The Bottom Line
A cool companion that's compatible with many Canon and PictBridge-supported digital cameras, the Canon Card Photo Printer CP-300/CP-200 makes it easy to print postcards from the road without a computer. If you don't mind hauling an extra piece of equipment and paying a premium, you can produce gorgeous-looking, glossy prints minutes after you shoot a picture. It's a handy way to keep in touch with the folks at home -- or to create enduring images that document your journeys as you go.
Pros
- Delivers photo-quality postcards and wallet-size images in 85 seconds.
- Prints directly from camera; no computer necessary.
- Lightweight, portable device produces high-resolution prints.
Cons
- Produces a maximum of 36 postcards per ink and paper set.
- Each ink and paper set costs approximately $20.
- Can only print postcard and credit-card size images.
Description
- Postcard sizes are 5.8 x 3.9 inches (borderless). With a border, prints measure 4.8 x 3.6 inches.
- Images print at 300 dpi.
- Canon Card photo printers connect directly to compatible digital cameras via USB cable type A.
- Canon Card photo printers connect directly to Apple and PC computers via USB cable type B.
- CP-200 printer requires 100-240 volts AC power. CP-300 can run with AC or battery power.
- Optional accessories include a battery pack, car adapter, and credit-card-size paper cassette.
- User can crop photo using camera's LCD prior to printing.
- Date stamp on postcards is optional.
- Comes with one-year warranty.
Guide Review - Canon Card Photo Printer CP-300/CP-200
Priced between $171-300, Canon Card Photo Printers seem a bit expensive since they're not very versatile as color printers. They won't print sizes other than postcard or credit-card. Still, they can be very convenient for shootin' couples who don't want to lug a computer with them but do want hard copies of their best images. But you'll pay for the convenience: Each ink and paper pack (they're sold as a set) costs around $20 for 36 snapshots. That comes out to 55¢ per image before tax -- and it's likely that all your images won't be keepers. (You can't always tell on a digital camera's LCD whether an image is sharp or not.) The main differences between the Canon Card Photo Printer CP-300 and the Canon Card Photo Printer CP-200 are size, weight, and power options. The CP-300 weighs 30.3 ounces. Slightly smaller, the CP-200 weighs 28.9 ounces. They accept the same size ink and paper. The CP-200 printer requires 100-240 volts AC power, while the CP-300 can run with AC or battery power. Only the CP-300 has a battery interface. Like most Canon products, these card printers are easy to use and high quality.
