HP PhotoSmart 1215 Photo Printer

Other products by Hewlett-Packard

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 14 x 17 x 7.5 inches ; 14.5 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 18 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B000063W99
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes
• Date first available at Amazon.com: April 30, 2002

Product Description

Amazon.com Review

Based on the popular HP P1000, the HP PhotoSmart 1215 photo printer directly accepts CompactFlash and SmartMedia cards and prints wirelessly from infrared devices. No PC is required, but it is PC and Mac compatible. With 2,400 x 1,200 dpi resolution and HP's enhanced layering technology, photos are stunningly beautiful and text is razor sharp. The updated version is faster and quieter and has an optical sensor that automatically adjusts printer settings for the paper type.

To test the PS1215, we inserted our digital camera's CompactFlash card into the PS1215's slot and followed the LCD menus to print an index sheet that contained thumbnails of our photos. We also followed the menus to select a photo to print as an 8-by-10. The process was slow but intuitive, with most of our time spent waiting for the index sheet to print. The results were very good, with exceptionally sharp thumbnails and a surprisingly sharp and colorful 8-by-10, even using the printer's default normal mode.

Next, we installed the software drivers, connected the printer to our PC, and printed our standard test documents using the printer's three modes--draft, normal, and best. Mixed color and black text documents printed at 5.6, 2.1, and 0.9 ppm respectively. Black-only text documents printed at 6.3, 3.9, and 0.6 ppm. (All speeds were adjusted upward to account for first-page delay.) Draft documents were faded; normal documents were sharper and had more accurate color; best documents were exceptionally sharp, requiring close inspection to distinguish them from the output of a laser printer.

The PS1215 shined brilliantly in our color photo tests. On our PC, we used the included photo printing software to select our own high-resolution digital photos and to position them in the software's predefined page layouts. Samples were a bit slow to print--a typical 8-by-10 required 4 minutes and 28 seconds--but the output was superb on HP's premium glossy photo paper (sample pack included). Our samples displayed rich and accurate color, perfect register, fine detail, and realistic skin tones. There was no visible banding or smearing and only the faintest hint of pixelation.

The PhotoSmart 1215 is priced considerably above its sub-$200 rivals, but the dramatic improvements in quality justify the extra cost. It operates quietly, sets up easily, prints very sharp text on a variety of media, and produces beautiful color documents and photos. This remarkable performer is an excellent all-purpose printer. --Mike Brown

Pros

• Accepts CompactFlash and SmartMedia directly
• Easy to set up and use
• Sharp text and beautiful color photos
• Detects paper type automatically

Cons

• Slow printing on higher-quality settings
• High cost per page when printing photos

Amazon.com Product Description

The Hewlett-Packard PhotoSmart 1215 works either with your PC or directly with your digital camera. The printer has slots for your digital camera's CompactFlash or SmartMedia cards, so with the 1215's alternative photo mode (2,400 x 1,200 dpi resolution) and HP's enhanced layering technology, you can print beautiful color photos at up to 12 ppm. Your digital camera's memory card can also be used as a separate disk drive. Plus, if your digital camera, laptop, or other mobile device supports infrared technology, you can print wirelessly.

The HP PhotoSmart 1215 also makes a great PC or Macintosh printer--just connect the printer to your computer's USB or parallel port. The 1215 is perfect for printing pages for your photo album, greeting cards, or newsletters. HP's new optical sensing technology lets you choose your paper and print settings manually, or the PhotoSmart 1215 will automatically set them for you based on the type of paper in the printer tray.

Other features include a convenient print-cancel button, low-ink warning, and a 4-by-6-inch photo paper tray, saving you the hassle of changing paper each time you print photos.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Computer Acessory, January 21, 2003

By A Customer

A year and a half ago, I purchased everything I needed for my first computer. I did a lot of research and went way wrong with highly recommended Dell computer. But, based on what I could see at the store (the clerks at CompUSA are not too eager to help) I bought this printer. It has been the best purchase of my computing experience. Photos are flawless, as is everything else I print with this printer. It seeems to do what it is supposed to and musch more incredibly well.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It's a very reliable printer..., July 11, 2002

By	Xkini99 (Pennsylvania, USA) - See all my reviews

I love my PhotoSmart 1215 but was a little discouraged when the driver for XP was not available. The neat thing about this printer is, if you mainly use it to print photos from a memory card, you don't have to be connected to your PC. Just know which numbers you want to print, enter and off it goes. The quality of my prints has been great. Right now it's connected to my iMac and is doing splendidly. It's quite dependable and not expensive. I'd recommend it highly.*****

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic Photo Printer, June 4, 2002

By	N. G SMITH "hesatechie" (Sugar Land, TX United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This has been a great printer for me. I regularly print both 4x6 and letter size photos. The quality is outstanding, and the automatic paper sensor is a good feature. I had absolutely no problems with set up. The only improvement would be to print borderless.