printing to multiple printers

[jonibob]

I was wondering if anyone knew how to do this. I take pictures at parties and print them immediately for the guests. Right now I have 1 printer hooked up directly to my camera. Having only one printer takes too long (line of customers starts to get long). I wanted to hook up multiple printers to the camera. Does anyone know how this could be done? I was looking for some type of USB switch but don't think such a things exists.

[gryphonslair99]

Your camera most likely does not have the ability to select from different printers. Add a laptop and possibly a multi port USB hub to handle the printers you want to use.

[jonibob]

that is a good idea, but the only thing is that when I plug in my camera (canon rebel 1000D) into my computer I cannot take any pictures. so I would have to keep unpluggin and plugging in my camera to the computer after each picture i take.

[OldClicker]

Use two (or more) memory cards. Take picture(s), remove card from camera, insert card into lap top, insert 2nd card into camera... - Terry

[freygr]

I was wondering if anyone knew how to do this. I take pictures at parties and print them immediately for the guests. Right now I have 1 printer hooked up directly to my camera. Having only one printer takes too long (line of customers starts to get long). I wanted to hook up multiple printers to the camera. Does anyone know how this could be done? I was looking for some type of USB switch but don't think such a things exists.

The camera has to be connected to the printer until the image has finished being sent to the printer. I don't think any camera has the interface to tell the printer to print 4 copies on it's own.

If you don't want a line you are going to need a fast printing photo printer, and for the best results water and light fast ink. Unluckily these printers may cost more than what you may want to spend.

Ideally you have an helper to handle the print sales, printing, and moving the images from the card to laptop/net-book and cataloging the images. Any laptop/net-book can handle multiple printers.

Now as you are at parties an help can watch all your stuff to keep it from growing legs.

[Skyman]

if you use identical ip printers, you can set them up in windows so they are pooled.
This way the computer sends the job to the next available printer. You can use as many printers as you can afford, but they have to work on the same drivers (helps if they are the same model) and they need to be networkable. I would also look at some sort of wireless image transfer system (eye fye sd cards are worth a look, or both nikon and canon have systems that can do this on high end cameras). This way you needn't connect the camera to the computer but happily keep shooting. I am sure it wouldn't be to hard to get someone to write a script to automatically print every file that is uploaded if that is what you are after...

[freygr]

I just remembered, there are printers from Epson, HP, and Canon which you can print directly form memory cards.

But I still feel an computer and helper to handle the printing would be the best solution, the second best is the same set up without an helper.