Digital Cameras and Photo Printing

Digital cameras and photo printing has become one of the hottest consumer trends since the inception of the VCR.  The purchasing curve for individual household penetration has blown away all previously recorded data for digital and electronics purchases.  It seems we’re completely mesmerized by our own image and the ability to create and print photos.   So what’s the deal?

It would seem that the mass appeal of the digital camera is the promise of less clutter from printed pictures, the ability to email photos and store them on a computer, and the ability to perform the photo printing right from the comfort of your home.

Perhaps of all the options listed, printing our own pictures holds the greatest appeal.  Generally, when you develop a roll of film you get all the pictures, even those you don’t want.  This option for printing only the photos we want, is similar to the freedom that burning our own CDs gave us: we get to pick and choose only the items that appeal to us.

Direct photo printing from our digital cameras, via a USB connection to our printer gives us that freedom to pick and choose, and then instantly create the prints.  The digital contribution means that our pictures are clearer and crisper than ever, and that we can actually produce good, quality photos via our own printing equipment.

The paper that you must use in order to achieve the professional printed look, is photo printing paper manufactured by Kodak, and other generic manufacturers’ such as the office supply companies of Office Depot and Staples.  I have personally used both brands, and found there to be no difference in picture quality.

This craze is expected to hang around for at least as long as television, VCRs, and DVDs; I would assume that as long as we can create images from our digital cameras with the photo printing options we now have, we’ll keep snapping those pictures.