Epson PictureMate Deluxe Viewer Edition July 13th, 2005 | by Rebecca Day

Setup and Use

Other consumer electronics companies could take lessons from the idiot-proof setup and operation of Epson's PictureMate.  The device guides you through each step of the print process and confirms that you want to print, so you don't make a 29-cent mistake.  You're not flooded with options but have just enough to give you a decent selection of choices without extensive menu hopping.  For instance, layout options include Borderless, With Border, Proof Sheet, Half Page, Wallets and Mini Wallets, and you choose those using the navigation buttons and the big OK tab to confirm.  You can't get lost in a menu maze.

After setting up the printer—which was a snap—I didn't have to open the manual until it came time to do some PictBridge printing from my Nikon camera.  And that was only because I needed the Nikon manual to figure out how to use it to control the printer.  The only time I consulted the Epson manual was to find out how to change orientation of the prints from landscape to portrait.  As it turns out, the printer did that automatically and I didn't need the manual at all.

A couple of prints came out a bit dark, which was a surprise since they looked bright on the display.  I went back to the Option menu and selected Fix Photos—again, a no-nonsense operation—and brightened them up.  The manual edits turned out better than the P.I.M./Exif option, which actually made the print darker than the already dark original.