SPECIFICATIONS:
- Dimensions: Approx. 451 x 368 x 128mm
- Weight: Approx. 6.6kg
- Printing Resolution: 9600 x 2400dpi
- Print Speed: Approx. 10.0ipm to 21secs (depending on the document)
- Paper Sizes:A4, A5, B5, LTR, LGL, 4 x 6”, 5 x 7”, 8 x 10”, Envelopes (DL, COM10)
- Interface: Wireless LAN b/g/n, USB 2.0 Hi-Speed
WHAT’S HOT:
- Speedy printing
- Wi-Fi ready
- Quality print outs
WHAT’S NOT:
- High quality photos consume a lot of ink
- A bit of a heavyweight (both in size and weight)
BOTTOMLINE:
- If you are after excellent print outs, style, and a budget-friendly printer for corporate or home use, I highly recommend the Canon iP7270.
When they brought down the Canon PIXMA iP7270, I immediately opened the box and tinkered with the package. I pushed the box to a nearby table and carefully lifted the printer. It was a bit heavy and bulky, but using both hands did the trick.
I found the PIXMA iP7270 printer rather heavy, but my editor actually carried it up the stairs, so I guess I just have weak arms. The single function inkjet printer’s body is built with high quality plastic; it has a compact and minimalist matte design with rounded edges and sleek highlights on the side for a modern finish.
Upfront are the power, paper feed, and Wi-Fi indicator buttons that all light up with alerts and when the printer is prompted. The paper output tray can be manually pulled out or automatically opened when printing starts. Ink cartridges can be found at the top part of the printer by lifting the lid. At the bottom part are two dual separate paper cassettes, the upper one for 4 x 6in. printouts and the one below for bigger paper sizes.
I plugged it in and installed the software on my office laptop. Installing took around five minutes to finish and took up 403MB of memory. Then came the tricky part: before set-up completes, you have a choice between wireless printing or via USB. I chose the wireless printing option, which required me to follow a set of instructions for which you’ll need extra patience and, yes, help. Once you’ve established the connection, however, wireless printing is a breeze. Also, you could print photos straight from your iOS or Android device by downloading the Canon Easy Photo Print app.
As part of the installation, you can choose to include Canon imaging software such as the bundled My Image Garden,which organizes your photos through categories from date to folders. It also serves as a unified back up for your images.
The software allows you to create collages or choose from a gallery of photo layouts. It also has capabilities of photo-editing apps with its integrated special filters and auto correction. The People feature, on the other hand, has a facial recognition technology that logs the faces of your friends and family. Organizing images from events are also possible. Moreover, the software has an auto-duplex print and direct disc print mode for creating CD labels. Utilizing this software is easy and paired with the iP7270 allows you to maximize and get the quality print out you want.
Like other printers from the brand, the Canon PIXMA iP7270 produces quality print outs on regular bond paper and photo paper alike. Texts from documents are clean and sharp. Photos are finely detailed with sharp contrasts on a high quality setting, while images printed at standard quality still have precision, richness, and ample brightness. Contrast is excellent especially on monochromes.
My expectations for print speeds were high, and the iP7270 delivered. For the document test, it only took a few seconds to finish. For photo prints, an A4-sized high quality print took about two minutes to finish, while the standard setting required about a minute.
Retailing at PHP 6,495, the Canon PIXMA iP7270 is the perfect balance between quality and convenience. It is a compact and stylish printer fit for your home and office.
First published in Gadgets Magazine, November 2013
Words by Mia Carisse Barrientos