So You Want to Buy A Photo Printer...

Thanks to the popularity of digital cameras, most photo printers are now amazingly affordable and easy-to-use — and many of them don't even need to be connected to a PC. Photo printers have one thing to do: turn your brilliantly colored digital pictures into high-quality photo prints.

When shopping for a digital photo printer here are a few things to consider.

Most printers have a media slot that accepts a memory card so make sure you memory card will fit the printer you buy. There are some that connect with wireless and USB cables so you can print your photos without having to take out your memory card. With a USB you can connect to your computer and edit them as needed and print.

Find out which technology you might prefer. They are dye sublimation and inkjet technology. Dye sublimation is a photo printer that uses heat to vaporize the dyes on the surface of the photo paper. They create a smooth, lifelike gradation of color that permeates the paper’s surface. The printer applies a special coating to protect photos from fading and provide a resistance to moisture and oil from fingerprints. They will produce realistic colors with even tones.

The inkjet photo printer paints the image on the paper with a series of very tiny dots almost like a miniature paint spray gun. Hence the name, inkjet. A lot of the inkjet printers are multifunctional. They can scan, copy and fax documents and photos. They are capable of printing crisp pictures on photo paper at a high rate of speed. If you'll be printing lots of photos, or want the versatility of printing text documents too, consider an inkjet photo printer.

Just what is resolution and how much do you need?

The crisper, sharper you want your picture the higher the resolution on the photo printer. The higher the number (i.e. 200 dpi, 300 dpi, etc.) the better the resolution especially on inkjet printers. Dye sublimation photo printers offer a 300 dpi while inkjets have 1200 to 9600 dpi. The difference is dye sublimation numbers are just number whereas the inkjet it’s dot per inch. The resolution cannot be accurately compared between dye sublimation and inkjet printers — a dye sublimation print made at 300 dpi often looks as nice as a 4800 dpi print made on an inkjet printer.

Another consideration you should keep in mind is Portability. If you want to take your photo printer to parties, family reunions, and other get places make sure the model you choose is easy to transport. Some are not!

Also check to see what size of photo they will print. Some photo printers only print 4 x 6 prints. Others will print up to 8 x 12. One more consideration is the wireless photo printer. If you want quick, easy, and fast photo have a printer with wireless connection it the way to go. They have a built-in Wi-Fi and can be set up for multi users but watch out the kids don’t use all the photo paper.