Photo Printers

[vern]

I got my parents a nice Fuji FinePix digital camera. They've never been into digital cameras before. I have to do a lot of teaching. My question is ... has anyone had any personal experience with photo printers? The thermal kind. I want them to be able to print the pictures they take from the camera and get something like they would get from a developing place. I don't want it to require a computer also. I want them to be able to stick the media(xD) in, choose, then print. In addition ... how hard and expensive is the paper for it? How much is the per-picture overall? Any ideas I get are greatly appreciated.

 

[ming]

not sure if HP ones accept glossy paper since i tried one and it came out all smudged or full of ink blobs. but the HP375 model looks awesome.

cost per picture is quite high in relation to the same size prints that you can get if you had them developed in the photo shops. not only will it be cheaper to go outside and get them developed, you'd be able to brighten up dark pictures if you ask the people who develop the photos.

 

[ShepsCrook]

Best photo printers are Epson. The resolution is higher then HP, as well as the Epson ink is permanent except against snot and spit. Also, the Epson Photo paper is pretty nice not to mention it's usually cheaper then HP.

 

[rotjong]

I've had a HP Photosmart 7550 printer for awhile and I'm happy with it. It's now been discontinued and the replacement is the 7700 model. It works great for printing out the pictures I take with my Canon Powershot S200.

When I got the printer and the camera I did some math on how much each print would cost me. I broke down the cost of the ink, the paper, etc, and in the end the cost of a print for me is cheap as hell and way easier than worrying about going to a store, etc. I also, at the time I made my purchase, got huge discounts on photo paper (Kodak) and extra ink as well as some free stuff, too.

My next printer for my camera [awhile away] will likely be one of those photo-only printers that are nice and small in size.

rotjong

 

[LeeJend]

Vern

Price per picture is probably going to be much less at one of the Kodak kiosks than using a printer at home.

I have used Canon and Epson inkjet photo printers. Both produced excellent prints on glossy photo paper. Canon wins out big time on mechanical quality and lower operating cost. The current generation of brand name inks and papers are supposed to last for 20 years now (film color photo's don't last much longer).

Things to watch out for on printers:
1). Get a printer that uses 5 or more color cartridges plus black for true color representation.
2). Make sure the colors are each in their own cartridge. Some colors always run out first and if all the inks are in one cartridge you end up throwing out a lot of good ink when only one runs dry.
3). Forget refilling your own cartridges. Messy and the inks are usually inferior.
4). Don't buy cheap paper. I bought some GC glossy photo paper and the ink would not soak in (blotched and ran). Kodak and Epson paper worked fine with the same ink.
5). Use paper that is matched to the ink. The makeup of the paper can affect image color. And always use photo paper (matte or glossy). Regular paper does not produce decent color images.
6). Canon and Epson have a print head in the printer that can wear out, clog etc. Newer models have replaceable heads. HP has the print head in the cartridge so it gets replaced with the ink cartridge BUT this makes for expensive ink replacements.

Camera tips for transitioning from film to digital:
1). Make sure your parents know that the digital camera is slower to focus and snap the picture than a film camera. They have to hold the camera still longer or prefocus by holding the button half way down for a second before taking the shot.
2). Digital has less dynamic range than film so either shadow or bright spots will not be visible. So avoid backlight shots and conditions that produce glare.

The up side:
Between 150-300 pictures per memory stick.
No cost for the shots that don't turn out.
Easy emailing.
Easy digital image correction.
About 9000 perfectly preserved pictures per DVD.

More info than you wanted? Sorry, it's my hobby and I teach a course.