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If you simply want a printer that can give you the highest-quality 4" x 6" prints on the fly, there is no better printer for this job currently on the market than .

The Canon PIXMA MP600 is a well-priced, mid-range photo printer that also includes scan and copy functions, thus providing good value for money. It retails for $179, and that is slightly cheaper than similar printers from Kodak and HP. Users can print from a computer or directly from the unit either via media slots or PictBridge-enabled cameras. The sleek black unit closes up neatly, with no controls, print trays, or ports visible, belying the typical multi-button design of most all-in-one printers. If you’re looking for an unobtrusive, multifunction printer that's easy to navigate, then the MP600 may fit the bill nicely.

The Oki C6000n is one of the company’s latest single-function workhorses for small business use. The four-color laser printer, which retails for $699.99, is competitive with the HP 3600n Color Laserjet, the Xerox Phaser 8560 solid ink printer, and the Lexmark C534n color laser. The printer uses Oki’s Single Pass Color Digital printing technology to achieve (manufacturer-reported) print speeds of 24 ppm for black-and-white output and 20 ppm for color output.

24 March 2008 - The Canon MX850 inkjet multifunction printer is an all-in-one device, capable of copying, printing from memory card and PC, faxing and scanning. This hefty (at 30.7 lbs) device is aimed at the home office user who wants it all, but  in one device. It does this along with  working as a stand-alone device using the 2.5 inch TFT screen and control panel keys. It did a creditable job of performing all of the tasks that all-in-one devices are expected to do: the print quality was good and the operations were generally speedy.  The big addition to the MX850 from the MX830 resets in its accrual of fax features like answering machine connectivity, one-touch speed dialing and remote reception. But it's a bit on the expensive side; the Canon MX850 retails for $279.99, when there are devices with similar features for significantly less.

The HP Photosmart C5180 inkjet printer is the latest photo all-in-one to claim the fastest speeds in its class as well as  lab-quality photos. Like other all-in-ones, the C5180 has scan and copy functions, and prints can be made directly from media cards. The C5180 can also be hooked up to a small office network. With the unit’s LCD user interface, functions can be conducted directly from the unit, with button configuration possible through the drivers and software. HP’s Photo Fix technologies include a red-eye removal tool. Retailing at $199, this unit is competitively priced with the Canon Pixma MP600, the Kodak Easyshare 5300, and the Epson Stylus Photo RX620.

 

Canon goes up against Epson’s much-loved Stylus Photo R2400 with their recently released Pixma Pro 9500. Each printer has a pigment ink system; the R2400 has nine inks and the Pro9500 has ten. Both printers sell for $849. The Pro9500 purportedly produces crisp, high-contrast, and vivid prints with the use of photo black, matte black, gray, red, and green inks in addition to the standard CMY inks. It also swaps between the Glossy and Matte Black inks automatically. The Epson R2400 scored very well in our recent review. Let’s see how Canon’s pigment ink printer stacks up.

If you're looking for a pro photo printer, seriously consider the Epson R2000.

If you're looking for a small printer that can handle most of your on-the-fly photo printing needs with notably good performance, look no further than the HP A646.

The Epson PictureMate series of compact, boxlike, inkjet photo printers are portable for taking to events, games, or other functions. The idea of snapping pictures at a game or even while traveling, then hooking your camera up and printing photos on the spot for friends or relatives is a great. However, if the portability and durability of the unit are supposed to define its standard usage, we wonder why the rechargeable battery is an optional accessory.  We tested the mid-range model, the Picture Mate Snap, aka the PM240, which retails for $129.

The Canon MX512 is a decent option for the price, but with a few drawbacks