Looking for some suggestions for printing digital photos of my kids. I would like to print and share with family. I just received the Sony Mavica FD-81 camera. I have an older HP Deskjet 600C. I am looking at HP 722C or HP Photosmart printers. I have just read about the ALP-MD-1300. I can replace the HP 600C with the HP 722C or add to the HP 600C with the Photosmart. Which is a good way to go?

Also, do I buy Inkjet Photo Paper? Is the Picture Easy software allow me to take one photo and create multiple 5" x 7" or wallets on one sheet. Is it just drag and click or is it copy and paste or does the software format multiples on a page?

Any thoughts would be appreciated before I jump into my next purchases.

Thank you!

-- Michael Yendick (michael.yendick@eds.com), January 08, 1999

Answers

I've always preferred the Epson Stylus (I have an 800) over the HP printers. Try before you buy!

The glossy paper can give a photo like finish and will support 1440 dpi, the cost is $0.70 to $1.00 per sheet, the Photo Quality Inkjet paper is about $0.10 per sheet and goes up to 720 dpi (the most practical resolution) and is slightly shiny and very white. Then there is 360 dpi inkjet paper which is $0.02 per sheet and is one notch better than photocopy paper at $0.005 per sheet.

In choosing a paper be aware that you are already going to spend around $0.30 to $0.90 in ink for a mostly filled page of color, so for pics the choice is between the 720 dpi and glossy.

I have scanned in prints with a flatbed and then printed out a 4-up like the Kodak machines in camera stores. I didn't use any special software, but they are out there. I use Picture Publisher for editing, but it does not print very well, so I use Image Composer for printing. It's about $1.50 in ink and paper as opposed to $10.00 and there is very little difference in the pic quality.

-- Jon (jonmiles@pacbell.net), January 08, 1999.

Micheal, check the ALPS 1300 before you buy any printer. I had several inkjets and none of them produce a 'near photo-quality' picture as the manufaturers claim, not to mention about the color fading problem associated with inkjet printers. I now have an ALPS 1300 and I often show off my 4x6 or 5x7 pictures. Of course inkjets have their own advantages but as far as printing photos I think ALPS 1300 is the best.

-- Dennis Ly (dennis.k.ly@juno.com), January 08, 1999.