Finding the right digital camera printer

Once you have clicked snaps through your digital camera, then the next step is to turn these 'virtual' snaps into real snaps. One way is to send the memory card to a digital photo laboratory and get the snaps developed there. But if you click snaps on a regular basis, then it is better that you buy yourself a digital camera printer, or more commonly known as a digital photo printer.
There are lots and lots of choices available in the market today. The top three companies are HP, Canon and Epson. So, before you go and spend your money, here are some tips on what you must keep in mind while deciding on a digital photo printer.
Firstly, digital photo printers are available in two basic types. There are 4-colour printers and 6-colour printers. Nowadays, there are even 8-colour printers available. So, higher the number of colors better will be the photo quality.
Secondly, the printing method used by the printer is also very important. There are 2 main printing methods: inkjet and thermal. Inkjet is commonly used for taking photo prints but the quality of the printout is not excellent. You need to have at least a 6-color printer to get decent print quality. Also, the ink cartridges are quite expensive and the biggest disadvantage is that inkjet printing does not provide a waterproof coating to the images. Hence, the color fades after some time.
Thermal printing, on the other hand, is much better since it not only applies a waterproof coating but is also better quality-wise. It is also more cost effective as the paper and ink cartridges used are cheaper.
Most of these printers can be purchased under $500. However, there are few key characteristics that are different in all these printers which determine their price. These are :