Other Options

Other photo printers worth consideration

One advantage of HP snapshot printers is that they can print 4-by-12-inch panoramas, in addition to 4-by-6-inch, 4-by-8-inch and 5-by-7-inch prints. The HP Photosmart A636 (*Est. $130) replaces the A626, a printer that was liked, if not loved, by reviewers. The A626 is still available from online retailers and is listed on HP's website, though the company has stated clearly that the A636 is slated to fully replace the older model. The A636 receives top ratings at PC Magazine, as did predecessor A626, where expert M. David Stone names it an Editors' Choice. As is the case with most reviews of both the A636 and A626, Stone doesn't think this printer excels in any regard, but believes that its combination of strengths, value and features is unequalled.

Overall, expert tests favor print quality from Epson and Canon printers over HP's, but still find that HP's prints are generally equivalent to what one would get at a drugstore photo lab. The big advantage is that you're not limited to 4-by-6-inch prints.

The other A636 feature that reviewers love is the ease of installation. Connecting the printer by USB cable to a computer automatically triggers download of the printer driver and necessary updates. The A636 is lightweight -- only 3.5 pounds -- and supports optional Bluetooth (*est. $40) and battery (*est. $35). Reviewers note that HP's accessories cost less than those from Canon and Epson.

Experts calculate that prints from the HP Photosmart A636 cost 29 cents apiece -- a bit higher than Canon and Epson. Print times vary somewhat from review to review, but seem to fall between 60 and 90 seconds, a far cry from the 27 seconds claimed by HP. The onboard controls and 4.8-inch LCD touchscreen enable photo selection and editing, including red-eye removal, cropping and even greeting-card creation. Both PC Magazine's M. David Stone and PC World's Melissa Riofrio say using the A636 is "fun." In addition to printing from PC and optional Bluetooth, the A636 supports printing via PictBridge, USB key and memory cards.

The step up from the HP Photosmart A636 is the Photosmart A826 (*Est. $250). The Photosmart A826 is distinguished by a huge 7-inch touchscreen. PC Magazine's David Stone enjoys its uniqueness, but sees the A626 as a better value. CNet.com chooses the Photosmart A826 as an Editors' Choice, even though Felisa Yang wonders who would "spend $250 for a dedicated photo printer." Yang likes a multitude of features and praises print quality and speed.

Canon released two new snapshot printers in August 2008, the Selphy ES3 (*Est. $200) and Selphy ES30 (*Est. $150), to replace the Selphy ES2. We were not able to find any reviews on the ES3 or ES30 as of this writing. The ES30 and ES3 feature 3-inch and 3.5-inch LCD touchscreens, respectively, with a variety of user options that include brand new editing features and the promise of "fast, lab-quality" prints. Canon claims a more intuitive button layout and adds a number of conveniences such as onboard memory for storing photos, combined ink-and-paper consumables packages and some curious accessories like sparkly photo paper.

HiTi Digital, formerly known as HiTouch, is a Taiwanese developer of digital cameras and peripherals. Although their products are not well-known among North American consumers, photography-enthusiast sites have been including HiTi printers in their review lineups for the last several years. The HiTi 730PS performed well in expert testing at Steve's Digicams, PC Magazine and Imaging-Resource.com. Since these reviews, the 730PS has been discontinued and replaced with the 731PS (*Est. $250). So far, the new model has only been reviewed at PrinterInfo.com, where Tom Warhol finds that it's faster and offers more features than its predecessor.

The HiTi 731PS is a dye-sublimation printer, like Canon's Selphy line. Warhol reports that the print quality is very good; he notes that colors pull slightly toward red, but otherwise has no complaints. At just under a minute to print a 4-by-6-inch photo, it's faster than other dye-sublimation printers but still slower than the inkjet competition. Unfortunately, Warhol also finds that the 731PS is difficult to use, with little in the way of enclosed documentation, menus that are difficult to navigate and a tiny LCD screen. The 731PS is also more expensive than any other printer included in this report, both in initial cost and operating expenses -- Warhol calculates that each 4-by-6-inch photo costs approximately 40 cents.

Polaroid is taking all the fun of their now-defunct instant-print cameras into the digital age with the new Polaroid PoGo (*Est. $100), an ultra portable device that prints 2-by-3-inch photos directly from digital cameras and camera phones. The 0.4-pound PoGo uses ZINK technology, which creates images by stimulating color-change crystals embedded in compatible photo papers -- no ink. The printer, which does not offer PC connectivity, supports Bluetooth and PictBridge connection options. Experts say prints take about 60 seconds, in line with manufacturer claims. Reviews indicate that image quality is acceptable, but not great. TrustedReviews.coms' Simon Williams writes, "The photos are probably best viewed in pubs and clubs where the lights are low," citing lack of detail and blotchiness. Laptop Magazine's Dana Wollman concurs, pointing out that the printer is "fun" and its prints are meant to be used as stickers rather than "frameworthy prints." Both experts seem to view the PoGo as an enjoyable (if pricey) party novelty for teens and young adults.