There are four models in the M401 lineup,
and we reviewed the top-of-the-range M4oldw, which provides automatic duplex
printing, 802.11n Wi-Fi and Gigabit Ethernet for connecting it to your office
network, and a 3.5in touch-sensitive control screen.
The M401dw is a single-function printer,
with no scanning or copying features, so some people may prefer to opt for a
more versatile multi-function device. It’s also bulky for a basic A4 printer,
measuring 271 x 364 x 368mm.
Its great strength though, is that it’s
very fast. HP quotes a speed of 33 pages per minute, and although we got 30ppm
that’s still much faster than an inkjet. Text quality is very good, and its
recommended monthly print volume of up to 3,000 pages should be more than
adequate for most small businesses.
LaserJet
Pro M401dw
The M401 is supplied with a basic toner
cartridge that provides 2,700 pages, but HP’s high-yield replacement cartridges
last for 6,800 pages and cost $241.5 when bought direct from HP. That works out
at about 2.4p per page, and you can probably save more if you shop around for
the cartridges online.
Macworld’s Buying Advice
There’s nothing fancy about the M4oIdw, but
it’s very fast and affordable, with modest running costs as well. It will make
an excellent workhorse printer for any small business.
Pixma MG3250
It’s not the fastest printer around, but
Canon’s MG3250 is an affordable and versatile ink jet for home users.
It’s a multifunction device that has
built-in Wi-Fi for connecting to your home network, and we were also pleased to
see that Canon includes a USB cable.
It’s not particularly exciting to look at,
consisting of little more than a black, plastic box. However, it’s fairly
compact, measuring about 152 x 450 x 304mm, so it won’t require too much desk
space.
Pixma
MG3250
Print quality is good for text and
graphics, although its speed is relatively modest, coming in at about 6.5 pages
per minute for black text and just 3.5 for colour. It also took a full minute
to produce a 4 x 6m glossy photo print.
The MG3250 also has some useful extra
features, such as automatic duplex printing, which you don’t often get in
printers at this price. The software is well designed too, with a menu that
pops up out of the Dock and provides quick access to network settings and
various printing and scanning features.
Our main complaint is that Canon charges a
rather steep $34.5 for its high-yield black and colour ink cartridges. However,
you can save about per cartridge if you shop around online and that brings
running costs down to about p per page for text documents and just under 8p for
colour.
Macworld’s Buying Advice
The speed and running costs of the MG3250
mean it’s not the best choice for frequent, everyday use. However, its duplex
option and helpful software will appeal to those who occasionally need to
produce longer, high quality documents.
J2
Usually when a camera is updated it gets a
frame rate or pixel boost, but on inspecting the palm-sized J2 compact system
camera (CSC), outwardly it seems Nikon has decided ‘if it ain’t broke don’t fix
it’. But with Canon entering the CSC market with its LOS M, plus Olympus, Sony,
Panasonic and Samsung offering built-in Wi-Fi and iPhone style apps, can the J2
keep up?
Perhaps not, but luckily this has one of
the coolest and most compact designs of all CSC’s in its favour, distracting from
the modest 10.1 megapixel tin sensor that’s been retained. It’s available as a
kit with a 10-30mm zoom lens, which is fine as a starter option. Nevertheless a
welcome feature is the fact the camera can be switched on or off with a twist
of the zoom ring, though a standard on/off button still features for when
you’re using a fixed focal length.
Also new is a Creative Mode, which is a way
of keeping real photographic controls such as Program, Aperture Priority,
Shutter Priority and Manual.
There’s no electronic viewfinder, but the
fixed in screen has had its resolution upped from 460k dots to 921K. While
battery life remains the same as the Ji’s for stills, should you choose the
maximum 6ofps frame rate for Full HD stereo video, it’s worse. In terms of
image quality, though shots are clear and crisp at first glance, but bugbears
such as pixel fringing remain.
Macworld’s Buying Advice
The J2’s looks outstrip performance, but
its small size and access to a wide range of lenses via adapter make it a sound
option, though going for the older and cheaper Ji might be the better option.
EX2F
Premium compacts meaning feature-festooned
pocket models with plenty of manual controls, a high quality build and equally
high price tag are on the rise in popularity. The Sony RX100 ($824.9) and
Panasonic LX7 ($705) are two impressive recent examples of able semi pro
all-in-ones and to that purchase shortlist is added Samsung’s EX2F.
For a pricey $643.5, this metal camera
packs in a lot, including twin rangefinder like mode dials, a vacant hotshoe, a
neatly implemented pop-up flash, a tilt and swivel rear screen, plus a
brightest in class maximum lens aperture of f/1.4 via a 33x optical zoom,
protected by old fashioned clip-on lens cap. While that fast aperture and
resolution of 12.4 megapixels suggests the EX2F is a great tool for low light
photography, in daylight we found ourselves manually dialling down the exposure
to avoid burnt out highlight detail.
Still, Wi-Fi connectivity alongside manual
options is the draw here, and for those stepping up from a smartphone, the menu
options in Scene and Wi-Fi shooting modes are presented in the style of apps.
There’s also a grip to aid handheld shooting and avoid blur, plus the in
compositional screen is also AMOLED, so there’s a better contrast view with
deeper blacks. The only downside is, despite including bags of detail from the
centre to corner of a frame, pictures can look better on the camera’ s back
than your own desktop.
Buying Advice
Samsung’s EX2F is a well built and solidly
performing high-end compact for those who don’t want more professional-looking
pictures
