Cheap photo printer (U.S.)

[C.Gerhart]

My sister has a Canon A610 (5 meg P&S) and she wants a photo printer
to go with it. She said she only wanted to spend $50 and wanted a card
reader to print directly from, but I told her she'll have to spend
more. I think she mainly will be printing out 6x4s and they are very
frugal about printing anything else. So if the priority is on initial
cost, ink jet cost or cost per 6x4, and decent photo quality what would
you recommend? Lets assume $120 or less for option 1 (printing
directly from the printer or maybe pict-bridge) and I think $200 would
get her a printer from card reader, so that's option 2. Would the
canon ip4200 be the leading candidate for option 1? any
recommendations? TIA

 

[C.Gerhart]

One correction when I said on option 1 "printing directly from the
printer" I meant "printing directly from her P.C.".

 

[zakezuke]

Lets assume $120 or less for option 1 (printing

directly from the printer or maybe pict-bridge) and I think
$200 would
get her a printer from card reader, so that's option 2.
Would the canon ip4200 be the leading candidate for
option 1? any recommendations? TIA

Assuming OEM ink, the ip4200 is certainly the leading candidate. It
does a decent job with only 4 inks on photos, where 6 tank solutions
will in all fairness cost more.

Another choice is Epson, which does excell in the photo department.
OEM ink will run a pretty penny but if you get the printer from the
epson referb store you "can" get one for about the cost of ink,
sometimes less. But... the $59 and $71 models, the r200 / r220 don't
offer pict bridge nor card slots. The r320 does and takes cards, and
given the cost of OEM ink, and the fact you can get it from there for
$99, and even though those printers have their issues the cost is so
cheap that buying another one in a year is no big deal. Same deal with
their all in ones, $99 to $129 with all the bells.

Also, a really good deal is the canon ip6000D from Amazon.com or
outpost.com. $99 plus shipping. Card slots, pict bridge, 6 ink, and
takes compatables. about 1/2 the price for the current ip6600D, and
while the resolution isn't as high, you could do alot worse. Unlike
the ip4200 it won't be as cheap to print documents, but the same thing
can be said about the epson photo printers.

So you have your choice of two printers sub $120 with cardslots

Epson r320 from the epson store
the older canon ip6000D from amazon or outpost

Or referb epson aios
rx500 $99
rx600 $129

 

[measekite]

My sister has a Canon A610 (5 meg P&S) and she wants a photo printer
to go with it. She said she only wanted to spend $50

that money will buy you an ink dispenser