Your Buying Guide to Digital Photo Printers
Although showing digital photos on your device may be fine for you, the impact of a well-printed photo that can be physically touched and viewed is not easily replicated. There are many different types of printers for sale on eBay. This buying guide will help you choose the right digital printer for you.
What printer features are most important for budget-conscious photographers?When looking for a photo printer, one of the first questions you should ask yourself is how much you're willing to spend. For those photographers just needing prints of photos taken from their phone, a lower-priced printer may offer the needed features like wireless connectivity, printing without your computer, or printing away from home. Some lower-end photo printers also offer printing directly from Secure Digital Memory, Memory Stick, CompactFlash, SmartMedia, Microdrive, and xD cards. One more factor that can vary widely is printing speed. Some lower-end printers can print 1.6 pages per minute while some others can print as fast as 4.6 pages per minute. Be sure to check the print speeds of black and white versus color also, because these numbers can also differ depending on the printer. Additionally, always check the cost of replacing the ink tanks, as this can be a major cost of ownership for any photo printer.
What are the most important features for professional photographers?Since professional photographers usually have higher-end cameras with increased definition, a higher-end printer may offer the features needed to get your photos published. High-resolution photos need to be printed at a denser pixel rate. Look for a printer that can handle at least 2400x4800 DPI. Connectivity is definitely a nice feature for faster printing without a computer. Certain cameras offer wireless connection or PictBridge technology built in for easy, fast printing of photos that will not need to be altered via editing software. Another option that professionals consider is the ability of a digital printer to make larger than standard prints.
What are other things to consider when buying a printer?If you are not familiar with photo printers versus standard home printers, there are a few other things to look for:
- The number of ink tanks used by the printer
- The types of ink used by the printer (pigment versus dye)
- Operating System Compatibility (Windows 7, MacOS, etc.)
- Unit size (will it fit in your space without being in the way?)
- Paper size and media printing (photo paper and the ability to print on CDs or DVDs)