Canon Pixma IP5200 InkJet Photo Printer
- Black Print Speed: 30 ppm
- Color Print Speed: 24 ppm
- Output Type: Color Printer
- Technology (Detailed): Inkjet
- Printer Type: Digital Photo Printer
- Max Resolution (BW): 600 x 600 dpi
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Text vs photos? Have your cake and eat it too
Pros
Blazing speeds, gorgeous colour prints, 5-ink system, 2 input trays, duplexer, quiet operation
Cons
No luck with black and white photos, cheap feeling build
Recommended it?
Yes
The Bottom Line:
Heavy on features and "wow" photo output, the iP5200 is the sweetspot. You don't need six inks when you have higher resolutions, smaller ink droplets and a dedicated text printhead.
Last Christmas I decided I should ask for an ink jet printer, but before it went on my list, it needed to be a well researched choice.
I did not want to limit myself to photos, nor did I want just a fast text printer. I also dislike the fact that some brands (such as HP) force you to buy a new print head each time you buy ink. This of course, led me to Canon.
The PIXMA Family
I examined a few of the "PIXMA" printer series circa 2005 Q4. The following was my understanding of the various series at the time.
iP2xxx series: Uses two ink tanks.
iP4xxx series: The printers in this series are billed as "photo printers", because they use four ink tanks. Reviews were generally very positive.
iP5xxx series: These printers have a second black ink tank for non-photo printing. On top of speed benefits, you also save your photo-black ink for photos, instead of draining it when printing text.
iP6xxx series: These printers have six tanks, but no dedicated black tank for text. There is a photo cyan/photo magenta added on to the original 4 photo inks.
iP8xxx series: Far, far too expensive for anyone to buy me, this series uses 8 tanks, and is still aimed at photo printing moreso than general use.
I originally decided on the iP5000 printer, which had actually been discontinued by the time it hit my Christmas list. The salesperson apparently suggested an iP6220D, as a cheaper alternative. However, to my delight, Canon released the iP5200.
Number of inks, droplet size, resolution
Printers with a higher number of inks (6 or 8 instead of the 4 the iP5200 uses for photos) are generally regarded as having better output, because more inks should allow more colour variations.
Droplet size and resolution essentially determine how finely the ink can be laid onto paper.
Reviews I had read, and indeed on Christmas, my results, laid to rest any worries about only having 4 inks. The 1-picolitre droplet size and 9600x2400 resolution (specs which actually best the current iP4xxx, iP6xxx, iP8xxx series printers) allow the printer to create stunning photos and make one wonder "why would I want six inks?"
Performance and Cool Features
The iP5200 is a speed demon. It cranks out 4x6's in 36 seconds (yes, I timed it) and while it won't rival a laser, black text rips through at speeds I've not seen from an ink jet. Text performance is due to the very big, text-dedicated print head.
The printer has a duplexer. How cool is that? (Duplexers allow you to print double-sided) It has two input trays, so you can fill one with regular paper and one with photo paper... the driver software lets you pick which tray to print from when you go to print. It has PictBridge, so you can print straight from your camera. You won't find an LCD screen (gimmick, why not just use your camera's LCD or a PC) but instead really useful paper handling features that slide and fold out of the printer.
It's pretty conservative on ink too, and gives you lots of warning before it runs out. The printer is also very quiet, replacing the mechanical whine of my old printer, with a soft swishing sound.
Conclusion
If you are looking for a printer that excels at printing photos, and still manages to be geared for text printing, take a good long look at this one.
I did not want to limit myself to photos, nor did I want just a fast text printer. I also dislike the fact that some brands (such as HP) force you to buy a new print head each time you buy ink. This of course, led me to Canon.
The PIXMA Family
I examined a few of the "PIXMA" printer series circa 2005 Q4. The following was my understanding of the various series at the time.
iP2xxx series: Uses two ink tanks.
iP4xxx series: The printers in this series are billed as "photo printers", because they use four ink tanks. Reviews were generally very positive.
iP5xxx series: These printers have a second black ink tank for non-photo printing. On top of speed benefits, you also save your photo-black ink for photos, instead of draining it when printing text.
iP6xxx series: These printers have six tanks, but no dedicated black tank for text. There is a photo cyan/photo magenta added on to the original 4 photo inks.
iP8xxx series: Far, far too expensive for anyone to buy me, this series uses 8 tanks, and is still aimed at photo printing moreso than general use.
I originally decided on the iP5000 printer, which had actually been discontinued by the time it hit my Christmas list. The salesperson apparently suggested an iP6220D, as a cheaper alternative. However, to my delight, Canon released the iP5200.
Number of inks, droplet size, resolution
Printers with a higher number of inks (6 or 8 instead of the 4 the iP5200 uses for photos) are generally regarded as having better output, because more inks should allow more colour variations.
Droplet size and resolution essentially determine how finely the ink can be laid onto paper.
Reviews I had read, and indeed on Christmas, my results, laid to rest any worries about only having 4 inks. The 1-picolitre droplet size and 9600x2400 resolution (specs which actually best the current iP4xxx, iP6xxx, iP8xxx series printers) allow the printer to create stunning photos and make one wonder "why would I want six inks?"
Performance and Cool Features
The iP5200 is a speed demon. It cranks out 4x6's in 36 seconds (yes, I timed it) and while it won't rival a laser, black text rips through at speeds I've not seen from an ink jet. Text performance is due to the very big, text-dedicated print head.
The printer has a duplexer. How cool is that? (Duplexers allow you to print double-sided) It has two input trays, so you can fill one with regular paper and one with photo paper... the driver software lets you pick which tray to print from when you go to print. It has PictBridge, so you can print straight from your camera. You won't find an LCD screen (gimmick, why not just use your camera's LCD or a PC) but instead really useful paper handling features that slide and fold out of the printer.
It's pretty conservative on ink too, and gives you lots of warning before it runs out. The printer is also very quiet, replacing the mechanical whine of my old printer, with a soft swishing sound.
Conclusion
If you are looking for a printer that excels at printing photos, and still manages to be geared for text printing, take a good long look at this one.
