- The first inkjet printers were designed in 1976, but the photo-type printers were not invented until the 1990s. This was the decade the Epson Corporation launched its first Stylus printer. Canon was the next manufacturer to produce photo inkjet printers, followed by Lexmark, Hewlett-Packard and others. Compact photo printers were introduced in the early 2000s.
- Photo inkjet printers utilize thermal technology to force drops of photo ink out of the print head. This is known as "drop-on-demand." This technique only sprays the required ink instead of a continuous spray, which was used in earlier printers. Epson invented its own design, known as "piezo-electric," which creates the same results. Anyone who wishes to print photo-quality pictures uses photo inkjet printers.
- Photo inkjet printers differ from regular inkjet printers. One of the major distinctions is the additional ink cartridges used on them. The extra cartridges include special photo inks or added variations of the typical colors. This permits more colorful and realistic pictures. Many of these printers include digital media readers, or what is known as "memory cards," which allow printing without a computer.
- Photo inkjet printers are manufactured in a variety of styles. This includes several full-size printers from all major companies and a number of compact models. The printers can be separated into "all-purpose" or "dedicated" photo printers. Some are connected using USB cables and others utilize wireless technology. The amount of separate inks used by the various printers can range from three, four, five, six, eight and 10 different colors.
- Some of the printers sold as "photo" printers do not produce high-quality pictures. This is due to the lack of formal specifications distinguishing photo printers from other printers. Anyone considering purchasing a photo printer should investigate them thoroughly. Read reviews on various types, note the specifications and make a final decision based on your findings and specific needs.
