While instant cameras like Fuji’s Instax has attracted a large following among the younger generation discovering the beauty of instant prints, carrying around an extra camera just to take hardcopy photos is a drag. That’s where mobile photo printers like Liene . Pearl K100 mobile photo printer come in.
The phone in your pocket is already a pretty decent camera, and so if you’re aiming for prints on the go, Liene’s newest entry to the market joins the list. range of ink-free (or zink) products from manufacturers, such as HP and Canon. And while Liene may not be a name you’ve heard of, it offers a pretty good value compared to its competition. pearl K100. The company sent me a machine to test drive, and this tiny pocket printer turned out to be a lot of things.
What is Zero Ink?
Traditional small photo printers, such as Liene’s previous 4×6 model, uses dye-sublimation technology to produce prints of near-lab quality. In my testing of that model, prints compared favorably with my professional-grade Canon photo printers. Dye-sublimation also allows for colorful, waterproof printing.
Colorful and waterproof parts are carried over to this new printer (and inkless printers in general) with the added bonus of not needing ink cartridges, toner, toner, or anything else the machine does. Print larger than needed. All you need is a printer and some inkless paper. Photos are printed in one pass instead of needing to be run multiple times for each color layer, and prints are made in about a minute. Ink is embedded in the paper and released during printing.
The chase? Image quality on any inkless printer, including this Liene, will not be as good as sublimation inkjet or higher end inkjet printers and prints from this printer (and most other printers). in this category) is slightly smaller at 2×3” instead of the usual 4×6”
However, print quality has never been an obstacle for other instantaneous media such as Polaroids and it is not here, given the scope and intended use of the printer.
All of this comes in a portable package that easily slips into a backpack, purse, or pocket (i.e. if you’re wearing trousers). The entire printer is just 5 inches long, 3 inches wide, and about an inch high. It weighs less than half a pound and runs on a rechargeable battery that charges via USB-C and is said to do well for 30 prints. Its design is no different from an extended AirPods case, although my white model seems to pick up dust and scratches easily. Available in green and pink models.
How much does it cost?
Some of the uses for this printer can be inferred from the paper that Liene supplies it, which is 2×3″ zink paper with an adhesive backing. It wasn’t until I read the printer specs that I realized this was the case, and so instead of just having a 2×3 print, I actually had a ton of stickers that I could place anywhere. anywhere. That’s not a bad trade-off given that it costs about 50 cents per print, about the same as Liene’s larger 4×6 printer.
The best-case scenario that Liene makes herself is the initial purchase price. For $97.99 (though it’s now $88.19 with Amazon’s digital coupon), the printer also comes with 50 sheets of zink paper. Compared to the last competition, it’s a bargain. HP’s sprocket is $101 for the same amount of paper included, Canon ivy printer is $103. And all three companies typically charge between $24 and $25 per 50 paper packs. You could buy a printer with less paper included, but that doesn’t seem to accomplish the purpose. All of this compares favorably with Fuji’s Instax paper, which costs about 75 cents per print.
Easy to use
One of the things that struck me was how easy the printer was to use. The Contact Photo The iPhone app connects instantly to the printer via Bluetooth, a welcome change from the company’s previous printer Wi-Fi. I just selected a photo in the app and it’s ready. I had a Liene account from my company’s 4×6 printer, but after a quick account creation, it all worked fine.
Like any printing app, you can add filters, enhance or edit photos, and crop or create bordered or Polaroid-style prints. All simple and easy to use. The printer is also compatible with Android phones.
Image quality
Objectively, the image quality from this printer is not great. Then again, image quality is also not a strong point for Polaroids or Fuji Instax prints, and it’s important to remember that this is competition for this type of printer. The prints are certainly comparable to those storied brands. When purchasing any zink printer, print quality is not the end goal and that is the case here with Liene Pearl K100 hand-held photo printer.
If you are buying with the highest image quality, it is better to consider a dye sublimation printer or a high-end inkjet model. While you will get better quality, you will also increase complexity and cost. However, despite the simplicity, the printer does occasionally malfunction and the photo will show some banding, although nothing that can’t be fixed by running the calibration table through the printer to clean it up.
With this Liene printer, you get simplicity and fun. It’s actually pretty neat to be able to make a print, peel off the back, and stick it anywhere, and if that’s your goal, the Liene offers plenty of benefits for a better price than closest competitor. What’s interesting is a printer feature as well as any other.
Conclusion
Last year, I was worried if Liene, as an unknown relative in the printer game, would continue to stay. A year later, those concerns seem unfounded, as the company appears to have committed to the US market with even more printer releases. Liene’s latest apps are easier to use than ever, and the printer seems to be well built. At least, the printer is as good as its closest competitor at a better price.
A printer like this would be a fun tool for making scrapbooks, journaling, or decorating your fridge. My kids love taking pictures of themselves and their friends to include in their school folders. The speed and ease of creating these sticker photos make the printer well worth its asking price.
What I like
- Good price point
- Portable and easy to use
- Adhesive backing makes printing fun again
What I don’t like
- Print quality is just average, this is more a comment on inkless technology than a printer
Buy
You can buy the Liene Pearl K100 hand-held photo printer by clicking here.
