The photo appeared relatively recently. While the history of painting goes back thousands of years, the first cameras appeared only about two centuries ago. However, if previously pictures were available only to a select few, now creating a masterpiece or capturing a family event is as easy as shelling pears - cameras are installed in even the simplest mobile phones. As a result, the total number of photographs has increased. On Facebook, for example, about 130 thousand (!) images are uploaded every minute. Of course, there are simply a lot of ways to store digital copies: computer hard drive, home NAS, social networks, cloud services. But many people still prefer physical media. Simply put, ordinary printed photos. If you regularly print large volumes of photographs, it makes sense to purchase your own photo printer rather than contact a printing house every time.
This solution will, first of all, save money in the long run. You can also experiment more with your own printer: you don’t like the look of the collage in the album, so you can immediately redo it and print a new one - quickly and easily. After all, a printer is now useful for printing work documents, essays for studies and much more. Our rating will help you choose the right model.
Selection criteria
To obtain a more objective assessment, we took into account several of the most important characteristics when purchasing a photo printer for the home:
- Maximum format – no less than A4
- Number of colors – to print a photo, at least 6 colors must be used (the more colors, the higher the print quality).
- Continuous Ink Supply System (CISS) – additional points are given for the built-in CISS (allows you to significantly reduce the cost of printing)
- Printing time 10x15 cm - printing speed at home is not so important, but still for some this parameter has a certain significance. A printer that takes no more than 20 seconds to print a small photo gets an extra point.
- Minimum drop volume – the value should not be higher than 1.5 (the lower this value, the better the image you can get).
- Support for other types of materials and paper - additional points are given for the ability to print on cards, films, labels, glossy paper.
- Color cartridge resource - must be at least 1000 pages
- Direct printing – the ability to print photos directly from your camera or phone.
- Borderless Printing – Extra points are given for the ability to print photos without leaving blank margins on the paper (using the entire paper area).
- Wi-Fi interface – the ability to print photos without connecting to the network using a cable.
- User reviews – priority is given to photo printers with a large number of positive reviews regarding reliability, print quality and low cost of consumables.
The best photo printers for home: budget up to RUB 10,000.
4 Epson L312
The only printer with CISS. Best resource
Country: Japan
Average price: 10,903 ₽
Rating (2019): 4.6
The rating opens with the most expensive, but not the best, printer. Yes, the print quality is almost identical to that of other full-size participants in the rating, the minimum droplet size and speed are a little lower, but there are no global differences. But the resource of the color cartridge due to CISS is a record one - 7500 pages. And support for printing on cards, films and labels can sometimes come in handy.
But the average user will be more likely to be pleased with the small dimensions and weight. L312 is shorter by more than 10 cm, lighter - only 2.8 kg. This allows you to place the device even on a small table, and it will not eat up useful space - very useful for the average user. Also pleasing is the lowest power consumption - only 10 W are consumed during operation.
Reviewsusers
Advantages:
- Large cartridge resource. CISS
- Compact size, low weight
- Low power consumption
- Good quality b/w print
- Printing on different materials
Flaws:
- High price
3 Canon PIXMA TS3140
The most budget MFP
Country: Japan
Average price: 2,967 RUR
Rating (2019): 4.6
Of course, given the cost, the printer's performance leaves much to be desired. The color rendering quality is average, the work speed is mediocre - you will have to wait almost a minute for a 10x15 photo print. Also note that only 2 cartridges work, although 4 colors are used for printing. You can “release” photos on plain and glossy paper, photo paper, and cards. The good news is that there is Wi-Fi – you can print photos directly from your smartphone.
The main disadvantages are the life of the cartridges and their cost - it is cheaper to buy a new printer of the same type or to fill the cartridges with ink yourself.
User reviews
Advantages:
- Best value
- Printer/scanner/copier
- Wi-Fi available
Flaws:
- Cartridge life and cost of consumables
2 Canon SELPHY CP1300
Smallest portable photo printer
Country: Japan
Average price: 8,390 RUR
Rating (2019): 4.7
Selfies have become one of the most popular types of photography. Almost all social networks are full of them. But what if you want to have a physical copy of a photo you took five minutes ago? Don't run to the studio. In such a situation, a device from Canon will help, the name of which speaks for itself. The CP1300 is a pocket-size printer about the size of a volume of War and Peace, capable of running on battery power.
Yes, the quality of the pictures is low. Yes, printing a professional artistic photograph on it is not a good idea. But for quickly creating a physical copy of a photo anywhere in the world, the model is suitable.
A little about the characteristics. Maximum print size: 148x100 mm. Print quality: 300x300 dpi. One battery charge is enough for approximately 54 shots. The printer supports Wi-Fi and printing from memory cards. It is convenient to interact with the CP1300 thanks to the 3.2 inch screen.
User reviews
Advantages:
- Compact dimensions
- Battery operation
- Printing from flash drives via Wi-Fi
Flaws:
- Over time, it begins to leave streaks from lingering rollers on the photo.
1 Canon PIXMA iP7240
Best price/performance ratio
Country: Japan
Average price: 4,880 RUR
Rating (2019): 4.8
The Canon PIXMA iP7240 takes first place among budget photo printers for the home. What positive things I would like to highlight about this printer:
- Best price. On average, this photo printer can be purchased in salons for 5,800 rubles. Perhaps this is the main argument for getting into the TOP 3 of our rating. This is one of the best budget options for home use.
- Possibility of printing photos via Wi-Fi
- Borderless Print Function
- Possibility of printing on CD/DVD
However, the low price influenced a number of quality characteristics of the PIXMA iP7240, which cannot be ignored. What disadvantages can be identified:
- Printer speed. According to the technical specifications, the printer prints a 10x15 cm photograph in 21 seconds. However, in practice, many users complain that the printer takes too long to think before the first print (then everything goes quickly).
- Print quality – there are also complaints about this. Despite using pigment inks, which are supposed to be better than water-based inks (used in Epson printers), the photo quality is inferior to that of competitors.
- Ink Low – The printer indicates too quickly that ink needs replacing. There is no CISS printing included, so you can forget about economical printing.
With all its pros and cons, the Canon PIXMA iP7240 is one of the best options for home use, since it has no equal in its price category. If you do not plan to print dozens of photos every day, then purchasing a Canon PIXMA iP7240 will be the best solution.
The best photo printers for home: budget up to RUR 20,000.
3 Epson L805
Best color rendition (6 colors)
Country: Japan
Average price: 20,330 ₽
Rating (2019): 4.5
The category opens with a printer that has not earned the most flattering user reviews, but has an impressive set of characteristics for its price. The main reason for dissatisfaction is a large number of defects and poor reliability. You may come across a copy that can make thousands of prints without a single complaint, or you may have to wait for the device from the service for more than one week. Therefore, we recommend that you check the printer as thoroughly as possible before purchasing.
In terms of printing, there are no complaints. With the right paper, the printer reveals itself fully: 6 colors, drop volume 1.5 pl, resolution 5760x1440 dpi - the pictures are of excellent quality. I'm glad to have a CISS, which will help save time, nerves and money at the gas station. I would only like a slightly longer resource - 1800 prints on one refill is not enough for such a system. Other advantages include high speed – printing a 10x15 photo will take only 12 seconds and Wi-Fi support. One of the disadvantages of ergonomics is its dimensions - a half-meter printer will not fit in every workplace.
User reviews
Advantages:
- Excellent print quality
- Works fast
Flaws:
- High percentage of defects
2 Epson L4160
MFP. Automatic two-sided printing. Best resource
Country: Japan
Average price: 18,460 RUR
Rating (2019): 4.5
It’s not for nothing that the silver medalist earned such a high score according to user reviews – 4.5. The device is perfectly balanced. It’s difficult to call it the best for photo printing, because it lags behind competitors in the number of colors (4 colors) and drop volume (3 pl), but the balance of other indicators allows us to recommend the L4160 for purchase.
Let's go in order. The first advantage is versatility. The MFP can not only print, but also scan or copy. We have already looked at the advantages of this solution using the Canon PIXMA TS3140 as an example. Secondly, it is a huge resource. The continuous ink supply system (CISS) allows you to make 6000 color prints and 7200 black and white. User reviews do not directly confirm this, but no one complains about the rapid consumption of paint. Finally, we note the automatic two-sided printing function - it’s hardly useful for photos, but it’s quite useful for printing documents. Other advantages include the ability to print from flash drives of various formats or via Wi-Fi and compact size compared to competitors.
User reviews
Advantages:
- Multifunction device
- CISS with a long resource
- Automatic two-sided printing
Flaws:
- For this price, the quality of photo printing is not the best
- Spends a lot of time typing
1 Canon PIXMA iX6840
The best ratio of price and quality
Country: Japan
Average price: 15,603 ₽
Rating (2019): 4.8
The Canon PIXMA iX6840 photo printer, which recently took the leading position in the ranking of budget models, immediately attracted the attention of not only fans of the brand, but also wary skeptics. Among the main advantages of the device is the presence of Wi-Fi and Ethernet network interfaces - you can print photos from anywhere in the office, as well as from a tablet or laptop. The photo printer is well balanced - it does not even wobble during printing.
The model is least suitable for home and photography studios, but for a small office it is an ideal option. The best in its price segment, the Canon PIXMA iX6840 printer is reliably protected from dust - after use it closes, turning into a small box. The printing speed pleases most users (14.5 images for black and white printing and 110.5 for color). Users cited the lack of checking sheets for compliance with the specified format as a disadvantage. The printer will easily print A3 size photos on inserted A4.
Advantages:
- availability – the analogue from Epson costs 2.5 times more;
- excellent prints;
- Capacious cartridges - they can hold 8-9 cubes of paint per refill.
Best Premium Photo Printers for Home
3 Canon PIXMA G4410
The best premium MFP for photo work
Country: Japan
Average price: RUB 21,157
Rating (2019): 4.7
How can we manage without MFPs in the final category? PIXMA G4410 is an excellent contender for this place. Let's start with the printing capabilities. Only 4 colors are used for printing, the drop volume is 2 pl, the resolution is comparable to mid-level printers. The price allows you to compare MFPs with models from the previous category - it is only slightly higher than 20 thousand rubles, which is much cheaper than its competitors. I can't help but be pleased with the resource - due to the use of CISS, one refill is enough for 7,000 color and 6,000 black and white prints. Pigment ink. Printing via Wi-FI is supported, but the usual printing from SD cards is not available.
The scanner's capabilities are impressive. It can digest 19 originals in a minute. We also note its small dimensions and weight - the printer is lighter and more compact than its competitors. I wish I could work more quietly...
The process of printing photographs at home has long become an ordinary and familiar thing. The whole action takes place relatively quickly, and the quality of the photographs is almost impossible to distinguish from similar photographs taken in darkrooms.
Let's try to identify the most successful photo printers for the home: ratings, reviews of models and expert opinions, along with reviews from the owners of these devices.
Another point that requires special attention is the type of printer. Which device is better - laser or inkjet? Despite a number of undeniable advantages of laser models and their abundant dominance on the computer market, they, alas, are not able to replace inkjet options. Here, not only the cost is taken into account, but also if you need to get extremely high-quality and rich photographs without spending the lion’s share of the family budget, then you can’t do without inkjet options. However, if you have the financial ability to purchase such an expensive laser “toy” for your home, then why not.
Choosing a brand
There are not many companies producing photo printers for the home. There are only three venerable brands that hold a significant part of the computer market: Epson, Canon and Hewlett Packard. But this does not mean at all that there is nothing to choose from - each price range is represented by both quantitatively and qualitatively diverse models. Therefore, as for the alternative, there is always one.
If you are interested in professional photo printers for the home or office, such as those that support the A0 format, then the giants Xerox and Mutoh are added to the brands already mentioned above. In any case, any printer from the mentioned companies can be bought, as they say, “on the fly,” because these manufacturers can be fully responsible for the quality of their products.
Let's look at the clear leaders of each segment and try to choose the best photo printer for the home.
List of the best models for a home darkroom (rating):
- (jet player).
- Canon PIXMA iP7240 (inkjet).
- HP Color LaserJet Pro CP1025nw (laser).
Epson L800
The sensational CISS technology (a system free of cycling with a continuous supply of ink) has caused a lot of noise in inkjet printing. The revolutionary development made it possible to significantly reduce the cost of one photograph. The company even launched a whole line of this kind of devices on the market, calling it the “Epson Printing Factory”, and the Epson L800 home photo printer with CISS is a significant example of this line.
The model turned out to be compact and very easy to use. The device is considered semi-professional, but 6-color printing and proprietary CISS will be a delight for home amateur photographers and small photo laboratories.
Advantages of the device:
- good print speed (38 A4 pages/minute) in standard mode;
- high print quality - 5760 x 1440 pixels per inch;
- photo 10 x 15 cm of maximum quality in 12 seconds;
- high cartridge resource - 1800 pages A4 color/9900 b/w;
- regular
Disadvantages of the model:
- noise during operation;
- no network interfaces;
- price.
Owner reviews
Owners speak very warmly of the L800 model. They liked the high quality coupled with high-quality photos at the end. Some complain about the high price and noise of the device, but after one or two weeks you get used to the noise, and the money spent is recouped by rare ink purchases, unlike analogues without CISS.
Estimated cost - 20,000 rubles.
Canon PIXMA iP7240
Photo printers for the home from Canon have always been distinguished by their compactness coupled with manufacturability. A small box with dimensions of 451 x 128 x 368 mm can find its place in any corner of your home. Also, another reason to forget about the location of your printer is the absence of any network wires. Communication is carried out via wireless protocols (Wi-Fi), and the connection occurs without problems - any operating system will determine the model in a matter of seconds (a set of drivers is included in the standard set of Windows and Mac).
Pleased with the slight noise of the device and the abundance of automation in the model - the trays will open only when you send the photo for printing.
Pros of the PIXMA printer:
- price;
- enviable resolution - 9600 x 2400 pixels per inch;
- a drop with a minimum volume of ink - 1 ml;
- two feed trays independent of each other;
- duplex works automatically;
- availability of Wi-Fi wireless protocols;
- AirPrint technology support.
Disadvantages of the model:
- the glossy case is too easily soiled;
- high cost of consumables.
Feedback about the model is mostly positive. The owners appreciated the PIXMA series photo printers for the home: high-quality printing, the absence of any wires and smart automation. Some were upset by the cost of consumables, but all inkjet printers are guilty of this, so it’s difficult to consider this point as a critical drawback.
Estimated cost - 6,000 rubles.
HP Color LaserJet Pro CP1025nw
This home laser photo printer is capable of making extremely high-quality prints on special photo paper. You don’t need to make high demands on it, it’s still a home model, but nevertheless the device will please you, if not with its printing speed (4 pages A4 color/minute), then with the quality of the output photo for sure.
As in the previous case, the model is equipped with the ability to transmit data via wireless protocols. But if you don’t want to overpay for Wi-Fi, then you can buy a similar option with a network interface.
Advantages of the model:
- good cartridge resource - 1000 pages A4 color/1200 b/w;
- it is possible to select the desired interface (Ethernet, USB or Wi-Fi);
- printing on special photo paper up to 180 g/dm (glossy or matte base);
- working with the web interface;
- range of halftones and color rendering at a high level;
- price (for laser model).
Disadvantages of the device:
- low speed of printing color photos;
- no USB cable included;
- “brakes” before and after printing.
User opinions
The owners warmly welcomed the CP1025nw model in their reviews. They liked the quality of the photos and the fact that, unlike inkjet cameras, they could save a lot on consumables. Users also note that, in addition to quality, photographs also have a good shelf life - a year or two, and the photo is still as rich and unfaded.
Estimated cost - 15,000 rubles.
Office equipment is constantly becoming better and delights its users with expanded capabilities. Thanks to this, today anyone can print pictures from their camera and even smartphone right at home. If you are also interested in this opportunity, then our rating of the best printers for printing photos for 2018 – 2019 is exactly what you need.
We will look at the most interesting devices that can please you with excellent quality and reliability at a reasonable cost. When choosing a good color printer for home use, you can rely on our TOP, in which each model will suit the needs of even the most demanding users.
HP DeskJet Ink Advantage 4535
The HP DeskJet Advantage 4535 budget inkjet photo printer was awarded the seventh position in the rating. This is an excellent model for home use, capable of printing up to a thousand pages per month without unnecessary wear and tear on components. The speed of printing black and white documents in this model is 20 ppm, and color – 16. The maximum resolution for each mode in the HP photo printer is 4800x1200 and 1200x1200 pixels, respectively. In addition to the USB input, the DeskJet Ink Advantage 4535 also has a Wi-Fi module, which allows users to print documents and pictures using AirPrint technology from iOS devices. Another important advantage of the economical photo printer from HP is its low power consumption, equal to only 15 W in operating mode. Among the disadvantages of the device, only a small resource of cartridges can be highlighted, but with an average cost of 5,000 rubles, this nuance can be omitted.
Advantages:
- cost-effectiveness ratio
- small size and weight
- simple and nice design
- Ease of use
Flaws:
- not found for its value
Canon PIXMA G1400
In sixth place on the list is a compact photo printer for the home from Canon. The PIXMA G1400 model is an inexpensive device that prints pictures and documents with a maximum resolution of 4800x1200 pixels. The printer prints a 10x15 cm photo in 60 seconds, which is a very good indicator for a device with such an attractive price. In standard mode, the device prints up to 9 and 5 pages of black and white and color A4 documents. The resource of toners installed in this model is quite good. Despite the small size of the device itself, the cartridges allow you to print 6 and 7 thousand pages with black and white and color content. The power consumption of this good photo printer is also excellent - only 12 watts when running and less than a watt in standby mode.
Advantages:
- energy consumption level
- quality of printed pictures
- resource capabilities of toners
- dimensions, reliability and design
- Possibility of borderless printing
- Cost effective when printing large numbers of pages
Flaws:
- noise level is high
- not very suitable for glossy printing
Brother DCP-T700W InkBenefit Plus
Industry experts call Brother products one of the best on the market. In terms of quality, popular printers from the Japanese manufacturer outperform most competing solutions. Specifically, the DCP-T700W InkBenefit Plus model boasts a print resolution of 1200x6000 pixels for color and black and white modes. The page printing speed in each case is 11 and 6 copies per minute. The printer costs up to 20,000 rubles, but you should understand that this is a full-fledged MFP for the home, which also contains a scanner with a resolution of 1200x2400 dpi (19200x19200 for the improved mode), as well as a copier with an average print speed of 4 ppm with a clarity of 1200x1200 pixels. The toner resource in the DCP-T700W InkBenefit Plus is 5 and 6 thousand documents for color and black and white cartridges.
Advantages:
- device functionality
- Possibility of connecting via Wi-Fi
- low ink consumption
- quality and efficiency
- It is possible to refill cartridges
Flaws:
- print speed
Canon PIXMA G3400
PIXMA G3400 from Canon is an improved version of the above model. There are not too many differences here, and even the design of an inexpensive but reliable inkjet printer almost completely replicates the appearance of its younger brother. Speed, resolution, resource and other important printing parameters are similar here, and therefore we will not dwell on them in more detail. As for the differences between this printer with a price of around 10,000 rubles, they consist in the presence of a scanner and a copier. The resolution of the first is 600x1200 pixels, and in any of the copying modes (black and white or color) the user will receive a document with a clarity of 600x600 dpi. Also, a photo printer with excellent functionality from Canon consumes more energy than the younger model. However, for the G3400 the difference is only 2 W, which is not critical.
Advantages:
- low power consumption
- impressive toner resource
- MFP characteristics
- wireless printing
- value for money
- economical paint consumption
Flaws:
- Difficult to set up Wi-Fi connection
- USB cable not included
- no AirPRINT support
Epson L805
The next model in the rating of photo printers is represented by an Epson device. L805 for just 16-17 thousand rubles offers the user a high print resolution of 5760x1440 dpi, an impressive printing speed of 38 copies per minute and output of a 10x15 centimeter image in just 12 seconds. At the same time, according to the characteristics of the printer, its color and b/w toner is enough to output up to 1800 pages. It is noteworthy that 6 cartridges are used here at once, guaranteeing good quality of documents and photographs. From the positive user reviews it is clear that the photo printer copes with its direct responsibility excellently. However, the Epson L805 failed to become ideal due to minor malfunctions that periodically occur for some users, as well as an unstable Wi-Fi module, connecting to which can cause difficulties. Otherwise, we have the best printer in terms of functionality for its price.
Advantages:
- excellent picture quality
- high resolution printing
- excellent printing speed
- resource capabilities of toners
- It is possible to print on CD/DVD discs
- Supports direct printing from a smartphone or tablet
Flaws:
- Wi-Fi and separate functions
- requires careful handling
- USB cable not included
Brother DCP-T500W InkBenefit Plus
Next up is one of the best inexpensive photo printers. In addition to directly printing documents, the Brother DCP-T500W InkBenefit Plus can scan them with a resolution of 1200x2400 (or 19200x19200 for the improved mode) and copy them with a clarity of 1200x1200 pixels. This makes the printer perfect for printing photos at home, preparing important contracts for work, studying, and numerous other tasks. The resource of toners with color and black ink in the DCP-T500W InkBenefit Plus is 5 and 6 thousand pages. Thanks to the presence of 4 refillable cartridges, the user can purchase the necessary ink, which will reduce the cost of printing.
Advantages:
- presence of self-cleaning function
- scanner/printer/copier resolution
- availability of Wi-Fi module
- toner life
- easy to set up
- good ergonomics and design
Flaws:
- no criticisms found
Epson Stylus Photo 1500W
Our review ends with the only fast wide-format photo printer in the rating. The Stylus Photo 1500W model from the famous Epson brand is an ideal device even for professional photographers. It prints a standard photograph of 10x15 centimeters in just 45 seconds, and the device prints documents in color and b/w with a resolution of up to 5760x1440 pixels at a speed of 16 copies per minute (values for A4 format). In addition, the best professional photo printer Epson Stylus Photo 1500W has 6 toners at once, which guarantees excellent color rendition in photographs. True, their resource is not at all impressive: 810 pages for color containers and 480 documents for a b/w cartridge. Among the rest that can be said about the best price-quality photo printer of our TOP, we should highlight the presence of Wi-Fi, low energy consumption, as well as the ability to print without borders and support paper density up to 300 grams per square meter.
Advantages:
- A3 size support
- good print speed
- high resolution documents
- availability of 6 toners
- PictBridge technology support
- high quality printouts
Flaws:
- small cartridge resource
- high cost of original components
Which printer is best to buy for printing photos?
If you constantly print your own pictures, then it is better to buy a printer with the appropriate capabilities for home use. This solution will allow you to save money by getting high-quality printouts at any time you need. Our review of the best printers for printing photos will help you choose the ideal device, in which we did not rely on high-cost devices, but preferred more affordable, but high-quality options for the home.
Before you choose the best printer for printing photos, you should know which manufacturers you can trust. We highlight three companies: Epson, Canon and HP. If you see printers and MFPs from these companies on the counter, feel free to buy them. It doesn’t matter what class they belong to, budget or professional, all the products of these companies are famous for their high level of quality. Our ranking of the best printers for printing photos at home is centered around popular models from these companies. The rating is based on reviews from professional reviewers and customer reviews. .
The Best Inexpensive Photo Printers
The Canon Selphy CP910 photo printer is a new generation among inkjet printers. Those of you who have at least a little experience with such devices know. The biggest problem with inkjet printers is drying out of the ink in the nozzles when there is a long break between prints. The Canon Selphy CP910 model eliminates paint drying due to the introduction of heat-sublimation technology. Canon Selphy CP910 is the best printer for printing photos at home; its compact dimensions and light weight allow you to place it in a convenient place. A wide range of settings allows you to achieve high-quality color printing.
Pros:
- Compact sizes. Convenient to store on a nightstand or table;
- Permanent printing;
- Thermal sublimation technology prevents the paint from drying out in the nozzles after a long break;
- Ability to connect to a computer in several ways;
- Able to work without connecting to the network, there is a built-in battery.
Minuses:
- Photo size restrictions.
HP DeskJet Ink Advantage 5575 is in the MFP category. Wide functionality allows you to use the model to solve any problems, print documents, color photographs. It prints high-quality photos without smudges. Due to this, the HP DeskJet Ink Advantage 5575 is included in the rating of the best printers for printing photos at home.
It is worth noting the attractive design. The device is made of high-quality plastic, its compact size and the ability to fold the tray allow you to choose any place for its storage. The only downside is that dust sticks to the plastic, so you have to wipe it often.
Pros:
- Affordable price;
- Excellent build quality;
- Suitable for printing any documents;
- Wide range of settings;
- There is a wireless Wi-Fi connection.
Minuses:
- The glossy body looks beautiful, but dust sticks to it.
The best mid-priced printers
The Epson L800 printer is an updated model of the Epson L line. It has improved sensitivity and clarity of photo printing, plus the ability to wirelessly connect via Wi-Fi. The best printer for printing photos at home in terms of functionality. Made from high quality matte plastic. Even if dust settles on its surface, it can be easily removed. The dimensions of the Epson L800 printer are slightly larger than those of its competitors, but they can still be called compact. Looks good on the table and doesn't take up much space.
Pros:
- Good warranty period;
- Excellent and clear photographs with high color rendition;
- Extensive functionality for such a model.
Minuses:
- With prolonged use, the back of the sheet begins to stain.
The Epson Stylus Photo P50 printer is popular among amateur photographers. There are many positive customer reviews on the forums, which confirms the reputation of the device. It can be used at home, or you can put it in a small photo studio. The best printer for printing photos in terms of price and quality ratio. Epson Stylus Photo P50 has a lot of features. Photos are clear and rich.
Pros:
- One of the highest print resolutions;
- Saturated pictures;
- You can use non-original consumables, but with them the pictures are not as clear.
Minuses:
- Original cartridges are expensive;
- During the cleaning process, high ink consumption occurs.
The best semi-professional photo printers
The difference between a professional printer and amateur series models is the ability to support various formats. The Canon PIXMA PRO-100S photo printer supports almost all source file formats and has a tray that allows you to print photos measuring 10 by 15 cm. Plus, you have the opportunity to print wide-format photographs, A3+ size. Photos printed on the Canon PIXMA PRO-100S printer are rich in color. To print documents and black and white copies, the printer uses an additional cartridge so as not to waste color consumables.
Pros:
- Works with any file format;
- Excellent prints of color and black-and-white photographs;
- Compatible with network services;
- High-quality execution;
- Good performance indicators.
Minuses:
- Cartridges are rare, you have to buy them to order.
The Epson L1800 printer is an ideal option for buyers who want to print large-format images in A3 format. The device can easily handle any files and documents. Suitable for printing photos at home, for printing drawings in the office and for a small photo studio.
Reviews say that the high price of the Epson L1800 photo printer is completely justified. The device does the best job at conveying complex tones and detailing the frame.
Pros:
- Has built-in protection against cartridge leakage;
- Attractive design;
- High-quality execution;
- Possibility of printing posters in A3 format;
- Excellent color rendition and detail of the photo.
Minuses:
- High price if considered as a home printer;
- Sometimes he swears at glossy paper.
With the advent of laptops, tablets, and smartphones in our lives, photography has become a part of life for many, but an intangible part. Hundreds of your favorite photographs live on device screens, but often never leave them, remaining just a set of pixels and nothing more... A photograph becomes real only when it is printed on paper. Only such a photo can be pasted into a priceless family album or gifted to friends in a frame. Today we will talk about how easy it has become to print photos in our digital age, and we will also recommend several optimal printer models for printing photos at home.
A photograph becomes real when it is printed on paper.
Why photo printers? After all, many are accustomed to printing photographs in darkrooms. We live in a fast-paced age where every minute counts. Agree, you won’t go to a darkroom to print one or two photographs, will you? And it will take time to collect a selection of frames for printing. And the next day you’ll have to go again for prints... This is how the rhythm of life and ordinary laziness often leave us without our favorite photographs. With a printer, everything is much simpler: the picture can be printed on the same day, without shelving it. And immediately after printing, the photo can be inserted into a frame and hung on the wall. The photographic exhibition on the walls of my house, for example, is updated every month. By the way, regarding frames: if you use standard size photo frames, then it is extremely important that the picture is printed without borders. Otherwise, a narrow white border along the edge of the photo will spoil the whole impression. All printer models we recommend can print borderless photographs, filling a sheet of photo paper completely with the image.
What can modern photo printers do?
Many of my friends gave up printers about ten years ago because of the eternal problem with drivers, wires getting in the way and lack of space on the desktop. But technology does not stand still, and today all these horrors of home printing are a thing of the past. Let's start with the fact that a modern printer, along with a USB connection, can use network interfaces, including Wi-Fi. For example, my HP Deskjet Ink Advantage 6525 is not on my desktop at all, but in another room altogether. The only wires connected to it are the power cable from the outlet. It is connected to the home local network via Wi-Fi and even has Internet access. What is this all for? Very simple! I send all photo printing jobs to it from my laptop via Wi-Fi using a proprietary utility. If one of my guests, who does not have the necessary software installed, wants to print pictures from our joint fishing or mushroom picking, he just needs to send an e-mail with the photo to my printer, and the picture will be printed immediately!
While I shoot a lot with a DSLR, my wife takes a lot of photos with her cell phone. But her photos don’t stay on the flash drive either. Modern photo printers print just as easily from mobile devices as they do from desktop computers. All you need to do is install the HP ePrint app on your tablet or smartphone. It is available completely free of charge both in the Play Store for Android devices and in the Apple Store. Moreover, you can send a printing job not only from home, but from anywhere in the world where there is Internet. For example, from vacation. When you arrive home, the tray already contains printed photographs for your summer album. If you have a smartphone or tablet from Apple, then at home you can print even without installing applications using AirPrint technology.
There is another way to print your photo masterpieces, the most obvious: simply insert a memory card from the camera into the printer for printing photos and select the desired file using the touch screen. The photo printer has long ceased to be a silent black plastic box. With the help of a large display, he is able to communicate with his owner in a simple and understandable language. Even if something doesn’t work out for you (for example, you don’t know how to change cartridges), the printer will show you visual instructions.
Multifunction device
To be completely precise, from the very beginning of the article I misled you by calling the devices in question printers. These are multifunctional devices that can not only print documents and photographs, but also scan and copy them. This expansion of functionality has virtually no effect on the size of the devices or even their price (below you will see that all of them are more than affordable), but it allows you not to leave the house once again when you need to copy an important document. By the way, using the Printer Control utility for mobile devices, you can scan documents directly into the memory of your smartphone or tablet.
How expensive is it to print photos at home?
Over the past few years, the cost of inkjet printing on home printers has changed more than once. At first, supplies were relatively affordable, but the printers themselves were expensive. Then printers began to rapidly become cheaper due to rising prices for cartridges for them. It got to the point of being ridiculous: it was cheaper to buy a new printer than a set of cartridges for the old one. And only then the situation leveled out. Now a color inkjet multifunctional device costs from 1990 to 5490 rubles (manufacturer's recommended prices), with consumables priced from 800 rubles for a set that includes a black and color cartridge.
A logical question should arise here: how long is one set of cartridges enough? There is no definite answer here and there cannot be: each print is individual, the number of colored and black areas of the image is different for all prints. True, technology is on the buyer’s side here too. HP printers use dual droplet technology. A photo printer can vary a single ink droplet size from 1.3 to 5.5 picoliters. In other words, more or less ink may be poured out - at the discretion of the printer. This is necessary in order to regulate ink consumption and printing speed depending on the task at hand. Both large and small droplets can be applied at a specific point in the image to ensure optimal quality and best color reproduction.
The yield information for each cartridge is indicative only. Figures start from 360 black and white and 200 color documents for the cheapest model. As for photo printing itself, in the very near future we will publish tests of the models we recommend, in which we will show how many photos we were able to print with one set of consumables. At the time of publication of this article, the printers had not yet run out of ink.
How to save on inkjet printing?
To optimize your inkjet printing costs, you need to choose the printer model that is most suitable for your purposes. Prophotos recommends the HP Ink Advantage Series All-In-One Products. Consumables for this line of MFPs have a longer lifespan for the same cartridge price.
HP Deskjet Ink Advantage 3515 - affordable MFP with mobile printing capabilities . Despite the more than affordable price, this is already a full-fledged multifunctional device with scanner and copier functions, a color touch screen, as well as a convenient Wi-Fi interface, the capabilities of which we wrote about earlier: pictures can be printed not only from your computer, but also from a tablet or phone. It differs from more expensive models primarily in the set of only two cartridges: color and black and white. Magenta, yellow and cyan ink tanks are combined into one cartridge. And if one color runs out before the others, then the entire cartridge will have to be replaced. Therefore, we recommend this model to those who mainly print documents and only occasionally photographs.
HP Deskjet Ink Advantage 5525 is the optimal MFP for home photo printing. At a relatively low cost, you get a printer with the ability to print from mobile devices and computers using a convenient Wi-Fi interface, as well as directly from memory cards. This model has a 6.7 cm diagonal touch display. Separate 4-color cartridges are used for printing, which allows for more economical ink consumption. We recommend this model to those who, in addition to documents and texts, plan to regularly print photographs at home.
HP Deskjet Ink Advantage 6525 is an advanced MFP for home photo printing. With similar characteristics to the HP Deskjet Ink Advantage 5525, this model has a much larger touchscreen display - its diagonal is 8.9 cm. It is more convenient to select and print pictures from a flash drive with such a large display. The printer also works with 4 separate cartridges, which allows you to optimize ink consumption. And for photographers, there is a separate tray for photo paper, which allows you not to change the paper in the printer every time you want to print photos or documents. Two types of paper can be loaded at the same time. Moreover, in the case of printing photographs sent by mail, the printer will automatically use photo paper.