How to Compare Photo Printers
If you're tired of driving to a store or photo lab every time you need a batch of pictures printed from your digital camera's memory card, consider getting your own photo printer to output the shots at home. Use these factors to compare different models and to find one that's got the features and price that's right for you.
- Difficulty:
- Moderate
Instructions
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1
Determine what photo sizes you'll typically create. Although small format printers are portable and save space, most only produce prints up to 4-by-6 inches, while large format printers output images up to 11-by-17 inches (see Resources).
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2
Investigate the type of ink cartridges each printer uses. Models that use separate cartridges for each color of ink will save you money over those that just use one for black and white and one for all of the colors.
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3
Compare the manufacturer's "price per photo" figure to help determine each printer's cost efficiency. This will also help you determine if having a printer at home will be more economical than having pictures printed at store or photo lab.
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4
See if the unit features a color preview screen to help you check crops, brightness and colors before wasting photo paper and ink. Although you may be checking the image on the computer, the feature is handy if you're printing images straight from a digital camera's memory card.
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5
Shop for a photo printer with a built-in DVD/CD-RW drive if you'd like to archive or backup images from your memory card without going through your computer.
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Tips & Warnings
Although many buyers consider a photo printer's "resolution," often given in numbers such as 1,200 by 4,800 dots per inch (dpi), a slight difference in these figures won't affect the quality of your photos, particularly if you're hoping to make good-quality prints for your family photo album.
