Key Takeaways
- Canon’s Ivy 2 device enables users to print small, adhesive images and circular stickers directly from their smartphones, leveraging Zink technology.
- Ivy 2 offers a streamlined setup, effortless Bluetooth connectivity, and high-quality, borderless printing results on durable Zink paper.
- Despite minor colour variations and the limitation of producing approximately 20 prints before the battery needs replacement, the Canon Ivy 2 offers a portable solution for creating fun, adhesive-backed keepsakes.
With the advent of digital cameras, unwanted photos no longer had to be physically printed on paper, rendering them non-existent. While images may exist solely as digital representations, their significance extends far beyond mere pixels. That’s why I’ve started testing out compact gadgets that eliminate the need to wait. While the Canon Ivy 2 may seem like just a portable photo printer at first glance, its unique feature allows it to produce adhesive-backed images that can be stuck almost anywhere.
Cellular photograph printers are easily accessible. Notwithstanding its similarity to others, the Canon Ivy 2 stands out with innovative cartridge-free Zink printing, effortless setup, and versatility in producing boundary-less business-card-sized prints or circular stickers. As a discerning photographer, I am meticulous in selecting my prints. How do the Ivy 2 manage to sustain such a high level of vigilance?
Canon Ivy 2
$86 Save $14
With its seamless integration of Zink technology, the Canon Ivy 2 enables users to effortlessly produce miniature photo prints or stickers via a smartphone app and Bluetooth connectivity. The printer produces vibrant, border-free prints that adhere to a surface once more. Discovering the Ivy 2 to be refreshingly easy to set up and a pleasure to print with. The alternative paper is significantly less expensive than its competitors. While the device generally produces accurate colour, there may be occasional variations that fall short of expectations; additionally, the battery’s capacity is capped at approximately twenty print cycles. Despite this, it remains a triumph for anyone seeking to effortlessly turn their photos into stickers.
- Simple to make use of
- What’s the best way to re-stick borderless photo prints?
- Choice to print round stickers
- Reasonably priced paper refills
- Limited print capacity with a lifespan of just 20 prints?
- Colors on screens can often differ significantly from their actual appearance.
We refrain from conducting speculative assessments from a remote location. We carefully acquire and thoroughly examine our own products before creating exclusive buyer’s guides featuring the items we’ve personally tested.
Specs, worth and availability
The Canon Ivy Recast 2 camera hit store shelves in the autumn of 2022, boasting a budget-friendly price tag of $99. The Moveable Printer leverages Bluetooth technology to seamlessly print images wirelessly from your iPhone or Android device. The Epson Expression Photo HD XP-17, featuring ZINK’s Zero Ink Printing technology, prints vibrant photographs without the need for ink cartridges or purchases. Printer paper varies significantly in price, spanning a range of approximately $30 for 50 sheets to $15 for 20 sheets of pre-cut circular stickers, which include 40 individual pieces.
The compact Canon Ivy Rec Camcorder, a delightful little device. Its miniature design makes it easy to slip into a pocket or purse, and its lightweight construction ensures that fatigue is minimal when holding it for extended periods of time.
The printer is straightforward to operate.
The Canon Ivy 2 is a compact and portable photo printer that easily fits in a handbag or oversized jacket pocket, making it perfect for on-the-go printing. Measuring approximately 4.7 inches in length, the device’s compact stature belies its substantial girth, making it both shorter and thicker than the average smartphone.
The Ivy requires minimal setup prior to printing with the device. The printer effortlessly paired with my iPhone via Bluetooth, connecting within mere seconds without any of the customary Wi-Fi setup hassles. The on-screen instructions guided me through the process of loading paper, which simply entailed opening the pack and filling my entire tray with the blue calibration sheet facing downwards. The Ivy 2 is capable of holding up to 10 sheets simultaneously.
The Canon Mini Print app is surprisingly straightforward and mirrors the simplicity of the printer itself. The House Display boasts an array of shortcuts for effortlessly producing borderless photographs, crafting collages, applying pre-cut stickers, designing graphics, and leveraging the printer as a reliable label maker. Before printing, utilize the intuitive built-in tools to effortlessly crop, apply filters, make subtle adjustments, or add stickers and text overlays. With that accomplished, simply tap the print icon to initiate the process.
The primary reason why the Ivy 2 is so compact is its lack of support for refillable ink cartridges. The zirconium-dioxide-based ceramic material used in its construction enables this product to exhibit remarkable resistance to wear and tear. Zink paper leverages embedded ink crystals that are activated through heat during the printing process. The resulting print is a water-resistant and tear-resistant photograph. The Canon Ivy 2 utilizes 2×3-inch paper for printing business cards. The protective layer will also be removed to reveal the photograph, which will then be transformed into a sticker. Alternatively, the Ivy 2 is suitable for use with pre-cut round sticker paper, featuring two circular images per sheet.
The Zink paper’s innovative sticky-back design and exceptional durability, rendering it virtually indestructible, are compelling reasons to choose the Ivy over printers employing alternative media. Stickers add a delightful touch to making printing enjoyable to decorate. As I rummaged through my purse, I stumbled upon a stray cellphone case adorned with lingering remnants of colorful circle stickers. Ultimately, there are practical applications too, such as the app’s label designs facilitating tasks like labeling all of your children’s school supplies.
The Canon Ivy 2 boasts another distinctive feature: it can produce borderless prints, setting it apart from alternatives like the , which relies on bordered templates instead of paper.
The price of Zink’s alternative paper is another key highlight. A pack of fifty sheets costs approximately thirty dollars, which translates to roughly sixty cents per sheet. Compared to other instant print options, Fujifilm’s on-the-spot movie printers typically cost between 90 cents and $1.50 per image.
The compact camera’s slow autofocus and mediocre video quality were major letdowns for me. Moreover, its limited dynamic range and harsh low-light performance further diminished my overall experience. Additionally, the absence of a viewfinder and a lackluster touchscreen interface only added to my frustration.
Battery life may be limited, with varying shade outcomes.
As a photographer, one of the biggest challenges I face is the unpredictable variation in colour representation across different displays and printers. The Canon Ivy Recast is essentially unchanged. The printed images tended to have a slight bias towards being slightly more vibrant and, on occasion, a touch darker than their digital counterparts. The gradations and transitions from one color to another were not consistently smooth, sometimes exhibiting noticeable texture or noise even when the original file had minimal noise. To ensure a seamless outcome, it’s essential to leave a small buffer zone along the edges when designing pictures or stickers for digital platforms, as discrepancies can occasionally arise between the actual image and the app’s preview.
While compact printers often compromise on quality, this one’s performance still impressed, despite some variation between printed and displayed images. Printers designed to produce three-inch pictures inherently lack the level of detail expected from more advanced printing technologies. Text printed on the images should be large enough to be easily readable and in a simple font for optimal quality. Although I wouldn’t hesitate to repurpose the photos generated by the Ivy 2 for casual sharing with friends, creative projects like scrapbooking, or decorating a kitchen fridge.
Because the Ivy 2 exploits heat to trigger the ink crystals embedded in the paper, its battery life is surprisingly fleeting. The specifications indicate a battery life of 20 prints, which is satisfactory; however, following 15 photographs, the residual power was fluctuating around 30 percent. While the battery life is acceptable for casual use, such as sharing a few prints with friends, those requiring extended periods of printing should consider bringing a charger to avoid any inconvenience. Fortunately, the Ivy 2 relies on a conventional USB-C cable for recharging purposes.
While I initially appreciated the uncomplicated nature of the Canon Mini Print app, there were times when its straightforwardness felt almost too simplistic. I would have appreciated a page count indicator; currently, there’s no way to know how many pages are left without manually counting. Discovering the app’s built-in digital camera mode was underwhelming – the results were inferior to those achieved by using my iPhone’s native digital camera app, with subsequent importation of the image from my camera roll.
The Canon IVY REC 4K Mini Camera: A Pint-Sized Powerhouse Worth Your Investment?
Buy these durable sticker prints.
The Canon Ivy 2 is a highly successful mobile photo printer designed for sharing prints with friends and family, scrapbooking, or personalizing your belongings with customizable photo stickers. With its cutting-edge Zink technology, this printer excels at producing both borderless prints and adhesive-backed images that are remarkably durable and difficult to damage. While some mini printers are limited to printing in a few measurements, the Ivy 2 excels by allowing users to create business-card-sized prints or round stickers depending on the specific paper purchased. Everything can be streamlined with technology that’s incredibly easy to navigate.
Canon Ivy 2
$86 Save $14
Are the Canon Ivy 2’s compact design and affordable price making it my go-to photo printer for everyday use? While my personal preference remains with the Instax Mini Hyperlink 3, converting digital images into instant movies, my affection for its vibrant colours and nostalgic appeal drives this choice. If you’re not fixated on nostalgic or retro aesthetics, the Canon Ivy 2’s durable, virtually indestructible, and budget-friendly instant print capabilities make it an excellent selection. This innovative device is ideal for crafty individuals and anyone seeking to print and adhere images seamlessly from their smartphone.
