Inkjet Photo Printer Reviews

Keeping an eye on the best new inkjet photo printers on the market.

Inkjet Photo Printer Reviews

Photosmart B8550 Review: Can You Produce Lab-Quality Prints Without a Computer?

December 7th, 2010 · HP Photosmart Series Printers, Lab-Quaility Prints, Professional Photo Printers

HP Photosmart B8550 Photo Printer Review

Many large format printers I’ve seen give you the ability to print without involving a computer. And the Photosmart B8550 gives you that option as well… However it really shines by allowing you to manipulate your pictures at a fairly detailed level, giving you lab-quality photos without ever having to fire up your computer.

Here’s a sample of what you can do directly on the printer:

  • Browse and view all of your photos on any memory card or device
  • Rotate, crop, and resize photos
  • Adjust brightness and contrast
  • Add filter effects like sepia and antiquing
  • Detailed red-eye removal
  • Create and organize photo album pages
  • Make panorama prints
  • Make a sheet of wallet or passport size photos
  • Add a date stamp to the print

You can do everything that most free photo editing programs let you do, right from the 2.4 inch display built into the HP B8550. In my opinion, that’s pretty impressive.

Of course you also get all the standard large format photo printer benefits: 13 x 19 prints, 9600 x 2400 dpi, 5 ink cartridges (including 2 blacks), etc. But what really makes this printer stand out is the ability to print super high-quality photo without a computer.

Currently you can get the Photosmart B8500 for 56% off plus free shipping through this link. At that price it’s a no brainer, but I’m not sure how long the deal’s good for.

If you’d like to read more about the HP B8550, here’s review by another owner, D. P. Schroeder. He writes:

I’ve printed at least 2 dozen prints — 4×6, 5×7, 8.5×11, HP paper, Epson paper, Staples paper, etc. — and I have great difficulty determining that ANY of these did not come from a professional photo lab. In fact, I’d told a friend that I’d received this great printer, and when I presented him with a gorgeous 5×7 of a group of us, he asked me where I went to have my photo developed! The output is THAT good. The only output complaint I have is that every once in a while one gets some very shallow linear scratches to the glossy finish, but they are so incredibly small, you have to hold up the photos to a light at a specific angle. This is being very picky, and it’s truly a NON-ISSUE for me.

Some have claimed to have had problems with ink drying time, but I have not: prints are dry within 15-30 seconds, though I do let them sit for a minute or two just in case. I tried smearing the “wet” ink on one after 10 seconds, and there was no smearing, so, if one uses HP Advanced Photo paper, or any of the premium glossy papers I’ve tried, I do not forsee any such problems.

Review paraphrased for size – read the original review here.

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Is the Canon PIXMA iP100 Actually the Best Portable Photo Printer on the Market Today?

December 1st, 2010 · Canon PIXMA Series Printers, Portable Printers

Canon PIXMA iP100 Mobile Photo Printer Review

Canon PIXMA iP100 Mobile Photo PrinterCalling the Canon PIXMA iP100 a mobile photo printer almost does it a disservice. That’s because this little gem blows away most full size photo printers in its price range, much less the portable printers it directly competes against.

For instance, it prints a 4×6 photo with an incredible 9600 x 2400 dpi in just 55 seconds. It can connect directly to your digital camera, DV camcorder, or even your camera phone and print pictures from them using its built-in PictBridge technology. Heck, it even auto corrects your photos for you before it prints them if you want.

Of course, since it’s a portable photo printer it also offers a bunch of ways to connect to it. You can use a direct USB cable, IrDA (infrared eye), or even Bluetooth. That means that you don’t even have to plug your smartphone into the printer to print from it. Just pair the PIXMA iP100 to it like your wireless headset and off you go. The only downside is that the Bluetooth adapter has to be bought separately, naturally… However, I did find that Amazon often offers them here as a bundle for over 28% off.

Here’s a quick list of some of its other key features:

  • Two mobile power options – a rechargeable battery and a car charger.
  • Super fast normal printing – 20 black and white or 14 color pages per minute (PPM).
  • Tiny footprint – it’s only 12 x 7 inches big and weighs a mere 4 pounds.
  • Excellent documentation – The manual and instructions are surprisingly clear and concise.
  • Reliable – Because it was designed with travel in mind, this printer functions very reliably in most environments.

Overall, I’d say that this is the best portable photo printer I’ve had the pleasure of reviewing to date. Whether you’re in the market for a portable photo printer or a full sized one, you won’t go wrong with this little gem.

Read more about the Canon PIXMA iP100 mobile photo printer and get the lowest price by clicking here.

Here’s what another owner has to say about it:

Callie,

Bought this to use while traveling, but once I set it up in an inconspicuous spot in the living room (where I spend way too much time with the laptop), I’ve been using it all the time. Haven’t printed photos, but for letters, Web page copies, even maps, quality matches my Epson printers. It’s at least as fast as any other home printer I’ve had. (But yes, it does spit out the pages from the table onto the floor; I attribute that to where I have it placed, and I don’t care. I don’t have to go upstairs to the desktop printer anymore.)

I use a Mac, which comes with Bluetooth, and bought the adaptor. So no cables, just the print command from the across the room, and I’m in business. I can access all the printer functions, including printer utilities, using Bluetooth — which I can’t with my Epson, which is networked through my Airport router.

Pricey, perhaps, but I’ve already taken this with me on a long weekend and was happy to be able to print out something I needed. I’ll definitely find room in the luggage for this one…..

Review paraphrased for size – read the original review here.

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Think You Already Know Everything About the Epson Stylus Pro 3880 Inkjet Printer? This New Review May Surprise You…

November 24th, 2010 · Epson Stylus Pro Series Printers, Professional Photo Printers

Epson Stylus Pro 3880 Inkjet Photo Printer Review

You probably already know that Epson’s Stylus Pro 3880 is one of the brightest stars in the professional level photo printer scene. But its fame doesn’t just come from the amazing output it produces… After all, that’s to be expected from a printer at this price point.

Instead, what makes this printer such a perfect match for both skilled amateurs and professionals alike, is its excellent economy, outstanding ease of use, and superb level of control. For example, most high end photo printers have issues with the nozzles clogging from as little as three days of idle time. This of course means that a large amount of ink has to be wasted cleaning out the nozzles. Epson has fixed that issue in this printer by adding an ink repelling coating to the printhead and reengineering the nozzles.

Increasing the economy of the Stylus Pro 3800 are its large ink cartridge size (80 ml). These greatly reduce the cost per print versus most other photo printers. For instance, a normal 8×10 uses $0.48 (48 cents) worth of ink compared to its closest competitor which uses $0.80 (80 cents), a 66% increase in print costs.

Here’s a short list of some of the other great features it has:

  • Complete control over your prints versus a photo lab or online printer.
  • Darkroom quality black and white prints using selective black cartridges.
  • Prints that stay true in any lighting.
  • Color prints that rival even expensive Ilfochrome processing.
  • Amazingly clear and precise instructions for both setup and use.
  • Built-in network printing.
  • Will print up to 17×37 inches.
  • You can get it for 11% off plus free shipping from Amazon by clicking here.

Overall, this printer perfectly matches the needs of any photophile who wants total control over their prints while still saving money on them.

Here’s what another owner has to say about it:

Chris N.,

This printer is so good straight out of the box it is hard to imagine how Epson could ever improve on the 3880.

As a professional photographer that worked in a state of the art darkroom for 30 plus years, with large and medium format negatives, I have always worked to the highest standards. The Epson 3880 now allows prints to be made that should meet the requirements of even the most discerning user.

Like others I moved from an Epson 2200. I would class that as a good printer but it had limitations mentioned elsewhere. For the serious black and white printer the 3880 creates the most beautiful prints that could be neutral, cool or warm toned and created with ease. And colors are almost bang on to my color calibrated monitor (98%) and with the slightest bit of lightening to the Epson setting they match as closely as two different mediums could ever do.

Review paraphrased for size – read the orginal review here.

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Revealing Photo Printer Review: Is the Canon PIXMA Pro9000 Mark II Really as Perfect as it Looks?

November 22nd, 2010 · Canon PIXMA Series Printers, Professional Photo Printers

Canon PIXMA Pro9000 Mark II Inkjet Photo Printer Review

At first glance Canon’s PIXMA Pro9000 Mark II looks too good to be true. It rips out astonishingly vibrant prints with ultra-sharp details by using Canon’s proprietary “FINE” printhead technology. Its 4800×2400 dpi prints rival the best a print lab can offer. It even uses considerably less ink per print than any of its competitors.

Fast, crisp photos while costing less per print, what’s not to love? Well, I did find a few blemishes on the PIXMA Pro9000 Mark II…

First, the manual that comes with it is a complete waste of paper. They should have just saved the cost of the paper and not included it.  Second, the single black cartridge merely produces an acceptable black and white print when compared to its stunning color printing. And finally, to accommodate the 13-inch x 19-inch print, it is a very large photo printer.

Surprisingly though, these are the only shortfalls I could find on the Canon PIXMA Pro9000 Mark II inkjet photo printer. It is indeed almost as perfect as it looks.

Here’s a list of some of its most outstanding features:

  • Super fast printing – Prints a full 13×19 in under 2 minutes… Which is faster than most printers can even print an 8×10.
  • Sips ink compared to all its competitors. Much better for any photographer watching their budget.
  • Prints directly from your digital camera, DV camcorder, or even your phone using Canon’s PictBridge port.
  • Picture quality is sharp and vibrant.
  • Archival Ink will last from 50 to 300+ years (depending on the mounting method).
  • Inexpensive compared to most other quality photo printers in the market. And much cheaper to run using the Canon ChromaLife Inks.
  • Prints so quiet that it will make you look to see if it’s actually working or not.
  • Prints professional photo lab quality prints on a variety of papers in many different sizes.
  • You can get it from Amazon for the lowest price I’ve found plus free shipping by clicking here.

Overall, you’d be hard pressed to find a better photo printer on the market than this one at even twice the price.

This is what another owner has to say about it:

Omar S.,

I’m an amateur photog, and this is my first large-format printer, so I’m aiming this at people in a similar spot. Other reviews delve into the more esoteric topics such pigment vs dye ink, but for people trying to decide if a printer like this is worth it? Yes definitely! This is the first time I’ve been able to generate prints that actually do justice to what my dSLR produces. This is the first time that the prints look as good or better on paper as they do on my PVA LCDs.

Gorgeous color reproduction, fast printing, no visible flaws even in 13×19 prints. Just make sure you use quality paper (and images w/ enough detail), and that you have space to set up this huge machine.

Review paraphrased for size - read the original review here.

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