Photo Credit: Courtesy of HP, Canon and Epson From left: HP Photosmart A716, Canon SELPHY ES2, Epson PictureMate (Printers not shown to scale.)

For years, professional film shooters have used Polaroids to check their exposures. But as more pros turn to digital systems, compact photo printers are helping to bridge the gap between the tangible, instant gratification of a Polaroid and the growing popularity of digital gear. Photographers, makeup artists, hairstylists and other creatives are using them to print snapshots on-set to help visualize the final image. And for many families, a compact photo printer can be an affordable choice to make prints for scrapbooks or to share with family members, making it the perfect gift this holiday season. Here are five tips to help you choose and use a compact photo printer.

1. Consider your options.

A compact printer that can print on paper up to 8.5 inches wide: There are a few portable printers on the market that can print on paper up to 8.5 inches wide (a standard US letter-sized sheet), including the Canon PIXMA iP90v, Lexmark Z1420 and the HP Deskjet 460, of which multiple versions are available. The advantages include being able to make large photos on the road, and the ability to print all types of documents that are formatted to look their best on an 8.5 x 11-sized paper or an A4 size sheet, which is 8.3 inches wide.

A 4- or 5-inch wide compact inkjet printer: There are many more compact and very affordable inkjet printers available on the market that are capable of making 4x6-, 5x7-, or in some cases, even 4x12-inch panoramic prints.

Canon offers the PIXMA mini320, which can output 4x6-, 5x7-, and 4x8-inch prints. Epson has made a range of compact printers in its PictureMate line over the last few years, and all are capable of printing images four inches wide, as well as panoramics (4x12 inches). Their most recent models in the line are the PictureMate Dash and the PictureMate Zoom. HP makes the Photosmart A616, A626 and Photosmart A716 printers, which are capable of making 4x6-, 5x7-, and 4x12-inch (panoramic) prints. Lexmark recently released the P350 portable, capable of prints up to 4x6 inches, as well as the Lexmark Z1300 for prints up to 5x7 inches.

Apart from just having the ability to make photo prints, having the panoramic printing option is helpful if you want to quickly create a letter-sized document to be photocopied for a presentation when you are on the road. It takes a little work to format the page, but it can be a lifesaver. It’s also important to note that every brand of printer (and in some cases, different models from the same company) use different types of inks, primarily dye-based inkjet inks.

Dye-based inks have improved considerably over the years, but as mentioned in tip number five below, they must be matched with the correct media to maximize longevity. For information on ink and paper/media estimated longevity ratings, I recommend visiting www.wilhelm-research.com. ( This recent article covers many of the printers in the inkjet and dye-sublimation categories). There are many independent test results available for viewing on the site, and a lot of specific information about the different technologies used in compact photo printers. If you can’t find a specific printer that has been tested, look at what type of ink it uses and then see how another printer tested from the same company with the same exact ink formulation (the number of inks should also be the same for the most accurate comparison).

A 4- or 6- inch wide compact dye-sublimation printer: Some of the dye-sublimation printers (also called thermal dye printers) on the market are even smaller than compact inkjet printers. They include the Canon SELPHY ES2, CP730 or CP740; Kodak EasyShare Dock Dye Sublimation Printer (multiple models); and the Olympus P-S100 Digital Photo Printer.

Click here to view some Canon, Epson, Kodak, Olympus, Lexmark and HP models.

2. Check the specs before you buy.

Almost every compact printer has an available battery pack, which makes it a truly portable device. Many can also be hooked up to external CD burners so you can back up media cards without a laptop or other computer, but the Epson PictureMate Zoom has a built-in CD burner. This makes it capable of computer-free printing and image backup of files from media cards, cameras or mobile phones. On the topic of media cards, some compact printers have almost every slot imaginable, including a slot for USB thumb drives in some cases, and others have none at all. Check what card slots you will need before you make a purchasing commitment. Other specs include: small color displays from about 2 to 4.8 inches in diameter that make computer-free printing much easier (though the quality varies between models), and PictBridge slots that allow you to print directly from a PictBridge compatible camera. Many of the printers mentioned in this article can also utilize optional Bluetooth Print Adapters, which allow wireless printing from mobile phones and other devices.

Some printers come with built-in software with layout options that allow you to do proof sheets and portrait packages from your media without a computer. It's also important to consider the cost per print with any compact printer. In most cases, ink and paper are bundled in a kit, and sometimes value packs are available that can save you a considerable amount of money. With the compact inkjets, you will often run out of paper before you run out of ink, and that's a good thing because you can find packs of 4x6- or 5x7- inch paper at almost any retailer.

3. Travel with care.

Most compact printers can be placed in a carry-on bag, or even in checked luggage. I recommend keeping it in a carry-on, but if you do place a printer in checked luggage, I keep the ink cartridge (or cartridges) in separate sealable bags. If you carry the printer on a flight or transport it to a shoot in any vehicle, always keep it in an upright position. In all cases, the printer should be in its own waterproof plastic bag just to be extra safe. Most printer companies also sell travel bags made for their compact printers. You should also check your airline’s policies with regard to carry-on electronics before arriving at the security area with your printer.

4. Use the instant prints to your advantage.

Having a compact printer can make a stock photographer’s job of securing model and/or property releases much easier. Many people will be more willing to be photographed and sign a model releases if they know that they will receive a copy of the photograph a few minutes after it is taken. Also, if you are in a remote area where people do not have internet access (or quite possibly, electricity), making prints on the spot can help you make friends very quickly. Just be sure to bring extra ink and paper!

Compact printers can also be used with digital cameras to make prints to sell on-the-spot at events such as weddings and street fairs. In addition, you can print multiple images on one sheet of inkjet paper, either without a computer through the built-in software on some compact printers, or by creating a contact sheet in a software program such as Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Photoshop Lightroom, Apple Aperture or Microsoft Expression Media (formerly iView Media Pro).

5. Experiment with media.

Compact printers are similar to other printers in that they have a specific range of media that can be used. Printers that use dye-based inks (almost all the printers in this class use dye-based inks) generally require media that is matched for them in order to get good longevity. Dye-sub printers tend to have the least number of media options, though you can often find interesting media for them, such as self-adhesive sticker sheets. As mentioned earlier in the article, for more on ink and paper/media estimated longevity ratings, I recommend visiting www.wilhelm-research.com.


Andrew Darlow is a photographer, author and digital imaging consultant based in the New York City area. He is editor of The Imaging Buffet, an online resource with news, reviews and interviews covering the subjects of digital photography and printing. Portions of this article were excerpted from his new book, "301 Inkjet Tips and Techniques: An Essential Printing Resource for Photographers" (Course Technology, PTR), which covers tips and techniques for prepping, printing and displaying prints made using inkjet printers. For more information, visit the book's companion site at www.inkjettips.com.