The printing process involves four passes, applying each of the inks in turn. Cartridges containing both ink and photo paper slide into a hatch at the bottom of the device. The clear coat enhances colors and protects images from finger smudges and dust. It uses cartridges containing four inks-cyan, magenta, yellow, and a clear coat-and sheets of photo paper.
Since its prints are much smaller, it's no surprise that the Kodak printer is more compact than its dye-sub rivals, the Canon Selphy CP1300 and the HP Sprocket Studio. The Mini 2 Retro printer is truly pocket-size. Its operation and feature set match those of the Mini 3, with printed photos emerging from a slot on the left edge and a micro-USB port on the back edge for charging. The Mini 2 Retro measures 1 by 5.1 by 3.2 inches (HWD) and weighs just over half a pound.
Like the Mini 3 Retro, the Mini 2 Retro comes in your choice of white, black, or yellow, and in one of two bundles-the $141.99 kit (reviewed here), with enough ink and paper for 68 prints, or a $129.99 starter with enough consumables for only eight photos. The Mini 2 Retro's photos are not only attractive but quick and inexpensive, making it a good fit for saving photos from your smartphone if you don't mind the prints' diminutive size. Like the HP and Canon, the two Kodaks use superior dye-sublimation (often called "dye-sub") printing technology instead of the zero-ink (Zink) process of some competitors. Like the Mini 3, the Mini 2 churns out good-looking images, though its prints are only about half the size of the 4-by-6-inch photos produced by Canon's Selphy CP1300 (another PCMag favorite) and HP's Sprocket Studio.
The even smaller sibling of the Kodak Mini 3 Retro, a portable printer that won an Editors' Choice award in these digital pages last month, Kodak's Mini 2 Retro Portable Photo Printer ($141.99) produces miniature business-card-size (2.1-by-3.4-inch) snapshots instead of 3-by-3-inch squares.
Connect it to your Android or iOS device and enjoy printing your favorite snaps anywhere and anytime. ENJOY THE KODAK MOBILE APP: Printing photos is easy with the free Kodak app.You will get premium 3 x 3-inch photos printed in layers of ribbon with a laminating process that makes them fingerprint-proof and waterproof. STELLAR PHOTO QUALITY: The Kodak 4Pass Technology allows you to print high-end photos instantly.It uses a stable wireless connection that can be easily paired to your device. TIMELESS MEMORIES: Connect your Kodak Mini 3 Square Retro to any mobile device and get your favorite pics in print wherever you are! Make sure to always keep your favorite snapshots so you can revisit them later on.