Color - 60 Second Photo - USB, PictBridge - PC, Mac - MPN: SPP2040
Strengths: Small/compact design, quick printing under 1 min, excellent photo quality, easy user menu interface, price
Weakness: Quick Start guide (confusing), cost of replacement cartridges/paper, no battery option
This is the second compact/portable photo printer I have used - the first being the Canon Selphy DS810 - and the Samsung SPP-2040 is the better printer hands down. The DS810 printer head clogged after only the 5th photo print and started leaving streaks on all the subsequent photos. I have already printed 10 photos using the SPP-2040 and have had no problems - quality and tone is absolutely amazing! Plus, it's actually kind of fun to watch as the photo passes 3 times through the printer. Just a few important things I've come across: 1) The SPP-2040 is not exactly the most portable printer out there - it has an attachable paper tray that would have to be taken off and reattached if transported. However, the SPP-2040 is still a lot smaller than the Canon Selphy DS810. 2) Setup/Installation was a snap but don't even bother looking at the quick start guide - it is extremely confusing even for a computer whiz like me. Use the guide on the software CD. 3) Press and hold power button to turn it off (not mentioned anywhere in manual). Overall, 4.5/5 for quality, features, and ease of use, and 5/5 for value!
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TopStrengths: Price, picture quality, ease of use
Weakness: Picture size
Just got one of these on sale... great price -- really easy to use -- printed one image directly from my camera -- one image from the flash card -- and one image from my computer... all worked great!
The pictures are incredible -- look as good as the ones you get from a regular camera.
I'd love to be able to do better than 4x6 images; but at this price that's too much to ask...
The printer only comes with a 10 pack of paper & ribbon... the replacement packs are fairly pricy, but if you shop around and can buy a larger pack you can save.
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TopStrengths: Small Easy to use good quality low cost (look for a rebate deal)
Weakness: Only 4"x6" photo prints
Did lots of research on similar printers. This one is the best in its class. Great small size, but paper trays add significantly to the footprint of the printer in the front and back (at least they're detachable). Small size lends itself well to mobility. Take it on trips and print straight from your digital camera via USB or straight off your camera's photo card. No need to take a computer with you. Picture quality is at least as good as store-developed photos. Buy the 120-print packs of paper and ink and you'll save a lot of money and come close to the same cost of in-store development while being able to print your photos potentially anywhere at your convenience. Highly recommended!
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TopStrengths: Great color, really compact, easy to use, overall nice package.
Weakness: Must be careful to have in a dust free environment. The photo paper comes out the back and back in and can get dust on your picture.
Great color, really compact, easy to use, overall nice package. Must be careful to have in a dust free environment. The photo paper comes out the back and back in and can get dust on your picture.
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TopStrengths: Most everything!
Weakness: Of course, cost of consumables.
Really cannot complain about anything with this printer. I did my research, and this one was consistently reviewed at the top. I waited years to buy a photo printer because I wanted one that produced photos equal to the labs - and now I've got it. Was concerned about the "break-off" tabs, because again, I didn't want the photos to be any different from the labs. But they break of so clean (and easily) that you never know they were there. Printed a few photos we had also developed at a Walgreens, and the amazingly, the photos were generally identical. Although, some from Walgreens were ever-so-slightly better, some from the Samsung were actually ever-so-slightly better than the ones from Walgreens! Currently the cost is higher to use the Samsung than to go to Walgreens (about $.45 compared to $.29), but it's sure a lot nicer than fighting the crowds at the machine there. If you're like me, you'll pay the extra cost to enjoy the convenience and flexibility. If cost is most important, go to the lab, because no photo printer will match the price after you factor in the printer cost (unless you're a amateur/professional photographer creating "volumes" of photos with a low-cost printer). Anyway, love this printer!!
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TopStrengths: Beautiful, high quality prints and simple to use.
Weakness: High cost consumables (ink cartridge/paper refills)
I've used a number of various ink jet printers for my photos and was never very happy with the quality. They always produced photos that seemeed to be a little "grainy". I ordered this one for my father-in-law so he could print his own pictures. I tested it before giving it to him and was so impressed with the picture quality that I ordered one for myself. The pictures have amazing clarity, just like those from a professional photo shop. Don't let the low price fool you, this is a GREAT little printer!
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TopStrengths: Capabilities and quality of prints
Weakness: Cost of consumables; limited editing options
This is a nice photo printer. It is small and looks like a miniaturized version of a full-size printer. Having said that, adding the paper tray into the printer takes up more space, and space needs to be left around the sides of the printer. Even though easily transported, the printer cannot be powered by batteries---you need an AC supply.
Attached to your camera, the printer only has the editing options that your camera offers. I find this disappointing, but it likely is standard. However, you may load your camera memory card into the printer, and get rudimentary editing features; e.g. cropping, color, and sharpness.
The prints look nice--as nice as at your local store. However, note that you are limited to a 4" x 6" size.
More importantly, note that the paper and ink for this printer (sold together in a set) is more expensive than much of what is out there (most specifically, for the Canon and Epson photo printers). In the end, a single print will cost about at least 45 cents (and as compared to 25-30 cents for the other printers). This may make some people flee. (And this may be the reason why this printer is often on sale--at its sales price, it has more features than many or most other photo printers--but there is the much greater consumables cost.)
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TopStrengths: good value and feature set compared to Epson, Sony, and Kodak.
Weakness: mostly available online, didn't see it at any retail stores
I did my homework on this and it really looks like the best deal out there for a compact photo printer. The Epson Picture-Mate is almost $70 more for the same functionality. I like Samsung since they make cool phones, monitors, and tv's.
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TopStrengths: Lab quality 6x4 inch picture. Compact size. LCD screen for preview.
Weakness: The paper and catridge is expensive. And it is only good for 6x4 inch print outs.
I got this new "toy" last week and I am so impressed by the picture quality of the prints. Also the LCD screen helps you to easily preview the pictures you want to print without a computer or camera link although the 1" LCD size is not very helpful for the details. And its compact design allows you to take it anywhere you go (I have a DC/AC power adapter on my car). I love it. However, the Samsung paper and catridge pack eats a lot money. The new set of print only comes with a 10 picture pack and you have to pay at least $46.00 for a 120 pic pack which is much more expensive then you print out 6x4 " at the local stores. I think that is why Samsung is selling the machine now is less than a hundred bucks. Overall, it is an excellent 6x4" picture printer if you don't care about the print cost that much.
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Top
Samsung SPP-2040 Photo Thermal Transfer Printer
Strengths: Price, rebate, size, noise, flexibility
Weakness: Consumables
I've looked at the Samsung SPP-2040 a couple times, and it was priced just a little too high for me to be interested... but a sale at Fry's and a hefty rebate changed that -- not only was it "affordable" -- but down right inexpensive.
The printer supports printing directly off of virtually every flash card format known to man; it supports printing directly from your camera via PictBridge by using the USB port (optionally you can buy a Blue Tooth adaper) -- it doesn't support IRDA (too bad -- that would be nice, but not really practical with my 8MP camera); and of course you can print to it from your computer using the USB port (I have not tried it on a USB print server yet, but that's on my list, and it looks like it will work).
Supported by both my Mac (OS-X 10.3) and PC (Win XP)...
It's just EASY to use...
The images it produces are great... just like you get from photo printing services.
The consumables (paper & ribbon) are moderately expensive. If you look online you will find a 40 pack and a 120 pack. The 40 pack will put your cost per image right about the same as discount photo printing services -- the 120 pack will beat their price per image by a fair amount. Of course, you do have to tie up a little bit of money, but you can get a _really_ good price from Amazon on the 120 pack.
I've already told several of my relatives and friends about this... and I know a couple have bought as well (and are happy with it).
If you're looking for large format prints -- this isn't for you (look at the specs -- it's 4x6)... and I wouldn't expect that this would last in a commercial environment.
Oh yeah... and it's TINY and very portable (indeed the power supply for it is almost as big as the printer -- at least with the paper tray removed).
If this is what you're looking for -- JUST BUY IT... it's a great price, and a great convenience...
NOTE: I hooked this up to a USB print server, and it seems to work. When installing the software you just have to bypass the autodetction -- it'll put it on LPT1, then change it manually to the print server.
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