By Ziv Haparnas

There are many ways to print photos. For example you could download the photos to your computer choose the ones you like burn them on a CD and take them to a printing service. DPOF makes such photo printing easier – here is how.

DPOF is a standard that was introduced by a consortium of camera and printer manufacturers. The goal of DPOF was the make photo printing easier and faster.

DPOF stands for Digital Print Order Format. The goal behind DPOF was to make the process of choosing which photos to print and printing them much easier and faster. If your camera supports DPOF then you can choose the photos you would like to print and the number of copies directly on your digital camera. This data is also known as the print order and is saved in the cameras memory card (the same memory card where photos are saved) in special files. Later on you can take the memory card with the photos and the DPOF data to any printing service that supports DPOF and it would automatically print the photos based on the DPOF print order data. Alternatively you could plug the memory card to a photo printer that supports DPOF and print all the photos that you chose with a single push of a button.

DPOF can do much more than just specify which photos to print and in how many copies. You can also specify additional information such as a photo title text, photo orientation, print paper size and more. Other useful information can be added: your contact information and your camera settings when taking the photo. All that information can make printing easier – for example you can drop off a memory card with any printing service and they can know exactly which photos to print, in how many copies on what paper sizes and in what orientation. They also have your contact information where they can reach you when the prints are ready or if there is any problem.

Not all cameras support DPOF and the ones that do support DPOF vary in their level of support. For example the simplest support would be for choosing which photos to print and in how many copies while more advanced support would be for enabling other data such as title photo title text, paper size, contact information and more.

DPOF was extended to support more than photo printing. Examples of new features enabled by DPOF: you can choose photos to be emailed as file attachment. The usage is very similar to choosing which photos to print but instead of printing the photos when you plug your memory card to your computer special software reads the DPOF data and emails the photos you have selected to the designated email addresses. Another feature is slide show or photo projection: the photos you choose can be replayed as a slide show on a computer or be projected using a photo projector. For example you could plug the memory card to a projector that supports DPOF and with one click play the slide show of your choice.

And lastly – some PC software allows you to define any custom action to be executed on the DPOF data. For example the software can be told to “copy all chosen photos to the hard disk and discard the others” or to “print all chosen photos, copy them to the hard disk and then create a backup of them on a CD” – this is a great way to automate some photo processes and can save time.

DPOF is not a must have feature but a good option if you want to save some time and make photo printing easier. Many cameras support DPOF but most users are not aware of it and are not using it. Check if your camera supports DPOF and learn how to use it to your benefit.

Ziv Haparnas is a technology veteran and writes about practical technology and science issues. This article can be reprinted and used as long as the resource box including the backlink is included. You can find more information about photo album printing and photography in general on http://www.printrates.com – a site dedicated to photo printing.

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By Josh Riverside

Printer inks are inks manufactured especially for printers. The quality of printing depends on the type of ink, type of paper and the type of printer used. The quality of ink is reflected in the quality of the final product.

Printer ink is made from a combination of dyes or pigments, distilled surfactants, de-ionized water, biocides and fungicides, buffering agents, humectants and resins. These combinations ensure that the ink produced matches the quality specification of OEM ink. Dye or pigment of a particular type and quantity is used, and the surfactant helps in balancing the paper wetting and surface tension. Resins ensure paper adhesions and humectants minimize evaporation.

Printer inks are either dye based or pigment based. Dye based inkjet inks are brighter in color and can produce sharp quality printing. They are stable and can be stored for long periods of time. One of the drawbacks of dye based inkjet inks is that they are slow in penetrating and usually take up to ten seconds for drying. Since the drying time is long they often tend to blur. On the other hand pigment inkjet inks are light, fast, waterproof and fade resistant. They also dry much faster than the dye based ink and are more suited for color ink as they prevent blurring. They also have lower toxicity levels than dye-based ink. One of the major goals of the inkjet ink manufacturers is to develop ink that is durable, fade resistant, and waterproof and has the ability to print on any media.

Printer inks should be checked for compatibility with the cartridge while purchasing as they are not generic and can only be used in the cartridges they are manufactured for.

Ink provides detailed information on Ink, Ink Cartridges, Printer Ink, Inkjet Ink and more. Ink is affiliated with Printer Ink Cartridges.

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By Michael Russell

Choosing an output device (notice I did not say “printer”) is an arduous task indeed: inkjet, laser, LED, 3-in-1, 5-in-one, 7-in-one, photo printers, MFPs….. the choices are seemingly endless.. To make matters worse, the employee at the big retail/computer/electronics store has held the job for less than a week and is a lot more knowledgeable about PlayStation than anything else. So what do you do? Here’s a little quick guide to help you sift through most of the choices.

These tips are based on how much paper you use per month. If you do not know (I wouldn’t if somebody asked me), then think of how often you buy paper and how much; then divide by the appropriate timeframe. Regular office paper (A4, letter- or legal-size) normally comes in 500-page reams or 2500 or 5000-sheet boxes. If you buy a 2500-sheet (5 ream) box once a quarter, you therefore use 833 sheets per month.

A – Less than 50 sheets per month: Get as cheap an inkjet as you can – just make sure there are store-brand or knockoff cartridge brands readily available so you can purchase those as soon as the warranty on your printer runs out. If your printer dies, DO NOT fix it: it will be cheaper to get a new one (which will come with a new cartridge pack). I would personally buy a “multi-function” with a flatbed scanner, as they are now quite cost effective. The more mainstream the brand, the more retailers carry it, the better.

B – 50 to 250 sheets per month: If your usage dictates that you need colour and/or a multi-function (any combination of 2 of the following: printer/fax/scanner/copier), then definitely get a multi-function inkjet. However, before you do, do some research (15 minutes on the internet) to determine how much cartridges cost and what their yield (how many pages you can get out of them) is. If a cartridge costs $45 and yields 450 sheets, it will start getting expensive. If you do not need anything other than straight B/W printing, then get an entry-level laser/LED printer. They now come with a very good price tag (under $200) and are very cost-effective.

C – 250 to 1000 sheets per month: In this case, there is no doubt you need to get a laser or LED since it does not make any kind of sense to get an inkjet – the cost will be much higher. If you can, try to get a Multi-function, but remember to do your homework on cartridge cost vs. yield – and do not let the comparatively lower cartridge cost fool you (a $280 cartridge with a 5000 page yield is a lot better than a $120 cartridge with a 1000 page yield). Also, get a system that is suited to your primary application: do not get a fax-based system if 90% of your usage will be copying.

D – Over 1000 sheets per month: In this case, your best bet is to call 3 or 4 office-equipment providers, as they will guide you towards the best choices according to your needs. Just be sure to get 3 or 4 quotes (just to keep them honest) and get an all-inclusive service contract; they include toner and all your services and are typically cheaper (at this stage) than buying toner alone for a laser system.

A few parting words: These tips are for basic office use only; if you need oversize paper (11×17 or A3), o photo-quality finishes for pre-press, these tips are not for you. Also, I do not recommend refilling laser cartridges, as the systems themselves are somewhat of an investment and can be picky. For inkjets, however, since the machines themselves are almost disposable nowadays, it should not be a major issue.

Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Lake Tahoe

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By Carla Weaffer

There are a great number of inkjet printer options for consumers looking to purchase a new printer or those that are considering replacing the ones that they currently own. The following are some things you should keep in mind whilst deciding which printer to buy.

The first thing you should do when getting ready to purchase a new printer is decide what tasks that you are going to need your printer to accomplish for you. Once you have that determined you will have a better idea of what type of printer you should purchase.

You should definitely shop around when looking for a new printer. Don’t feel obligated to buy the first one you find. Ask a lot of questions so you can do thorough research to ensure this is the printer that will meet all of your needs. Reading reviews of the different types of printers available would be an excellent idea before you begin shopping for a new printer. Asking for the opinions of friends and family about what printers they use would also be a good way to get a recommendation.

Are you going to need special inks for the printer to get the best possible print quality? If this is the case this can become a large expense for you as the consumer. Typically a great print should not need top of the line ink to make a high quality print.

An important issue to consider while shopping for a new printer is: Are there compatible printer ink cartridges and refill kits available to use with the printer you are interested in purchasing? The cost of replacement printer ink cartridges produced by the manufacturer can be many times more than the printer itself so compatible printer inks can be a huge money saver.

Does the ink in the printer smear when touched? A good quality ink should be fast drying and not smear when touched. If it is at all possible you should ask a sales person to print a test page on a printer that you may be interested in purchasing. Also you should ask if you can see a test copy printed on normal paper. The laminated paper used in a lot of shops will make the print quality of any printer appear to better then it actually is.

Another thing consumers should consider when shopping for a new printer is that many refurbished printers cost considerably less than brand new printers and still carry a full manufacturers warranty. This could be a great money saving purchase if you are on a budget.

These are just a few of the things that consumers should keep in mind before purchasing a new printer for use at home. If a good amount of research is done before a purchase is made, most consumers will end up with a great printer that should meet all their printing needs.

Carla Weaffer manages a business supplying Epson compatible printer inks. This article is brought to you in conjunction with Web Design Liverpool and UK Therapy Directory. It is free to republish within the boundaries of the terms and conditions of the source. The content and resource box must remain unchanged and all hyperlinks active.

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