One of the benefits of owning your own printer, versus getting your images printed by some distant (or even local) lab, is the immediacy.
You can print in the comfort of your own home, and you have the print in your hands in minutes instead of hours. But what if you want to make prints right now, wherever you are? There’s a growing subset of printers designed for just that. Portable printers are desgned to be light and small enough to carry to parties or sports events, and some are battery-operated. Most use dye-sublimation, rather than inkjet, printing technology.
While some portable printers are designed for pro use and are both fast and convenient—and expensive–other models, such as the Canon Selphy ES30, are made (and priced) for snapshooters. Snapshooter models are convenient, but not very fast, delivering a 4×6-inch print in minute, more or less. The Selphy ES30 has a built-in handle for easy carrying and an integrated cartridge that holds both ink and paper, so it’s really built for ease-of-use. A 3-inch monitor lets you preview your pictures and make minor adjustments via a scroll wheel control, and built-in wireless functions let you download from a digital camera via a wire, or from your camera phone using an optional BU-30 Bluetooth interface.
One of the ES30’s print options is gold or silver ink cartridges. These add metallic color options that you can use to create creative borders. If you’re into scrapbooking, these might be worth looking into.
Tip: According to user comments on the Canon web site, the ink/paper packs get used up fairly fast, and are not widely available in local stores. Therefore, we suggest you stock up on ink/paper packs so you’re not caught short. However, based on user feedback, you are very likely to be pleased with the quality of the images and ease of use, and the cost per print if you buy the 100 postcard pack can be around 25 cents, although standard 4×6-inch prints can cost around $1 each.
