If you’re a photographer who frequently sells your photos or you like to set yourself apart by providing clients with physical copies, you need a quality photo printer. Regardless of your objective, your printer should do your art justice with consistent pigmentation, speed and ease of use.
The best printer for photographers is the HP Envy Photo 7855 All in One. It’s compatible with the HP smart app for quick and simple printing.
Where you need to use your photo printer will help you determine the size. Businesses typically have more flat space available than home offices. The bigger the printer is, the higher the resolution of your prints. Additionally, the bigger the prints you make, the bigger the printer needs to be. If you plan to move it back and forth from both places, or you travel often, consider one that’s more compact and portable. There are also small and portable printers for photos on your phone.
The speed of printing doesn’t vary much between photo printers. However, higher-resolution prints may take longer. On the other hand, the number of prints produced at a time, (also known as the duty cycle) will depend on the quality of the printer. The monthly duty cycle should ideally be more than what you plan to print to make it worth the investment. The speed of printing should be clearly stated in the manual, however, some manufactures make it difficult to determine the duty cycle.
To have a successful photography operation, your printer must be compatible with your digital storage device. You can ensure this by checking the printer’s specs against your operating system or memory card. Many printers can also be used with a USB drive or even Bluetooth connection. Make sure you’re familiar with the rest of your setup before spending your money on something that isn’t compatible.
The higher the quality of the resolution and ink, the better your prints will come out, and the happier your clients will be. A good photo printer should have at least 4,800 x 1,200 dpi to make it worth the cost. The ink should be rich and pigment-based to get the most vivid prints. You can use coloring agents-based ink, which is cheaper, but won’t resist light as well in the long run.
Some printers can act independently over wifi, while others need to be plugged into the ethernet. If your photo printer is for an office where multiple people will use it, it needs to be wireless so everyone has easy access. Again, make sure it’s compatible with your office’s internet and the majority of the commonly used devices.
Unlike regular printers, most photo printers are designed to present color extremely well, but don’t do as well with black and white. If you’re only interested in creating colorful images, you don’t have to worry. If you’re interested in creating photo prints in greyscale, however, you need to purchase a photo printer (not an all-in-one) that can accurately portray the subtle tints.
Quality photo printers can cost anywhere from $200-$800, depending on the size, speed and resolution they offer.
A. Most standard photo printers can only print, not scan. However, there are many quality all-in-ones that can do both.
A. It depends on the model and the type of paper inserted, but most photo printers can print on both sides.
What you need to know: This wireless printer delivers high-quality inkjet images that you can print from your phone, computer, SD card or USB.
What you’ll love: The color touchscreen allows you to adjust the print settings for each image and supports a wide range of printer sizes. It’s compatible with the HP smart app that gives you ultimate control over your prints. It has an automatic two-sided printing and document feeder.
What you should consider: It uses a lot of ink and often has complicated system errors. Customer service isn’t very responsive.
Where to buy: Sold by HP, Amazon and Staples
Epson Expression Photo HDXP-1500
What you need to know: This is a professional-quality inkjet photo printer that can make great black-and-white prints for a more affordable price.
What you’ll love: The Dash Replenishment feature prevents you from running out of ink. It can print photos in under 30 seconds and wireless connectivity allows you to print photos from anywhere. It’s simple to use and compact without compromising speed and quality.
What you should consider: Some customers experienced clogs in the printer and it’s hard to find replacement cartridges.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon and Staples
What you need to know: This printer offers incredible color and detail with eight dye-based inks, including greyscale shades.
What you’ll love: It comes with built-in wifi for easy connection and computer-free printing. The Optimum Image Generating system calculates the correct color balance, glossiness and tonal gradation for each print mode and paper type.
What you should consider: The print head can easily clog and it’s hard to find a replacement one. It often has connection issues.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Anabelle Weissinger writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
