Canon Releases PIXMA MP810 and MP600 Photo All-in-One Printers

contents

hardware

Canon's new PIXMA MP810 and MP600 Photo All-In-One printers give consumers high quality photos, fast scanning and copying in a package that is easy-to-use and looks attractive in a home environment. With the new Easy-Scroll Wheel interface found on these two models, consumers can control device functions quickly and simply. In addition, the bright, high-definition TFT LCD screens allow consumers to view and edit photos directly from the all-in-one.

Canon introduces the world's first multi-function printers with the Easy-Scroll Wheel interface. Consumers can access document operations at a glance, including the copy, scan, or print functions by simply rotating the wheel to the desired feature and pressing the "OK" button. Users can now keep their eyes on the screen while selecting and executing functions, to give them full control at their fingertips. What's more, Canon added the "HOME" and "NAVI" buttons to this device's operational panel. When consumers push the NAVI button, it displays the machines on screen guide, which includes how-to recommendations for the most common functions. The HOME button allows users to return to the main menu, regardless of where they are in the sub-menus, assuring users that home is always just a click away. By adding the Easy-Scroll Wheel, HOME and NAVI buttons, Canon has been able to reduce the number of total buttons by approximately half compared to competing multifunction models.

The Easy-Scroll Wheel also includes a large, bright and colorful TFT-type LCD screen, which consumers can use to preview images before printing and photo editing. The screen is viewable at a 170-degree angle, so everyone around the unit can enjoy what is displayed, rather than just the person sitting directly in front of the AIO.

The PIXMA MP810 Photo All-In-One offers consumers a versatile device that can deliver a stunning maximum 9600 x 2400 color dpi, and can produce a photo-lab quality 4 x 6 inch borderless photo in approximately 21 seconds. Ink droplets can be as small as one picoliter for razor sharp photos, with virtually no visible grain, comparable to photo-lab results. The five-tank ChromaLife100 system supplies long lasting vibrant prints for years to come, while the individual ink tanks feature Smart LED lights to alert the user to low ink levels and troubleshoot ink related installation issues.

PC-free photo printing is a snap with the MP810 model, allowing users to connect any PictBridge compatible digital camera or DV camcorder directly. Users can even print wirelessly through an IrDA interface or via an optional Bluetooth accessory. The MP810 AIO's built-in memory card slots allows users to preview their images on the large three-inch TFT display, and perform basic editing functions, such as trimming, red-eye removal, and face-brightening. The three inch TFT screen makes navigating the Easy-Scroll Wheel menus and functions easy and fast.

For scanning of photos and important documents, the MP810 Photo All-In-One scans at a maximum optical resolution of 4800 x 4800 dpi, with vibrant 48-bit color depth. Besides excelling at digital prints, the MP810 Photo All-In-One also answers the question... "How do I archive that box full of old slides or negatives?" Users simply load their negatives or film slides into the provided adapter, and have a choice of scanning or making a direct photo print of their images without the need to use a computer.

In addition, the MP810 model has other great features that make it a compelling addition to the home or home office setup. The Advanced Paper Handling system, with its two paper trays and automatic two-sided printing allows users to store photo paper in one tray and plain paper in the other, so they don't have to manually switch paper supplies. The Auto-Duplexing feature for documents and photos can help save paper, while allowing for greater creativity for crafting and photo projects.

The Canon PIXMA MP600 AIO delivers stunning photo-lab quality prints at up to 9600 x 2400-color dpi and can produce a 4 x 6 inch borderless print in approximately 28 seconds with the look and feel of a traditional photo. The Easy-Scroll Wheel interface makes it simple for users to access the copy, scan and print functions quickly plus navigate and preview their photos on the 2.5-inch color TFT screen. Five individual ink tanks equipped with the Canon Smart LED technology can produce ink droplets as small as one picoliter for laser-sharp documents and virtually grain-free photos. The PIXMA MP600 Photo All-In-One supports auto-duplex printing for two sided documents or photos while users can also store up to 300 sheets of plain paper in the two included paper trays. Consumers can also scan images at a maximum of 2400 x 4800 dpi, while automatically performing reductions, corrections, and enlargements of their documents and photos.

When used with a supported Canon digital SLR, these new photo all-in-ones support the user-friendly Canon-to-Canon Direct Advantage. Connected via the PictBridge port, the Canon-to-Canon connection allows users to brighten faces, print shooting information on a print, or even print a contact sheet with up to 35 images - all directly from the camera controls without a PC. The Canon-to-Canon workflow allows consumers to take advantage of added convenience and power to produce outstanding image quality directly from the camera to the printer without the need for a PC.

All new additions to the Canon AIO line-up employ advanced copy technology to help give the user amazing reproductions of original images and documents. Dual Color Gamut Processing Technology improves color accuracy by independently controlling brightness, hue, and other elements to make sure that there are minimal differences between the original and the copy. Users can now avoid the frustrations that come with poor quality when making a copy of a copy. With Dual Color Gamut Processing Technology, documents remain sharp and photos look like they came from your neighborhood photo mini-lab. In addition, with Text and Image Separation Technology, the system can actually differentiate text from an image, making black text and fine lines dark and sharp when printing with pigmented black ink. Now when black text appears over an image, the text on the following generations of copies can be virtually as clear as the first. These technologies plus hardware improvements in scanning and printing can help make a copy almost indistinguishable from the original.

These new PIXMA photo AIO's use the Canon ChromaLife100 system, including the FINE print head technology for great photo printing. When using select genuine Canon photo papers and inks, prints can resist fading for up to 100 years when stored in an archival quality photo album. The up to 100-year-lifespan rivals that of many traditional film based photos, long considered by consumers to be the benchmark for image permanence. Prints produced on Canon Photo Paper Pro with ChromaLife100-compatible inks have an up to ten-year gas fastness when exposed to open air. Prints created with the ChromaLife100 system, comprised of genuine Canon ink and photo paper, like Photo Paper Pro or Photo Paper Plus Glossy, have up to 30-year lightfastness when displayed under glass.

write your comments about the article :: © 2006 Computing News :: home page