Tired of Digital Photos? The Canon Selphy CP1200 Offers a High-Quality Printing Solution

The author expresses a growing dissatisfaction with solely digital photos. Despite taking pictures for a considerable amount of time, only a small portion are ever printed and held physically. The author believes there’s a significant difference between a digital image and a tangible photograph.

The Quest for a Quality Photo Printer:

Having explored various photo printing options, the author found online services to be the cheapest but questionable in quality. Local camera stores also presented issues with dynamic range, resulting in inaccurate representation of dark areas in photos. Even personal attempts with an Epson inkjet printer yielded unsatisfactory results due to limited dynamic range and ultimately, clogged nozzles. This experience with inkjets led them to seek an alternative.

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The Canon Selphy CP1200: A Promising Option

Considering the advantages and disadvantages of various solutions, the author concluded that a Canon sublimation printer would be suitable for standard 10×15 cm prints. For larger formats, online printing remained a more cost-effective option compared to the potential for clogged nozzles and expensive inkjet inks.

Through a discounted offer on Amazon, the author acquired a Canon Selphy CP1200 Wireless Compact Photo Printer. While the lack of a USB cable was noted, wireless printing was considered sufficient for small printing needs, and a cable connection was deemed unnecessary on Mac OS due to lack of support. The printer itself is compact but requires space once operational.

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Setting Up and Printing:

Installation was straightforward, requiring only minimal instruction reading. The printer utilizes “ink cartridges” and paper trays. The author opted for Canon paper packs, which include the necessary “ink” for each print, eliminating concerns about clogged nozzles, streaks, and waterproofing issues. This also simplifies cost calculation, with each print costing approximately €0.29. Additionally, Canon claims the photos have a lifespan of 100 years, a significant benefit compared to the author’s experiences with fading colour photos.

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Printing from Mobile Devices and Computers:

The initial printing attempts were conducted from an iPad with Lightroom Mobile due to the Canon printer recognizing two wireless network options, only one of which functioned. The author speculates that this might be due to overlapping 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz networks or their ISP reactivating a previously disabled network with the same name as the existing one. Once the network issue was resolved, printing from Adobe Lightroom on a Mac was possible through AirPrint functionality, eliminating the need for potentially problematic Canon drivers.

Print Quality:

While capturing a photo of a printed photo was deemed pointless, the author details the quality of the Canon Selphy SP1200 prints. Even without adjustments, the results were impressive. While shadows appeared slightly darker than on screen, the overall quality was comparable despite screen and photo paper differences. Colour reproduction was accurate for various subjects like skin tones, sky gradients, logos, greenery, and more.

One minor issue, which can be easily ignored is the default borderless printing tends to slightly crop the top and bottom of the image. This might not be noticeable for most photos, but it can pose a problem for tightly cropped images. Investigating adjustments within Adobe Lightroom’s Print module to potentially reduce cropping is a possibility, though the author hasn’t attempted this yet.

Overall Recommendation:

For anyone seeking a 10×15 cm photo printer for home use, the author enthusiastically recommends the Canon Selphy CP1200. The design, freedom from inkjet concerns, and superior quality compared to other non-inkjet options like Fujifilm Instax and Polaroid make it an excellent choice. The affordability and standard photo size production surpass the limitations of its competitors.

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