Photo printers produce high-quality, full-color images. While inkjet and dye-based printers produce the best image quality, color laser photo printers offer a digital take on reproducing pictures, and the fusing process results in water-resistant laser prints. Many printers are multipurpose, intended for general printing as well as photos. Some are suitable for connection to local area networks using wireless LAN or a RJ45 Ethernet port while single-user printers may have USB connectivity. Find the best printers and scanners at Staples®.
Budget Printing With Inkjet Photo Printers Inkjet printers are affordable, and offer excellent photo printing quality. Using photographic papers, photo capable inkjet printers achieve printing resolutions better than 4,800 x 2,400 dpi, a feature that improves tonality, detail, and sharpness. Standard inkjet printers use replaceable ink cartridges, while others, intended for higher volume photo printing, have bulk ink tanks.
Using Laser Color Photo Printers Photo capable laser printers produce brilliant colors, especially on laser compatible coated paper. Prints are sharp, crisp and smudge free, and their excellent UV resistance means they don’t fade even when exposed to UV light outdoors. Laser printers are fast, and their high-volume paper trays facilitate long print runs of full color brochures, pamphlets, and media.
All-Purpose Multifunction Photo Printers Multifunction photo printers offer additional capabilities such as document printing, scanning, and copying functions. Those for office use often include fax capabilities. The combination of these features into one photo printer means there are fewer printing devices to worry about, resulting in quicker distribution of photo prints, and reduced need for precious office space.
What Are the Best Photo Printers for Home and Small Office Use?An inkjet photo printer is a good choice for low- to medium-volume photo printing in home and small office applications. It combines high quality photo printing with a small footprint at a reasonable cost. Many quality brand printers are suitable for photo and document printing including HP®, Epson®, Brother®, and Canon®. Some have more than one paper tray, so it’s possible to have photo paper in one tray and ordinary paper in others.
Why Do Some Photo Printers Have More than Four Ink Colors? Standard inkjet printers use cyan, magenta, and yellow ink in different proportions to create a range of colors, and black ink increases tonality and produces rich, dark colors. While these produce good results, specialized inkjet printers for photography extend this capability with up to eight color cartridges including photo-magenta, photo-cyan, red, and green for better overall color reproduction. Others have different density black ink cartridges for better tonality and improved black and white printing.
What’s the Difference Between Inkjet and Dye Sublimation Photo Printers? Inkjet printers work by spraying microscopic dots of ink so small they appear to be a continuous color. The paper absorbs the pigment-based ink and needs only a short drying time to avoid smudges.
Photo specific dye sublimation printers use a transparent dye carried on a plastic ribbon that passes over the printhead. The printhead heats the dye, which vaporizes and is embedded into the paper forming a continuous color followed by a protective coating. This protective layer gives a high gloss and prevents ink smudges and reduces fading. Photo prints made with a dye sublimation printer are vibrant and have a wider color gamut than those from an inkjet printer.
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