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Photo Printers 4x6

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Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

I am considering purchasing a photo printer... one of the dedicated 4 x 6
models such as the Epson Picturemate.

The printer will have a net cost of $100. I am debating the benefits to
print images at home. Although the print materials work out to be 29 cents
each, once I factor in the $100 for the machine, the prints come to 62 cents
each over 300 prints.

If you have this model, some suggestions on something similar, or going with
a "full-size" printer let me know your feelings.

Kevin

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Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

"kahout" <kevinh!delete!@tellurian.com> wrote in message
news:8f2dnb38K4tgIibcRVn-3Q@garden.net...
> I am considering purchasing a photo printer... one of the dedicated 4 x 6
> models such as the Epson Picturemate.
>
> The printer will have a net cost of $100. I am debating the benefits to
> print images at home. Although the print materials work out to be 29
cents
> each, once I factor in the $100 for the machine, the prints come to 62
cents
> each over 300 prints.
>
> If you have this model, some suggestions on something similar, or going
with
> a "full-size" printer let me know your feelings.
>
> Kevin
>
The PictureMate printer is slow, slow, slow.
It has one and only one endearing feature. You get 100 sheets and the ink
for it for a fixed price. I tried one for events I do and gave up in
disgust. I now use a r310 (r300 in the US) and it prints nearly 3 times as
fast at better quality for about the same price. I'm more concerned about
the fading of pictures than the print cost so my new printer (coming soon)
is a dye-sub job. 3 seconds a print!

Doug

Reply to Anonymous

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

Printing is not as easy or automatic as the printer manufacturers would have
you believe. Their advertising and marketing yield many disappointed
customers.
If you have a balanced, well exposed image it may print adequately directly
from the memory card or through some simple imaging program without any
manipulation of the image or the printer driver.
Unfortunately many images, actually most, will not necessarily print well in
this fashion.
If you only print occasionally and are happy with mass market services, web
based, Costco, Walmart etc then you will probably be happier continuing to
use that service than printing yourself.
There is no cost benefit to occasionally printing at home so save yourself
the effort of counting the pennies. There is no comparison between the
quality you can obtain by making your own prints, compared to mass market
printers, if you are willing to spend the time and effort to learn how to do
it.
If you are willing to learn how to get more out of your images and print
them as optimally as possible then get a photo printer. The Epson picture
mate technically can print as well as any Epson photo printer in its class,
which means potentially excellent quality, but you are limited to 4x6
photos. A printer that can handle 8.5x11 paper can also print 4x6 . . .

Reply to Anonymous

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

I have 3 printers for Photo printing, ranging from a Canon S9000 for A3/A4
down to an HP Photosmart 100 series which cost me (over a year ago) about
£100 which at current rates is about $180US.

I know this price is above your budget but I'm sure they have come down in
price.

Although this is a very good printer to have from a convenience point of
view the results are not brilliant but are certainly acceptable. I like the
fact that it takes one cart and I can leave it stacked with 6x4 paper. As we
have a vary young baby in the house it is ideal for quick handouts.

Regards,

Dave

Reply to Anonymous

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

kahout wrote:
> I am considering purchasing a photo printer... one of the dedicated 4 x 6
> models such as the Epson Picturemate.
>
> The printer will have a net cost of $100. I am debating the benefits to
> print images at home. Although the print materials work out to be 29 cents
> each, once I factor in the $100 for the machine, the prints come to 62 cents
> each over 300 prints.
>
> If you have this model, some suggestions on something similar, or going with
> a "full-size" printer let me know your feelings.
>
> Kevin
>
>
Printing at home is expensive, period. You can take the flash card to a
photo printer with the proper equipment and get better prints for less
money. Sam's Wholesale Club prints 4x6 as low as $.14 each in my area.
Even 1 hour places do it for $.29, and you get better results, and
better paper which will last longer. Economically, printing your own
pictures doesn't make sense. If you print 300 pictures at only $.14
each, you will save the price of that printer.

If the convenience of the printer is worth $.30 a picture to you, have
at it. Note that if you buy a full size printer, it can do many other
things well, such as the rare 8x10 your might want.

--
Ron Hunter rphunter@charter.net

Reply to Anonymous

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

Ryadia wrote:
> "kahout" <kevinh!delete!@tellurian.com> wrote in message
> news:8f2dnb38K4tgIibcRVn-3Q@garden.net...
>
>>I am considering purchasing a photo printer... one of the dedicated 4 x 6
>>models such as the Epson Picturemate.
>>
>>The printer will have a net cost of $100. I am debating the benefits to
>>print images at home. Although the print materials work out to be 29
>
> cents
>
>>each, once I factor in the $100 for the machine, the prints come to 62
>
> cents
>
>>each over 300 prints.
>>
>>If you have this model, some suggestions on something similar, or going
>
> with
>
>>a "full-size" printer let me know your feelings.
>>
>>Kevin
>>
>
> The PictureMate printer is slow, slow, slow.
> It has one and only one endearing feature. You get 100 sheets and the ink
> for it for a fixed price. I tried one for events I do and gave up in
> disgust. I now use a r310 (r300 in the US) and it prints nearly 3 times as
> fast at better quality for about the same price. I'm more concerned about
> the fading of pictures than the print cost so my new printer (coming soon)
> is a dye-sub job. 3 seconds a print!
>
> Doug
>
>
????
What printer does a 4x6 in only 3 seconds??

--
Ron Hunter rphunter@charter.net

Reply to Anonymous

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

kahout wrote:

> I am considering purchasing a photo printer... one of the dedicated 4 x 6
> models such as the Epson Picturemate.
>
> The printer will have a net cost of $100. I am debating the benefits to
> print images at home. Although the print materials work out to be 29 cents
> each, once I factor in the $100 for the machine, the prints come to 62 cents
> each over 300 prints.

Did you factor in the cost of the camera and or scanner as well :-)

> If you have this model, some suggestions on something similar, or going with
> a "full-size" printer let me know your feelings.

I'm going to go along with others..

The photoprinter is great if you want the prints immediately after you
take the shots. The one's I've seen have excellent output amd they're
quite portable to boot.

Despite that I find getting 4x6 and 5x7 prints done at a photo shop is the
most convenient option. In my case, I upload them over the net to a local
drug store before breakfast and pick them up after lunch.

I still print photos at home.. I print almost all my 8x10 shots on my
deskjet printer...

Reply to Anonymous

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

Jim Townsend wrote:
>> kahout wrote:
>>
>>> I am considering purchasing a photo printer... one of the dedicated
>>> 4 x 6 models such as the Epson Picturemate.
>>>
>>> The printer will have a net cost of $100. I am debating the
>>> benefits to print images at home. Although the print materials
>>> work out to be 29 cents each, once I factor in the $100 for the
>>> machine, the prints come to 62 cents each over 300 prints.
>>
>> Did you factor in the cost of the camera and or scanner as well :-)

I guess my point with itemizing the real cost of printing was to answer
this: would I do any better printing at home with a 4x6 photo printer or
just going to the store, kiosk, or Internet. I have a Wal-Mart near by, a
Kodak kiosk, a Sam's club, and lots of Internet options.

I plan to spend some time reviewing and editing my own prints but digital is
all new to me. This is my first venture into digital P&S photography after
years of having a film SLR. I was trying to justify even getting the printer
at half cost; I'm going to pass for now.

I bought a 7Mp Sony P150 just so I have more options for cropping and
enlarging. I'm still debating if the Canon S70 with RAW mode might have
been the better choice. They were my final two after debating about having
a 10X zoom, flash shoe, etc. The final decision was based upon having a
camera that could take a fast shot without the cumbersome size, bags, and
other gadgets. I still have a use for my SLR with telephoto lenses and a
quality flash.... but each fills a need that I plan to fill separately.

Thanks everyone for your honest answers.

Kevin

Reply to Anonymous

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