· Read a memory card and make an Index print: Great job. Unfortunately, I have a whole bunch of memory cards lying around without any identification, sort of like all those old APS cartridges that hide the images within. I found that the RX620 was a great tool for making Index prints so I could finally get those cards in order. And, it makes those "proof sheet"-type Index prints, the ones you mark up for a print order. It couldn't be easier.

This shot was made in JPEG mode with Black and White mode using a Canon EOS 20D digital SLR, and the print made "computer-less" from the CompactFlash card is also very good. You can preview, get an Index print, make prints in various sizes, and even use the Epson as a card reader when attached to another drive or the computer. That's just the short list on this versatile machine.

· Prints from memory cards without computer: Great job. I was very pleasantly surprised by the quality of prints I could get without the intervention of a computer directly from a memory card. I made a few 8x10s, but you can also put out 4x6" prints from your card as well, or work with DPOF and work directly from the camera via cable. If you do hook it up to your computer the darn thing will act as a card reader as well.

· Prints from slides and negatives: Here's where I'd draw the line with this unit, but to be fair I only worked in computer-less mode. The scans were of a fairly good quality, but I went up to max size (8x10) with the prints and they were...okay, nothing to write home about. Smaller prints did much better, but critical work for neg and transparency scanning is best left to another machine.

· Scanning to memory card: Easy enough to do, and a quick way to get flat art images digitized.

While the Epson comes with a negative and slide adapter for use on the flat-bed, it would not be my first choice for film scanning, though it does what I'd call a credible job. What is rather incredible is that you can scan from neg or slide (35mm only) and go directly to a print, without using a computer. This would make for good proofing quality prints for those in a hurry, and speaks to the amazing versatility of this machine.

Computer-less, however, the scans compress to just about 1MB, hardly enough to make large prints, but fine for record keeping and organization, and making small prints later.

In all, the Epson RX620, at $299 list, handles just about any family photo task you throw at it with ease. The LCD menu acts as a guide to operations and options, and this all-in-one can become the center of photo operations for both film and digital printing, sharing, and archiving. As mentioned, I worked only computer-less, and found plenty of projects that it could handle; if I had attached it to a computer it would handle even more.

For more information, contact Epson America, Inc., 3840 Kilroy Airport Way, Long Beach, CA 90806; (800) 463-7766, (562) 981-3840; www.epson.com.