Most of today's printers that output small format photos deliver quality images whether connected to a computer or printing from a flash memory card. Their built-in displays and simple controls make it easy to select and print one or many photos from flash memory, all with set-and-forget simplicity. Most can handle fairly large image files and reduce them nicely to 4 x 6 size prints the costs of which usually rival the costs of digital prints from online and local retailers. We look here at a mix of dye sublimation and inkjet printers from Kodak, Epson, Samsung and Canon. Be sure to check out our star ratings for each printer Compare Prices on Photo Printers.

Kodak EasyShare Photo Printer 500

Kodak's photo printers have always left us a little cold. But the Photo Printer 500 is evidence of a radical change in the maker's policy-its printers are no longer dedicated for use only with Kodak's own cameras. This printer still uses dye sublimation technology, but it works with all digital cameras thanks to its PictBridge capabilities and memory-card slots.

The printer's outstanding feature is its tiltable 3.5" display, which is much larger than the ones found on competing models. It gives you a very clear view of the photos to be printed and very comfortable access to all the settings menus.

Like HP printers, it offers retouching tools (red-eye reduction, cropping, etc.) and Bluetooth connectivity as standard equipment, making it ideal for printing from a cell phone-camera. Kodak also offers Wi-Fi as an option, which turns this printer into a real wireless printing center.

While the cost per page is still a little higher than average, it's much better than at the time of the product's launch, since Kodak has lowered its consumables prices. To put the icing on the cake, the Photo Printer 500 is one of the fastest printers around in either the sublimation or inkjet categories. It took only 58 seconds to print a 4x6 photo. Quality was also very good, with irreproachable color fidelity and supple lines. What more could you ask for?

Features Connectivity: USB 2.0, Bluetooth; Technology: Sublimation; Number of colors: 3; Resolution: 300 dpi; PictBridge: Yes; Memory-card reader: Yes (CompactFlash, SD/MMC, XD, Memory Stick); LCD display: 3.5 inch; Dimensions: 13.1 × 3.1 × 7.3 inches; Paper Sizes: 4 x 6 inches.

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