Photo Printer Things

[Elton]

A thought occurred to me on holiday.....I'd better buy the wife a present again this year.

 

I hate asking her for ideas and, as she likes taking photos of our little girl growing up and we have the new one due soon, I'm considering one of these photo printer things that work off the camera's memory card.

 

Are they any good? And are they expensive to run?

 

I have two cameras here - a Fuji and a Nikon - both have different types of cards. Do these things read them all?

 

Cheers for any help. Although I think it's 'quaint' that the wife still posts off film, it would be nice to get her into the 21st century

[Guest Jan V]

Are they any good? And are they expensive to run?

Elton, you can get some nice printers and they result with quality pictures. Most printers are relatively inexpensive BUT they rape you on the cost of the ink cartridges. Those that are sold as "picture quality" can be out of site. If you print directly from the memory card, what about photo editing? Cropping, adjusting colors, adding nice special effects, etc?. Last year I took pictures I had of 3 of the grandkids and had great fun with photo editing. Framed them in different shapes - my impish grandson framed in a dog bone. Our daughter absolutely loved them. Bet Steve Randles can enlighten you more. I do better at playing "devil's advocate".

[Elton]

Cheers, Jan.

 

I wonder if these specific printers allow editing of some kind?

 

TBH, Mrs. Murph really wouldn't have the time or inclination to learn how to edit photos (she's not a fan of PC's - probably something to do with me being married to mine for the past few years!).

 

It'll be interesting to hear what others have to say. May end up buying her another necklace LOL

[Guest Jan V]

Cheers, Jan.

I wonder if these specific printers allow editing of some kind?

TBH, Mrs. Murph really wouldn't have the time or inclination to learn how to edit photos (she's not a fan of PC's - probably something to do with me being married to mine for the past few years!).

 

Right back at you, Elton!

 

It'll be interesting to hear what others have to say. May end up buying her another necklace LOL

Necklace might be a safe bet. But if it came between a necklace and a new electonic gadget - Newt would be sleeping behind the wood pile if he went for the necklace. I have my eye on a Creative Zen for my trip over your way. Belated Christmas/anniversary present is what it will be... However, in the mean time he has ordered me a leather covered book about the infamous "Morris". I can hardly wait to get it.

Edited December 7, 2005 by Jan V

[Guest Ferret1959]

Elton, necklace.....pearl necklace?????????? ;) :D

 

 

How was the holiday?

[Tog]

Elton, I recently 'invested' in an Epson RX420 'all in one' Printer / Scanner beastie.(under 100 quid from PC World - as I wanted it, NOW)

It reads nearly every type of memory card directly and can print without a PC if required - but no 'cropping' or 'preview' though it does have a natty little thumbnails routine where you tick the ones you want to print - scan your 'ticksheet' back in & away it goes.

But it works best connected to the PC, the software included is good and the colour prints on epson 'super dooper glossy paper' are as good as any 35mil film.(they even flog a 'ink and paper' pack for your holiday photos).

Uses 4 separate inks and not too expensive for consumables.

do not buy a lexmark it will cost more in the long run.........

[Steve Randles]

I would advise against a Hewlet Packard..any of them as the ink is just to pricey, quality is good but expensive to run.

 

I think there is a lot of sense in what Jan was saying, if you get an normal A4 photo printer you then have the option to do all of the photo editing and printing in different sizes instead of limiting yourself to normal 6x4's.

 

There are plenty of very very simple software packages for photo editing, very user friendly and wysiwyg with great effects. I think if you went this route and gave your wife a little instruction with it, she would be off and running in no time at all. And once she had seen the printed results, I'm certain there would be no looking back.

 

Epson printers are both cheap to run, and buy and give decent results accross the tonal range. But lets hear what others have to say about other manufacturers.

[Steve Walker]

if it came between a necklace and a new electonic gadget - Newt would be sleeping behind the wood pile if he went for the necklace.

 

Are you and my wife by any chance related?

 

I got her an IPod last year. I'm now dithering between a digicam and one of those little GPS navigation units for her car.

[Gillies]

Agree with whats been said, its all to do with the ink - you can buy the printer cheap enough .... but running it can be costly .... thats why I can't see past Epson Photo Printers, and you can pick up ink for as low as £0.90p per cartridge ......... which is a massive saving compared to HP and Lexmark printers where cartridges are normally well over £10. For all my big prints I get Photobox to do them, for small 6x4 and the odd A4 I use my Epson ... and am very happy with the results, and can get lots of 6x4s out of it .... and a lot of A4s.

 

http://www.ukdvdr.co.uk is pretty handy place for ink, paper, memory cards etc etc

 

I got one of those small HP printers last year, one that does 6x4s with a wee screen on it .... it does give you a good print, and handy just throwing the memory cart into it, cropping the image on the wee screeen and pressing print ...... I got a lot of prints out of it, but the ink cost over around £15 .... I can do the same things and more with my Epson, so I gave the HP to my sister.

 

I'd say say go Epson .... my 2 pence worth, keep away from HP and Lexmark.

 

Gillies

[Bonzo]

Epson 320 or the 300 damn good printers for the money