Latest gadget... colour printer

[Richard B]

I've just got one of those Epson "Picture Mate" printers which are advertised on the telly at the moment.

Wow!

It will print directly from the card, or from PC by USB and the quality is fab. Costs about 29p per print. 6"x4" prints only.

Quality is superb - just like a glossy photographic print.

[Matt]

How much for the printer?

[Richard B]

£150 to carry out of PC World or a bit less if you shop around on-line.

[MeMe]

........I've just come back from Jessops where I was debatoing on either this one or the Cannon which was £160. The "mate" is more compact but the cannon enabled larger prints and single change inks where as, if memory serves me, the "mate" comes with paper and ink all in one box at £29.00ish.

Anyway, at29p per pic it's 2x more than developing 40 pics in a shop so that's what put me off a little, also the fact that it doesn;t have a screen like the Cannon.

That said, it's only £150 and very compact. Having now used it a little, would you continue to praise it ? Further, how long does it take to print just one picture ?

Cheers Rich'

Graeme.

[Richard B]

Originally Posted by MeMe

the "mate" comes with paper and ink all in one box at £29.00ish.

correct!

Anyway, at29p per pic it's 2x more than developing 40 pics in a shop

True, but you only need to print the good ones

it doesn;t have a screen like the Cannon.

Having now used it a little, would you continue to praise it ?

So far so good...

Further, how long does it take to print just one picture ?

Err, not too long... I wasn't exactly timing it!

[codprawn]

To be honest I think I would prefer a general printer - the Epson R300 that I have does up to A4 full colour glossy like a cibachrome - would far rather crop - resize and then print the very best images at larger than 6x4 - don't see the need for snapshots.

I find the main problem now is the sheer number of photos I take with a digi camera - they cost nothing and with a 512mb card even at high res it's a lot of photos - I think I have actually only printed out about 15.

Most people these days have a DVD player so I just chuck my photos on a CD/DVD and let them watch them on TV.

[eupa]

Originally Posted by codprawn

To be honest I think I would prefer a general printer - the Epson R300 that I have does up to A4 full colour glossy like a cibachrome - would far rather crop - resize and then print the very best images at larger than 6x4 - don't see the need for snapshots.

I find the main problem now is the sheer number of photos I take with a digi camera - they cost nothing and with a 512mb card even at high res it's a lot of photos - I think I have actually only printed out about 15.

Most people these days have a DVD player so I just chuck my photos on a CD/DVD and let them watch them on TV.

[MeMe]

......independant thought, well done Eupa

[steedthrust]

I prefer to use bonusprint probaly alot cheaper, really easy as well.

No connection with them just a happy customer, there are lots of other printers. We have a traditional processer in town ut I think the prices are dearer also too busy/lazy to venture into town.


Digital sizes
4"x5.3" (10x14cm) 12p
5"x6.6" (13x17cm) 17p
6"x8" (15x20cm) 35p
8"x10.6" (20x27cm) £1.20
12"x16" (30x41cm) £4.99
Conventional sizes
4"x6" (10x15cm) 12p
5"x7.5" (13x19cm) 17p
8"x12" (20x30cm) £1.20
12"x18" (30x46cm) £4.99
Traditional sizes
5"x7" (13x18cm) 17p
8"x10" (20x25cm) £1.20
...plus £1.20 postage per order within the UK.

[Jonny Fuller]

I bought an HP A4 Photo printer when I first bought a digital camera, I expected to be printing away like a demon, but as codprawn (strange name innit) says, with the shear quantity of pics I now take, printing would be a costly nightmare.

Also, the whole issue of filing all these pics (as prints) would be a retrogression, I have boxes n boxes of prints stored in cupboards and the loft, which never get looked at, with them stored on my pc on the other hand, finding a pic, or group of pics, is a piece of cake.

Another problem with home printing is, as apposed to 'real' photographic prints, they dont like water, or any kind of dampness, coz they run/smudge, so are way too delicate for my liking.

Smudge....wan't that one of my user names once?

[Louise]

I agree with you, Codprawn & JF, in that most of the photos we take will be just stored on the 'pute or CD and viewed that way, however, sometimes you do want a hard copy hence the need/desire to buy a printer. I'm in the process of compiling a photo album to be given to my parents to celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary. I don't think handing them a CD would be the same as giving them an album of hand-made paper containing glossy prints and written reminders of happy memories! All IMHO, of course!

[Jonny Fuller]

Yeah, some people like real pics, and albums etc, (my wife is one of em) But I think the pics procesed from flash card/cd etc. by shops and online proccesing places, print them to real photographic paper now, which would be a mile better.
Never actually tried one mind you.

[Jon]

Take your SD card or a CD into Tesco and within 15 minutes they will print the photos you choose for 15p per print - the quality is excellent too! We have the same service at a number of other outlets in the city - always seems very cheap to me but kind of puts you off paying for a printer which will end up costing you more per print plus the capital outlay!

[Jonny Fuller]

Originally Posted by Jon

puts you off paying for a printer which will end up costing you more per print plus the capital outlay!

Not to mention the price of the feckin replacement print cartridges!

[Louise]

Originally Posted by Jon

puts you off paying for a printer which will end up costing you more per print plus the capital outlay!

There speaks the accountant.

All well and good but with a printer at home, our photos get printed while we browse the forums - which is usually cheaper than browsing the supermarket or the shops in town!