Compact Photo Printers

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If you have ever tried printing photo quality pictures on your regular laser or inkjet printer then you will understand why there is such a demand for a photo printer. Saving your cherished moments digitally and physically are both very important. Since the release of the first line of these printers there was a demand for something a bit smaller. This is why you are here to learn about compact photo printers.

The Good - Some of the smaller compact photo printers have touch screens with styluses to make it much easier to navigate and print without getting too technical on your personal computer.

There are specific lines of compact printers by HP and Epsom that have the option of running off battery power. These battery packs are specifically designed and if you intend on using them I recommend you purchase some extra ones. It’s amazing how fast printing can drain a battery.

HP has a great reputation with the HP Photo Smart technology and it is also passed on to the compact lines. Instead of using the traditional type inks they actually use pigments that are more permanent and less likely to smear.

Another advantage of a compact photo printer is the fact that most are able to print direct from external media such as a SD or similar type of memory. This allows you to print without turning on your computer.

The Bad – Unfortunately even the compact photo printers on the market are not as compact as you might expect. This is one of the main disadvantages and something many people are frustrated with. Perhaps there will be some sort of change in the near future. Another bad point is the fact that most either do not have wireless capability or if they do, you have to purchase those accessories separately.

When looking at a selection of compact photo printers there are three points you should keep in mind:

1. How many pages can you print per minute? The average rate is 33 black and white pages per minute and about 30 color pages per minute.

2. You won’t find any compact laser photo printers under $400 so the next best thing is ink. As I mentioned before, you will want to choose something that is capable of using ink-based pigments rather than regular paper ink. Regular paper ink does not lend itself well to photo paper over the long term. You also want to make sure that it supports 6 or more colors of ink so that you will be able to get pictures looking as real as possible.

3. And the size and space that it will take up. If you are a frequent traveler or someone who owns a laptop, a bulky digital photo printer isn’t going to do you any justice. However there are quality differences in the resulting photos with smaller printers so you should look and compare the samples given your local PC store or print shop.

The best compact photo printers in my opinion are by HP. The ability to truly be plug-and-play, simple to use, and a price that does not break the bank are all characteristics of HPs photo printer line. You can find great deals on them for under $200 on Amazon.com or Nexttag.com.