Review: HP TopShot Laserjet Pro M275 that scans 3D objects to print

Imagine a multi function printer, you will see an image of giant plastic box that copies, scans and prints documents in home or office with an insatiable appetite for expensive ink cartridges. Now, look at the new HP’s new Laser jet pro M275 that does all the work with the addition of 3D object scanner and the company names it-Top Shot. Targeted to the home based users and small businesses, it represents a new category of multifunction printer.

HP TopShot Laserjet Pro M275

What is it?

At first glance, it looks like a small color laser printer with a white try on top. There is a scanner on a stick that rests flat on the top and can be raised on a hinge whenever needed. The scanner has a camera with high-resolution sensor and high quality optical lens that gives a real looking image of anything that you place on the white top. With this device, a user can quickly scan a document or object and integrate the resulting image in the workflow without using a computer.

Key features

The printer comes with a three-angle scanner, or you can say a camera, on an elevated arm. It takes six images of an object: three using LED flashes from different angles and other three with natural exposure levels and ambient light. All these images then combine to make a shadow and glare free image. It can take picture of any 3 dimensional item (bottle, mobile, cups etc) and creates a 3D like image such as the copy or electronic image of the item.

If we look at the dimensions, the multi function printer is 18.4 x 16.1 x 10.6-inch and weighs 30 pounds. It has print speed of 17 pages per minute, 600x600 maximum dpi maximum copy resolution and 45 dpi maximum scan resolution. Connectivity options in the printer includes, USB 2.0 jack, 802.11 n for wireless printing and 10/100 Mbps Ethernet port. It also works with Apple’s iOS, supports ePrint, so that you can print from anywhere in the world and the usual functions like print, scan and copy are there.

What's innovative?

In the printer, a 3.5-inch touch screen that allows you to access, print and share the content. It also gives you access to many useful apps including contact management, document collaboration and postage. One of the useful apps in the printer is Biz Card that scans and imports multiple business cards simultaneously. Like all the HP printers, it also comes with HP software that allows you to remove the background from scanned images or documents, so that it can be used immediately without using any photo editing software.

Price and availability

The HP Top Shot is currently available in US with a sticker price of $400.

Accessories

Right now, there are no accessories coming with the product or made by the company. Frankly speaking, you do not any accessory with a printer like M275.

The up side

M275 has all the qualities, including the traditional scanning, copying as well as printing and the latest 3D scanner to produce eye-catching images. Even if you do not have a computer connected with the printer, you can easily scan documents/objects and upload wherever needed. Under some conditions, it can also substitute complex photo shoot set ups when favored with proper lighting.

The down side

Apart from being expensive, there are no other negative sides of the printer as of now, whether we talk about usage or features. Let us wait for some time and see if we can get some of them.

Our experience

Before writing the review, we tried 3D scanning and placed an apple on the white tray. After making a copy, I called one of my friends and asked to tell the difference. He was numb, because it was so perfect that the copy looked like original. That clearly defines the performance of this printer; do you want to me to say anything else?

The bottom line

Most of the printers available today in the market give all the functionalities. Therefore, it is difficult for the manufacturers to decide what else they can add or how they can make their printers less expensive. Here, our M275 makes a difference and gives a complete new feature of 3D scanning. This is the best printer from HP until date and it might be the best one in the sales as well. The excellent part of the MFP is its camera that is mounted on an adjustable arm, takes multiple pictures on any 3D object and combines them in a single image with contours and shadows. Now, if your business needs the ability to scan 3D objects, HP has the solution.

Picture Gallery

HP TopShot Laserjet Pro M275

HP TopShot Laserjet Pro M275