No PC Required with Digital Camera Photo Printers
If you want to be able to print out your own photos without needing a PC first to transfer the files over, then consider purchasing a digital camera photo printer. You won't need to put the photos onto your PC first, and you can save yourself a great deal of time just by that. Without a PC either, you'll be able to store the printer where you want to instead of where you are forced to fit it, and beyond these great benefits, you will save a lot of money over a full-sized, multipurpose printer that traditionally come with computers. The one downside is that you won't be able to use it as a multipurpose printer, with the largest printable sheets of paper coming in at only 4x6 inches, large enough for photos but not much else. Deciding between a multipurpose printer and a digital camera photo printer can be a difficult choice, but you stand to save several hundred dollars by doing your research.
Compromise
If you are the type of consumer who is an avid photographer and computer user, consider purchasing both types of printers. A digital camera photo printer has unparalleled quality when it comes to churning out glossy 4x6 or 3x5 photos, but it is unable to print out anything larger. If you also print out reports, invoices, and the like, then you will also want to purchase a traditional printer. However, these types of printers usually don't produce photos as well (although they are still good, they are usually not up to photographer standards). Also, traditional printers soemtimes come as all-in-one printers, giving them fax, scan, and other capabilities.
If you haven't yet made the upgrade from film to digital, consider going with a digital camera printer combo. You'll get both a decent camera and a compatible digital camera photo printer and save money while you're at it. You'll also be able to rest assured that the products will work together, as some printers aren't compatible with all modern digital cameras. You could save as much as $100 by going with a combo, and while your choices do become more limited, most consumers will be quite content with the quality of the products in such combos.
With no PC required to use a digital camera photo printer, you can place it anywhere you have room. It fits perfectly atop shelves or on a desk where bulkier multipurpose printers simply would never fit. You'll also save money on paper, as special glossy photo paper is already available in 4x6 or 3x5 sizes, so you won't need to trim any excess off when you print out the photos. If you want to print out your own photos with quality comparable to that which you would find in a photo store, consider purchasing your very own digital camera photo printer.
