Testing Kodak, Canon, Lifeprint, Polaroid, & HP Zink Paper with the Same Photos, Results Comparison 

What an amazing review video, love all the print comparisons! Thank you so much for your help C:

I've been looking for a zink paper comparison all over! Thank you so much for this great in depth review!!

Great idea! Love seeing the comparisons side by side. Thanks!

Thank you for doing this video! This was exactly what I was looking for and you saved me from buying the wrong paper. I have consistently used the HP paper in my sprocket, but I am going to try the cannon paper now!

Thank You so much! This video was really helpful for me to decide to buy Kodak or Canon 💗

Just caught up with this video and it's outstanding. I own Canon, Kodak and Life Print printers so I appreciate your deep dive.I too was skeptical about actual differences in various brands of Zonk paper. You really helped me understand which is the overall best brand for my particular needs.

Great review! Just what I needed today! Thank you and I subscribed. I use calibration sheet for different zink brands too bec my old Hp printer broke (after 2y with very light use- seems to be a common issue for hp zink printer- n they have zero customer service). My Kodak is 3 yrs old now and still going strong. I use my lots of leftover zink paper for my current Kodak printer .

Wow, I really enjoyed this! Thanks for investing so much time into something so useful. ❤

Thank you for such a brilliant comparison video. Just what I was looking for.

Thank you for all your efforts David. Also the monetary expense in purchasing the samples. Interesting results for all the brands. I also expected similar results on one manufactured paper brand but not so. As always excellent content and presentation. Happy New Year celebrations to you and family. Cheers from Nova Scotia...

Thank you for this review!!! Thorough, informative, and comprehensive.

This is a good review, I never thought that it will came out differently, I really thought it came out just the same as you had expected, this just sums up that the zink paper you use is as important as the printer you buy, It never cross my mind to use different zink paper on the same printer, I thought it never work!! I don't own a printer yet and was planning o buy one, this review you make help me, A LOT!! Thank you for taking time to make this review ❤

Thank you, this was so helpful..I just bought the Cannon printer,but it’s good to know about other papers too....I’ll give them I try,,,

Incredibly helpful (and surprising!) video. Thank you!!

Thank you so much for this thorough review! It helped me so much. I’m not sure how Amazon affiliate links work, but I followed one of your referral links on this page to Amazon and bought the Canon Ivy printer, Canon paper, and a couple of other items. I hope my purchase counts toward your affiliate account even though it’s not the exact product link I went through. I did try to support the channel 💗

That's absolutely great! Thank you for that video. I started to lose my mind which printer to choose ;), now the first thing I now the printer is not the point, the sheets are most important!

thanks for this. wish I saw this video before deciding to buy random zink paper haha. as for my experience: i have a Polaroid Printer attachment for an older line of Motorola Android phones. using the Polaroid paper as a 'neutral' control sample, my HP zink came out ridiculously cool (to the point where I don't even want to use them anymore). I just bought some Canon zink paper and am hoping for similar results as yours (sharper and more or less true-to-life). am on the lookout for a deal on some Kodak zink paper as well.

muy bueno.. gracias, ya se que papel usar. ahora me toca escoger la impresora

Very well done. Thank you. I was wondering as I have packs of zink from different brands.

Amazing review!!! Thank you for the work you've done. Very useful and competently done video

That was exceedingly helpful! Thank you very much! I'll be buying the Kodak via your link because I print people pictures the most

Thank you for doing this. All other videos I found were from some vapid non-photographers. I have a project idea for Zink photos and needed a good comparison of the different options. 😊

Amazing! Suuuper helpful! Thank you so much! I’ve been debating which one to get for too long now XD

This video was very informative! Thanks for your help.

This is a great video, thank you. I'm wondering if you would get even more varying results switching out the printer you used. Like say using the Canon Ivy, or the HP Sprocket. Would be interesting to see the results of that test.

Thank you for video. Best comparisons! What I’m wondering is it not only the paper or the printer too? I have an older original HP sprocket but am interested in the Canon Ivy, I just purchase the canon sink paper and I will try that first. It’s all so much fun to discover the differences.

Incredibly helpful video! Thank you!

thanks for the comparison. Now just trying to decide which actual printer to get!

This is great. It comparison for all different sink with same printer.

Wow very informative and detailed review on all zink photo paper. Thanks so much!

I came back to watch this video again when purchasing the paper. Thanks for the video. I could benefit from summed up rating in the description.

Thanks for this really helpful and informative comparison video!!! Would you mind doing a Polaroid Hi-Print vs Kodak Mini 2?

Thanks for such an amazing comparison 👍🏼

Thanks David, I’m interested in the Smile. Your experiment begs the question; should you use the lifeprint calibration for the LP paper to see is if the green goes away? Apparently each paper uses a different formula hence the individual calibrations. Just curious. Thanks again.

Amazing review, thanks for the insight 😊👌🏾

I'd love to see a update of this with one of the newer Zink technology printers. I'm about to buy a kodak step based on reviews but I'll pick up some Canon paper to try so I can compare. Thank you so much for a GREAT and very helpful video!

Maybe it’s me, but some of those Lifeprint images seem pretty nice and significantly less blown out vs the Canons. Also, I wonder if we could apply some custom algorithms to tweak colors in order to optimize printers or the papers.

Super detail comparison thanks so much

Hello thank you for u review, really helping indeed. Btw i was wondering if u could use the paper of Canon for the kodak camera or so? If that make sense

Thank you! This video was so helpful 🙏🏼

Wow that was really useful, do you think the printer would have an influence, i.e. how much heat it applies to render certain colours from the zink paper?.

Thank you for this review, very helpful!

The best comparison, thank you! I wish your camera wasn't overexposed though.

This is exactly the video I needed! Wow this is awesome thank you so much! I just bought some zink and just bought the cheapest kind because I assumed they were all the same! I think mine is straight from zink though. Very good to know if I want to do some slightly better prints in the future. I'm so surprised! Edit: this video is so helpful I'm gonna like and sub haha thank you so much

Best video I have seen that provides an excellent comparison of ZINK. Can you do a comparison of ZINK vs the 4Pass thermal process of Canon and/or Kodak?

Thanks for doing the work for us! I just bought this same printer (with Kodak Zink) and was horrified at the print quality. It didn't look like the Kodak ones you had in this video. I'm wondering now if it has something to do with how the photos were taken (actual DSLR camera vs. iPhone 11 .HEIC photo)? Were any of the photos you sampled taken by a phone camera by any chance? Thoughts? Thanks again :)

this video is exactly what i needed. btw have you ever tried using a different callibration sheet for the kodak smile? do they affect the overall performance? thanks in advance

Thanks for this, super helpful

This is an extremely good idea! I had an “a-ha!” Moment as I saw the notification on my phone. As the next level experiment, Do the same with a twist: Printing a photo on regular printing paper and/or darkroom print on several papers :) Happy new year!

wow oh wow this is a fantastic video I learned so much thankyou

This is just great video, thumbs up mate, well done. I am wondering about one thing, will the Canon calibration sheet work in Kodak Printomatic camera? I have problems getting Kodak Zink paper, but could get Canon instead, just not sure if I still have Kodak caligration sheet at home.

hello! I have the Snap Touch polaroid and i would like to know if I can use the xiaomi zink paper (cheaper) in my camera and how to do it. Thankss!!

Thank you for making this helpful video. 👍👍

Thank you for the amazing useful review. I was just wondering if anyone knows and has tried to use cannon or kodak zinc paper for a Polaroid snap camera??? Does it work or do you need to use the camera brand??

Thank you very much for doing this!

Thanks for this incredible, thorough review. I can’t find a video on your channel reviewing any mobile printers. I’m curious which one you would recommend? Have you used different ones? Do you recommend the Kodak SMILE as a good, all-purpose mobile printer. I like that it takes different photo papers.

thanks for your review.. it was very helpful

This review is JUST what I needed to see! So do you think the technology of different brands of photo printers themselves also play a role in the quality of the prints? Are are they all the same and it is really the zink quality that make up the different brands of paper that matter the most?

Thank you for a great comparison video! Please make sure next time the camera settings are not overexposed when showing the results (eg at 9:24), other than that perfect :)

I like the review though I think in my opinion the Kodak and Polaroid are the best since I don't need to see the fine hairs on my head(might make people with thinning hair depressed too) but the reason I liked the polariod is because i live in a quite warm environment so there is a warmer tone most of the year and it seemed to make warm tones seem almost magical, though i haven't actually tested in real yet have i gotten the camera

Great video review, thank you!

I actually would have bet, that the Kodak paper would work best with the Kodak printer, thinking that they somehow would be aligned to each other. But than I read up a little on Zink Paper and learned, that all the different brands are produced in the same factory on the same machines by the same recipe and standards. So there should actually not be any difference between the different brands. What I also learned is, that the calibration sheet is not arbitrary. It seems to be actually meant to calibrate the camera for the current batch of paper used. So each production batch is tested in the factory and gets its custom calibration sheet, which informs the camera about the production batch induced particularities of the paper used. Thus you simply can't use a calibration sheet from a different Zink Paper package (regardless if from the same brand or a different brand), unless it is by chance from the same production batch. Using a calibration sheet from a different package can lead to wild color casts - as you have seen. Problem is, that this calibration sheet also works as some kind of separation tool, limiting the paper used to be printed only on its own branded printers. So while you can in fact use all kind of Zink Paper in any Zink Paper printer, the calibration sheet - which is needed to ensure that the printer does create correct colors - enforces that branded paper can only be printed on its own brand's printers (mostly). If you circumvent this with using a calibration sheet from a different package with the printer's brand - like was done in this test - you have a high chance of mire or less strange color casts. If you want to test and compare Zink Paper quality across different brands, you actually need all the different brand's printers as well. And than I would in fact bet, that the results are all very, very similar. I already have a Polaroid Pop camera, so I'll stick to Polaroid material (and I actually haven't seen such purple color casts yet), but with what I've learned now, I think if I would start with Zink Paper now I would buy into HP, since it is significantly cheaper than the other brands.

Thanks for the comparison! Didnt realize it was only about the paper, but I have heard that the Canon Ivy 2 has a bit of warmer tones in the photos just like you did. Do you think you could counteract that by dropping the warmth in photo editing software?

Thanks David for all the effort making this very informative video comparison. I also have an older Polaroid Z2300 Zink printing camera. On one battery charge I could just print 10 pictures and the battery was empty. If I plugged into the mains adapter I could print on and on until it stopped due the need to cool down. What I noticed then was that when it got quit hot the colors of the prints on Polaroid Zink became more pinkish. On occasion I also have used HP paper on the Polaroid and indeed that gave a slight other hue. Have not yet used other paper on the Kodak Printomatic camera, only the Kodak Zink brand. Zink paper is very sensitive even after printing, these don't like warm environment. I keep unused Zink paper in the fridge.

it was really useful!! Thaaanks

Thanks for the comparison 👍✌️

This was great, thank you!

Thank you for making this video. 👍🏼👍🏼😊

Well I dont think you can say which is better but all produce different qualities that affect a photos mood, sometimes you want that high contrast or maybe have greens pop more or maybe even lines? Really great video everyone else making comparison videos dont know how to shoot a video lol

Very helpful review. Thank you.

great review thank you!

In this type of printers and paper, how often should the blue calibration sheet be placed? Is it enough the first time or is it always necessary every time you load 10 sheets? Thanks

This is really really helpful, why are there not enough likes????

thanks for this very detailed review

Hi David! Thank you so much for your video. I have an HP Sprocket 200, and I am struggling with the colour quality. It prints with a pink hue and strips. I got a second device to check if the problem is the printer and only the pink hue has lighten up a little bit. I have bought different packs of HP zinc printing paper to ckeck if it was the code of the sheet. Do you have any suggestion?

Thank you for the review. Have you ever tried Xiaomi paper? I´ve bought this Xiaomi printer today and I'm wondering if it's a good quality paper

Can I use canon zink paper on Kodak camera without problems? Also, I had Kodak smile classic and I’m not if I could use hp zink paper and others.

Can you do a video on using 2x3 zink paper on the 3x4 printer

Very helpfull, Thank you 👍

interesting. do you happen to know if the Xioami Zink Printer will print on any zink paper?

would using the brand of printer that matched the different papers bring better results for each one? I'm not sure it gives the other papers a fair comparison, if they are not used on their printers?

The life print had the best looking photos all the time. Sharp, natural tones On my iPad Pro screen. All else looked pink and soft. 😮

Do you need the kodak calibration paper when you are using different zink papers? What happened if I use canon sheets and use the canon calibration paper? Will it still work with my kodak smile??..

Will the Canon Zink paper work in the Kodak step do you know? Also does the printer eventually stop printing? Like is there a maximum amount of pictures it will print in its lifetime? Tried googling this info and keep getting info for a completely different printer.

What order did you print the different brands in? What brands were printed with no overheating? What brands were printed after the overheating began?

If you get the unbranded zink zero inc paper it'll work in all and has the most consistent colour

What's the difference between the Kodak smile and the Kodak step printers

i have the huawei photo paper and it comes out so pink, even more than the polaroid brand. such a disappointment man. I'm wondering if it's because of the calibration or if the paper was damaged from heat. I'm gonna buy a pack of kodak to compare. thanks for the helpful video!

Thanks for the video! 🙏🏻

Lifeprint look amazing at 16:30 on a screen might be otherwise but it's not blowing out highlights

Do you use the blue paper of that brand on that printer? Or keep it as canon blue print only?

I thought it was the printers fault but Thank you!! :) I will try Canon paper :)

What happens when you used the other barcode on your Kodak machine? Did it print or no Great review btw!!

Thanks!

Graet. Thank you very much

Is the 2x3 zink hp photo paper compatible with the Kodak printhomatic camera?

Canon making itself canon. Good vid.

Great test! it does help to learn more about zink products and technology. It helps to understand that using other brands paper does not brakes printer or paper. After watching it makes me think if the overheating printer could influence the printing result and quality. There is reason why can load 10 pieces of paper and was probably not designed to nearly continues printing. Zink paper does use temperature to produce desire color so perhaps printer that prints allot operates at higher temperatures and change the picture. Another thought is about calibration paper. Since all papers are produced by the same company, and the standard is the same, then those cards are marketing trickery to make us buy only original genuine paper ... Does anybody decoded what those barcodes really saying? perhaps says: original paper use proper times and temperature... if not - overheat on magenta or shorten the time 9n green etc.... also do all cards look the same or they have slight difference. I mean cards from the same company.... just thinking that if they are different, then "they" will know that the card is reused and set printer to alter quality of prints.... and all to make us use genuine paper :-)

do you think I can use different paper for a polaroid printer only if they’re the same size ?

So you can use any zink paper on the kodak printer\printomatic instant cam? :) just curious! Cuz i have the kodak printomatic :)