The good performance, quiet operation, and a solid software package makes the MP730 an ideal choice for SOHO users.
The imageCLASS MP730 is a fairly big upgrade over the older MPC600F. One of the more significant upgrades has been the inclusion of a print head capable of dropping 2-picoliter ink droplets. Match that up with the ability to perform direct photo printing from memory cards and you've got a solid all-round package.
In design terms the MP730 doesn't wander too far from its elder brethren, the MPC600F. Aside from the dissimilar finish, you'll be hard-pressed to find any external difference between the two models. While the blue-and-white of the older MPC600F may be more aesthetically pleasing, we prefer the darker grayish guise of the newer model as it won't gather dirty fingerprints as easily, especially in an office environment.
Whether you're planning to scan, print, fax or copy, operating this AIO is a breeze. On the front panel, four backlit buttons give users one-touch access to scan, copy, fax, and photo print, while the prominent start and stop buttons intuitively provide control over the desired functions.
On the front face of the control panel is a 6-in-1 memory card reader of the type that grace Canon's newer photo direct range. This gives the MP730 greater flexibility and is a nice addition.
Setting up the MP730 is easy. Included is a startup guide detailing steps and instructions that are easy to follow. Perhaps the only thing missing in the guide is how to align the printhead vertically. Nevertheless, this issue is addressed in the printed manual.
The machine--despite the large size--still has a rather cramped interior, in common with most other AIOs. The scanner bed, together with the ADF, pops open with a press of a button. The tilt angle of the scanner bed is quite small, which leads to a lack of room for installing or replacing cartridges. The MP730 is also the first AIO we've seen from Canon to include its Think Tank cartridges. The Think Tank system is basically an individual cartridge for each colour ink. This should be a more cost effective solution for most users, as you don't have to change the whole colour cartridge when only the one colour ink runs out.
Perhaps the only thing you can fault the Japanese manufacturer on is the lack of a USB cable, especially with the AIO's recommended price of AU$749.
The software bundle that comes with the MP730 is very complete and better than the earlier imageCLASS series from Canon. Besides the standard drivers and MultiPASS (MP) Toolbar, there's an impressive range of utilities. This includes Presto! PageManager 6 that allows the scanned images to be ported into a range of commonly used applications from graphics utilities to word processing programs.
We also particularly liked how the installation program is separated into three phases (installing drivers; MP Toolbar; utilities). The more advanced users will definitely be delighted with this option as you'll now have the option of installing exactly what you need--which could just be the basic drivers, OCR (Optical Character Recognition) software, and PageManager.
Canon has always included Omnipage SE with its imageCLASS AIOs. The advantage of this long-term association is that it allows bundling of a mature and mostly problem-free package. In our tests, we found the OCR package--in combination with the scanner unit--able to produce editable and mostly accurate text if the font size was at least 5pts.
The MP730 prints quickly, quietly, and with quality. In terms of speed, this printer finished our 10-page test in 70 seconds or 8.6 pages per minute. This edges the unit in front of HP's similarly configured Officejet 7130. For "borderless" A4-sized photo prints, the MP730 manages to impress, coming in a split second below 3 minutes. This is even faster than some of Canon's own mid-range dedicated photo printers such as the i470D.
The quality of the prints is also commendable. Text came out very clean and legible even at 2pt font size. Graphical quality was excellent on photo paper, but if you plan to do lots of image-heavy printing on plain paper, be warned; we experienced a large number of flaws on plain paper, most noticeably a high level of dithering.
The scanner and copier of the imageCLASS MP730 did very well with regard to colour fidelity--although the colours tended to be brighter, especially on the reds. This is also the first AIO we've tested that didn't give washed-out colours when copying. However, for challenging pictures the colour matching wasn't perfect. Judging from our tests, it appeared that Canon has tweaked its outputs for righter colours and warmer skin tones, which will equate to generally pleasing copies.
Because of the MP730's ADF, copy speeds were acceptable. In our tests copying a single monochrome sheet took just over 15 seconds every time. Copying photos took around 4 minutes per high-quality prints, although this can be sped up by around 10 seconds per print if quiet mode printing is disabled.
One sorely missed feature for a SOHO-oriented AIO is the two-sided printing mechanism such as the one found on the HP Officejet 7130. Otherwise, you'll find the MP730 a rather complete multifunctional device.
The Canon imageCLASS MP730 will easily win you over with its speed, quality, and quiet operation. The high-quality software bundle is just an added incentive to the overall package, as long as you can live without double-sided printing.
Canon imageCLASS MP730
Company: Canon Australia
Price: AU$749
Distributor: Selected resellers
Phone: (02) 9805 2000
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MY MFP730 RECENTLY RETURNED FROM A SERVICE REPLACEMENT OF THE PAPER FEEDER.
PROBLEM THAT HAS ARISEN IS THAT IT NOW SHOWS LINES WHEN SCANNING VIA THE AUTO DOC FEEDER.
HOW CAN I GET RID OF THIS.
ALSO HAPPENS WHEN I "COPY" IN COLOUR (NOT B&W) VIA THE ADF.