HP 422 Ink
Photosmart 422 Ink Cartridges

HP 422 Printer Review

The concept of a camera and printer bundled together is very good, especially for first-time buyers. The HP Photosmart 422 is a color inkjet printer and camera in a box, and it offers a streamlined process for editing and printing photos that is inexpensive and easy to use. The result is a printer and a camera that are somewhat behind the curve, however, and printer ink costs are high, due to expensive HP 422 ink.

After photos are taken, the camera slides into a dock on the top of the machine. At this point, the camera's 2 inch LCD display becomes the display for the menu and preview system of the printer. This is an ingenious design idea that eliminates the extra cost of putting a second LCD into the printer, but also ensures that the machine only works with the camera connected.

The printer itself is very portable, and it is easy to print photos from virtually anywhere. For travelers, or those who wish to make instant prints for family members on the spot, for example, it is a great solution. The fact that the system requires both components to operate makes it difficult to replace either one, however, and it may be a problem in the future for buyers.

The other problem is the cost of printer ink, which is much higher than other inkjet models on the market. HP 422 ink cartridges are some of the most expensive in its class. Photosmart 422 ink cartridges also have small capacities due to their compact size, which means a high cost per page for the user. Third-party compatible Photosmart 422 ink can reduce costs somewhat.

For users new to digital photography, the Photosmart 422 is an easy solution. It provides nearly everything a person would need to get into digital photography in a single package, but the high cost of HP 422 ink makes it expensive over the long run.