Good quality with lots of features!

Author's Rating:

Pros: Good quality prints, Built-in card reader.

Cons: Can be a bit slow on "best" setting, setup a little longer procedure.

The Bottom Line: 
Definitely a good buy - consider this one for home office or family use!

Author's Review
This printer was purchased unexpectedly when I found it sitting in a "clearance" display at our local Wal-Mart for $ 70.00 CDN. With this in mind, the price paid can be the sole justification for this printer being such a good value. Not expecting much for $ 70.00 (I had not done any research into this model, except I have owned Lexmark products before), I was quickly impressed in what it had to offer:

-A multi-card reader built in for all common memory formats ( Compact Flash, Smart Media, Secure Digital/Fuji, Sony Memory Stick);

-4800x1200 d.p.i. print quality;

-Twin-paper loading trays (nice for keeping standard 81/2 x 11 paper in the rear and specialty paper in the front);

-Complete software bundle is included, using ACD photo-editing software.


SETUP
With these features in mind, I was quick to start installing the software to try this new printer out. There is only one thing - as other reviewers have made note of before, the setup of this product is not a quick or easy process. This is not due to a shortcoming in the product, but the fact that you are setting up not one, but two hardware items - the printer itself and the USB Card reader. In my particular case, the small problem that I encountered was with the setup of the card reader component. After a couple of attempts and consultations with the setup guide, the problem was easily solved by removing and reinstalling the software. Word of advice, follow the setup procedure in the exact sequence the manual suggests to ensure both components are installed correctly.


USING THE PRODUCT
After the printer was successfully installed, the use of this product is a breeze. The USB card reader is quick and automatic. Just insert the card into the proper slot, and the printer will prompt you to save the photos in a folder of your choice. The user then has the option to have your computer automatically open the included software for photo editing, or to bypass this to use software of your choice. Though the included ACD software is very good, my personal choice is MGI Photosuite for more detailed editing. There is even a media card formatter included in the software bundle, voiding the need to delete images on the camera after uploading.

Printing is also a breeze, offering the option of quick "draft" to "best" for quality photo printing. When printing 4x6 or smaller photos, the "good" setting is sufficient. Anything larger or on specialty paper should be printed with the "best" setting. While "draft" to "good" settings are relatively fast, the best settting is considerably slower, but worth the wait.

After using various types of paper for photo and graphics printing, I have found the following:

a) For printing photos, use the "best" setting with glossy photo paper. While results are good on matte or semi gloss, pictures are much more vivid with sharper lines using high gloss. The best results I have found so far are with Canon glossy photo paper.

b) For razor sharp text on reports or presentations, try to use a paper having a brightness level of 84 or more. While this is primarily used for photo printing, This printer can print text in a quality rivaling much more expensive laser printers.


OVERVIEW
Overall, this printer is an excellent value. Not only is it feature-packed, it offers high-quality printing for photos and text. I will close on providing these final points:

-Don't be discouraged by only a 4 color cartridge - this product's prints rival any from higher end products. While cartridges are expensive, they have quite a long span.

-Check out the Lexmark website - support is excellent, and there is a service that allows you to change the "skins," or appearance of your software status windows. While there are many good products available, good support from the manufacturer is important.

-This is a product I would highly recommend for any home - office or family environment. You will definitely enjoy the benefits and price of this printer!