Monday, 14 November 2016
Pint Sized Portable Photo Printers
Is there a printer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me? Just kidding! Although it may not sound like a typical joke, it’s a reality that pint sized printers are a real thing and can be easily slipped into a pocket for on-the-go printing. These mini photo printers are gaining popularity with manufactures like Fuji, Canon and HP stepping up to the plate.
With the ability to print within seconds directly from your phone, in an age where selfies are a common practice (yes, selfie is in the dictionary now); pint sized printing is a relevant need for some. As such, here is a line up of pocket sized printers currently available:
FujiFilm InstaxSHARE
This isty bitsy photograph printer features a rechargeable battery and prints photos at 300dpi. Prints can be produced as quickly as you can count to 10. The printer looks rather like a portable hard drive. Loaded with pre-set filters including black and white, sepia, and a custom filter; the app that connects to this printer allows for easy editing, supposing you want to enhance your photos. Brightness, contrast and saturation can also be adjusted using the app.
HP Sprocket
The HP Sprocket lets you instantly print photos from your iOS or Android smartphone or tablet. It too has an app that lets users customize and print photos with corresponding text, sticker, frame and filter options. Using HP ZINK® photo paper, prints are vibrant, smudge-proof, water resistant and tear resistant. You can also peel off the back of the photo paper for stickers – to throw into a journal, on a notebook or anywhere really.
Polaroid Zip Instant Photoprinter

This little guy is another instant photo printer brought to you by Polaroid – yeah, the old school cameras with the instant print technology from back in the day. This modern version, uses Bluetooth or NFC technology to enable you to print directly from your mobile phone or tablet in less than a minute. Printing 2x3” full colour smudge-proof prints that also include an optional ‘sticky-back’, allows you to use your photos as stickers, supposing you want to decorate with them.
Canon SELPHY

The Canon SELPHY is the ‘largest’ of the compact photo printer bunch mentioned here today. Granted, it can also print larger photographs than all the previously mentioned mini photo printers. You can get 4” x 6” prints – postcard sized photographs – printed within less than a minute. It also allows you to print borderless photos in credit card size. WiFi enabled, it is compatible with iOS, Android and Windows RT devices. Another bonus is it includes a memory card slot and USB port. So, if you’ve got a USB flash drive or memory card with photos on it that you want to print, you just need to plug it in, select your photos from the LCD display and press print. Super cool.