A photo printer is a specially designed printer to produce high-quality photographs with rich colors, making the photos realistic. These printers have six to ten ink cartridges compared to the basic four colors found in regular printers. Photo printers also use specially coated paper to prevent the ink from smearing and fading over time. A thermal photo printer is another type of printing device that is widely used and can develop high-resolution prints compatible with different media.
Features of a thermal printer
Unlike the other types of printers that use ink cartridges to print images or text, thermal printers use a heated printhead to develop an image. Such prints are not only high-quality but can withstand harsh conditions like exposure to sunlight, moisture, etc. The prints created by thermal printers provide striking features such as:
- Durability.
- Flexibility in printing with various types of papers and materials.
- Images are crisp, high-contrast, and scannable in the case of barcodes.
Types
There are two types of thermal photo printers available in the market, distinguished by their application and working; they are:
Direct thermal printing:
In this printer, there are no ribbons or ink-jets involved; instead, the printhead applies heat directly to the heat-sensitive thermal paper. The thermal paper reacts with the heat from the printhead to develop black imprints. Such printers are often used in shops and banks to print receipts and in other areas where high-volume transactions take place. The features of such printers are:
- Suitable for high-speed printing.
- The images are readable and crisp.
- It needs little to no maintenance as no ink cartridges are used.
Thermal transfer printing:
As the name suggests, this type of printer uses a heated printhead that applies heat to a wax or resin-coated ribbon. When heat is applied to the ribbon, the wax or resin melts and gets transferred onto the printing material, absorbing it to create images or texts. The key advantages of the printer are:
- The print is high resolution and can use multiple colors at once.
- Prints last longer and do not fade with time.
- Such printers are reliable and durable and offer printing options on various media.
Conclusion
Photo printers are a big part of the current printing industry. They provide extremely high-quality prints that are realistic and durable. However, you must explore the different types of photo printers to find the right one, depending on your needs. To find a similar printer, search “buy photo printer” to view all available options. You may visit WestFoto for more details regarding thermal photo printers.
Visit our website for more details https://www.westfoto.com/.
