Customer Reviews

Sony DPP-F700 7-Inch Digital Photo Frame/Printer

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I would like to first off that I have never owned a mini picture printing station so this is a bit new to me. My wife thought it would be really nice to be able to print off pictures of her cakes done after she finishes them so I decided to get this unit.
The Sony is probably one of the most expensive models but none that I have seen look as good or serve as a picture frame like the Sony so as far as I can tell it is a market of its own.
The setup was very easy to do Plug and Play really. I never even had to crack open the manual. This is for me since I really don't like reading long boaring manuals.
I plugged in my SD card loaded with pictures and WOW the pictures are very very nice and vibrant!! Not bad at all. I have a couple of stand alone picture frames and this one blows them away for viewing quality.
I was printing pictures out and viewing them in no time at all. The quality of the prints are as good if not maybe better than your local 1hr lab.
I also liked that you can program when to have the picture viewer turn on and off with the timer function. And if for some reason you did not have enough clocks in your house the screen can serve as that function too.
My only concern is the cost factor. The Sony is from what I have seen the most expensive per print out there. This is comparing to Kodak, Hp, and Epson.

PROS: Very well built unit that also serves as picture viewer or clock when not using to print pictures.
The ability to use the provided stand rod to position the unit to view pictures with it sitting vertical or horizontal.
The Sony auto automaticlly rotates the pictures as needed.
Picture viewing quality is best I have seen from a picture frame.
The printed pictures are very true and nice quality.
The included remote is very well laid out and works well for me.

CONS: The Sony is expensive to purchase and continue to use.
The glossy finish gets finger prints very easily. But all new high devices do now days so you just need to get use to
it.
I really like it and my wife loves it.

Conclusion. If cost is not your major factor then this is for you. The quality is second to none.

The screen on this photo frame is phenomenal! Pictures are crisp, clear, & high resolution. I loaded a TON of pics on an SDHC card shot from a Canon T1i and the frame displayed them beautifully. It added effects to transitions between pics, correctly rotated images shot vertically and horizontally on the camera, and allows you to choose what order to see them in. Other sweet features; you can choose to display calendars or clocks on the screen (with or without pics).

Removing the SDHC card and plugging the frame in to my MacBook Air, it was INSTANTLY connected as a 'removable drive' and I was able to add photos by simply dragging and dropping them from iPhoto! WIN for Mac users!

At first I figured the printer part of this thing was 'gimmicky'. Until I printed a photo. It BLEW my Canon Pixma ip4500 printer away in quality. Prints are FANTASTIC. No other way to say it. They are clear, bright, gorgeous prints that rival anything you can buy from a photo store or photo printer at ANY price point. This is my default photo printer now! The printing ribbon Sony gives is SUPER easy to install too, unlike our Canon which has 5 (FIVE!) ink tanks that constantly seem to be empty and cost crazy amounts to replace.

We used Sony photo paper with this, which was priced competitively and looks sweet in 'glossy', too! I've run about 40 prints so far and the thing hasn't asked for any new ink, so all is well.

The things I didn't like, but are NOT deal breakers:
1. The software runs a little slow... when you use the remote and make a selection on the menu it can take a half-second to respond. I'm so used the snappiness of my iPhone, I found I clicked 2 or 3 times thinking it hadn't received the signal. It did, just took a sec to catch-up.

2. The frame itself (if just thought of as a photo frame) is thicker than expected. Once you see one of the prints, you'll know why and it becomes an INSTANT non-issue.

Unexpectedly loved:
The way it looks!! Glossy black, gorgeous LED backlit buttons on the face of it are touch sensitive and really make the frame look futuristic. It prints fast too! It lays one color at a time as it prints, so it's cool to watch!

First things first: It looks cool and Sony quality oozes out in every aspect of the product.

Now, for details. Read my review in conjunction with earlier reviews as I will try not to repeat what others have said.

- Controls for the device are placed on the right hand side of the front panel. However, you can't see them. They are touch controls and they light up only when you go to touch them. Very creative and attractive.
- In addition to 1 GB internal memory, it can also access veriety of memory cards. Lucky for me, it can take compact flash cards! I have a 4 GB compact flash card that is just sitting - now I can put it to use.
- You can connect this device to computer via USB (cable not provided) to upload pictures. You can also transfer files between external memory cards and internal memory.
- Transitions in slideshow mode are limited, but display modes are numerous. You can show the calendar, clock, and the pictures in many different ways.
- Printer makes the device complex. You have to store certain components - e.g. paper tray, cleaning cartridge (a piece of plastic), paper etc. Also, the printer mode requires about 4" space in the back and 6" space in the front.
- Photo printing employs multi-pass process, but it is all automatic. It is interesting to see how each color is overlaid at each pass.
- Printed photo quality is just acceptable. My regular HP OfficeJet produces much better quality prints.
- When you submit the print command, it prints as it is shown on the screen. For example, if there is a clock or calendar on the screen, that will be printed as well. So, before hitting the print button, you may have to change the display mode.
- The adapter brick is huge. What was Sony thinking? The adapter brick of my notebook computer is probaly a third of the size of this brick.

Final thoughts:
Is it primarily a printer or a picture frame? I think it is primarily a printer and photo frame is only a bonus. I think this way because the printer part makes the device bulky and much heavier than a photo frame. Also, loose components that need to be stored are only for the printer. If you don't use this device much for printing, then you should probably look for a stand alone picture frame. However, there is absolutely no doubt that this device can easily become a "conversation piece" and "show off" gadget in your house.


Update 7/28/2010:
This device is becoming less and less attractive as a photo frame. It has 1 GB internal space, and it allows you to store your pictures in multiple folders. What it doesn't let you do is to display a slideshow of just one folder. We just returned from a vacation and I just want to display our recent vacation photos for the next few weeks. Only way to accomplish that is to (1) delete existing photos (and all the folders) and copy the new pictures or (2) copy new pictures into an empty memory card and run slideshow from that card.

I have another photo frame made by Philips. It will allow me to create multiple albums. This Sony product doesn't.

So, I called Sony's support. The lady can hear me, but I can barely hear her. And, the conversation wasn't going anywhere. Then I tried their chat support. The chat lady didn't have any other reference material than the product manual. I already have a product manual and I know it doesn't have any reference to creating multiple albums. If they are referring to the same information that I can read, why do I need their customer support? Anyway, my experience with their support was mediocre.

I would still rate this product **** because there are work-arounds to the problem.

I've wanted a digital photo frame this size for a while. At first, I was thrown by the built in printer, but it's actually pretty cool.


Image Quality

The screen on this Sony digital photo frame is stunning. My photos are crisp, clear and vibrant. The 7 inch screen and black frame gives the same feel of having a framed print on display, only the pictures are much more vibrant. The black frame around the screen is elegant with a high gloss finish. It does pick up fingerprints quite easily, but that's not really an issue as far as I'm concerned -- a simple wipe with a cleaning cloth is well worth the high impact look. The screen itself is viewable from any angle with very little degradation, meaning, you don't need to be viewing it straight on for it to look great. It looks equally good from most any viewing angle.


Ease of Use

Sure, instruction manuals are great in case you run into a snag, but a true litmus test of great electronics is the ability to use them right out of the box with zero explanation -- and this Sony digital frame passes with flying colors. The setup menus are well laid out and straightforward. No need to bog down the fun with needless reading, just grab this cool digital frame and dive right in! I was able to transfer a couple hundred photos onto it and setup all my favorite features within minutes. The whole process from out the box to displaying pictures on my shelf took less than 30 minutes.


Onboard memory

This digital photo frame comes with 1gb of internal memory, so there's no need to spend more money on a memory card. Actually, I resent products that require you to spend more money just to make them work, so it was nice to see this photo frame came with plenty of built in memory. I decided to put all our wedding photos onto this and prefer having a photo frame that displays just that special day alone. And since all those photos easily fit onto the included memory, I'll never need to buy more. But for those looking to add even more pics, this photo frame easily accepts additional memory cards on the side of the unit.


Cool Features

One of the features I like best is the ability to set a timer for when the digital frame turns on and off. The timer can be customized for each day of the week so I set it up to turn on M-F when I get home from work and off when I normally go to bed. Then on the weekends, I have it staying on most for the day, from 7am - 11pm. It's really cool to know it'll be on when I'm around most, yet off and conserving energy when I'm not. And I love that once it's set, I never have to think about it again! Even better, it seems to hold all the custom features in memory, so power failures won't erase all your settings. I've been enjoying the pictures so much I haven't wanted to unplug it for extended periods to test it out. But I did have to unplug it for a while and bring it over to the computer to add a few more pics, and after I was done, all my settings were still intact.


Printer

Like I said, at first the attached printer kinda threw me, but now I'm really happy to have it. I think I was worried that the printer would make the whole thing needlessly bulky, but that really isn't the case. All picture frames have a little kick-stand that keeps them upright, and the printer on the back of this frame really doesn't occupy much more space than that. Yes, it's thicker and runs the length of the entire frame, but the footprint itself isn't much different. The printer folds flush against the digital frame and only adds 2-3 inches of depth. The digital screen tilts away from the printer if you want to make prints, but otherwise, the two stay flush to each other. Actually, the added thickness ensures that the frame sits solidly in place on my shelf, and being in earthquake country, that's an added plus!

The printer itself is very similar to my Kodak Easy Share printer that I got with my Kodak digital camera. The ink cartridges are the same and so is the printing process, so I wouldn't doubt Sony is using the technology in tandem with Kodak in some way. I'm positive my Kodak Easy Share ink cartridges would work in this printer but haven't experimented yet. This Sony came with a pack of ink and paper good for 40 prints, so that's enough to get me going before I bother with any experimenting. Like my Kodak, the prints are thermal coated and are on par, if not better, than anything you'd get at your local photo shop. And next time someone says, "Great picture, can I have a copy?" I can just print it right out from my digital frame and give it to them! Neat!


Image Sensor & Remote

This digital frame has a sensor that automatically knows if you're displaying your frame horizontally or vertically. I have mine placed horizontally and I tilted the digital screen away from the printer slightly to get the perfect viewing angle. And the unit comes with a remote control that enables you to operate most every feature with ease, including printing photos. Pretty cool! At this point, I can't think of anything I'd improve.


Bottom Line:

This is an awesome digital photo frame and I'm really happy to have it. And it's been very nice to reconnect with special photos on a daily basis and have them displayed on such a nice looking frame. This makes me want to get a larger digital frame for my wall some day! I recommend this product highly!

Sony's new Sony DPP-F700 7-Inch Digital Photo Frame & Printer reviewed here is a cool gadget considering the fact that it is not only a Digital Photo Frame but also includes a color 4x6" inch postcard Photo printer which can be used on the device itself or it can be accessed via the USB port with a PC, The drivers for the printer are included in the provided CD.

The Digital Photo Frame has an excellent display quality; The Black frame has a glossy finish which will fit any room décor, the images are clear, bright, vibrant full of color and come out very pretty. It is almost like viewing on a high end LCD panel. The Printer is an added bonus and print quality is pretty good.

The Black glossy photo frame does pick up fingerprints easily, but if you use the included full function remote control you do not need to touch the unit. I love the illuminated front panel on the unit which lights up once you move your fingers on it, Sony has included some nice touches to the unit and the buttons are laid out nicely and functions very well.

The Digital Photo frame has 1GB on board memory which can be accessed via USB or the device has the capability to import pictures on it's own from the SD slot. The instruction manual provided is very well detailed and easy to read. It has tons of features that are well documented. The basic functions can be activated even without reading the manual which emphasizes that the menu interface is nice!

The included printer does make the unit slightly heavier and increases the depth of the unit, on the other side, it does make this unit very stable on the surface, I personally like to keep the unit flat on the surface and tilt the screen for optimal viewing angle, in this way you can use the printer whenever needed.

PROS:

[+] Wide Screen high Quality Digital Photo Frame plus bonus 4x6" Photo Printer built-in
[+] 1GB onboard memory for storing your favorite photos.
[+] Image sensor for automatic photo orientation in the frame
[+] No need for PC to load photos and print photos, it can import directly from SD/CF cards
[+] Good Quality Photo printout in less than 50 seconds

CONS:

[-] Slightly bulky and heavy
[-] Printer ink and photo paper print pack is optional

When you buy this please consider that your order includes Sony Photo Printer Paper 40 sheets (SVM-F40P/2) or Sony 4 x 6-Inch Print Pack with Snap-Off Edges for DPP-F Printers (SVM-F120P)

The DPP-F700 7-Inch Digital Photo Frame/Printer is a very well built device, It has some nice touches, excellent menu interface, Tons of features like calendar, variety of clocks, it however lacks sound or clock radio, but includes printer which is a nice welcome feature for some who wants to instantly print a favorite photo and share it.

This photo printer is everything Sony says it is. It makes great looking photo prints with excellent detail and color. The photos are not too sensitive to touch. I can actually pick them up without leaving finger prints.

It does more than just 4x6 photos. For example, you can make groups of smaller wallet size photos on a single sheet and calendars with your favorite picture on them.

I'm really glad that I purchased this photo printer. I have no complaints.

By the way, the correct paper/ink for the Sony DPP-F700 printer is SVM-F120P. Don't be fooled by the other paper/ink kits displayed on the same page with this printer. (I'm not saying how I know this.)

I don't know why Sony thinks there's a market for this product. If you're like me, who is adept at using a computer to edit and print photos, this product does nothing better and isn't more convenient. If you are thinking of buying this as a present for your mother, think again. This is a fairly intimidating product. Lots of instructions and parts in plastic bags. I'm not saying it's difficult to set up, it's just not "plug and print." In other words, you should be comfortable with new technology and be able to figure out new ways of doing things.

I also own a Sony digital picture frame. The quality of the display is excellent, but the learning curve is steep. Same for this printer/frame. I did note some improvements in usability versus my older frame, but I think there is just too much to figure out and keep in mind when using this as a frame or a printer.

1) The navigation is part touch screen on the front panel and part a hidden button on the edge of the frame. You need to know where each is, how each works and what each does to fully operate this product
2) The pictures come from removable storage (it accepts most formats) or USB and is either transferred to internal memory or printed from the removable storage (you have to switch between the sources you want to use). I know my mother and sisters have never managed to transfer images to internal memory on the digital frame I bought my mother, and I know my digital picture frame has the same images on internal storage I added when I set it up. Nobody likes the process
3) Once you figure out how you want your pictures displayed (slideshow set to whatever time you want, single advance, multiple image, image with clock, and many more), there is a nice, noticeable "print" button on the front panel. If you are using slideshow or single advance, you have to tediously move through them until you find the one you want. So, you'd think switch to index view would be a good idea. There are 3 index display modes displaying 6, 15 and 32, but the screen is so small, 15 is as many as you could fit and get any good idea if the picture would be good to print. Now, the weird thing is, if you find a photo to print from an index display, you click on it and the single image fills the screen. If you want to print it, you press Print. However, if you don't want it, the display mode is now stuck on single advance. If you want to go back to index, you have to go through the selection process again. Not convenient
4) The dye sublimation process requires the printer to go back and forth over the image, printing one color at a time (it's sort of like watching an old Polaroid picture develop). The quality is good, but no better than a good ink jet set up. And I don't think it's better than Canon printer on Canon paper. You can see lines if you look hard enough. I don't know how much supplies cost or their availability, but dye sublimation is not common and choices may be limited
5) There no editing ability

I got this product to review from the Vine program many months ago (funny how there are only Vine reviews for this) and just looking at all the parts and instructions, I was not motivated to try printing with it. To be honest, it has sat in my living room serving as a clock, which it does well. Still, if I wanted just a clock, that displayed images, I'd just get a digital picture frame.

To sum up:
1) Hard to think of a need for it
2) Fairly steep learning curve
3) Printing supplies may not be cheap or readily available
4) Would NOT make a good gift

Who has space for this? A combination of digital photo frame and printer - why should I need this?
Yes, the digital photo frame produces beautiful colors and sharp images. And the printer makes good prints of the photos. Ease of use and general built quality is also very good. But the question remains, why I should put something that bulky anywhere in my house, if for much less money I can have a bigger and thinner dedicated digital photo frame? And the printer functionality is really no added bonus, because the cost per print are very high.
So, it all works but it just takes too much space for very little added value.

It looks nice and pictures on the display look great. Printed photo quality is good. But the thing that I don't like about this photo printer/digital frame is it's price and the cost to print photos.

I have never had a digital picture frame before. The display is really nice, and the front of the frame looks nice. But since it is also a printer, it's really thick.

It comes with a remote control. I suppose so they can keep the frame looking nice without a bunch of buttons. But I think it's just one more thing I need to keep track of, along with the paper tray for printing.