I made this discovery while searching for an additional printer to use at my Art Journaling Retreat. One of the big challenges of this three day event is that we have a means for all the students to get their digital photos printed quickly. We go on several exciting field trips and everyone wants to use the photos they take right away in their journals.

 

I have an HP PhotoSmart 7660 that is a few years old. It’s not fancy, but it reads memory cards without a computer, prints a proof sheet, and then let’s you choose photos to print on a 6-up page. A little big for the journals, but the best I could find. I tried to order a second 7660 through eBay but got caught by a bum seller and knew I couldn’t get it in time.

 

So, I bought a new PhotoSmart with Vivera inks. For some reason I thought I had heard they were waterproof. They aren’t, and the printer I got was a lemon, and wouldn’t print smaller photos, so I took it back, and really started a desperate search.

 

I have used Epson Durabrite printers and 3-in-1s for years because of the waterproof ink. But, I have gotten used to thinking of them as disposables because they do not last, and the one I have currently does not have choices for printing sized photos. Epson has also decided to make the little pad where the cartridges park, a replaceable part - which costs as much to replace as the whole printer. Not a good thing.

 

So, when I saw a 3-in-1 made by Kodak, I was willing to at least take a look. Kodak in the printer business? But then, they are photo people, so it can’t be all bad.

 

I am so pleasantly surprised by this printer, and all the students at the retreat just loved it too. The only downside is that the driver does not have enough controls, like the Epson, for paper/ink combos, color control, etc. However, I found that as long as you print at “Best” quality, the photos are pretty darn good. And that’s not the best of it.

 

The total cost of black and color (5 color) ink is around $22. One set of ink lasted us almost all the way through the retreat. Compared to $72 to refill my Durabrite 6000, that’s pretty exciting.

 

But, it gets better. In the small print, you find out that the Kodak ink is pigment ink! That means archival and waterproof like the Durabrite. They don’t make any ballyhoo about this at all and they should. And it gets even better . . .

 

When you take the printer out of the box, there is an extra plastic piece to snap in - looks like a carrier for the ink cartridges. But, it turns out it’s the print head! That means that you won’t have to throw the printer out if the heads get clogged - you can buy a new snap-in print head instead.

 

As a stand alone (without the computer), the Kodak can read most memory cards, and generate a proof sheet which you then mark by filling in little circles with black ink. You can then print those chosen photos on a 9-up layout, which gives you perfect size photos for journaling. There is a 3” pop-up LCD display for working with the menu and reviewing photos without the computer.

 

This is only my experience with this printer that I am sharing, but I think it’s a really nice addition to the studio - especially the inexpensive waterproof ink - and the fact that I won’t have to throw it out if the heads clog.

 

I found it at Office Depot for $200 with a Mail-in $40 rebate.