Showing posts with label photo printers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label photo printers. Show all posts

10/06/2012

Epson Stylus R320 Photo Inkjet Printer Review

Epson Stylus R320 Photo Inkjet Printer
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I bought this printer based on reviews and some blind faith.
My wife wanted a printer to print occasional text and some photos. I was under the assumtion that you either want to print photos period or text period and if you want to print text then you're better off with a laser printer and if you want to print photos then get a good dedicated photo printer.
My wifes camera is a small digital. She's been printing pictures from her mothers printer which are painfully pixelated. I didn't want to get something that poor, I insisted on something somewhat better. I thought I'd have to spend $500+ which you can, but she insisted she didn't want something that expensive for scrapbooking. I saw this for $200 and bit my lip. The printers I use at work cost thousands. I thought this would be painfully slow, cheap, marginal quality.
This printer prints amazingly well. It's considered on the high end for a photo printing ink jet. The 8 colors would be better but I've found the quality is as good as a 1-hour lab. That's a lot or a little depending on your expectations. But for $200 I think it's a very good deal.
If you want to print simple text, for reference and not graphics it prints pretty well and faster than I thought.
It seems substantial and well constructed. It has features I didn't realize they put into $200 printers.
This model, the 320 has a little flip up screen for viewing your images if you want to print directly from a memor card. the 300 doesn't and this was $20 more. My wife likes that option. I prefer retouching and printing from the computer.
I knew that I wanted separate ink cartridges for each color. This printer uses 6 colors and 6 separate ink cartridges. Some printer using 6 colors use only 2 cartidges with 3 colors each. The trouble with that is if you run out of 1 color and the others are half full, you'd be wasting money having to replace 3 colors when there's still ink left in the others.
You can even print wireless if your printer supports Bluetooth technology. $69 will get you the adapter for the printer.
If you're planning to print postscript files from a postscript drawing program then you need a postscript compatible laser printer or perhaps you could use this type of printer with a postscript emulation software. I haven't looked into that yet. Don't even ask anyone at Circuit City or similar retail outlets since they don't know what "postscript" means.
Overall I am very very happy with this printer.

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CL) EPSON STYLUS R320 Printer

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9/01/2012

HP Photosmart 8250 Printer (Q3470A#ABA) Review

HP Photosmart 8250 Printer (Q3470A#ABA)
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
This is an excellent printer for the serious photographer. The images are clear, sharp, and crisp, and professional in every way, at least to my amateur eye. I am a picky amateur photographer, and I bought this printer so that I could easily print 8x10, 5x7, and 4x6 photos from my several digital cameras. This printer does the job. This is a beautifully engineered and solid piece of equipment.
Some technical issues. Beware, when the ink first prints, it smears easily, so let it dry for a few minutes--it dries quickly enough. I am happy to say that the photo download from the card reader slot (I measured it on the CF card reader--I haven't tried it for my SD cards yet) is lightning fast, as compared to my older HP printers, I guess that is the USB 2.0 that this device features. This is a welcome improvement--earlier HP printers lagged behind even cheap card readers in speed. No more.
So far my print feeds have been flawless and jam-free. You can effortlessly switch between 4x6 and 8x10 prints, and the feeds are fine. (Haven't tried 5x7s yet, but I expect no problems.) When you first take the printer out of the box it will prompt you to put paper in the printer and let it test the ink cartridges. Beware--you need to install them first. This only takes a second, and these are the most foolproof printer cartridges I have ever seen, but the printer does not tell you that the cartridges are not yet installed, at least not until you try to run the diagnostic. No big deal; I installed them, and the printer calibrated itself perfectly!
The printer installed perfectly and effortlessly the very first time. Simply insert the supplied CD and follow the instructions. Remember not to insert the (not supplied!) USB2 cable into the computer until the software prompts you to do so.
It appears to me that some of the other reviewers (here on Amazon) of this printer made the same initial mistake I made. Specifically, here is the deal: this printer can detect what kind of paper you are feeding it (if it is HP paper anyway)--it detects it from a code on the back of the paper and it adjusts the ink application accordingly. Further, this printer is very precise as to how it applies ink to a given paper type. So if you try to manually tell it what kind of paper you are using, and if you guess wrong, you will get lousy pictures with the ink incorrectly applied. Once I figured out the rather amazing fact that this printer KNOWS what kind of paper it is printing on, I started getting wonderful pictures. (It literally never occurred to me that it could do this--I had to, you guessed it, read the manual to find this out). This is cool--you can insert different kinds of HP photo paper in the same stack, e.g. matte, glossy, etc. and expect to get perfect pictures without having to look in the printer to see what paper is next. Just tell it on the print menu to automatically select the paper type. I love the 21st century!
Personally, I think that HP has hit a home run with this one. While I cannot compare this one to its rivals from Epson or Canon (I have not reviewed these), I can say that I am completely satisfied. Recommended.

Click Here to see more reviews about: HP Photosmart 8250 Printer (Q3470A#ABA)

Box Contents: HP Photosmart 8250 Printer, HP 22 Tri-color Inkjet Print Cartridge, 5 ml ink volume, HP Image Zone Express Photo and Imaging Software on CD-ROM, Setup Poster, User's Guide, Power Supply, Power Cord The HP Q3470A Photosmart 8250 Printer lets you enjoy easy photo printing, the world's fastest photo printer. Easy to set up and use, it prints beautiful photos and laser-quality black text. Print a 4 x 6 photo in as fast as 14 seconds for as little as 24¢ each, or everyday documents at blazing speeds up to 32 ppm black text, up to 31 ppm color text. Six convenient individual ink tanks help avoid the hassle of running out of specific inks in the middle of a photo or page by letting you easily replace only the inks you need, when you need them. Also accepts custom sizes Memory card compatibility - CompactFlash Type I and II, Memory Stick (including PRO, Duo, MagicGate), Microdrive, MMC, Secure Digital (SD), mini SD (optional adapter required), xD-Picture Card Max. Memory - 64 MB Also connects to HP bt300 Wireless Printer Adapter or HP bt450 Bluetooth Wireless Printer and PC Adapter System Requirements(PC) - Intel Pentium II (or equivalent) or higher; 64 MB RAM (256 MB recommended); 600 MB available hard disk space (2 GB recommended); Windows 98, 2000, Me, XP Home, XP Professional; SVGA monitor (800 x 600, 16-bit color); 4x CD-ROM drive; USB port; USB cable (not included); Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 System Requirements(Mac) - G3 processor or higher, 128 MB RAM (256 MB recommended), 150 MB available hard disk space, Mac OS X v 10.2 or higher, SVGA monitor (800 x 600, 16-bit color), 4x CD-ROM drive, USB port, USB cable (not included) Uses c8721w, c8771w, c8772w, c8773w, c8774w, c8775w ink cartridges Dimensions(WxDxH) - 17.59 x 19.13 x 8 Weight - 18.7 lbs.

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3/27/2012

HP Photosmart C4440 All-in-One - Multifunction ( printer / copier / scanner ) - color - ink-jet - copying (up to): 30 ppm (mono) / 23 ppm (color) - printing (up to): 30 ppm (mono) / 23 ppm (color) - 100 sheets - Hi-Speed USB Review

HP Photosmart C4440 All-in-One - Multifunction ( printer / copier / scanner ) - color - ink-jet - copying (up to): 30 ppm (mono) / 23 ppm (color) - printing (up to): 30 ppm (mono) / 23 ppm (color) - 100 sheets - Hi-Speed USB
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I purchased this printer a year ago and have regretted it ever since. I got about 35 pages out of the first set of cartridges. I spent 2 hours on the phone with customer service running through a bunch of alignment, cartridge head cleaning, etc. procedures. Their final recommendation was that I print things on "fast draft" mode. The bottom line is that this thing goes through ink at an unbelievable rate. Even in fast draft mode I can only print about 50 pages. What a completely worthless printer. At $35 per set of replacement cartridges that's about 70 cents a page. If I could give it zero stars, I would.

Click Here to see more reviews about: HP Photosmart C4440 All-in-One - Multifunction ( printer / copier / scanner ) - color - ink-jet - copying (up to): 30 ppm (mono) / 23 ppm (color) - printing (up to): 30 ppm (mono) / 23 ppm (color) - 100 sheets - Hi-Speed USB



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10/31/2011

Canon PIXMA iP100 Mobile Photo Printer Review

Canon PIXMA iP100 Mobile Photo Printer
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
We bought this little gem to take to Europe. First impressions are very favorable. It's small, reliable, and prints beautifully. At just over four pounds, it's perfect for travel.
The little Bluetooth adaptor also works very well. Reading the manual (!), I discovered it is possible to mount the adapter permanently inside the printer so that it's not exposed and doesn't need attachment every time it is used. This is a simple procedure, and enhances the usefulness of the Bluetooth capability that is all but de rigueur when traveling. The installation / setup information is also in the electronic manual that comes on the CD.
But as good as the printer is, it does not come with (nor does Canon offer) a case of any kind. I found the perfect solution - from Case-Mate: go to http://www.case-[...] and buy the 'Glovez 15"' sleeve (like a large envelope with a velcro closure / flap). It comes in an assortment of colors and is a skin-tight (but very workable) fit in the 'length' direction. When inserted, the printer doesn't take up every bit of the case in the 'width' direction, meaning there is just enough room to also accommodate the cord and AC brick. Throw these in, close the flap, and you're always ready to roll.
Best part: this 'Glovez' sleeve is only $9.99 + $3.99 S/H, and gets to you in a few days. It's not bulky - just what one wants to protect the printer but not take up room. (As an aside, the Case-Mate Glovez 13" [for the MacBook 13" and Air] fits the Lenovo ThinkPad X300 perfectly).
March 8, 2011: Came back (for the first time) to look over some of my reviews, and thought I would update this one. We took the printer to Europe for a month in the summer of 2008 (and, as noted by one of the commenters, it does indeed have a built-in usable voltage range of 100 - 240V, 50 - 60 Hz, so one needs only an adapter for local outlets, and not a transformer of any kind). It performed flawlessly then, and continues to do so today.
We take it everywhere. It goes in the bag wherever we go on vacation, or on business, and has never missed a beat. It sets up in an instant as soon as you get to your hotel room - so easy to use. As stated before, I highly recommend the internally-mounting bluetooth adapter; it's never in the way, impossible to lose, and reliable. OK: Canon gets a small demerit for not building it in in the first place, but... With today's wireless-built-in portable PCs and other devices, it's a snap to hook up to the Internet within moments of arriving at your hotel, then send maps, proposals, anything else, etc. to the printer with no cables whatever. Especially good when both of us have our laptops out at a hotel room: we can both send jobs to the printer across the room without getting in each other's way. It's quick, reliable, durable, with various 'quality levels' available - and I highly recommend it for mobile use.
I know Canon also makes a battery that 'bolts-on' to the back of this printer. For my application, the additional $100 wasn't worth the extra bulk - to achieve a freedom from the electric grid that I didn't need. But if you conduct business in your pickup, or out in the field, it would certainly make sense: put the printer on the passenger seat and produce a customer invoice, etc. on the spot.
I seldom wax so enthusiastic over a product, and have been known to be excoriatingly critical of poor designs / execution. But Canon hit the nail dead center with this product: if you're in the market for a genuinely useful, rugged, portable printer - get it. You will not regret the decision.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Canon PIXMA iP100 Mobile Photo Printer

Amazon.com Product DescriptionCanon's stylish iP100 Mobile Printer travels with you, delivering outstanding photo print quality wherever you are. Thanks to a blazing sprint speed, you can have a beautiful 4 x 6 inch print in less than a minute. The iP100 is perfect for traveling photographers, vacationers making their own post cards, businessmen who need to make the perfect color presentation on the road, and anyone else who wants a high-quality print anywhere.
Outstanding Prints from a Tiny Device At a compact 12.7 x 2.4 x 7.2 inches (WxHxD) and weighing in at a scant 4.4 pounds, the iP100 is a rugged, attractive device that is easy to slip into your briefcase or traveling bag. You can further increase the portability by adding the optional car adapter or battery kit.
Don't mistake compact for low-quality. The iP100 produces spectacular photos at 9600 x 2400 dpi. Canon's patented print head with 1,856 precision nozzles ejects ink at droplets as small as 1 picoliter for incredible photo realism and accuracy. Together with the 5-color ink system, you are ensured the highest quality output. All without a long waiting: a photo lab-quality 4 x 6 inch borderless print takes about 55 seconds. For printing documents, the iP100 can print black-and-white documents at up to 20 ppm and color documents at up to 14 ppm.
Print from Macs and PCs and Directly from Cameras The Canon PIXMA iP100 is compatible with Windows Vista/XP/2000 and Mac OS X v 10.2.8 to 10.5.x, connecting via a USB interface. Additionally, it also has a built-in IrDA interface and an optional Bluetooth interface, letting you print wirelessly from a PC, PDA or camera phone. The printer also supports the PictBridge interface for connecting compatible digital cameras and printing photos directly -- without a PC.
There is no need to worry that you weren't first able to touch up a photo when printing directly from the camera; Canon's Auto Image Fix lets you automatically correct for exposure, color, brightness, and contrast.
The Canon PIXMA iP100 photo printer is backed by toll-free technical support and a 1-year limited warranty with InstantExchange program.
What's in the Box iP100 mobile printer, document kit (quick start guide, leopard information sheet, easy setup instructions, setup software & user's guide CD-ROM, user guide), ink cartridges (one black, one color), AC adapter, power cord, print head, bundled media MP-101, sample media PP-201.

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9/30/2011

Canon CL-52 Photo Ink Cartridge Review

Canon CL-52 Photo Ink Cartridge
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
ASIN B000AYH7X4 - Like almost all ink cartridges out there, it's overpriced. Unfortunately, since they're all overpriced, I can't really take away a star for that.
It's ink. It works, it runs out eventually, it's kind of hard to say much about an ink cartridge. Haven't yet had one clog up, but I do recommend storing in a plastic baggie if you won't be using it for a while.
On the very upside, and earning this cartridge (and any other from Canon) a big gold star from me - Canon runs a cartridge recycling program, with boxes available upon request from their website. I'm so impressed by the environmentally aware gesture that I'll stick with Canon as long as I can!
- AnnaLovesBooks

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