Here’s a cool idea that has the added advantage of spreading your work around. Give away free prints. Now I’m not talking about big fine art prints. I’m talking small prints
If you want to impress your friends with your photo prowess, think about investing in a small portable photo printer like the Epson Picture Mate. About.com has a review of the top five small, portable photo printers here.
Most offer rechargable battery packs which makes the perfect companion if you want to take holiday photos and instantly print and share them with friends and family.
These printers typically weigh about three pounds and make rich, vibrant, fast 4×6″ prints that will easily rival anything your local drugstore photo counter offers.
There’s something about being able to make a photo, and hand someone a print one minute later that makes photography fun again.
So spread your work around and make instant prints at family parties. It’s a great way to get everyone involved in your love of photography.
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This post sponsored by the Digital SLR Store
I guess RAW shooters would have to convert to JPG in the camera first, huh?
I guess RAW shooters would have to convert to JPG in the camera first, huh?
@Pat most cameras allow you to shoot a JPG and a RAW at the same time.
@Pat most cameras allow you to shoot a JPG and a RAW at the same time.
Thinking about the gentleman who shoots in Africa, I would think the Polaroid PoGo would be an updated alternative to taking the Polariod instant camera. Way more portable than the ones featured. http://blog.wired.com/gadgets/2008/06/review-polaroid.html
Thinking about the gentleman who shoots in Africa, I would think the Polaroid PoGo would be an updated alternative to taking the Polariod instant camera. Way more portable than the ones featured. http://blog.wired.com/gadgets/2008/06/review-polaroid.html
I have been considering one of these as a gift to my wife. When we go visit Grandma or are over at someone’s house for a birthday party we end up with some great pictures that I then process at home, we print multiple copies of and then have to mail out the shots. One of these lunch-bucket printers would save a lot of the hassle of mailing and such. And the cost per print is decent. If the quality is anything like I am getting out if my RX680 multi-function from Epson I would actually prefer the prints over local lab prints too.
I gave prints away at a party once to all of the guests and those folks really enjoyed getting a print. I thin these printers make giving a gift that is inexpensive (under half a dollar is great!) and very impacting easy.
Thanks for the post Scott!
@Pat, I shoot RAW only as well with my Nikon D300. If I were to use a printer like this or otherwise directly hook up to a printer to print without making JPGs, I would first see if the printer can read the jpeg preview. If not, then at least in the Nikon cameras you can “process” the images by doing a slight crop or a color boost or whatever with the in-camera editing options and then the camera saves a new jpg with your edits. I would do this and print the edits. These kinds of prints are for instant gratification so I wouldn’t mind at all if I had to crop a slight bit or boost one hue or something just to create a jpeg. A tip for the Nikon shooters out there!
I have been considering one of these as a gift to my wife. When we go visit Grandma or are over at someone’s house for a birthday party we end up with some great pictures that I then process at home, we print multiple copies of and then have to mail out the shots. One of these lunch-bucket printers would save a lot of the hassle of mailing and such. And the cost per print is decent. If the quality is anything like I am getting out if my RX680 multi-function from Epson I would actually prefer the prints over local lab prints too.
I gave prints away at a party once to all of the guests and those folks really enjoyed getting a print. I thin these printers make giving a gift that is inexpensive (under half a dollar is great!) and very impacting easy.
Thanks for the post Scott!
@Pat, I shoot RAW only as well with my Nikon D300. If I were to use a printer like this or otherwise directly hook up to a printer to print without making JPGs, I would first see if the printer can read the jpeg preview. If not, then at least in the Nikon cameras you can “process” the images by doing a slight crop or a color boost or whatever with the in-camera editing options and then the camera saves a new jpg with your edits. I would do this and print the edits. These kinds of prints are for instant gratification so I wouldn’t mind at all if I had to crop a slight bit or boost one hue or something just to create a jpeg. A tip for the Nikon shooters out there!
Target has some of these HP printers on 50% clearance. YMMV – check your local stores… [m]
Target has some of these HP printers on 50% clearance. YMMV – check your local stores… [m]
I recently read an article where wedding photogs are setting up printer *bars* with 4 or 5 of these lined up for the guests to print pics off their own point n shoots… the cost would be included in your package. [m]
I recently read an article where wedding photogs are setting up printer *bars* with 4 or 5 of these lined up for the guests to print pics off their own point n shoots… the cost would be included in your package. [m]
I’ve been thinking about something like this too. If you can manage to operate the direct print option rather than using the card, JPG conversion might not be necessary.
I’ve been thinking about something like this too. If you can manage to operate the direct print option rather than using the card, JPG conversion might not be necessary.