Mini photo printers are practical for printing photos from your smartphone quickly and easily. They are small, useful and do not require any technical knowledge. However, many smaller mini photo printers can’t keep up with the print quality and color reproduction of a classic photo printer like the Canon Selphy CP1500. It’s different with the Canon Selfie QX20. He relies on high-quality dye sublimation process.
Key Features of Canon Selfie QX20
- Prints 7.2 x 7.2 cm square photos
- Sharp images with deep blacks and vibrant colors
- Print resolution at 287 x 287 dpi
- Dye sublimation printing with 256 color levels per color
- strong plastic housing
- compact size
- 20 prints on one battery charge
- price: 129 euros on amazon
How are the optics and workmanship of the Canon Selfie QX20?
The Canon Selphy QX20 is much smaller than your average inkjet printer, but significantly larger than most mobile photo printers. Its case measures approximately 10 x 14.5 x 3 cm and weighs 450 grams. This means that it is still quite convenient to carry with you when needed.
The QX20’s casing is made of matte plastic and leaves a solid and durable impression. We have a subtle red version for testing, it is also available in black and white. The top of the printer has a stylish square pattern to match the square print.
The only controls are a power button and two status LEDs for turning on and off. The printer charges via a USB-C port. There are two separate openings for photo paper and printer cartridges. Inserting is simple and self-explanatory.
Canon Selfie QX20 Photos
Template – Photo Series
What can the Canon Selfie QX20 app do?
The Canon Selfie app must be installed before the first print. Unfortunately, like many photo apps, this app isn’t particularly intuitive. After the first launch, the user must give the app access to the smartphone’s photo gallery, then select a photo to print. If desired, the app can also access the Google Photos cloud service.
You can also create a collage from multiple photos in the app. Creative functions such as stamps, frames, and text are available only in this mode. However, the user can only add date to individual photos, crop them or customize them with filters and color adjustments. The latter menu is a bit hidden; You’ll need to tap the photo again in the print preview.
Canon Selfie QX20 screenshots
Template – Photo Series
How good is the print quality of the Canon Selfie QX20?
The heart of the QX20 is dye-sublimation printing. In this process, layers of color are transferred from color film to photo paper using heat. The color evaporates (sublimates) and is deposited on the paper. The printer sequentially transfers the primary colors yellow, magenta and cyan as well as a protective layer to the paper. To do this, the photo travels out and back into the printer several times. This process takes about 45 seconds per image.
According to Canon, the protective layer preserves colors for up to 100 years and protects against moisture and abrasion. The resolution of 287 x 287 dpi (pixels per inch) ensures a high level of detail. The QX20 can display 256 color levels per primary color, totaling approximately 16.7 million colors.
In testing, the QX20 impressed with very clear images and rich, natural colors. High color depth ensures soft color gradients without ladder effect. Black levels are deep black, producing high contrast. Compared to photo prints from a photo lab, the QX20 prints may not hold up quite as well, but they look much better than you’d expect from a mini printer.
What is the battery life of Canon Selfie QX20?
According to the manufacturer, the Canon Selfie QX20’s battery lasts for up to 20 photo prints. In our testing, we printed 15 images on one battery charge and still had capacity left for more images.
How much does the Canon Selfie QX20 cost?
canon selfie qx20 price 129 euros On Amazon. This is a reasonable price for the print quality offered. Photo paper for the QX20 is available in two versions: square 7.2 x 7.2 cm or rectangular 5.4 x 7.2 cm. The rectangular printouts have a self-adhesive back. A pack of 20 sheets costs including shipping 20 eurosThe price per photo is about one euro. For the 60-battery version, which starts at 45 euros, the price per printout has dropped to 75 cents.
conclusion
The Canon Selfie QX20 prints photos in very good quality. Images are very sharp, have natural colors and deep blacks. Dye-sublimation printing ensures smooth color transitions and high color depth. A resolution of about 300 dpi is enough for an image size of 7.2 x 7.2 cm. The QX20’s battery is especially practical for travel, as it prints 15 to 20 images on a single charge.
Buyers have to make compromises when operating the QX20. Like most mini printers, setup and operation is done entirely through the app. Unfortunately, it’s not particularly intuitive.
Overall, the Canon Selfie QX20 is a very good choice if you’re looking for a mobile printer for small photos. Alternatives with comparable image quality are rare.
