digital workflow processes for professional labs, while at the same time unleashing the full power and flexibility of automation in a production workflow."
DP2 software v5.0 represents a feature-rich, scaleable digital workflow system for professional imaging labs that primarily handle wedding, portrait or school photography. It is a modular, open-architecture system used to create and prepare a wide range of digital imaging products in a highly efficient manner.
In the last 12 months, Kodak Professional has brought to market three new releases of DP2 software for DP2-licensed users that include a phenomenal range of new features, including: - workflow enhancements delivering higher productivity, first-time yields, and reduced cycle times in the areas of scanning, printing, image editing and color management
- support for new input/output modules for the Kodak Professional HR 500 Plus and Universal film scanners, digital cameras, and RP 30, SRP 30, RR 30 laser printers and RP 50 LED printer
- support for new workflow applications for school service items and grid layouts, RAW digital camera file management, and enhancements to the ProShots workflow
Specific software enrichments for the DP2 software v5.0 include: - enhanced support for digital camera files, including for the new Kodak Professional DCS Pro 14n digital camera RAW (DCR) file format
- identification of Kodak extended range imaging (ERI) files for off-line processing in the Adobe PhotoShop file format manager (FFM)
- remake workflow routine to efficiently manage the production of product remakes within an order, due to image corrections or adjustments
- application of customer color preferences
- new production reporting features
- direct interface to Rimage media writers
- additional Master Balance features (saturation, contrast, and gamma) for print queues to improve first print yields and printer-to-printer consistency.
- on-board tools to help optimize the performance of the scene-balance algorithm (SBA) for the Kodak Professional HR scanners to improve the success rate of first-time scans, saving labs time and money
- additional film strip scanning functions to help manage films with hard-to-detect frame edges for faster scanning operations
- support for metric units in the design of products/layouts
- inclusion of the Kodak Professional Digital Analyzer Workstation graphical user-interface for an easier-to-use environment for image correcting and color balancing
- Microsoft Windows XP compatibility and Oracle database support
DP2 software v5.0 also supports the Kodak Professional RP 30, RR 30, SRP 30 laser and RP 50 LED printers, all announced in 2002. These flexible and exceptionally fast printers can accommodate the larger media formats required by many professional labs, and offer versatile sorters and paper cassettes.
The new Digital Analyzer Workstation is a turnkey hardware-and-software module that streamlines the color correction of digital-image files. Its fully integrated, tested and calibrated components simplify lab digital workflows to help reduce waste, increase first-print yields and boost productivity.
Kodak ProShots Lab Interface Software
A new stand-alone module, Kodak ProShots Lab Interface Software handles digital ProShots order production through a DP2 workflow. By directly entering order information into the DP2 database, labs can now handle digital ProShots orders in the same way they handle other digital orders, while at the same time reducing the number of software modules and steps in the current ProShots workflow.
This software is built upon the DP2 platform to insure optimal integration with the DP2 workflow, and is designed to provide maximum efficiency in an easy-to-use environment, while maintaining the power and flexibility of the DP2 architecture and scripting language. To insure a smooth migration for existing ProShots labs, there will be an extended transition period designed to accommodate the wide variety of ProShots installations, including continued support for the Bremson Digital Accunet system.
At the same time, Bremson Inc. - A Kodak Company, will expand its highly acclaimed Accunet Business System to further meet the business operational needs of professional imaging laboratories. Additionally, Bremson is folding its traditional Accunet production modules into a comprehensive package called the Accunet Lab Management System, a modular production information system offering on-site and web-based production reporting, order tracking and optical production workflow solutions.
"We've established clear lines of demarcation. Our DP2 software platform will grow as the digital backbone of the lab's digital imaging architecture, while Bremson's Accunet line will focus on the lab's business management needs," said John Blake, General Manager, Lab Output Solutions, and Vice President, Kodak Professional. "This 'separation of powers' allows DP2 to realize more fully its digital production management capabilities for more efficient, productive workflows."
DP2 software is supplied under an all-inclusive licensing agreement. For an annual fee, labs receive set-up, service, training and upgrades, giving them a complete DP2 package and helping to ensure they benefit from the latest software capabilities.
Since the introduction of the licensing agreement, Kodak Professional has seen a 30 percent increase in the number of labs adopting DP2 software architecture as well as Kodak Professional modular digital workflow products. Enhancements in Kodak Professional DP2 software v5.0 are not compatible with earlier versions of the software.
In addition to interfacing with the RP 30, RR 30, SRP 30 laser and RP 50 LED printers, DP2 software v5.0 will continue to incorporate an open-architecture design to enable printers made by other manufacturers, such as the Noritsu QSS-31 PRO Digital Printer.
Kodak Professional DP2 software v5.0 and the Kodak ProShots Lab Interface Software will be available at the end of the first quarter to appropriately licensed labs.
Eastman Kodak Company and infoimaging
Kodak is the leader in helping people take, share, enhance, preserve, print and enjoy pictures-for memories, for information, for entertainment. The company is a major participant in "infoimaging," a $385 billion industry composed of devices (digital cameras and PDAs), infrastructure (online networks and delivery systems for images) and services & media (software, film and paper enabling people to access, analyze and print images). Kodak harnesses its technology, market reach and a host of industry partnerships to provide innovative products and services for customers who need the information-rich content that images contain. The company, with sales last year of $12.8 billion, is organized into four major businesses: Photography, providing consumers, professionals and cinematographers with digital and traditional products and services; Commercial Imaging, offering image capture, output and storage products and services to businesses and government; Components, delivering flat-panel displays, optics and sensors to original equipment manufacturers; and Health, supplying the healthcare industry with traditional and digital image capture and output products and services.
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(Kodak, Kodak Professional and ProShots are trademarks.)
(First posted on Sunday, March 2, 2003 at 19:54 EST)
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