HP 230 PhotoSmart Printer

by HP

Product Details

Product Manual [1.43mb PDF]

• Item Weight: 3.1 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 7 pounds
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B00006LLJ8
• Item model number: HEWQ3000A
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes
• Date first available at Amazon.com: October 25, 2002

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

The HP PhotoSmart 230 color inkjet printer lets you preview your photos before you print using the color LCD display. Just select color, size, and format and print borderless 4-by-6-inch photos in brilliant color and up to 4,800 optimized dpi using HP premium photo paper.

You can print directly from your digital camera memory card; no PC is required. And it's fun to take the 230 with you to parties and events, thanks to its small, compact size. It's so simple, you can enjoy easy photo printing almost anywhere.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

78 of 79 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Compact . . Quick. . . And Easy, November 2, 2002

By 

E. Callaway (Grand Rapids, MI USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: HP 230 PhotoSmart Printer (Office Product)

This is a cute little printer. It has what all of the other mini-photo printers lacked. The LCD monitor. I picked one of these up for a client who traveled all over the world and didn't want to buy 20 memory sticks for her digital camera. This little machine does the job. With 4800x1200 line resolution and the fact that you do not need a computer to run it, it is a great pick for anyone who wants quality while he or she is on the move. The one disadvantage (I can't call its inability to print text a disadvantage, it was designed as a photo printer), is the fact that it uses the number 57 color ink cartridge instead of the 58 photo tank. . . The 57 is like 10 bucks more, and the photo tank has longer lasting ink. But overall, for the purpose of mobility, this printer does what it is supposed to do. It is a good piece of equipment and I think that it is pretty sturdy. The face folds into the printer for easy transport and so the print tray doesn't sustain damage in transit. It takes all of the major digital media: Compact Flash, Smart Media, Sony Memory Stick, and Secure Digital. Thus far they do not use the new format used in Fuji Film cameras.

If you have the money, and space is not a concern, consider the HP 7550. It is a fully functional printer and uses the number 58 photo tank in conjunction with the 56 black and the 57 color. If cost, space and transportability are a concern, then this is your printer. My complaints are actually pretty minor in comparison to the quality of the product, they just happen to stand out a bit, I still give it four out of five stars. . . It does exactly what it is supposed to and the quality of the pictures is top shelf!

epc

42 of 47 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars perfect little printer, December 10, 2002

By 

S. Gould "gouldpjaks" (Woodmere, NY United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: HP 230 PhotoSmart Printer (Office Product)

I purchased an earlier version of this printer last year along with my first digital camera. It is identical to this with one less port for memory cards. My camera was a 2 megapixel Olympus D510 so I did not intend to enlarge my photos beyond 4x6. This printer offered small size and ease of use, which appealed to me at the time. The printer does not need to be connected to a computer to produce high quality 4x6 images - as close to photos from film as you can get with 2 megapixels. I now have a three megapixel camera and the prints are even better.

This printer is so easy to use. Just plug it in, add paper, insert the smartmedia, compact flash, or memory stick into the appropriate slot, select the number of the photo you want to print, press the print button and watch a beautiful photo emerge from the printer. It weighs only 3 pounds and can be easily transported anywhere. I take it on vacation with me (in a soft sided, padded lunch box) and surprise my friends with instant copies of photos.

The are only a few drawbacks for this printer. First, photo paper and ink cartridges cost a lot so your photos will not be cheaper than outside processing. I try to purchase in larger quantities to reduce the cost and I use cheaper paper for less important prints. The second drawback is the inability to view the photo on the printer prior to printing. You'll have to jot down the photo's number from your camera screen. And, of course you can't crop or modify your prints on this printer, but that's not really different from developing photos at the store.

As for durability, as I said, I've had this printer for almost a year, have taken it everywhere, printed hundreds of photos and never had the slightest problem. It's a great little printer!

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Easy to tote and great quailty photos., December 2, 2002

By 

Joseph W. Bitson "gadget man" (Granite Bay, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: HP 230 PhotoSmart Printer (Office Product)

If you want to print a few high quality 4x6 photos on the spot without a PC, this is the printer for you. I recently attended a family reunion and before the punch bowl was empty everyone had a photo in their hand and a smile on their face. It is very easy to use. Just load any type memory chip and press print, or you can select the photo, adjust the contrast and crop the photo using the color screen. Get near photo lab results in a little over 2 minutes per photos.