In this digital age, many photographers no longer need to print physical copies of their photos to give to clients. Instead, they submit digital copies of their work, usually by saving them in digital storage devices and physically handing them off to the client, or by sending them online through email or file sharing services. Nonetheless, there are some photography niches where most clients still expect physical prints—such as wedding photography or portraiture.
Many different types of photography require you to produce high-quality prints for your clients, and having a good photo printer at your disposal is essential to the continued success of your photography business.
There are many different types of printers—portable, prosumer, or professional—that are made specifically for each photographer’s unique requirements. Therefore, we’ve rounded up the top photo printers on the market with outstanding features designed to meet your personal and professional printing needs.
How To Choose the Right Photo Printer [Buying Guide]
First things first, think about what you’re going to use the photo printer for. Is it for family photos and portraits? Maybe you’re a landscape photographer therefore your printing needs are a bit different. What brand makes sense for you? Is it on sale? How big of a print can you make? Maybe there’s a happy middle ground that would satisfy a bit of everything. These are all important questions to consider when analyzing the right printer for photographers.
Other things to keep in mind include:
Functionality
The first thing you need to check when choosing the best photo printer is whether its photo printing capabilities meet your specific needs. Make sure the printer is specifically designed to produce colored, high-quality prints of different paper sizes, including 4 x 6, 5 x 7, and 8 x 10. You may also consider multifunction printers that can send and receive faxes and emails, as well as photocopy and scan your documents.
Quality
Different printers have different resolutions which will affect the print quality. How much does resolution matter to you? How many ink cartridges does it have? If there are more cartridges, it will make a difference in the colors and more colors can be mixed because more shades of ink are available.
Resolution
For professional photo printing, you have to pay attention to its black and color print resolution, which is measured in DPI or dots per inch. The higher the DPI, the better the print quality. Inkjet printers are usually able to produce prints at a minimum resolution of 600 x 600 dpi in black and 4,800 x 1,200 dpi in color.
Cost
While the printer itself is a short-term cost, ink and paper will be long term. Some ink cartridges need to be replaced while others can be refilled. Depending on your printing habits, ink costs will vary as will photo paper which varies in size and quality. The bigger the printer, the bigger the cost.
Connectivity
Many of today’s printers are wireless. But that doesn’t mean you need a wireless printer. The last thing you want is your WiFi to drop out halfway through a print job. Ask if your space requires wireless or if a wired printer is more optimal. If you’re a mobile phone photographer, then wireless might be a better choice over a wired connection.
Size & Portability
If you travel and print photos on the go, then consider a compact printer. Be prepared to shell out a bit more money for these. But if you’re looking for one for your home or office, then go for a large, quality printer that gives you better resolution and will stay in one place.
If you have to produce prints on location, a portable photo printer might be the ideal option. There are lots of portable printers on the market, but make sure to choose one that does not sacrifice print quality. You may want something that is very travel-friendly, but if it becomes a question of quality versus portability, always prioritize print quality over things like weight and size.
Compatibility
Check the printer’s specifications to make sure it’s compatible with your computer’s operating system and any external HDDs or SSDs you currently own.
Speed
Quality is more important than speed. But, you may also love efficiency. Check the specifications or online manual to make sure you find the right speed that fits your needs so you’re not waiting around for that one photo that takes forever to print. This is important for those who have to regularly churn out numerous copies of photos in a short amount of time. Slow print speeds can cause unnecessary delays, which may even lead to lost or missed business opportunities.
Photo Printer Terms You Should Know
Before you go further in your photo-printer search, here are some key printer terms to keep in mind:
- Inkjet Photo Printer: This is both a reliable and affordable digital photo printer that’s perfect for printing photos and office documents. Generally, inkjet photo printers are a great investment because they can handle daily needs and have the ability to print photos when needed.
- Dye Sublimation: This option is more geared toward professional photographers or studios who need to print high-res photos on a regular basis. These printers use glossy paper to produce high-quality photographs but do not print everyday documents.
- Resolution: A word to the wise: Don’t buy the cheapest printer. You’ll instantly regret it when it prints incredibly poor photographs. Choose a printer that’s a happy medium with a resolution around 4800 x 1200 dpi. Depending on your needs or cash flow, you can always go higher.
- Ink Quality: Ink is what makes a photo beautiful. It’s also part of your long-term costs. There are two types of ink sources for a color printer: coloring and pigment-based inks. Coloring-agent-based inks are cheap and sacrifice quality while pigment-based inks produce vastly better photographs that last longer over time.
- Full bleed: When deciding which photo printer to use or buy, you might need to know whether a printer can print “full bleed” (edge-to-edge without a border). Certain printers are capable of doing this on any kind of photo paper while others cannot.
Best Professional Photo Printers
Whether you’re looking for a printer for your photography studio or for location shoots, you’ll find something here that’s well-suited to your needs. Listed below (in no particular order) are some of the best printers for photographers:
- Canon PIXMA Pro 200 Professional Wireless Inkjet Photo Printer
- Epson PictureMate PM-400 Wireless Compact Color Personal Photo Lab Inkjet Photo Printer
- Epson Expression Photo HD XP-15000 Wireless Wide-Format Inkjet Printer
- Canon imagePROGRAF TA-30 5-Color 36″ Large-Format Inkjet Printer
- Epson SureColor P700 13″ Photo Printer
- DNP DS620A Dye Sub Professional Photo Printer
- Epson Expression Premium XP-7100 Wireless Color All-In-One Inkjet Printer
- Epson SureColor P900 Wide Format Wireless Inkjet Photo Printer
- HP DesignJet Z9+ Large Format PostScript Photo Printer
- Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-4100 Large Format Inkjet Printer
- HiTi P525L Compact Dye Sub Photo Printer
- Epson Expression Photo XP-8600 Small Inkjet Printer
Canon PIXMA Pro 200 Professional 13″ Wireless Inkjet Photo Printer
Canon’s PIXMA Pro 200 printer is reasonably priced, easy to use, and has excellent color reproduction. The inkjet printer uses an 8-color dye-based ink system so colors are more vibrant and more accurate. The PIXMA Pro 200 has speedy print times – a bordered A3+ print in only 90 seconds and a bordered 8×10” print in 53 seconds.
Creators can adjust output settings with three layout modes: single image, multiple images, or gallery wrap. The printer comes with a 3.0” LCD display to easily monitor basic maintenance, settings, and ink levels.
Key Specs & Features:
- 8-color dye-based ink system
- Print sizes from 3.5” x 3.5” to 13” x 19”
- Fast Photo Printing on different materials
- Multiple output options
- WiFi functionality
- 3.0” Color LCD display
Epson PictureMate PM-400 Wireless Compact Color Personal Photo Lab Inkjet Photo Printer
The Epson PictureMate PM-400 Wireless Printer is one of the best printers for photographers when it comes to efficiency and convenience. The inkjet printer is wireless and compatible with easy-to-use print options like AirPrint, Google Cloud Print, and WiFi Direct.
With wireless printing, users can quickly print from their smartphones or tablets. Creators can print borderless 4” x 6” and 5” x 7” photos on smudge, scratch, fade, and water-resistant prints that are guaranteed to last.
Key Specs & Features:
- Wireless, compact photo printer
- Prints borderless 4” x 6” and 5” x 7” photos
- Finishes 4” x 6” photos in as quick as 36 seconds
- Smudge, scratch, fade, and water-resistant prints
- Quick photo editing tools available
- Print from iPad, iPhone, tablet, or smartphone with wireless printing or WiFi Direct
Epson Expression Photo HD XP-15000 Wireless 13″ x 44″ Wide-Format Inkjet Printer
Take your photo printing to the next level using the Epson Expression HD XP-15000 Inkjet Printer. This wide-format printer is one of the best photo printers for photographers. It can print borderless images of up to 13″ wide and 44″ long. It is 30% smaller than its predecessor and uses drop-on-demand MicroPiezo inkjet technology with a six-color Claria Photo HD ink set to create sharp prints with resolutions of up to 5760 x 1440 dpi. This ink set also includes red and gray ink for smoother gradations and better black-and-white printing.
The XP-15000 printer has print speeds of 9.2 ppm in black and 9 ppm in color, making it a quick and all-around workhorse for both photo and general printing needs. It has a 50-sheet rear feed for thicker paper types and a 200-sheet that has automatic duplexing. Along with standard USB 2.0 and Ethernet connectivity, the XP-15000 professional printer has built-in Wi-Fi for seamless wireless operation.
Key Specs & Features:
- Features MicroPiezo inkjet technology & Clari Photo HD ink set
- Regular printing of up to 13 x 44″ in size, borderless printing of up to 13 x 19″.
- Includes a 200-sheet front tray for automatic duplexing at speeds up to 4.7 ppm
- Has a 2.4″ color LCD screen for status displays
- Easy-access USB port for direct printing
- Built-in Wi-Fi for wireless connectivity
- Mobile printing enabled
Canon imagePROGRAF TA-30 5-Color 36″ Large-Format Inkjet Printer
Bring your printing in house with the imagePROGRAF TA-30 large-format printer. This printer (stand sold separately) offers a cost-efficient, easy-to-use solution to help optimize the workflow and productivity of your small business as well as first-time large format print users.
Key Specs & Features:
- Low Cost of Operation: 40% less ink usage in Economy Print Mode
- Unparalleled Speed: Print 113 24 x 36 posters per hour
- Print Outdoor Posters: TA Series use pigment ink to produce weather-resistant posters
- Super Quiet: The TA is the quietest printer in this market
- More Paper, More Printing: Utilize long rolls and a wide variety of media
Epson SureColor P700 13″ Photo Printer
The SureColor P700 photo printer promises gallery-quality images — no wonder it’s one of the best photo printers for photographers. It incorporates the same large-format printing technology used by top professional photographers into a sleek, compact design, available right from your desktop.
Key Specs & Features:
- Simple, streamlined photo printing interface
- Full ICC profile & printer color support and professional-level printing
- Advanced black and white photo mode with live preview
- Panorama & gallery wrap print options
DNP DS620A Dye Sub Professional Photo Printer
Also ideal for event photographers, the DNP DS620A is an excellent printing tool for demanding situations, as it is able to print photos in a wide variety of sizes and at lightning speed. In addition to normal print sizes, it enables you to print 5-inch and 6-inch square photos, as well as 2-inch fun strip format prints and photos as large as 6×8 inches.
The DNP DS620A can produce 400 prints per hour or one print in as fast as 8.3 seconds, making it as one of the fastest printers of its kind. It also allows you to place a watermark on the back of the photos, which is an added advantage for business use.
Photos can be printed on either glossy or matte media, depending on your preference or needs. As for the quality of the prints, users can expect clean and crisp images with highly vivid colors.
Key Specs & Features:
- Maximum Print Resolution: 300×300 dpi
- Print Speed: 8.3 seconds (4×6) / 14.1 seconds (5×7) / 15.7 seconds (6×8)
- Maximum Paper Size: 8×6 inches
- Driver Support: Windows 7 and 8, Mac OS-X (package version 10.9 and 10.0 v5.0.169)
- Print Method: Dye-Sublimation
- Print Finish: Glossy and Matte
- Connectivity: USB 2.0
- Roll Paper Feed
Epson Expression Premium XP-7100 Wireless Color All-In-One Inkjet Printer
The Epson Expression XP-7100 is a compact inkjet printer capable of producing high-resolution photo prints and printing high-volume documents. It has a fast printing speed of 5 ppm in black or 11 ppm in color. The XP-7100 uses the Micro Piezo inkjet technology and has 5-color Claria inks to render vividly colored prints and highly detailed images. It is also capable of printing images with resolutions of up to 5760 x 1440 dpi.
The XP-7100 is convenient to use. Its 4.3″ touchscreen lets you navigate printing settings easily. Its built-in SD card slot lets you load and print photos directly from your camera’s memory card. You can also perform quick edits using the printer touchscreen. The XP-7100 has Wi-Fi Direct, making it compatible with various mobile devices for wireless access.
Key Specs & Features:
- Micro Piezo inkjet technology
- 5-color Claria ink set
- ISO print speeds of up to 15 ppm in black and 11 ppm in color
- 8.5” x 11” Borderless printing available
- Includes a 20-sheet photo tray
- 4.3″ touchscreen with built-in USB & SD card slots
- W-iFi Direct for wireless mobile access
Epson SureColor P900 17″ Wide Format Wireless Inkjet Photo Printer
The Epson SureColor P900 produces incredibly sharp and detailed prints. The photo printer uses the new UltraChrome PRO10 ink with violet to create a wider color gamut and more vibrant colors. The SureColor P900 comes with a clean interface that lets users print color-managed photos straight from their iOS device. The printer has a 4.3” customizable touch screen to easily get your settings squared away.
Key Specs & Features:
- UltraChrome PRO10 ink with violet that produces a wider color gamut and sharper colors
- No photo and matte black ink switching
- Print from any iOS device using a simple interface
- 4.3” customizable touch screen
- Handles rolls and sheet media up to 1.5mm of Epson Professional, Signature, and Legacy papers
- 30 percent smaller than previous generations
HP DesignJet Z9+ Large Format PostScript Photo Printer
The HP DesignJet Z9+ is built for the professional photographer or graphic designer. Creators can produce high-quality prints with HP Pixel Control on resolutions up to 2400 x 1200, and reach a wider color gamut with RGB HP Vivid PHoto Inks.
Printing is now 2.5x faster with speeds up to 600 ft/hr on plain media, 144 ft/hr on coated media, and 38 ft/hr on glossy media. Users can easily optimize their workflow with HP applications and wireless print from iOS, Android, and Google OS.
Key Specs & Features:
- Print 2.5x faster
- 600 ft/hr on plain media, 144 ft/hr on coated media, 38 ft/hr on glossy media
- Resolution up to 2400×1200
- Mobile print from iOS, Android, and Google OS
- Comes with HP Click software
- Prints 8.3” to 24” wide sheets, and 11” to 24” rolls
Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-4100 Large Format Inkjet Printer
The Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-4100 is one of the best printers for professional photographers. The large format inkjet printer delivers high-quality, sharp images with 11 different color pigment inks and a Chroma Optimizer.
Canon also improved the color calibration on the PRO-4100 to achieve better color reproduction. And for the first time, the image PROGRAF has an intelligent media loading system that can recognize and load paper without the user having to manually do it.
Key Specs & Features:
- Enhanced image clarity with 11-color pigment inks and a Chroma Optimizer
- Upgraded color calibration for accurate color reproduction
- Dedicated nozzles for Matte black and Photo black ink
- Intelligent Media Loading
- Remaining Media Estimation
- 4.3” LCD operation screen
- WiFi Connection
HiTi P525L Compact Dye Sub Photo Printer
The HiTi P525L Photo Printer is designed for event or on-location photography. The photo printer comes in a small size and weighs only 39lbs, so it’s easy to transport to location. Users can quickly print in three different sizes in 300 dpi.
The P525L is compatible with an easy-to-use mobile printing app that pairs with both iOS and Android devices. The P525L is also the first photo printer to recognize RFID chips so media keys do not need to be replaced.
Key Specs & Features:
- Compact frame of 12.8” x 14” and weighs just 39lbs
- Recognizes RFID media chips
- 4” x 6”, 5” x 7”, and 6” x 8” print sizes
- 300 dpi prints
- Prinzbiz App for iOS and Android printing
- Mono-LCD screen with five hard keys
Epson Expression Photo XP-8600 Small Inkjet Printer
Quickly and easily print photos, documents, and creative projects with the Expression Photo XP-8600 Small-in-One printer. This photo printer delivers 4 x 6 photos in as fast as 10 seconds and borderless photos up to 8 inches x 10 inches. The XP-8600 offers vibrant, versatile printing all in a compact design.
Key Specs & Features:
- The powerful photo all-in-one, with fast performance in a compact, space-saving design
- Epson Creative Print mobile app offers printing photos, create custom cards, and stationary
- Scan and share: scan to the cloud for easy photo sharing
- Easily adjust photos, includes tools for red-eye removal, photo restoration, and more
Ready to get started? Next up, learn all about how to choose the right printer paper for your printing projects and you’ll soon master your professional printing work.
Feature image via Shutterstock
