Need To Know Digital Photo Printer Features

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Almost everyone owns a digital camera to take photographs on a whim. But many of those images end up stored on a computer, never to be seen again, or deleted. However, there are many people who still enjoy a printed photograph that they can hold or put in a picture frame. With a digital photo printer, it makes that task much easier.

There are 5 distinct features that you will need to understand before buying a digital photo printer. While they aren’t set in stone, they are a good set of basics to keep in mind.

Connection - There is a difference between a compact photo printer and a regular digital photo printer. The difference is that the compact version is typically smaller. About 2 years ago, they were the only ones that could hook up directly to a digital camera. But now most printers can be hooked up to a printer via cable or wireless connection.

Photo Size - Most digital photo printers are able to print out 4”x6” photos. However, only a few are able to print anything bigger. If you want to print larger photos then you will need a larger and more costly digital photo printer.

Cartridges - Nearly all digital photo printers use ink or dye to do the print. The ink version works just like a regular inkjet printer. The dye version works by sublimation. Basically the sublimation process uses heat to melt dye to the paper, card, or fabric. The trade off is that sublimation printers are more expensive and produce nicer images.

Resolution - Standard DPI for photographs is 300x300 but I would recommend a much higher one for even better results. Sublimation printers work slightly differently so the DPI may be low but the colors blend together much nicer so it looks like it is higher quality.

Features - Depending on your digital camera, you should look for a Pictbridge capability in your digital printer. Some also include an LCD screen with various options that do not require a computer. Some include memory slots so that you can store your photographs for a later time when you are ready to print. This is handy incase you run out of ink or dye during the middle of a photograph.

There are also other things to be aware of like the costs of photo paper and ink/dye replacements. We also recommend that you buy a digital photo printer with the bigger brand names such as Canon (Pixma, Selphy) or Sony (Picture Station, DPP).