You’ve got all those photos on your phone that you’ve meant to print. Why not invest in a compact photo printer? It’s a lot more convenient than sending your shots to a service, then waiting for them. And Canon’s SELPHY series can make professional-grade prints and personalized stickers, too. Let’s review three of their wireless photo printers to see which one is the best for you.
Canon SELPHY CP1300 Wireless Compact Photo Printer
The photos that the Canon SELPHY CP1300 prints can last up to 100 years without degrading. That’s perfect for keeping and sharing memories for a long time in the future. And the clarity of the images is excellent at 300dpi x 300dpi resolution and 24-bit color depth.
If you install the Canon app on your smartphone or tablet, you can print instantly from wherever you are, as long as the CP1300 is linked over Wi-Fi to your home network. Apple device users don’t even need the Canon PRINT app to manage this feat. Owners of other Android devices, a Kindle Fire tablet, or a PC or Mac can also print wirelessly to the CP13600. Or you can send an image straight from Instagram and Facebook, too.
If you have photographs on an SD card or USB pen drive, the CP1300 accepts those as well. Just load the paper you want to use and choose the option from the on-screen menu. When you want to reproduce an image, you can choose from stickers, 2.1-inch square photos, credit card size, 2×6 strips, and 4”x6” shots. The CP1300 comes ready to use with sample ink and postcard-size paper.
Since the SELPHY CP1300 is small and light, you might be tempted to take it with you. And you can bring it along, even if you don’t have an electrical outlet nearby. Canon sells an optional battery pack that fits it for on-the-go printing. And that’s handy when you want to enjoy the Party Shuffle feature and let everyone create a collage together.
Finally, it doesn’t take long for your photos to be ready. Mini-stickers only take 27 seconds per sheet, and 4×6 images need less than a minute. Plus, the ink is practically dry as soon as the printer finishes its work.
More features of the Canon SELPHY CP1300 photo printer:
- Comes with paper cassette, five sheets of postcard size photo paper, power adapter, KP-108IN ink, Xtech custom hard compact case, USB printer cable, and HeroFiber cleaning cloth
- Compatible with SD, SDHC, SDXC, miniSD, and other mini and microSD variants
- Measures 7.1 x 5.4 x 2.5 inches
- Covered by a 1-year warranty
Canon SELPHY CP1200 Wireless Color Compact Photo Printer Bundle
The Canon SELPHY CP1200 is the forerunner to the CP1300. Since it’s an older model with fewer features, you might find it at a discount price.
Let’s go over what the CP1200 lacks compared to the CP1300. First, the CP1200 doesn’t have the Party Shuffle feature that lets multiple printers link together to create a photo collage. Then, it also has a smaller screen than the CP1300. And it also can’t print 2×6-inch photo strips. Finally, it also has an older version of the user interface.
But the CP1200 can do all the rest, like print stickers, credit-card-size shots, square images, and postcards. Plus, you can customize your photos by correcting red-eye and smoothing skin surface for portrait optimization. You don’t even need a computer to make these adjustments.
When you print, a postcard-size shot only takes 47 seconds to complete. And it looks clear and sharp because of the 24-bit color depth and 300dpi resolution. Plus, the ink and paper are water-resistant and designed to last up to 100 years. And you can still send photos to the CP1200 from anywhere like your tablet or phone, your computer, or an SD card or USB drive.
More features of the Canon SELPHY CP1200 photo printer:
- Comes with two ink and 4×6 paper sets, USB printer cable, power adapter and cord, and FiberTique cleaning cloth
- Covered by a 1-year warranty
Canon SELPHY CP910 Compact Photo Color Printer
The Canon SELPHY CP910 has been discontinued, but it’s still a great way to get started with wireless photo printing at a lower price. When it was released a few years ago, it was the first 4×6 wireless printer from Canon that could reproduce images directly from a smartphone. It achieved lots of positive reviews because it was incredibly portable and convenient for its time.
The software on the CP910 automatically corrects red-eye in photos and adjusts lighting in dark images. Of course, it prints borderless images on 4×6 postcards or credit card size photos. And you can send images to it from your compatible camera, smartphone, or tablet. You don’t even need a Wi-Fi network because the printer creates its own access point.
You can also link your CP910 to your computer with a USB cable, or print from SD cards or USB drives. And you’ll still get the high-quality photos created by dye-sublimation technology. That’s Canon’s signature process that makes your photographs look lab-quality beautiful. And it also ensures they resist water and scratches to last up to 100 years.
Each photo takes a little longer to print than it does on the Canon SELPHY CP1200 or CP1300, but it still only takes about a minute before your photo is ready.
More features of the Canon SELPHY CP910 photo printer:
- Comes with power adapter and software on CD-ROM
- Compatible with a variety of Canon photo paper products like labels, card-size stickers, and 4×6 sheets
- Also compatible with an optional battery pack for ultimate portability
Recommendation
Each new iteration of the Canon SELPHY brings new features. If you want the latest and greatest, get the CP1300. It offers the widest choice of print options, and it’s one of two fastest printers out of these three. Plus, it has a more intuitive user interface and larger display.
If you want to save a little money, you might find the CP1200 sufficient for your needs. It has a smaller screen and a slightly different interface, but it’s easy to use. You won’t have the choice of 2×6 photo strips or the Party Shuffle mode, but you’ll get all the rest of the fun features.
Finally, the CP910 is a little slower, and it doesn’t print all the same kinds of photos that the other two SELPHY models do. But it can serve as its own access point for you to send photos from your compatible camera—you don’t even need a wireless network.
Click here to purchase Canon SELPHY CP1300 on Amazon.com!
Click here to purchase Canon SELPHY CP1200 on Amazon.com!
Click here to purchase Canon SELPHY CP910 on Amazon.com!