Canon Selphy CP1300
A FUN MOBILE PRINTER.
WHILE NOT POCKET-SIZED, the Canon Selphy is aimed at those who want to print 6 x 4-inch photos on the go. For under $160, you get the printer itself, but the optional battery for truly off-the-grid printing costs another $100. The CP1300 doesn’t use ink — instead relying on special dye-sublimation thermal photo paper that can manage a 300 x 300dpi resolution.
The Selphy looks just like a normal printer, just tiny, and measures in at 18 x 13.5 x 6.3cm and weighs 860 grams. It can connect to a computer or smartphone via Wi-Fi or USB, and print directly from SD cards and flash drives. The CP1300 also has an array of control buttons and an LCD to make direct printing easy. The thermal paper comes in standard 6 x 4-inch photo sizes, as well as smaller formats with a sticky backing.
In practice, the Selphy is simple to connect to, and prints take a little under a minute. All things considered, the image quality is quite good and easily comparable to a similarly priced desktop photo printer. The printer doesn’t store the paper internally, and feeds from the front and out the rear — so needs a little space and is ideally set up on a table when in use.
A 108 sheet pack of 4 x 6-inch paper costs around $40, meaning each print will set you back about 37 cents. While not price competitive with a larger printer, it’s a fun option to have set up at a party, or take on holiday with you.