| As more and more of us have turned to digital | | | | |
| photography there has been a huge surge in | | | | DPI or dots-per-inch is the measure of a |
| demand for printers that can deliver photo | | | | printers resolution capability with a higher |
| print quality reproduction that we have been | | | | dpi meaning that there are more dots, |
| used to with a developer shop. With the | | | | smaller in size and giving an image that is |
| development of improved technology delivering | | | | sharper as it is more difficult to |
| a wider range of printing options you will | | | | distinguish between the individual dots than |
| find a bedazzling array of photo quality | | | | with a printer that has a lower dpi. For |
| printers to choose from so here we shall give | | | | photo print quality you will be looking for a |
| you some sound advice as to what you should | | | | dpi of 600 while typically a printer will |
| be looking for in a new photo printer. | | | | offer a dpi of anything between 300 and 3500 |
| | | | dpi. Aside from dpi, the other factor you |
| Compact Photo Printers | | | | need to consider in producing good quality |
| | | | reproduction prints is the quality of the |
| These are portable and will connect directly | | | | paper that you use and the number of colors |
| to your digital camera or PC as well as | | | | the printer is using. |
| having a slot for the memory card to be | | | | |
| directly inserted into them and allow | | | | Color Management |
| download and printing of the photos directly. | | | | |
| | | | Usually you will see a photo printer using |
| A drawback is that they are limited in what | | | | three to six color combinations to reproduce |
| they can produce. The size of the photo | | | | color prints. The more colors that the |
| print created is usually a lot smaller than | | | | printer is using the better the finished |
| that of a desktop printer but they do print | | | | article as you tend to get a blurring or |
| photo quality prints faster. | | | | fogging of darker colors if you use three |
| | | | colors only. More color cartridges however |
| Check the compatibility between the photo | | | | means more expense as a rule, so keep an eye |
| printer and your camera to ensure they will | | | | on the cost of these consumables when you are |
| operate together properly. | | | | looking at buying a photo printer. |
| | | | |
| Desktop Photo Printers | | | | Printer Type |
| | | | |
| These printers are capable of stand alone | | | | You have a general choice from two types of |
| operation or work in conjunction with your | | | | printer that are differentiated by how they |
| computer. They tend to provide a wider range | | | | apply the ink to the paper. Laser printers |
| of print size options as well as they are | | | | use heat to force the ink through the print |
| larger and tend to offer more paper handling | | | | head and onto the paper but they produce dots |
| options than their compact brothers. You | | | | of differing sizes which in turn leads to a |
| will find that they are more expensive but | | | | less sharp image being reproduced. An ink |
| for the extra you get higher printing | | | | jet printer will spray the ink onto the paper |
| resolution and a faster operation speed than | | | | in a gradual series of layers that results in |
| a regular desktop printer. Indeed, it is not | | | | a uniform dot size and a much sharper image |
| unusual to find that they have all the | | | | being reproduced. You will tend to find that |
| functional capabilities of a regular desktop | | | | the better quality photo printers use ink jet |
| printer. | | | | technology though laser printers are |
| | | | improving a great deal. |
| What is DPI? | | | | |