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Budget snapshot printer
- Nice print quality
- Very portable
- Easy to use
- Low initial cost
- Expensive ink and paper
- Prints may be a little soft
- A bit slow
- Battery costs extra
The Canon Selphy CP800 is the latest in the Selphy line of digital printers, which use a thermal-dye process (called dye sublimation) rather than liquid inkjet technology. Most reviewers say this process produces very good photos. One professional reviewer says the prints look a little soft compared to those from an inkjet photo printer like the Epson PictureMate Charm (*Est. $150), but that's not a big surprise given the CP800's lower resolution (300 by 300 pixels vs. 5,760 by 1,440 pixels). The thermal-dye process is also a bit slower than inkjet printing; a 4-by-6-inch snapshot takes nearly a minute to print on the Selphy.
The CP800 costs much less than most other portable photo printers. What you save initially, however, is offset by the higher cost of the consumables (thermal dye ribbon and paper) -- estimated as high as 42.5 cents per print in one review. Its small size and light weight make the CP800 a good traveling companion, especially with the optional battery (*Est. $60). The printer can accept just about every type of memory card format, and can link to devices via PictBridge as well as Bluetooth, if you buy an optional adapter (*Est. $50). Yet if you plan to do a lot of photo printing, you may be better off with the more expensive PictureMate Charm, which produces cheaper prints with superior picture quality.
The Canon Selphy CP800 receives detailed write-ups in several computer publications, including PrinterInfo.com, PCMag.com, PC World (and its sister publication Macworld) and ComputerShopper.com. It's also included in the latest roundup of printers at ConsumerReports.org, although those test results are less detailed. We found more than 100 user reviews for the Selphy CP800 at Amazon.com and BHPhotoVideo.com.
| Canon SELPHY CP800 Black Compact Photo Printer (4350B001) | |
(104 reviews) In Stock. Eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping |
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Our Sources
This professional review of the Canon Selphy CP800 goes into great detail, describing usability, operating times and costs, and print quality. Comparisons are made to other photo printers. Although Tom Warhol finds some faults, in the end he commends the CP800 for printing high-quality photos with minimum fuss.
Review: Canon Selphy CP800 Printer Review, Tom Warhol, Oct. 20, 2010
2. PCMag.com
The Canon Selphy CP800 earns a rating of 3.5 stars out of a possible 5 in this professional review. Reviewer Tony Hoffman says the prints "lose some detail in bright and dark areas," but he finds overall print quality to be decent. He adds that the printer is "insanely portable" and very easy to use.
Review: Canon Selphy CP800 Compact Photo Printer, Tony Hoffman, Nov. 23, 2010
3. PC World
Reviewers Jon L. Jacobi and Melissa Riofrio give the Canon Selphy CP800 a middling score of 3 stars out of 5. While they praise the printer's photo quality and ease of use, they say these advantages are overshadowed by the "wasteful, expensive consumables" it uses.
Review: Canon Selphy CP800, Jon L. Jacobi and Melissa Riofrio, Jan. 19, 2011
In this detailed review, Daniel P. Dern gives the Canon Selphy CP800 an above-average rating of 7.5 points out of a possible 10. Although he says its image quality is "excellent" and calls its print time "respectable," he warns that the cost of consumables could easily offset its low initial price.
Review: Canon Selphy CP800, Daniel P. Dern, March 2011
5. ConsumerReports.org
ConsumerReports.org includes the Canon Selphy CP800 in its tests of eight snapshot printers. Each is given an overall rating and evaluated on photo quality, speed and operating costs. However, these assessments lack the detail found in our top-rated reviews.
Review: Snapshot Printer Ratings, Editors of ConsumerReports.org
6. Amazon.com
There are more than 60 reviews here for the Canon Selphy CP800 (and another 20 or so for the white version on a separate page). Overall, users give this printer 4 stars out of 5, praising its ease of use, print quality, compactness and lack of "mess." However, several owners complain that the supplies are expensive and can be hard to find.
Review: Canon Selphy CP800 Black Compact Photo Printer, Contributors to Amazon.com, As of Oct. 2011
More than 50 users review the Canon Selphy CP800 at this retail site that specializes in photo, video and audio equipment. Owners say the Selphy is easy to use and prints great pictures, and they love its portability. A few complain that it's slow, but 98 percent of buyers say they'd recommend it.
Review: Canon Selphy CP800 Compact Photo Printer, Contributors to BHPhotoVideo.com, As of Oct. 2011