HP 230 PhotoSmart Printer
See it at Amazon.com for $235.00Average Customer Rating
(4.0 out of 5)
Amazon Customer Reviews
Most Helpful First | Newest First (4 out of 5)Compact . . Quick. . . And Easy
This is a cute little printer. It has what all of the other mini-photo printers lacked. The LCD monitor. I picked one of these up for a client who traveled all over the world and didn't want to buy 20 memory sticks for her digital camera. This little machine does the job. With 4800x1200 line resolution and the fact that you do not need a computer to run it, it is a great pick for anyone who wants quality while he or she is on the move. The one disadvantage (I can't call its inability to print text a disadvantage, it was designed as a photo printer), is the fact that it uses the number 57 color ink cartridge instead of the 58 photo tank. . . The 57 is like 10 bucks more, and the photo tank has longer lasting ink. But overall, for the purpose of mobility, this printer does what it is supposed to do. It is a good piece of equipment and I think that it is pretty sturdy. The face folds into the printer for easy transport and so the print tray doesn't sustain damage in transit. It takes all of the major digital media: Compact Flash, Smart Media, Sony Memory Stick, and Secure Digital. Thus far they do not use the new format used in Fuji Film cameras.
If you have the money, and space is not a concern, consider the HP 7550. It is a fully functional printer and uses the number 58 photo tank in conjunction with the 56 black and the 57 color. If cost, space and transportability are a concern, then this is your printer. My complaints are actually pretty minor in comparison to the quality of the product, they just happen to stand out a bit, I still give it four out of five stars. . . It does exactly what it is supposed to and the quality of the pictures is top shelf!
epc
(5 out of 5)perfect little printer
I purchased an earlier version of this printer last year along with my first digital camera. It is identical to this with one less port for memory cards. My camera was a 2 megapixel Olympus D510 so I did not intend to enlarge my photos beyond 4x6. This printer offered small size and ease of use, which appealed to me at the time. The printer does not need to be connected to a computer to produce high quality 4x6 images - as close to photos from film as you can get with 2 megapixels. I now have a three megapixel camera and the prints are even better.
This printer is so easy to use. Just plug it in, add paper, insert the smartmedia, compact flash, or memory stick into the appropriate slot, select the number of the photo you want to print, press the print button and watch a beautiful photo emerge from the printer. It weighs only 3 pounds and can be easily transported anywhere. I take it on vacation with me (in a soft sided, padded lunch box) and surprise my friends with instant copies of photos.
The are only a few drawbacks for this printer. First, photo paper and ink cartridges cost a lot so your photos will not be cheaper than outside processing. I try to purchase in larger quantities to reduce the cost and I use cheaper paper for less important prints. The second drawback is the inability to view the photo on the printer prior to printing. You'll have to jot down the photo's number from your camera screen. And, of course you can't crop or modify your prints on this printer, but that's not really different from developing photos at the store.
As for durability, as I said, I've had this printer for almost a year, have taken it everywhere, printed hundreds of photos and never had the slightest problem. It's a great little printer!
(5 out of 5)Easy to tote and great quailty photos.
If you want to print a few high quality 4x6 photos on the spot without a PC, this is the printer for you. I recently attended a family reunion and before the punch bowl was empty everyone had a photo in their hand and a smile on their face. It is very easy to use. Just load any type memory chip and press print, or you can select the photo, adjust the contrast and crop the photo using the color screen. Get near photo lab results in a little over 2 minutes per photos.
(5 out of 5)A little GEM
I purchased this printer along with a 3MP Sony camera. I needed to make the transition from digital camera to printed picture as simple as possible and without the use of a computer. The preview screen is a must!! It allows you to preview the picture before you print which will save money in the long run. It is a snap to use right out of the box. It also has many useful features such as borders and the ability to lighten and darken those not-so-perfect photographs. It is even small enough to pack in the camera bag for instant photos while visiting friends or family. This is a MUST for the recreational digital photographer.
(5 out of 5)Terrific Little Printer
This has got to be the easiest printer to set up and use. Came in the door by UPS at 7:30 pm and I had my first picture printed at 8:15 pm the same night. I used the enclosed sample photo paper and was very impressed with the quality of the photograph, excellent color, very true to life. It's wonderful to be able to preview your pictures before printing with the 230 and you even have the option of zooming in or out, cropping, or even adjusting the brightness if you like. The directions are concise and very, very easy to understand (no fancy technical terms, just plain English).
I don't have a lot of spare room on my desk and this printer just fits the bill, takes up very little space.
When I purchased the printer, I also purchased the optional carrying case to transport it in. I'm now thinking of buying the dc power adapter so that I can print out pictures when not close to a power supply. This is a great photo printer and I'm going to have such fun using it.