HP's photo printer range isn't just about small stickers – the Sprocket line is also looking at the event space
(Image credit: Future)
The HP Sprocket Photobooth enhances the capabilities of the HP Sprocket ink-free photo printer series, with some added fun of a photobooth (as opposed to the more personal Sprocket Panorama we also saw at CES).
The Sprocket Photobooth has a much lower entry point, and is far more portable, than other photobooths on the market. As a working pro, I have owned a few in the past for events and such and let me tell you, they are a royal pain to set up and maintain; especially if they have a thermal printer to contend with.
With the new Sprocket Photobooth, you can select filters, capture photos, and print them directly from the device itself in 3.5” x 4.25” format, sticky-backed paper. Notably, this gadget, roughly the size of a large coffee table book at 21” high x 13” wide (53 x 33cm), comes equipped with a built-in kickstand, providing portability for on-the-go usage. You can also mount the Photobooth on the wall. (Personally, I hope a picture-style frame surround will be added to make it a bit more pleasing to look at, but perhaps that'll be the job of the customer).
The goal is to make the fun of photography work at home or in an event setting with this all-in-one easy-to-use device.
(Image credit: Future)
The screen is 10.1 inches, with 1280 x 800 pixels on LCD, and runs Android built-in. It also has a camera, so is essentially a camera. It has a surrounding “beauty” light that can be modified in brightness on the given slider. While the screen resolution isn't crazy high it is bright and seemed to work fine in the bright lights of the CES halls. It’s also not very heavy weighing in at 8lbs adding to its portability.
I wasn't sure from a quick test at CES 2024 whether the device would accept images via wireless – say Bluetooth – or would only print pictures it took itself using the 3-2-1-Go approach.
The typical HP Sprocket printer is a more portable affair. (Image credit: Future)
Priced at $449, the HP Sprocket Photobooth is fantastic value given its feature set, but is a tad more expensive than its peers in the portable instant photo printer space while still using 'Zink' ink-free tech (the dedicated printer paper will cost around 30-50$ for 50 sheets and will be easily available through many online retailers and HP’s website.)
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However, the concept may well offer better value than renting a full-size photobooth for your upcoming events, and it provides the advantage of unlimited usage without being constrained by time or the number of events. When it finally goes on sale in Q3 2024 it'll be possible to assess the value proposition.
Pro Travel and Adventure Photographer, Educator and Author
Dan M Lee is a professional travel and adventure photographer who has shared his knowledge with hundreds of individuals through his in-person wilderness photography training and thousands more through his writing. That includes a book, Creating Photography: The Professional Edge but the way to get involved is to join him on an expedition via kodiakphotoworkshop.com.
Dan has a broad range of photographic interests – and tech enthusiasm – which he can trace back to his first job, while still at school, in a photography shop in England. He has since been lured across the Atlantic to New York City where he undertakes commissions for numerous publishers.
His extensive traveling means he can be out of his home for more than half the year, which has also seen him develop an interest in smart security systems.
