4. Just for fun: Sony DPP-FP95

The Sony DPP-FF95 has a number of things in common with the Canon Selphy CP770. Its less cumbersome, but it takes a similar ink cartridge and paper stock, though from different proprietary brands. Its printing system is also based on thermal sublimation. Here again you can expect the paper to make three round-trips in and out of the printer as it goes through the steps of yellow, cyan and magenta.

The maximum number of printing possibilities

With the DPP-FP95, Sony offers a device capable of not only reading the APN-compatible PictBridge, but also memory sticks and SD, xD and CF cards. In addition, the printer uses an HDMI port to display your image on an HD screen (though that’s not the primary use of this printer).

This bright, detachable screen offers menus that are clear and easy to access. They are, by the way, the best-stocked menus of our comparison. From there you can correct red eye or even adjust the brightness, the tints, the saturation and the sharpness of your images. Each time you make a change you have the option to save your modified photos. What’s more, you have access to multiple filters: painting, sepia, monochrome or super wide-angle lens (a goofy mode that deforms images).

As if that all wasn’t enough, the DPP-FP95 offers more creative printing options as well, like the option to superimpose one photo over another or the option to make calendars or ID photos. It’s an original idea and this printer pulls it off perfectly. Everything can be set up directly from your screen.

One last option: the Auto Touch-up. It allows you to instantly fix up a bad photo or to make the most of a good one. It’s also good to know that you can line up your images in a slide show format on your screen (or on your HD TV via the HDMI port).

Mediocre printing time

Contrary to what the manufacturer claims, you won’t get a photo every 45 seconds with this printer, even if it is faster than the Canon Selphy CP770. Instead, count on an average of 57 seconds per print, once all is said and done. It’s also too bad that the Sony often freezes up between prints, which definitely wastes your time.

Nevertheless, the Sony comes out satisfactory – though it prints slightly differently than the Canon, despite using similar paper and cartridges. The contrast here is more clearly pronounced and the details come out well. The result is very close to the original image.

Our verdict: The variety of printing modes and fun options is the real strong point of the Sony DPP-FP95, which doesn’t suffer from any faults that can’t be overcome. Though it’s a little more expensive than the Canon, it’s still a good investment.