When Kodak released its first dual lens camera (the Kodak Easyshare V570), I thought there was no way for things to get better. For one, those two lenses are just lovely. And the wide-angle shots that you could take with the camera is just fantastic (and that means I'll have less trouble taking pictures of the whole clan during holidays!). I don't even have to worry about my shaky hands anymore with the digital image stabilization technology. Taking videos with it also comes as a bonus.

Now, Kodak has announced another dual-lens camera: the V705 (just switch the numbers in your previous model, and voila! You have a new name for your new camera). More like an upgrade to the Easyshare V570, it boasts of 7-megapixel prints (its predecessor has 5MP), 5X optical zoom range for better close-ups, plus the usual video mode (you could take videos up to 80 minutes), 2.5' LCD, red-eye and blur alert, as well as cropping features and easy picture sharing. This will be available on September, and will cost $349.95 USD.

Another baby is born to the Kodak digital camera family, the Kodak Easyshare C875. It features a whopping 8-megapixel prints, 5X zoom lens as well as a 2.5'' LCD. But the striking feature of the C875 is the "smart scene" mode where it actually chooses the best scene for your shot. This will be available at the end of the month, for $299.95 USD.

The last newcomer is the Kodak Easyshare G600 Printer Dock. Just prop your Pictbridge or Imagelink compatible device on top of it, and get your pictures printing in no time (4"x6" prints are done in 60 seconds). Its built-in handle makes it convenient to lug around, and it automatically charges your Kodak camera battery, too. Plus with the Kodak Xtralife lamination, prints are guaranteed waterproof, fingerprint proof, stain resistant, and wipable. It's available in stores now, for $149.95 USD.

Canon Pixma Printers turn pro with the Pro9500 and Pro9000 inkjet printers that “meet the most exacting commercial photographic requirements.” The Pixma Pro printers feature a new ink formulation called “LUCIA” pigment ink suitable for general printing, especially high quality gloss photographs. “The prints resist fading for 100 years when album-stored, 30 years when displayed under glass and 10 years when exposed to the effects of the air,” according to a company representative at his 150^th birthday celebration. Pixma Pro95000 and P9000 will be commercially available in autumn 2006.

One of the basic laws in CE is no digital imaging product should be an island unless its aiming for extinction. At the PMA 2006, Kodak's ImageLink appears to be the bridge for many digital cameras. ImageLink, which allows third-party digital cameras to connect to its printer docks, gained support from giant camera makers Pentax, Olympus and Nikon. The three companies issued models (Nikon Coolpix S5 and S6, the Pentax Optio M10 and the Olympus FE-130) fully compatible with Kodak's EasyShare printer docks.

"Since the ImageLink print system was announced, the response has been overwhelming,” according to Eastman Kodak Company. “Now with the first compatible products hitting the market and others expected over the next year, people can begin to experience the greater ease of use and higher satisfaction that this system provides.”

The Frontier 500 Digital Lab System, Fujifilm's most compact stand-alone printer processor,can print 800 4R (4x6 in) prints per hour and print in sizes up to 8 by 12 inches. It also consumes 20 percent less power than its predecessor, the Frontier 340. According to the company, the Frontier 500 will be available starting May.

Businesses requiring more muscle power will have to wait until June for the arrival of the Frontier 590. It has print speeds of up to 2,400 4R prints per hour using Fujifilm's Crystal archive paper type II and the company's CP-49E chemistry. It offers a dry-to-dry film processing time of 1 minute and 22 seconds and can print in sizes up to 12 by 18 inches.

Some of you may recall a couple years back, there was a comparison made between the cost of inkjet cartridges and other expensive liquids - Vintage champagne and expensive perfume being the large ticket items.  The point being made was that we could be drowning our sorrows in Dom P, or letting our wives bathe in Chanel No 5 for what we're paying to refill our inkjet photo printers.

HP, Canon, Epson, and the rest of the printer manufacturers lure us into buying great printers for cheap, and then sit back and laugh when we pay more to refill the ink, than we did for the hardware itself.  So why not just replace the printer each time, rather than shell out for more ink?  (Because my basement filled-up with old printers too quickly, that's why!)  Perhaps the better question is, at what point is it more cost effective to out-source our photo printing? 

I've personally tried a couple different options. 
1 - I've gone the bargain ink cartridge route.  Twice.  The first time was a bad experience.  The second time I didn't mean to, I just failed to read the fine print.  However on the 2nd go, I received good ink - comparable to the name brand stuff.  So hit and miss?  Perhaps.
2 - I've used services like flickr's, that allow me to order prints through the mail, or through the 1-hour service at my local Target.  Each is cheap at a glance, but there are surcharges for mailing, or for picking it up locally.  So it's never quite what it seems.

My solution is that I print the smaller photos (4x6's mostly) on my home printer (I've still got cheap ink replacements laying around) when I want a photo fast.  But if I need a larger image, 8x10 and above, I'll shell out for someone else to print it professionally.  I've not kept track of this practice to know if I'm coming out ahead or behind - you could go crazy doing that - but at least I feel like I'm doing the more conservative thing. 

What has your experience been?  Do you have a quantifiably better solution?  Please share and save the rest of us from the clutches of the Ink Barons.