See how we tested printer…
Printer
benchmarks
1.
Pure colours
These red, green, blue, black, cyan,
magenta and yellow boxes and bars test the ability of the printers to produce
pure colours and smooth tonal gradations.
2.
Resolution lines
Carefully sized and positioned monochrome
bars challenge the ability of the printers to reproduce fine details
accurately.
3.
Rainbow stripes
These stripes (full spectrum, RGB and
magenta to yellow through cyan) test how the printers reproduce subtle
variation in tone and hue.
4.
Greyscale wedge
It should be possible to recognize each
step in this greyscale wedge. The progression from light to dark should also be
smooth.
Printer times: lower values indicate faster speeds
Canon
MG6250
10x15cm (standard quality): 0.19
A4 (best quality): 1.59
Canon
Pro 9000
10x15cm (standard quality): 0.17
A4 (best quality): 2.57
Canon
Pro-1
10x15cm (standard quality): 0.24
A4 (best quality): 2.10
A3+ (best quality): 4.25
Epson
PX830FWD
10x15cm (standard quality): 0.42
A4 (best quality): 3.17
A3+ (best quality): 6.48
Epson
R2000
10x15cm (standard quality): 4.05
A4 (best quality): 6.38
A3+ (best quality): 9.27
Epson
R3000
10x15cm (standard quality): 1.33
A4 (best quality): 5.10
A3+ (best quality): 10.50
Print speed result: All speeds recorded are for borderless printing, at 6x4-inch, A4
and, where available, A3+sizes
Print
speed result
Overall benchmark verdict
The Epson PX830FWD is the outright quickest
for postcard printing in normal quality mode, but is overtaken by the Canon
MG6250 and Pro9000 Mark II in top quality modes. Pigment-based A3+ printers are
typically slower but, at maximum quality settings, the Epson R2000 is the
quickest, followed by the Canon Pro-1 and then the Epson R3000.
The digital camera verdict: The canon PIXMA PRO-1 makes
you look best on paper
Fully earning its ‘Pro’ name tag, the new
Canon is quite simply the best photo inkjet printer on the market
All too often, you need to pick a printer
that’s best suited to your favourite style of photo output. However, the Canon
PIXMA Pro-1 bucks the trend by excelling in every area. As a photo printer, it
delivers supreme quality for both colour and mono, on matte and glossy media.
The closet-running competitor is the Epson Stylus Photo R3000, which is almost
as majestic for mono.
The
canon PIXMA PRO-1 makes you look best on paper
If you’re only interested in creating
large-format glossy colour prints, the Canon PIXMA Pro9000 Mark II is the
printer to go for. The Epson Stylus Photo R2000 is comparatively disappointing
for colour and isn’t well suited to black and white either.
Canon rules the A4 printer roost with its
PIXMA MG6250. Colour print quality is sublime and it’s the best A4 printer in
the group for black-and-white photo output too. It’s fast, delivering
borderless A4 photo prints in under two minutes, even in top quality mode. The
Epson Stylus Photo PX830FWD is the second-best A4 printer of colour, despite
its six-ink line-up, and can’t match the Canon for mono photo prints.
How the printers compare
|
Canon PIXMA MG6250
·
Contact: www.canon.com
·
Target price: $217.5
·
Number of inks: Six
·
Max print size: A4
·
Max print resolution: 9,600x2,400dpi
·
Input trays: 1 rear, 1 lower
·
Ink and paper cost per A4 photo: $1.99
·
Interfaces: USB 2.0, Ethernet, Wi-Fi
·
PictBridge: Yes
·
Memory card slots: CF, MMC, MS, SD/HC
·
LCD display: 7.5cm
·
CD/DVD printing: Yes
·
Built-in scanner: 4,800x4,800dpi
·
Dimensions (WxDxH): 470x367x173mm
·
Weight: 9.2kg
Ratings
·
Features: 5 stars
·
Build quality: 4 stars
·
Photo print quality: 4 stars
·
Value: 5 stars
·
Overall: 4 stars
|
|
Epson Stylus Photo PX830FWD
·
Contact: www.epson.com
·
Target price: $277.5
·
Number of inks: Six
·
Max print size: A4
·
Max print resolution: 5,760x1,440dpi
·
Input trays: 1 rear, 1 postcard tray
·
Ink and paper cost per A4 photo: $1.99
·
Interfaces: USB 2.0, Ethernet, Wi-Fi
·
PictBridge: Yes
·
Memory card slots: CF, MMC, MS, SD/HC/XC, xD
·
LCD display: 8.9cm
·
CD/DVD printing: Yes
·
Built-in scanner: 4,800x4,800dpi
·
Dimensions (WxDxH): 465x458x198mm
·
Weight: 11.4kg
Ratings
·
Features: 4 stars
·
Build quality: 4 stars
·
Photo print quality: 3 stars
·
Value: 3 stars
·
Overall: 3 stars
|
|
Canon PIXMA Pro9000 Mark II
·
Contact: www.canon.com
·
Target price: $585
·
Number of inks: Eight
·
Max print size: A3+
·
Max print resolution: 4,800x2,400dpi
·
Input trays: 1 rear, 1 manual
·
Ink and paper cost per A4 photo: $2.25
·
Interfaces: USB 2.0
·
PictBridge: Yes
·
Memory card slots: No
·
LCD display: No
·
CD/DVD printing: Yes
·
Built-in scanner: No
·
Dimensions (WxDxH): 660x354x191mm
·
Weight: 14.4kg
Ratings
·
Features: 4 stars
·
Build quality: 5 stars
·
Photo print quality: 4 stars
·
Value: 4 stars
·
Overall: 4 stars
|
|
Epson Stylus Photo R2000
·
Contact: www.epson.com
·
Target price: $630
·
Number of inks: Eight
·
Max print size: A3+ (plus panoramic)
·
Max print resolution: 5,760x1,440dpi
·
Input trays: 1 rear, 1 manual, roll feeder
·
Ink and paper cost per A4 photo: $2.25
·
Interfaces: USB 2.0, Ethernet, Wi-Fi
·
PictBridge: Yes
·
Memory card slots: No
·
LCD display: No
·
CD/DVD printing: Yes
·
Built-in scanner: No
·
Dimensions (WxDxH): 622x324x219mm
·
Weight: 12.3kg
Ratings
·
Features: 4 stars
·
Build quality: 3 stars
·
Photo print quality: 3 stars
·
Value: 3 stars
·
Overall: 3 stars
|
|
Canon PIX Pro-1
·
Contact: www.canon.com
·
Target price: $1042.5
·
Number of inks: Twelve
·
Max print size: A3+
·
Max print resolution: 4,800x2,400dpi
·
Input trays: 1 rear, 1 manual
·
Ink and paper cost per A4 photo: $2.25
·
Interfaces: USB 2.0, Ethernet
·
PictBridge: Yes
·
Memory card slots: No
·
LCD display: No
·
CD/DVD printing: Yes
·
Built-in scanner: No
·
Dimensions (WxDxH): 695x462x239mm
·
Weight: 27.7kg
Ratings
·
Features: 5 stars
·
Build quality: 5 stars
·
Photo print quality: 5 stars
·
Value: 4 stars
·
Overall: 5 stars
|
|
Epson Stylus Photo R3000
·
Contact: www.epson.com
·
Target price: $795
·
Number of inks: Nine
·
Max print size: A3+ (plus panoramic)
·
Max print resolution: 5,760x1,440dpi
·
Input trays: 1 rear, 1 manual, roll feeder
·
Ink and paper cost per A4 photo: $2.55
·
Interfaces: USB 2.0, Ethernet, Wi-Fi
·
PictBridge: Yes
·
Memory card slots: No
·
LCD display: 6.1cm
·
CD/DVD printing: Yes
·
Built-in scanner: No
·
Dimensions (WxDxH): 616x369x228mm
·
Weight: 15.1kg
Ratings
·
Features: 4 stars
·
Build quality: 4 stars
·
Photo print quality: 4 stars
·
Value: 4 stars
·
Overall: 4 stars
|
Digital Camera: Our test results
Your at-a-glance guide to how the printers
performed in our tests
Canon
PIXMA Pro-1
The new benchmark in inkjet photo printing,
the Pro-1 offers truly professional print quality for both colour and mono
images, on a wide range of glossy and matte media. It’s a spectacular piece of
kit.
·
What’s good: Supreme print quality,
large-capacity cartridges, reasonable running costs.
·
What’s bad: Replacement of all 12 cartridges is
expensive, but some last longer than others.
·
Our verdict: It’s the most expensive printer in
the group, but well worth the outlay.
·
Rating: 5 stars
Epson
Stylus Photo R3000
·
What’s good: Excellent print quality for both
colour and mono, on all sort of media.
·
What’s bad: Shared ink channel for photo black
and matte black inks.
·
Our verdict: almost as good as the Canon Pro-1
and rather cheaper to buy.
·
Rating: 4 stars
Canon
PIXMA MG6250
·
What’s good: Simply the best A4 printer for both
colour and mono photo output.
·
What’s bad: A4 print size can be a bit limiting
when producing output.
·
Our verdict: If you don’t need large-format
printing, the MG6250 is the obvious choice.
·
Rating: 4 stars
Canon
PIXMA Pro9000 Mark II
·
What’s good: Unbeatable for large-format glossy
colour prints, and fast too.
·
What’s good: Dye-based ink range isn’t ideal for
matte media, and it’s not great for mono.
·
Our verdict: Well worth considering if you’re
not into black-and-white photo printing.
·
Rating: 4 stars
Epson
Stylus Photo R2000
·
What’s good: Includes Wi-Fi Ethernet, plus a
panoramic roll feeder.
·
What’s bad: Colour rendition can look a bit
muddy, and it’s not good for mono.
·
Our verdict: Loses out to the Canon Pro9000 Mark
II as a budget A3+ printer.
·
Rating: 3 stars
Epson
Stylus Photo PX830FWD
·
What’s good: All-in-one goodies include an Auto
Document Feeder and standalone fax.
·
What’s bad: Colour print quality can look a
little insipid, and it’s poor for mono.
·
Our verdict: Many features are more suited to
office work than photo printing.
·
Rating: 3 stars
