Have fun with print: five reasons you need a compact photo printer

From children to grandparents and everyone in between, we're all snap-happy these days. Most of us have thousands of photos on our smartphones that we never look at, and precious memories are often lost in huge photo libraries.

With a compact photo printer, you can create instant prints that will last a lifetime*. What's more, you can print whenever you want and bring your special moments to life wherever you are.

Once you've printed your favourite images, there's so much you can do with them too – from crafting personalised photo gifts for loved ones to filling scrapbooks with home décor ideas or even treasured travel memories.

Here are five ways to get creative with your compact Canon photo printer.

Photos are meant to be shared and enjoyed and the easy-to-use Canon SELPHY CP1500 is ideal for transforming your favourite images into gifts, postcards and stickers.

Available in three colours, the SELPHY CP1500 has a sleek, modern design and an 8.9cm colour LCD screen with simple QR connection. As well as working seamlessly with smartphones and other Apple and Android devices via Wi-Fi, it features an SDXC slot for printing images stored on memory cards, plus a USB-C port for easy connection to cameras and flash drives.

The SELPHY CP1500 can print dispatch-ready postcards with address lines on the back which are ideal for sending photos to loved ones, which can then be mounted in a frame or displayed on the fridge.

The mini and credit card-sized sticker options also mean you can add flair to greeting cards and birthday invitations. You could take a snapshot of your child playing with a present they've been given, print it as a sticker and stick it into a thank you card. It's a lovely personal touch and will show the recipient just how well their gift has been received.

Most of us would love to be more organised but aren't sure how to go about it. Busy parents not only have their own hectic schedules to oversee, but those of their children too. The Canon SELPHY CP1500 is the perfect tool for helping families take back control.

This neat and stylish compact printer prints postcards in just 41 seconds, as well as stickers in a range of sizes. In no time at all, you'll have name tags for schoolbooks and stationery and labels for your kitchen containers and family planner.

You can even print ID photos, create personalised bookmarks, and share links with QR code printing via the Canon SELPHY Photo Layout app.

Why not make a scrapbook of a special event, a holiday or even your first pet at play? It can be hugely rewarding and it's an activity that can be enjoyed by all ages.

Pocket-sized and ever ready, the Canon SELPHY QX20 creates 68x68mm square and card-size 54x85mm photo prints, with a border so you can add your own handwritten captions. It's available in three stylish colours and uses a slot-in, mess-free cartridge that comes complete with both sticker papers (XS-20L and XC-20L / XC-60L).

Connecting to the Canon SELPHY Photo Layout app enables you to get even more creative with your images, with options to add filters, borders, stamps, overlays and print borderless images and collages.

Whether you're a teenager living with parents, a student at university or the proud owner of your first home, it's always fun to make your space your own.

The Canon Zoemini 2 portable printer is small enough to put in a spare pocket and runs on an internal rechargeable battery. There's no mess and no waste, thanks to its ZINK (Zero INK) technology, so all you need is paper, which is available in packs of 20 or 50 sheets.

Why not print out your favourite images and hang them up with string along your bedroom or living rooms walls? Nothing beats pictures of family and friends when it comes to surrounding yourself with things that make you smile.

Canon's specialist ZINK photo paper has peelable (and recyclable) backing, so you could also stick your prints to a diary, scrapbook or display board. It's also a fun way of customising student books or your mobile phone case.

If you're out with friends, away for the weekend or at a party or festival, the Canon Zoemini S2 is the perfect companion. Compact and lightweight, and featuring the same battery-powered ZINK technology and 3x2-inch paper size as the Canon Zoemini 2, it adds a built-in digital camera complete with mirror and ring-light for perfect selfies, which you can print in less than a minute.

This means you can share physical photos with people you meet or don't see very often – a new friend at a festival, perhaps, or a helpful travel guide you've just been on a tour with – giving them something to take home as a memento.

What's more, the Canon Mini Print app enables you to customise your images with filters, special effects, drawings and text. You can also use the app to print images from Facebook, Instagram, Google Photos, Dropbox^TM and iCloud, and it's free to download from the App Store and Google Play.

Ultimately, Canon's compact printers are hugely versatile and make it possible to do all kinds of projects, whatever stage of life you're at. Printing can be wonderful fun as you discover creative ways to use your photos.

*When stored in an album. Based on accelerated testing, assuming a temperature of 23°C / 73.4°F and humidity of 50%

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Written by Matthew Richards