Section 27F. The court may, upon its own motion or that of any party, order that the document, service or object for which a normal or extra fee or cost would be charged shall be provided by an alternative means at lower or no cost, if the substitute thereby provided is substantially equivalent and the provision thereof does not materially impair the rights of any party. In any such order the court may direct payment by the commonwealth of the cost of any substitute to the same extent that the court would but for this section have ordered payment by the commonwealth for the document, service or object in question.