Swiping through digital photos is fast and efficient, for sure. But it’s nothing like the experience of looking at a print. Most photography teachers will tell you to print your photos and look at them to understand composition and storytelling. Some photographers continue to use analog cameras just for the excitement and serendipity feelings that come with developing their photos. Prints will never go out of fashion.
However, there are simpler ways of printing your photos than going to a professional shop. Nowadays, you can print your photos at home using high-end printers that deliver impressive quality without taking up all your space. So, if you’re looking for a holiday gift (either in the form of photo prints or a printer), here are some ideas to get you started.
Canon PIXMA Pro 200 Professional 13″ Wireless Inkjet Photo Printer
The PIXMA Pro 200 is a professional printer able to accommodate photo paper up to 13″ wide. It has a compact design, wireless controls, and a user-friendly interface, but its most impressive features regard photo print quality. The 8-color dye-based ink system aims to satisfy professional photographers and graphic designers by reproducing colors accurately, maintaining vibrant tones, and producing rich colors throughout the lifespan of the ink tanks.
Furthermore, the PIXMA Pro 200 uses ChromaLife100+ CLI-65 ink, which produces deep black and improves dark color reproduction in red and blues. The result is a colorful, vivid, and accurate print that can easily serve as teaching material or wall art. If creating artwork is your goal, you’ll be happy to know that the PIXMA Pro 200 can print on all sorts of paper, from fine art paper to standard glossy and matte photographic paper.
HP ENVY Inspire 7255e Wireless Duplex All-In-One Color Thermal Inkjet Printer
If you prefer to print standard photo prints (e.g., 5×7-inch), you’ll love the HP ENVY Inspire 7255e. It’s a printer that suits both professional and amateur photographers looking to print family or vacation photos. The built-in photo tray helps anyone print in different sizes effortlessly, regardless of whether you prefer the classic rectangular format or something less standard, such as a square or panoramic format.
The print quality is exquisite, the setup is seamless, and the control panel is smart and intuitive. In addition, the printer is cloud-connected, which means you can be more productive. Use the HP Smart app to multitask (print, scan, copy, etc.).
Epson PictureMate PM-400 Wireless Compact Color Personal Photo Lab Inkjet Photo Printer
How about printing photos on the go? You can’t take the home printer with you, but you can take the Epson PictureMate PM-400, which prints from your smartphone or tablet, from a memory card, and even directly from the camera. It is compact and portable, weighs only 4.0 lbs. (1.81kg), and operates in temperatures between 50 and 95 deg. F (10 and 35 deg. C). The printer is fast but doesn’t compromise on image quality, producing long-lasting, vibrant prints.
In addition, the Epson PictureMate PM-400 features Auto Photo Correction, a tool that lets you edit your photos a bit before printing them, allows you to print in color, black and white, and sepia, prints with and without borders, and produces prints that are scratch, fade, and water-resistant.
Canon SELPHY QX20 Wireless Compact Photo Printer
Canon takes the portable printer concept even further and offers you a sleek printer with a built-in battery and integrated photo tray that fits into your bag’s pocket (
4 x 1.3 x 5.7″ (10.2 x 3.3 x 14.5cm)). The SELPHY QX20 weighs only 1 lb. (453.5g).
This printer is a fun and useful tool, and here is why. You can print your photos and adjust them while shooting during a photo session. You can also print photos during a photography class and analyze your work. At the same time, you can use the small prints to create mockup boards and photo albums because you can print on stickers. It’s so easy to create a Christmas album or a travel photo book with the SELPHY QX20 that you will pack it on every trip.
Fujifilm Instax Square Link Wireless Smartphone Printer
The Instax Square Link is a printer designed to take photos using your smartphone. It is, of course, small and compact. Nevertheless, it comes with a portable drive case and a SQUARE Instant Color Film Twin Pack, which benefits from its app (Instax Square Link App) and allows you to edit your photos before printing. You can add artistic effects and filters, overlay sketches, text, and stickers, create collages, incorporate frames, and enhance your photos.
The printer connects wirelessly via Bluetooth. It works only with Instax Square instant film, so stock up (or include a couple of films alongside your printer gift). The Instax Square Link is a cool printer and should always be ready for the fun.
Canon PIXMA MG3620 All-In-One Wireless Inkjet Photo Printer
The PIXMA MG3620 is a good choice if you want an all-purpose printer. It prints high-resolution photos (up to 4800 x 1200 dpi) and can print, scan, and copy documents. The PIXMA MG3620 supports XL ink cartridges to accommodate large volumes of documents.
In terms of usability, you’ll appreciate the wireless connectivity, compatibility with mobile devices such as Apple, Android, and Google devices, incredibly fast printing speed (up to 99 images per minute), and user-friendly interface full of smart functionalities, such as quiet mode, auto power on, auto 2-sided printing, and more. In addition, you can use it to organize photos and personalize them by adding effects and filters.
Overall, it may be said
A printer is a good-to-have tool in a photographer’s home, studio, or business office. It helps you view how your photos look on paper at a low cost, which is a great way to improve your photography. At the same time, these products’ impressive resolution and print quality are recommended for creating artwork, photo albums, fun memory books, and even wall art. Last but not least, you can choose a multifunctional printer capable of scanning and copying documents and use it to organize your photography business and boost your productivity. Go for a printer that fits your workflow and space, supports all your devices, and delivers the photo print quality you need.
* Product exclusions apply; see details on the linked page.
