Reviews

A compact snapshot printer for camera phone photographers, which delivers good print quality.Kodak is taking its first steps into the competitive camera phone market with its new EasyShare Photo Printer 350. Offering direct printing from Bluetooth-compatible mobile phones it uses thermal dye-transfer (aka ‘dye sublimation’) technology to produce snapshot-sized (10 x 15 cm) prints. No card slots are provided for direct printing but you can connect a PictBridge enabled camera to a port on one side panel or hook up a computer via a rear B port on the rear. A USB cable is supplied.

An easy-to-use printer/scanner/copier for snapshooters and home offices.Unlike the EasyShare 5300, which we reviewed in October last year, Kodak’s latest ‘All-in-One’ (AiO) printer, the ESP-5, doesn’t have messages proclaiming you can ‘Save up to 50%’ on ink costs plastered on its top panel. This is probably because the price of consumables has risen since last year. Nevertheless, the ESP-5 is clearly targeted at price-driven snapshooters who want a multi-function printer that is cheap, easy to use and reasonably versatile.

An easy-to-use printer/scanner/copier for family snapshooters.Kodak is really pushing the cost savings message with its first consumer all-in-one inkjet printer, the EasyShare 5300. Even before you unpack it, the box is emblazoned with bubbles claiming ‘Save up to 50%’ and listing the ink costs: $14.99 for the black cartridge and $24.99 for the colour. These messages are repeated on a sticker that covers the top panel of the printer itself.

A solidly-built A3+ printer that can produce excellent, long-lasting prints with consistent quality.HP’s Photosmart Pro B9180 photo printer is built like a truck: solid, heavy and somewhat clunky sounding at times. It’s 5.4 kg heavier than the Epson R2400 and 3.1 kg heavier than Canon’s Pixma Pro9000, both of which could be seen as competitors. A comparison of the three printers is provided at the end of this review. The B9180 is designed for HP’s new range of A3+ size photo papers and Digital Fine Art media and pigment-based Vivera inks, which produce waterproof prints when used with HP’s ‘Advanced’ photo papers.

An easy-to-operate printer for home or small business use with dual trays for A4 and snapshot papers.HP’s Photosmart D7460 is one of several models that combine photo printing with document printing. Targeted at families and small businesses that print their own photos, it is network-ready with wired and wireless connectivity options plus memory card slots for direct printing. The USB port on the front panel is PictBridge-enabled, which means you can print directly from compatible digital cameras.

An affordable snapshot printer with features and performance to suit families, cash-strapped scrapbookers and casual picture-takers.Positioned second in HP’s snapshot printer line-up, the Photosmart A626 is much more compact and portable than the top-of-the-range A826 Home Photo Centre. Weighing just over 1.5 kg, it has a pull-up carry handle and flip-down panels that act as input and output trays. Lowering the front panel reveals slots for CF, SD, xD and Memory Stick/Memory Stick Duo cards plus a USB port for connecting PictBridge-enabled cameras. The single, tri-colour ink cartridge fits behind a hatch on this panel as well.

An A3+ pigment ink printer that produces superior output and is ideal for professional photographers and serious enthusiasts.Photo Review has been given a ‘first look’ at a pre-production unit of the new Stylus Photo R3000, which was announced in the US on 17 January. This model will sit above the Stylus Photo R2880 at the top of the company’s A3+ desktop line-up when it’s released in early March. Claimed as the most advanced model thus far, it features new AccuPhoto HD2 image technology for smoother colour transitions and better highlight and shadow detail.

An A2 desktop printer for photo enthusiasts and professional photographers who want to create long-lasting, exhibition-quality prints.Epson’s Stylus Pro 3880 was announced early in September as a replacement for the three-year-old Stylus Pro 3800 large format desktop printer (reviewed in December 2006). Compact and competitively priced, it is designed for professional photographers and serious photo enthusiasts who want to produce gallery-quality A2 size prints but could also suit photo studios, camera shops who offer custom printing and design studios.