How to choose a photo printer

A photo printer is a specialized printer that is designed to output highly realistic and detailed images on paper.

How to choose a photo printer: characteristics that need attention

When choosing a photo printer, consider the following technical characteristics of the device:

1. Type of;

2. Print resolution;

3. Connection interface;

4. Additional functions.

It is worth remembering that the photo printer is a specialized device, and it is intended for printing images, and not documents or similar materials. Of course, there is no functional limitation on the text output of such an “office equipment”, but due to the high cost of impressions, this is impractical.

Also worth mentioning is portable photo printers.

Printer type

There are two types of photo printers that differ in the principle of operation - inkjet and sublimation.

Inkjet Photo Printers

Inkjet photo printers are printed as follows - toner (paint) in liquid form is applied directly to a sheet of paper through special nozzles. Due to the fact that most models of such devices support 6-8 shades, the print quality is quite high and the color rendition is good.

Sublimation Photo Printers

In sublimation photo printers toner is applied on a special film. When printing, the head of the device heats it, the paint boils and is transferred to the paper. This provides a deeper color reproduction.

Print resolution

Print resolution is one of the most important characteristics of photo printers. It determines the image detail and the smoothness of color transitions. Photo resolution is measured in dots per inch (dpi).

It is impractical to purchase an expensive photo printer with a photo printing resolution of more than 4800 × 1200 dpi for home use. Already this density provides sufficient smoothness and detail of the image.For infrequent prints with high resolution, you can contact the appropriate salon.

In addition, photo printers with a print resolution of more than 4800 × 1200 dpi are notable for their high price - both the device itself and consumables - and low speed of work. And both jet and sublimation.

In addition to resolution, the quality of prints in inkjet photo printers is influenced by the number of shades in the cartridge. Models that support 8 toner colors provide better color reproduction and smoother transitions.

Connection interface

In order to ensure a high print speed, a quick connection of the photo printer to the computer is required. Therefore, the interfaces that are used in such devices are as follows:

1. Traditional USB;

2. Wireless Wi-Fi;

3. Wireless Bluetooth to communicate with the smartphone;

4. Card reader for connecting memory cards;

5. USB for connecting a smartphone or camera.

USB is a wired computer connection. The advantage of this standard is a high data transfer rate - faster than Wi-Fi or similar interfaces. Therefore, the print delay is minimal. The disadvantage is obvious - you will need to put the printer directly next to the computer.

Printers that support Wi-Fi can be installed anywhere in your home. In this case, they act as network. The speed of data transfer to wireless photo printers is optimal for most users. Moreover, you can send pictures to such devices from other devices on the local network - several computers, smartphones, tablets, etc.

A Bluetooth connection is well suited for printing from smartphones, tablets, etc. Some computers also support this interface, but the convenience of communication can only be called controversial.

The card reader allows you to print directly from SD memory cards and the like. Quite a useful interface if you often have to put on paper images from cameras and cameras. But as the main standard for connecting it is better not to use it.

USB (external) connector allows you to connect a smartphone or camera to the photo printer. It works like a card reader or Bluetooth - that is, it provides convenience in some cases, but is not suitable for use as the main one.

The main interfaces for connecting photo printers are, of course, USB and Wi-Fi. Models equipped with both of them will be a great solution for home or even a small studio.

Additional functions

Additional functions do not determine the characteristics of printing a photo printer, but make the use of such a device more convenient and enjoyable. These features include:

1. Touchscreen. A great solution when printing photos from a memory card, flash drive or USB-connected camera. It makes source selection more convenient;

2. Editing photos. Another handy feature when printing without a computer. It allows you to make a small retouch of pictures (crop them, rotate them, apply filters and masks) before outputting them to paper;

3. Built-in scanner. Allows to digitize paper or film prints and negatives;

4. Plain paper support. Suitable for printing documents, texts, etc .;

5. Built-in memory. Allows you to copy photos into the device's memory and print without connecting a computer or smartphone.

As it usually happens, additional functions of photo printers lead to an increase in the cost of the device. Therefore, it is worthwhile to acquire models with these capabilities only if it is really required.

Portable Photo Printers

Portable photo printers should be allocated in a separate class. These are compact and lightweight devices that allow you to get prints anywhere and easily connect with a smartphone, tablet, and in some cases even a camera. They provide high quality images and maximum print speed.

However, portable photo printers have two serious drawbacks:

1. They only work with branded supplies - namely, special photographic paper;

2. The size of the print is usually very small, as a result of which images taken on such devices can be used only as souvenirs.

Manufacturers

Among the manufacturers of photo printers can be identified:

1. Canon. Known for compact photoprinter intended for home use. Provide sufficient quality of the press for undemanding owners and differ in very democratic price;

2. Epson. It produces quite expensive photo printers, however, with enhanced functionality and high image quality;

3. Fujifilm. Another manufacturer of fairly inexpensive photo printers. It has a good print quality, but in most cases requires special consumables, which, in turn, can be quite expensive;

4. Polariod. It produces compact printers that work only with branded consumables.

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Attention! This material is the subjective opinion of the authors of the project and is not a guide to purchase.