Sony DPP-SV55 Digital Photo Printer

The printer connects to your PC or Mac via USB, allowing you to make use of saved images or specially filtered photos. Glossy, plain, and sticker paper all slide easily through the auto-feed tray. Sony includes a one-year warranty covering parts and service.

Product Description
The Mavica Photo Printer is the world's first digital printer to use a floppy disk drive. It makes printing high-quality color photos as easy as loading a floppy disk directly from the camera to the printer - no computer, complicated interfaces, or confusing cables and adapters are needed. With the Mavica Photo Printer you can print directly from virtually any video source and capture still images from virtually any video source on a floppy disk. Also you can display images on a TV from a floppy disk.

Setup was very easy. In a matter of 10 minutes, I was plugged in and making prints. The paper packs make the process even easier because each pack comes with the film cartridge to print all the sheets from the pack. Loading the paper and cartridges is also very easy. The prints come out fast, and you don't have to wait for them to dry.

The software setup is easy, one quick installation from the included CD. It basically installs the print drivers for the printer. Once the printer is connected with a USB cable (not included), I was immediately able to print directly from the imaging software that came with my Sony D50 Cybershot camera. It also has a built in Creative Print lab program, but you have to hook up the printer to a TV to view and work with it. But the images are nice and you can do some cool things like print photo greeting cards and calendars.

There was no graininess in the prints at all, and the images came from my above mentioned camera (2.1 megapixels). All of the prints we have made turned out wonderful.

I suppose I should mention a couple of cons, but their really not a big deal: The unit does not come with a USB cable for some reason, even though it is required to print from a PC (It does include the video cable). Second, some of the colors on our prints (particularily reds) we a little off and overly bright, but all-in-all, we are very thrilled with the prints it makes.


Excellent, DURABLE prints!   July 24, 2002
29 out of 30 found this review helpful

This is one excellent little printer. Don't let the people below who slammed the printer influence you. One guy was clearly out in the weeds, expecting the printer to read cds from his mavica when it's obvious just looking at it that there's no CD slot!

Anyway, the prints from this printer are detailed, saturated, and REALLY glossy. Don't let the 403 DPI rating fool you, it means nothing when comparing to an inkjet. The average joe on the street won't be able to tell the Sony's prints from a 35mm print when printed from a 2MP or better camera. The only negative thing I can say about the prints is that the red level seems just a tad high, which can make fair skinned people (like my family) look a little pinkish. Easily correctable with photo software though. Oh, and I guess I'm not overly impressed with the optional "matte" finish that the printer can produce. It just looks like a bunch of dots in the clear overcoat.

For what it's worth, I gave the same picture from my camera to 2 friends - one with the DPP-SV55, and another with the HP Photosmart 100. The HP compared better than I thought it would, but both my wife and I could see slight "banding" even though it was printed on the glossy HP 4x6 photo paper. The HP had a slightly "cool" color to it (tad too much blue), but as with the Sony's "warm" tint, that can be corrected with software. To the HP's credit, details were better preserved in the dark areas of the picture than in the Sony. (better shadow details)

I'm using the printer with win 98 (I don't expect to use it standalone with a tv much, though it will be handy on family vacations) so I can't speak to the win XP compatibility. The camera I'm using it with is a DSC-P50 2MP.

If you look around on the net, you can generally find the paper/ribbon pack for around half of what the typical retail is. This brings the consumable price per print inline with what you pay at online photo finishers, except that you have the control over the prints in your hands with instant gratification!

The SV55 uses the same print packs as the SV77 and SV88 (new in early `02) so the supplies should be available for a good long time.


Great Printer   December 6, 2001
S. Ulrich (Arlington, Tx. United States)
25 out of 25 found this review helpful

I have used a number of different printers to get as close to photo quality output as possible.(Epson Photo, Alps and HP) This printer is however in a different class when it comes to printing snap shots in a 4x6 format. You cannot tell the difference from 35mm prints sent to be developed and the output of this printer. (except you can edit these before you print them and print only what you want)
This is a great photo printer and the paper is now available any number of places.


Great investment   March 22, 2002
Lordgar (Kansas)
23 out of 23 found this review helpful

It took me a long time to decide what photo printer to get. After tons of research, I decided to go with the Sony DPPSV55 and I'm totally impressed and happy with the decision I made. The quality of the photos exceeded my expectations and the features are extremely easy to use and navigate and I don't need a computer. I just hooked it up to my TV and I was ready to go. The paper is a little pricey, but for me it's much cheaper than the photo lab. Unlike the lab, I'm in control of what photos I want, how many of each I want, and when I want them. Totally convenient for people like myself that aren't the world's best photographers. But what totally won me over is the dye-sublimation technology with the coating that enables the photos to last much longer and are more durable than the inkjet photos. When I take pictures of friends and family, I would like the photos to last forever. Sony made that possible. Only downside, not that it really bothers me, is the availability of paper at this time since the technology is pretty new. Few places carry it from where I live and right now they are all sold out. I've been ordering mine online through Sony's website. Other than that, no complaints. If you are looking for high quality 4x6 photos at a reasonable price and want your photos to last a lifetime, this is the printer of choice.


Really nice printer at a nice price.   December 12, 2001
19 out of 19 found this review helpful

Received this printer a week ago, and have been very impressed with the print quality. We've only got a 1.6 megapixel camera, but setting the image at 300 DPI and printing at the printer's 403 produces incredibly realistic photos. With the 4 x 6 postcard paper, we get very impressive borderless images. And, the speed is acceptable -- IMO, better than some ink jets. While it is still expensive to run this printer, when you want something that has a longer ink life (from fade) than the typical ink or bubble jet, and you want to avoid little dots or bands, this is the way to go. The only problem I've heard is finding paper & cartridges (Sony packages the paper and cartridges together so you use them as a "set.") With this item, I might just take my film camera out of the rotation once and for all.