Cheap HP PhotoSmart 245 Compact Photo Printer and Digital Camera Reviews

HP PhotoSmart 245 Compact Photo Printer

A go everywhere printer! 2004-08-16

This is hands down the best compact 4x6 printer on the market. I have been using a Canon S750 for most of my digital printing, and it works great, but the ease of the HP 245 and quality of prints is awesome. Just pop in your memory card and start printing, with a small screen to view your pictures and loads of features, your pictures always look great! Plus the zoom feature is just fantastic. I also bought a travel case for it so I can take it with me on trips, and the hp 11.5 mil. premium plus glossy photo paper with the tab so you don't have to touch the photo is the best paper out there period. An all around great printer!

A portable gem 2004-06-12

It is as big as a 2 slice toaster and weighs less than 3 pounds. It prints great pictures with very little setup. I never connected it to my computer as it has enough optional adjustments in it. My first one had a defect, the LCD read "print cartridge door is open" every time I used it, even though the door was not open. Second one is trouble free so far.

Great detail and convenience. I love it! 2004-06-08

I bought this printer to use with a Nikon Coolpix 4300 digital camera in a medical work envioronment. We print pictures of before and after surgical procedures and we keep a copy in the record and send one home with the client. The details are fantastic and always leave quite an impression! The printer takes up very little space and is very easy to use. We don't even have it connected to a computer. We leave it chairside in the procedure room, though it's easy to pick up and move if we need to. I have not had any problems with paper jamming, and I love being able to put 1,2 or 4 pictures on one sheet of paper. I've tried to keep track of how often we will be replacing the ink cartridge and have found that I can get about 100 prints out of a cartridge (which are about $35 apiece) and we use the matte HP paper. Very well worth the money and prints beautiful pictures in a short amount of time.

Much cheaper (and better) at your local drug store 2004-05-25

Follow-up to my earlier review (not on Amazon yet): at my local Rite Aid drug store chain, I can give them my flash memory card and it's only 21 cents per print for the whole card. If I select pictures at the photo counter, it's only 29 cents per print. At other drug stores (Walgreens, Duane Reade) it's only slightly cheaper, and they often offer rebates. All these stores offer quality guarantee, plus they use real professional paper.

So basically if you get the PhotoSmart 245 (or the cheaper 145 model withou the color LCD preview) you are paying a huge premium for convenience -- and if my experience is any guide, you won't actually get any conveninece because the printer jams too easily. Plus there's the question how long the print will last before fading.

For my hard-earned money (I'm probably far less paid than most of you guys who shop on Amazon.com) I'll stick with my local drug stores.

Of course, I'm talking from an urban-centric point of view. If you live in rural areas where getting to a digital-ready photo shop is not easy, this may make sense. Just beware of the printer jam and possible fading problems. Amen.

Jams easily, way too expensive per print 2004-05-24

Pros: 4x6 near-pro-quality prints, LCD preview, compact form factor

Cons: slow!!!, prints can fade quickly, paper feed jams frequently, high cost per print (~65 cents not including cost of printer!), questionable manufacture quality

Recommendation: wait for the new 25-cents-per-print Epson PictureMate printer, with better quality (according to PC Magazine) and much lower operating costs.

HP Does it again, smaller and better! 2004-05-21

This a great little compact printer which gives great printing results. If your camera is an "EXIF" type of camera, your prints couldn't come out better. I never connect it to my computer (I have my HP 7960 for that) I just insert my compactflash card after plugging in the power and away I go. I take it to weddings and parties in my add-on carry case and become the life of the party. You just have to be careful not to let the power cord or USB cord hinder the printing photo which comes out of the back during printing.

USB lead 2004-03-28

Pleased with the printer but disappointed that a USB cable was not provided.

Awesome 2004-03-10

I got this printer for Christmas. I have absoulutely fallen in love with it. I use it to print off my pixs from HP PS320 (also highly recommended). The print quality is great. I would recommend this to anybody. I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

False Paper Jam 2004-02-21

Bad .... this is the second HP PhotoSmart printer I've owned and I had to return it the store for a new one. When they work ... they work great. But like my first PhotoSmart, this one had to be returned for a replacement due to an inherent design flaw (firmware). The printer works fine for a while. In this case, two days. Then it started giving an erroneous 'print jam' error when in fact there was nothing causing the jam. HP said to return to store for new or refund. I keep wondering when HP is going to fix this problem?

Printer Fan in the Northwest 2004-01-29

AWESOME! This printer is so easy and it prints such great pictures that I have switched completely over to digital. You will be printing in minutes from getting it out of the box and not be stuck next to your PC. I have it set up in the kitchen were most of the action seems to take place and we are always printing the latest set of photo's. It is even more fun when I take it to a party and print photo's out on the spot. People are really awestruck over the picture quality. Since it works with virtually all digital cameras you can't go wrong with this printer.

Struggle with Mac OS X 10.3: Panther 2004-01-19

I don't have very much desk space for a printer and wanted something small for printing photos. I originally bought a Canon i560 but returned it because it was too big. This printer is nice and small. Doesn't come with a USB cable and I forgot to order it when I ordered the printer (Doh!) so I had to buy one at CompUSA for $25.

Prints beautiful photos from the memory stick, and when the USB cable is attached to your computer, you can use the memory stick reader on the printer to transfer photos into your computer.

I had to reinstall the OS before I could get it to print with Mac OS 10.3: Panther. I tried loading the latest drivers from the HP website (2.3.7) and it didn't work. Finally did a clean install of the OS and was able to get the printer to work with my Mac.

Must use tabbed paper 2004-01-19

I got this as a gift, and while I was impressed with it at first, I later realized after a lot of printing and trying different options and finally calling their support, that I cannot print 4x6 images on 4x6 paper. If I want a 4x6 image, I have to print on 4x6 paper *with* a tab. The printer will always leave 1/2 inch blank on the paper. I'm very surprised about this and still have trouble believing it. This means that I have to resize each print by hand if I want it to print correctly on this paper (by default it just cuts it off). Maybe another reviewer can confirm this? Apparently with the bigger printers you can use non-tabbed paper and have it print on the whole thing, but not with the small printers.

very cool... 2004-01-12

I purchased this photo printer for my brother this past Christmas. We set it up and within a matter of minutes we printed up several photos we took that day with our entire extended family by simply plugging in his digital camera's memory stick into the printer. It was that easy to use.

This is perfect for situations where you can instantly print out photos, make multiple copies, and give them to people right there.

Needless to say, the image quality was quite good and the preview window helped to scan through the library of photos of the memory card to select which image to print.

With all that in mind, this might not be a suitable printer if you don't plan on using it for such purposes. But if you like the idea of turning your digital camera into an instant polaroid camera, this is exactly what you need. However my one wish, perhaps for their next model upgrade, is to include battery support so that this printer can be fully portable for say outdoor excursions.

HP PhotoSmart 245 2004-01-04

This printer is quick with its printing and easy to use but the quality of prints is mediocre at best. line quality and color produced is a has a hazy quality especially in darker photo's, the prints also take HOURS to dry (even after a day the prints are extremely prone to fingerprints and anything also that could stick to them. I purchased this printer and used it with each of my 3 digital cameras (canon sd100, pentax optio330 and kodak easyshare) and couldn't get good results. I have returned mine and IM currently seeking an alternative.

I'm in love.... 2003-12-30

This is a GREAT little printer and totally worth the $$$ - YOU WILL LOVE IT TOO! I opened the box and within 5 min had a picture in my hand that was as clear and as good a quality as any online photo shop. It is fast, cheap and EASY and the best part - it's INSTANT. I have already printed out over 100 4x6 photos and the ink cart. is still going strong! A huge plus is not having to turn on your computer and log on everytime you want to print out a picture. I have two small children and I take dozens of pictures of them a week. Its nice to now be able to pick just the right shots and print them INSTANTLY. You literally take the picture, put your memory card into the printer, edit the picture if you want and then print. The WHOLE PROCESS takes less than 2 min. - I am not kidding!!
It is so intuitive, you don't even need to read the instruction manual. Trust me, I didn't believe that I would be impressed, but I was. If you love pictures, this is totally for you!!

Incredible Printer! 2003-12-27

I got this printer for Christmas to go with my new digital camera and I am very impressed! The prints look as detailed as film pictures. This printer also allows you to crop pictures, change the print quality and quantity, and even change the color to black and white, sepia, or antique (sepia with some faint colors). It's very easy to use, especially since no computer is required. This printer is an excellent investment!

Hp PhotoSmart 245 Compact Printer 2003-12-21

This little printer Rocks!!! It is easy to use, compact and totally portable. The print quality is awsome...it prints a photo in about 60-90 seconds. It accepts all newer digital camera media. You can preview your photos on a 2" screen. Also, you can print a sheet with 2 photos, 4, 6, 8, 24. Hewlett Packard does it again. The quality, and good price is the best selling point. Many acessories available.

Very nice, but one problem... 2003-12-11

I love the convenience and ability to carry this around. Inserting a memory card is all that is needed, but what I didn't know is that, unless this is attached to a computer, you DON'T get the nice, crisp, high-resolution printouts shown in the examples and descriptions. The photos print at a MUCH lower resolution. What looks crisp on the camera may print a little blurred -- unless you attach this printer to a computer. This is a catch I wish had been explained before purchase. For the cost of this printer and the need to have it hooked up to a computer to get quality prints, you might as well invest in a regular-sized printer or get the photos printed on Wal-Mart's superior equipment.

Most awesome photo printer on the market 2003-11-28

This is by far the most convenient, compact, and coolest gadget that HP has come out with. You don't even need your computer or your camera. You just extract the memory card, plug it into the printer and BAM, in seconds you have beautiful pictures. It is truly what I have been waiting for. I have been looking and looking for a portable printer that would accomadate the XD card from my Olympus camera and here it is.

A MUST HAVE!! 2003-11-17

I LOVE this printer! Within 2 minutes of opening the box, I was printing beautiful photos from my Sony Memory Stick. I have had a digital camera for over a year and have sent many photos via E-mail to family and friends, but it would always take me "forever" to go get prints made. I absolutely loved being able to hand my neighbor friend pictures of our kids together in their trick-or-treat outfits instantly. It has been a true joy to print out hundreds of photos practically non-stop. SO,WHY IS THIS A MUST HAVE? It is extremely easy to use and comes with a "no brainer" setup guide. What you see on the LCD screen is EXACTLY how the photo will look when you print it. You can enhance the photo (ie: brightness control etc.) right from the printer. All you do is plug it into the wall, and start printing. You don't ever have to connect it to a computer, though you can easily if you want to. It can be used with several memory cards including: CompactFlash Type I and II; Sony Memory Sticks; Lexar Media Sticks; Secure Digital; MultiMedia Card; and xD-Picture Cards. (Wanted to mention this as I was told at a local electronics store that I would need to buy Sony's Photo Printer because the Sony Media Stick wouldn't work with any others). I especially love being able to tell it to print 5 copies of a single photo and go off to do something else and return to find gorgeous photos ready for myself, Grandma and Grandpa, Nana, and Aunts and Uncles to boot...all from the comfort of my own home where it is much easier to entertain my kids than it is at a stores printing center. Give it a try, I am certain you will be impressed!! Sorry I can't comment on the software that came with it as I haven't even opened it yet...no need to my photos are AWESOME already!! THANKS HP!!

Unbelieveable...can't live without it 2003-11-04

You must get this product. It is so fast and easy. I love it. Just put the memory card in, select the photo using the display, then print. In minutes, I have my photo printed. So much better then having to go through the PC. Now I do it without any help from my husband or kids! I wish I got it years ago.

It is a must have.

Best Photo Printer I've Ever Owned 2003-10-31

I love this printer. I take lots of photos of my family and the photos would usually sit on my card. With the PS 245 printer, I can easily print my photos without having to be locked down to the PC. I take the printer with me when we go on family vacations and print my photos right then. I also will bring the printer into my family room and start printing while I'm preparing dinner. When I have a special photo that I want to use in a greeting card or some other creative fashion, I just take the printer to the PC and easily upload the photo and then edit and create from the PC. This printer makes it easy for me to print all of my 4 by 6 inch photos, whenever I want to and where ever I am. The quality is amazing and I never have to wait to get my photos processed at the store.

So neat, I bought a second one! 2003-10-16

Even though it's portable, I wanted a second for my office. Prints pictures every bit as beautiful as my HP Photosmart 1215.
I love it! Whatever will they think of next?

HP PhotoSmart 245 Compact Photo Printer 2003-10-10

Got the printer and within minutes I was printing quality photographs!!
I had been looking for a printer like this for some time now. I photograph small items in macro conditions that are used for insurance appraisals and this printer fits the bill.
Set-up is fast and easy and printing time (in color - hi-res) is plenty fast for my tastes. The included software for the PC allows you to print out anything from wallet to 4x6" prints with just the click of a button. If you don't want to use a PC, loading pictures directly from you media card or from the camera directly is a breeze. Excellent printer for someone on the go!!

Great Photo Printer! 2003-09-14

This printer is so easy to use. Without reading the instructions I was printing pictures almost immediately after opening the box. The easiest part about it is that you don't have to hook it up to the computer, and you can still crop and adust the darkness of the picture. In less than a minute you will have a clear true color 4x6 print. This printer can only print 4x6 prints, but how often do you need enlargements? For less than $200 this printer will not disappoint you. The only draw back is that the 1.8" LCD display could be a little more clear. The text is very clear, but the image of your picture isn't as clear as it could be.