The Canon Selphy CP1500 is a super compact and portable printer that can create up to 4×6 prints anywhere. Battery optional.

No one is going to argue against digital photos. They’re great, and there are a myriad of ways to collect, store and review the thousands, if not millions of photos you capture throughout your lifetime. But every now and then, it’s good to have physical versions of those photos. Maybe you want to give prints to family and friends? Maybe you want to fill a frame or hang them up? You could always go with a full-size printer, but that’s only really usable from one place — like an office. However, Canon’s Selphy CP1500 wireless compact photo printer gets rid of that restriction totally. Not only is it sleek, incredibly portable, and battery-operated (optionally), it can also print dry, water-resistant photos instantly.

The photos can be printed wirelessly, through a couple of connectivity options, or via a physical connection like USB, flash drives, memory cards, and more. Wirelessly, it has Wi-Fi built-in, but also supports AirPrint and has a companion app called Selphy Photo Layout which you can print from, as well. It prints photos in sizes 2.1-inches by 2.1-inches up to 4-inches by 6-inches. Meanwhile, a 3.5-inch built in display allows you to preview, edit, and add filter effects right on the printer itself.

What else can this compact and portable printer do?

The optional battery looks to be around $60 for a third-party pack with two of them. I can’t find the official batteries, but it’s likely I’m just blind. The Selphy CP1500 does come with an AC power adapter, so you can always use that, but obviously, that’s not as portable unless you’re pairing it with a power station on the go — which is always a possibility. Anyway, it prints pictures anywhere and another cool feature is that it can include QR codes on those photos. That’s great for directing friends and family to a website, like a wedding site, for example, if you send them a couple’s photo.

For ink, it uses a specialized cartridge that you swap out after it’s empty. From Canon officially it appears to be about $35 for paper (108 sheets) and three color ink cassettes. There are third-party replacements for that, as well.

Canon also mentions it has “learned how to change the texture of the final print” which means you can print on glossy, semi-gloss and satin finishes. You can even print on the overcoat layer to “give your images a subtle pop of texture.” That’s pretty darn cool. Alternatively, Canon has the Selphy QX20 compact printer which is similar for a slightly higher price.

Who is it for?

If you want to be able to print anywhere, anytime in a smaller format image, the Selphy CP1500 is a great way to make that happen. Maybe look up some third-party batteries, though.

Where to buy?

MSRP: $180