It isn't cheap compared to standard printers, but the Canon Pixma iP100 has the highest resolution available in the mobile printer market and prints at an impressive speed to boot. If you simply must have a printer with you at all times, the iP100 should be the do-it-all at your side.
Canon continues its lineage of successful Pixma portable inkjet printers with the iP100, an upgrade from last year's iP90v. This time around, Canon increased the number of ink nozzles and doubled the maximum resolution to 4,800x1,200dpi colour. As a result, we've seen significant improvements in both print speed and quality that make the portable iP100 competitive with even some full-size printers.
For AU$449, you don't get some of the bells and whistles of Hewlett-Packard's mobile companion such as a multimedia card reader or optional Wi-Fi connectivity. Even still, we much prefer this Canon for its lower profile, its quick print speeds, an upgraded cartridge set, and its overall versatility.
We like the design continuity in the Pixma mobile line and the simple aesthetic it provides. The iP100 looks almost identical to its predecessor, the iP90v. The body has a matte-silver finish with glossy black side panels and paper handling trays that extend out of the device. Thankfully, the input tray holds 50 sheets of paper, a 20-page jump from the iP90v.
The right side of the printer houses an infrared port for connecting to IrMC 1.1-compatible mobile phones, a USB 2.0 port, and a PictBridge port for direct printing from compatible digicams. For an additional cost, Canon will throw in the BU-30, a Bluetooth adapter that plugs into the USB port, allowing you to print wirelessly from a laptop or mobile device. Unfortunately, the iP100 lacks the built-in card reader that's included in the HP Officejet H470; users are forced to print via USB or through the PictBridge port. There's also no Wi-Fi adapter currently available for the iP100, so if these two features are absolute must-haves, you might want to look elsewhere.
At 6.1cm tall, 32.2cm wide, and 18.3cm deep, the iP100 is actually slightly larger and heavier than last year's model, but it still retains a smaller profile than its direct competitor, the HP Officejet H470. From a portability standpoint, the iP100 is easily transportable, but it would have been great if Canon had included a carrying case to protect the unit in transit.
While the iP100 keeps the same physical profile as its predecessor, the internal cartridge system has been completely revamped. First, the iP100 bumps up the number of total nozzles from 1,088 to 1,856. Compare that to the 1,072 nozzles inside the H470 and you'll see why Canon is more than one full model ahead of HP in this competitive space. Like the iP90v and the iP90 before it, economic users can stretch out their cartridges' life cycles using two options built into the driver: Save Black Ink or Use Composite mode. Save Black Ink reduces the amount of black ink used in text and greyscale graphics, while the Use Composite mode produces a pseudo-black out of the remaining colour spectrum once the black ink is depleted.
(Longer bars indicate better performance)
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Photo (PPM - 10 copies) | |
Presentation (PPM) | |
Text (PPM) |
The engineers over at Canon successfully increased print speed from previous models by one page per minute (ppm) in all three of our format tests. The iP100 printed text at an impressive 7.12ppm, which not only stands head and shoulders above the HP Officejet H470, but also bests the print speeds of several full-size all-in-ones and single-function photo printers available at retail stores right now.
On average, the iP100 printed photos at 1.09 sheets per minute, which is acceptable but not spectacular. However, you can increase print times in photo and graphics heavy documents by manually changing the amount of time the printer waits for the previous page to dry.
Looking at the picture from a qualitative standpoint, the iP100's print samples appear to be on a par with, if not slightly better than the iP90v's. We hardly detected any graininess at all in both portrait and landscape photos â€" the prints themselves are very natural with accurate and vivid colour palettes. Our text documents came out free of jagged edges in both generic copy paper and high-quality glossy sheets.
The current model also resolves the slight blue cast in the greyscale portion of our test subjects that we reported with its predecessor. However, there were some negatives. Some of the photos we printed on Canon's own Photo Paper Plus Glossy II produced a slightly overcast hue that was definitely noticeable; the effect was not necessarily displeasing, just slightly colder than what we've seen from other printers. We could also see blocky transitions in our colour gradients. But as a whole, we were very happy with this device's output quality as a versatile printer designed for quick photo, document, and presentation prints on the go.
Canon gives a standard one-year warranty with the iP100, with additional troubleshooting via phone support. The Canon website also provides email support as well as a comprehensive list of FAQs and driver update downloads.
We bought this little gem to take to Europe. First impressions are very favorable. It's small, reliable, and prints beautifully. At just over four pounds, it's perfect for travel.
The little Bluetooth adaptor also works very well. Reading the manual (!), I discovered it is possible to mount the adapter permanently inside the printer so that it's not exposed and doesn't need attachment every time it is used. This is a simple procedure, and enhances the usefulness of the Bluetooth capability that is all but de rigueur when traveling. The installation / setup information is also in the electronic manual that comes on the CD.
But as good as the printer is, it does not come with (nor does Canon offer) a case of any kind. I found the perfect solution - from Case-Mate: go to http://www.case-mate.com/laptop/macbookpro15/15gblackcases2 and buy the 'Glovez 15"' sleeve (like a large envelope with a velcro closure / flap). It comes in an assortment of colors and is a skin-tight (but very workable) fit in the 'length' direction. When inserted, the printer doesn't take up every bit of the case in the 'width' direction, meaning there is just enough room to also accommodate the cord and AC brick. Throw these in, close the flap, and you're always ready to roll.
Best part: this 'Glovez' sleeve is only $9.99 $3.99 S/H, and gets to you in a few days. It's not bulky - just what one wants to protect the printer but not take up room. (As an aside, the Case-Mate Glovez 13" [for the MacBook 13" and Air] fits the Lenovo ThinkPad X300 perfectly).
The good: Compact, Bluetooth works very well, print quality is excellent
The bad: Not cheap, but worth it (though at this price point the Bluetooth adapter should come packaged with the printer).
No case - but see comments.