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In most cases, it’s better to buy a dedicated device to handle specific
input and output requirements. A transparency scanner can usually do a better
job of digitizing slides than a flatbed with a transparency adapter. A dedicated
photo printer does a better job at producing photo-realistic output than a consumer
inkjet primarily intended to generate documents. And a dedicated copier can
generally produce output much faster and cheaper per copy than other devices
that can be adapted to make copies.
But buying dedicated devices for each task can get expensive, and many people
just don’t have room on their desks for more than one device. On top of
that, the more devices that are added to a computer system, the greater the
potential for problems.
There are times, because of budget requirements, space limitations or for simplicity’s
sake, when buying a dedicated device for each input and output requirement just
isn’t practical. That’s when buying a multi-function device—a
unit that can be used as a scanner, a printer and a copier and more—makes
sense.
Multi-function devices have been used as in small offices and home business
for a number of years. Until relatively recently, however, they weren’t
a real option for serious photographers. Generally, it was a matter of sacrificing
input resolution and output quality for the cost and space savings such units
provided. They were fine for copying some document or quickly generating a draft-quality
image. However, they couldn’t generate the quality of photo-realistic
output that photographers demanded.
Fortunately, units that can handle a variety of input and output tasks have
gotten a lot better. Some rival the quality of dedicated consumer scanners and
printers that cost almost as much, alone, as the multi-function units do. And
they can do things that scanner/printer combinations can’t, such as being
used as stand-alone equipment, without being connected to a computer.
Many of the units on the market go beyond simply scanning and printing images.
Like some higher-end dye-sub and inkjet printers, a number of the higher-end
multi-function units have built-in memory-card readers that make it possible
to print directly from the cards. When connected to a computer, they can also
be used as card readers, so that the information contained on the memory card
is transferred to the computer.
While they do save desktop space, since only one footprint has to be accommodated
on the working surface, multi-function units are generally larger and heavier
than inkjet printers with similar capabilities. Some include small LCDs that
make it possible to see the scanned image directly before sending it to be printed.
Even though the whole scanning/printing process is digital, and there’s
theoretically no quality loss involved with a digital reproduction process,
with most of these units, there is a slight deterioration of image quality between
the original and the final output.
One capability that is particularly interesting with these units is the ability
to make photo-realistic glossy copies. Color laser printers have been around
for a long time, and they do a very good job of copying photos, but the final
image looks more like a document page than a photograph.
These multi-function devices can take any standard photograph and come up with
very nice-looking glossy prints. It’s even possible to convert a color
photograph into black-and-white by simply making a black-and-white copy on glossy
paper.
All multi-function models can be connected to a computer, which means that images
can be optimized and color balanced. In many cases, however, they’re going
to be used as stand-alone units. So it’s important that the output when
it’s being used as a copier looks good. They may be off-color somewhat.
Some models, for example, print cooler images, others generate warmer-toned
images when copying.
These units do provide basic image-correction capabilities, such as changing
contrast and brightness, but in most cases, when copying, you have to be satisfied
with the output color characteristics of the unit involved. If at all possible,
try to generate sample output from the unit or units you’re most interested
in.
All the units on the market have rated print speeds. Many are rated at more
than 20 pages per minute in black and white or 12 to 15 in color. That would
mean they could print each black and white copy in less than three seconds and
each color copy in about four seconds.
Those ratings are, at best, extremely optimistic. While it is possible to make
some black-and-white document copies in less than three seconds, they have to
be originals with a limited amount of text. Similarly, pages with some color
content print fairly rapidly, but photo-realistic output takes much longer.
Generating a snapshot-sized print can take a half-minute to several minutes.
Still, that’s not much different than inkjet printers that can’t
do all the other things that multi-function devices can.
These multi-function devices work very much like copiers. Most can reduce or
enlarge output, some can generate over-sized panel prints and some can produce
a number of copies from one original. Some units can also be used to print directly
from digital cameras.
There are a dozen or so different multi-function models on the market. Almost
all of them can print photographs, but some do it better than others. It’s
a good idea to make sure that the selected model was specifically designed for
photo-realistic output. The following three models, which are listed from lowest
price to highest, are representative photo-realistic multi-function units available.
Lexmark’s P-6250 Home Photo Center All-In-One is a good example of an
affordable, versatile, relatively compact unit that takes the place of a scanner,
printer, copier and card reader that was designed for photo-realistic output.
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Lexmark P-6250 Home Photo Center All-in-One
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