According to a study by Rise Above Research. “2021 Worldwide Image capture forecast”, 1.4 trillion photos were taken worldwide in 2021. And this figure is expected to reach 1.6 trillion in 2023. Unsurprisingly, more than 90% of these photos were captured using smartphones . You probably have thousands of photos stored on your cell phone and you don't know what to do with them.
Unfortunately, conservation experts are quite pessimistic about their digital lifespan. It would seem that printing is the alternative so that your children and grandchildren can benefit from it too.
For this, you have two very simple solutions: the portable printer or the good old Polaroid . We'll explain all of this to you just below.
The portable printer
The portable printer is the worthy heir to Polaroids and other instant development cameras. connected to your smartphone by wifi or Bluetooth , and on battery, it allows you to print your photos via wifi wherever you want and when you want.
Benefits
- One of the real advantages of the portable printer over the Polaroid is clearly the print quality. Even if this depends closely on the technology used behind it. It is recent and evolves quickly, therefore the quality too. Several printing methods exist: inkless printing , sublimation or silver printing.
- First taking a photo with your cell phone allows you to choose which one will be printed. You can crop it and retouch it slightly before immortalizing it. No bad surprises, therefore.
- Some portable printers are connected to your social networks like Instagram, Facebook, etc., and allow you to print them directly. This is a detail to consider.
Disadvantages
- Beyond the purchase cost, which can sometimes seem advantageous, the real expense lies in the cost of consumables. It is therefore important to find out the price of photo paper and ink before investing in a portable printer. In fact, the final cost may turn out to be much less attractive in the long term.
- Some portable printers can still be difficult to transport. It all depends of course on the size and the price you want to pay. Please note, size is not automatically linked to print quality.
Price ranges
There are all prices on the market. From less than €100 for a Kodak Mini or an HP Sprocket, to more than €170 for a Brother portable printer for example, which are rather professional and high-end printers. Prices vary depending on size, technology, features, printing time and even battery life. It's up to you to choose what suits you best!
The polaroid
Polaroid is originally the name of a brand (and the inventor of this technology), but it is now used as a common name to refer to an instant printing camera .
Benefits
- The charm of the Polaroid is its retro , authentic and unique side. It's generally the vintage and nostalgic look that we look for in instant photographs. And perhaps also the spontaneity that comes with it. No retouching possible here. No filter either.
- Another advantage of the Polaroid is its ease of use since it is “2 in 1”. Everything is included, one click and the photo is taken and then engraved on paper. A few seconds are enough to capture the beauty of the moment.
- They are generally cheaper and more affordable than portable printers. But once again, pay attention to the price of consumables which can quickly increase the overall price of your purchase. It is important to carefully evaluate all the criteria before checking out.
Disadvantages
- The first disadvantage of Polaroid is certainly the print quality. As you can imagine, the photos are less clear than with a portable printer. But it all depends on your priorities.
- As we said earlier, you only have one possible try. So you shouldn't miss it. The spontaneous aspect can certainly be a charming asset, but you can also end up with failed photos on your hands.
- It does not allow you to print pre-existing photos.
Price ranges
Polaroid remains the inventor of the rapid printing camera, but it now faces competition from other brands such as Lomo or Fujifilm. Here again you will find all the prices. It costs around €70 for a Fujifilm instax mini to more than €150 for a Lomography Lomo'instant Wide, for example, which has more advanced options.
As you will have understood, portable printers and Polaroids both have advantages and disadvantages. It all depends on what you are looking for and what uses you want to make of it. Either way, it's a great way to preserve your precious memories. And as a bonus, it can be decoration for your fridge.
We are interested in your opinions, which of the two do you prefer? Don't hesitate to leave us a comment just below!
