Photo Printers
Polaroid cameras gave us what we wanted most -- instant gratification. Now you can get the same satisfaction with a photo printer. Spend a couple hundred dollars on a compact photo printer and you'll never have to upload pictures and order them online or go to a store ever again. Print your wild rock concert pictures instantly within the privacy of your room. How cool is that?
Think about where you are going to use your printer. Will it have a permanent place in an office, a space next to a home computer, or does it need to be portable so that you can take it with you when you travel?
Top Ranking Photo Printers
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HP Photosmart 8250artTitle artTitleThe HP Photosmart 8250  boasts fantastic printer speeds. It also features a convenient 2.5-inch color LCD screen to preview photos before they print. Unfortunately, the quality of its prints was questioned by PC World. artTitle |
Canon PIXMA iP6700D
Canon's Pixma iP6700D features 3.5-inch color LCD display and boasts two-sided printing capabilities. It also has good text and photo print performance. It also prints relatively quickly. The Pixma iP6700D is a great all-around printer. |
Epson Stylus Photo R340
The Epson Stylus Photo R340 prints spectacular photo prints, but unfortunately, it has slow printing times. It does boast above average connectivity, an LCD color screen and other useful features. If quality is your aim, this is your printer. |
Quality Photos at Home
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- See inkjet printers and printers for more details.
- A quality desktop photo printer can be costly overall, if you don't plan to print a lot of pictures.
- However, if you do print often, the cost comparison is fairly reasonable (compared to online printing and in-store printing) and it is improving as competition increases.
- Quality
- Resolution: usually these printers produce better quality prints.
- Print size: ability to make and size photos from 3" x 5" to 8" x 10".
- Editing: use your computer to enhance, edit, and alter any photo before printing.
- Convenience
- Memory Card Slot: most desktop photo printers come with an assortment of slots to fit different types of memory cards from various cameras.
- Compatibility: you can use these both for printing photos and documents.
- Speed: most often they are faster than the smaller, more portable models.
- Cost
- Cleaning and maintenance costs more than portable models. Inkjet printers cannot sit for long periods of time without being used and cleaned, otherwise they will get clogged and not function properly.
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Photos on the Go
Portable Photo Printer
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- Portability -- Compact and lightweight, easy to store and move around.
- Wireless -- Optimal in portability, though not a major necessity.
- Often they come with removable memory slots for printing without wires.
- PDA compatibility -- A fancy feature for all the technology buffs and gadget lovers out there.
- It allows you to print a photo you took using your smartphone or PDA.
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Proprietary Camera Dock
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- This dock goes with your specific camera and prints pictures directly from there.
- Very small and lightweight. They are the most portable types of printers available.
- User-friendly and simple to load the paper and color cartridges.
- They don't usually have memory card slots, meaning that they only work with one type of camera that sits on top of the dock.
- They often charge the camera as it prints photos.
- Combinations make for budget friendly options.
- Kodak Easy Share, HP Photosmart, FujiFilm FinePix, and Canon PowerShot are some great combination options.
- For the amateur, those who don't own a computer, or for those who simply would rather not mess with editing, printing, and the like, these are a great alternative to investing in all the components separately.
- Only print 4" x 6 "prints (unless otherwise indicated).
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More About Optional Features
- Photo Quality and Color: Black and white pictures are best on inkjet printer
- Camera Compatibility: For computer-less printing, make sure that the printer includes a memory slot or USB port that is compatible with your camera.
- LCD Screens and Editing: If you are not planning on doing much editing and you want the ease of getting to choose thumbnails off the printer, then opt for one with an LCD screen. Otherwise, most printer docks simply use the LCD screen on the back of your digital camera. For heavy editing, don't bother with the LCD screen and invest in photo-editing software instead.
Video Review
Buy By Brand- Epson PictureMate
- Cost effective, multiple memory card slots, add-on Bluetooth adapter for wireless printing.
- Epson PictureMate Deluxe Viewer Edition
- Easy controls and advanced editing features for adjusting colors and frames. Lacks ability to connect to TV remote and internal memory.
- HP PhotoSmart 375
- Cheap prints, optional battery pack, carrying handle, plus an LCD screen.
- HP PhotoSmart 475
- Prints up to 5" x 7" photos, and features a 1.5 GB integrated hard drive.
- Canon Selphy CP600
- Less than 2 lbs., rechargeable battery pack, no LCD screen or memory card ports.
- Canon Selphy CP710
- Upgrade from the 600 with small LCD screen, built-in retractable mini USB cable. Occasionally inefficient with reading memory cards.
- Sony Picture Station
- No frills, no battery option, dedicated printer, creates non-smudge photos.
- Lexmark P315
- Budget model, no computer compatibility.
- Lexmark P450
- Unique CD burning feature, but terrible print quality.
- Kodak Easy Share 500
- 3.5-inch LCD screen, but tends to look grainy. Built-in Bluetooth technology.
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