Canon Pixma MG6220 Review: Cool and Competent Inkjet MFP

If you're a fan of futuristic controls, you'll love the handsome Canon Pixma MG6220 color inkjet multifunction (print/scan/copy). The controls and LCD screen are embedded into the scanner lid, and you'll feel like you're operating the transporter in Star Trek the first time you use them. Beyond that, the Pixma MG6220 serves up high-quality printouts and decent scans, and it's fast for an inkjet MFP. However, you pay a lot for this model's good looks ($200 as of September 22, 2011), and its ink costs are a tad high as well.

Setting up the MG6220, whether through USB, ethernet, or Wi-Fi, is easy. Canon has updated the look of the installation-routine dialog boxes, though they still aren't as professional in appearance as Kodak's. Fortunately, the software bundle that handles scanning, OCR, and other chores is as efficient and capable as any of the competition’s.

Yes, the MG6220's control panel, which debuted last year on the pricier Canon Pixma MG8120, looks futuristic. And yes, it has undeniable "wow" appeal. But we have the same complaint about it now as we did before: It isn't as efficient as it could be. The three buttons below the flip-up 3-inch LCD screen, which you use for selecting options on the display, seem like an unnecessary alternative to the usual navigation and selection buttons. Frequently you have to lift your fingers off the navigation controls and shift over to the selection buttons, which adds up to a lot of wasted motion.

Despite our gripes about the control panel, the MG6220 is generally easy to use, with the possible exception of printing on CDs or DVDs. The task, which involves inserting a tray into a separate feed slot, is easy enough after you've done it once, but Canon's convoluted instructions make getting up to speed harder than it should be.

The MG6220's media handling is a bit beefier than it might appear at first glance. In addition to the 150-sheet rear vertical feed for all media types, you'll find a 150-sheet drawer for plain paper hidden at the bottom of the unit. The MG6220 automatically duplexes (prints on both sides of the paper), but it offers no ADF (automatic document feeder) for the scanner--this is not an MFP for scanning long documents. The unit includes media slots for CompactFlash, MultiMediaCard, Memory Stick, and SD Card, and it also has a USB/PictBridge port.

Speed and print quality are high points for the Pixma MG6220. Text looks quite good--sharp and dark--and arrives at a brisk 7.8 pages per minute on the PC, and 8.14 ppm on the Mac. Photos printed on plain paper look nice, though a tad washed out, and they print at over 3 ppm (snapshot size). Full-page photos printed to glossy paper appear vibrant and clear, but print at only 0.6 ppm; that's about average for an inkjet MFP.

The MG6220's ink costs are a bit pricier than average. The 311-page black cartridge costs $16, which translates to a high 5.1 cents per page. The cyan, yellow, and magenta cartridges cost $14 each, and last from around 450 to around 480 pages (about 2.9 cents per page per color). A four-color page will cost you just a hair over 14 cents per page.

If you want an MFP that delivers the basics with better-than-average speed and style, the Canon Pixma MG6220 is a worth a look. If you need an ADF (and can do without the space-age looks), check out its more business-oriented cousin, the Canon Pixma MX882, which includes an ADF and a more conventional control panel for about the same purchase price.

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Canon ImageClass MF8080Cw Review: Low-Priced, With Limited Features

The small-office-oriented Canon ImageClass MF8080Cw color laser multifunction printer looks expensive, but it’s available for just $450 (as of November 9, 2011). After a couple of hours of enduring its lack of automatic duplexing, sluggish speed, and other drawbacks, however, you'll understand why it's so inexpensive. And your first trip to the store for consumables will provide another moment of realization: The MF8080Cw's toner is hardly bargain-priced.

The ImageClass MF8080Cw's paper-handling features consist of a 150-sheet input tray, a 125-sheet output tray; a 50-sheet ADF, and a manual feed slot. These components are adequate for a small workgroup as long as users don't want to scan or print in duplex. Though you can't do anything about the lack of duplex scanning, manual duplex printing is available--you just need to find it. By default, it's disabled; and to enable it, you have to visit a rather obscure location in the control-panel menus: Adjustment/Maintenance/Special Processing/Special Paper Processing.

The MF8080Cw has some nice features--and a host of rough edges. Though the secure printing is nice, the labyrinthine process for enable manual duplexing is a head-scratcher. The five-line monochrome LCD display is fine, but the buttons could be better delineated (with larger text, better icons, and more of them). The printer driver is as terse and technical as they come--and everything is done just a bit differently or is located in a slightly unexpected place. In my hands-on evaluation, the Windows driver didn't provide a list of paper types, but the Mac driver did; I could select the type of paper to use only at the printer itself.

Setup via ethernet and USB worked fine, and the MF8080Cw's HTML configuration pages are well-rendered and logically laid out. Matters got a little dicier when we tried the wireless installation. First, you must power-cycle the MF8080Cw if you want to switch from ethernet to Wi-Fi, or vice versa. Also, you can't connect both ethernet and Wi-Fi on the printer simultaneously.

More perplexingly, the MF8080Cw initially appeared incapable of detecting any of the Wi-Fi networks in our area. Apparently, the machine was overwhelmed by the 20+ Wi-Fi networks detectable in our wireless-saturated building. In locations with fewer networks, it list all of them without a hitch. This problem arose only when we used manual setup and searching for SSIDs, not when we tested it via WPS (Wi-Fi Protected Setup), which the unit also supports. Canon quickly provided a firmware update that partly corrected the detection problem; however, the MFP still detected only the 10 strongest network signals in the area. If you can't find your network on that list, you can enter your network’s SSID manually via the control panel.

For a workgroup laser printer, the MF8080Cw prints slowly, primarily because of a tediously long wait for the first page of any document. Once the unit gets going, subsequent pages appear far more quickly. On-board memory is only 128MB, which might have something to do with the slow initial pages. Plain-text pages and pages with a mix of text and graphics printed at 7.2 pages per minute on the PC and 7.4 ppm on the Mac. A snapshot-size photo printed on the PC emerged in about 30 seconds (2 ppm) on either plain (Hammermill LaserPrint), or photo (Hammermill Color Laser Gloss) paper. Full-page photos printed on the Mac took about 38 seconds, which works out to 1.6 ppm. Both preview and full scan times were quite fast--less than 20 seconds for a full scan.

Generally, the print quality of the MF8080Cw was quite good. Text looked sharp, though it introduced a distinctly pink cast to monochrome graphics. The pinkness turned unacceptably purple in a grayscale version of a full-page color photo. Color photos seemed a tad grainy, but they had a lively and warm palette. In our group photo of PCWorld employees, however, everyone appear to be sporting a spray-on tan. Line-art scans suffered more distortion than we usually see.

The MF8080Cw's toner costs disappointed us; and since the unit ships with 800-page "starter" cartridges, you'll have to replace them rather quickly. Toner is easy to change via a slide-out tray that comes into view when you fold down the front panel. Replacement cartridges start with an $80 black cartridge that lasts 2300 pages, for a per page cost of about 3.5 cents. The $75 cyan, magenta, and yellow cartridges last for 1500 pages, or 5 cents per color per page. All told, a four-color page costs about 17.5 cents to print--a more expensive average than most inkjets offer.

If you don't print a lot, the cheaper-printer-more-expensive-toner can work in your favor, but that rarely is the case with a workgroup printer--and it doesn't square with the MF8080Cw's 30,000-page monthly duty cycle. The warranty is for just one year, though the unit seems sturdily built and we had no trouble with the paper path.

The Canon ImageClass MF8080Cw's lack of automatic duplexing, its pricey toner, its weak grayscale graphics, and its frustratingly long delay in producing the first page of any print job are good reasons to check the competition for a better deal. But most MFPs in this price range aren't clearly better: The Dell 1355cnw is faster but has much more expensive toner, while the HP Laserjet Pro CM1415fnw is a little slower and its consumables are a little costlier. We recommend spending a little more and getting a better deal, such as with Canon's similar-looking ImageClass MF8380Cdw, which is faster, produces better-looking output, and offers a better price on toner.

View the original article here

Canon ImageClass MF8080Cw Review: Low-Priced, With Limited Features

The small-office-oriented Canon ImageClass MF8080Cw color laser multifunction printer looks expensive, but it’s available for just $450 (as of November 9, 2011). After a couple of hours of enduring its lack of automatic duplexing, sluggish speed, and other drawbacks, however, you'll understand why it's so inexpensive. And your first trip to the store for consumables will provide another moment of realization: The MF8080Cw's toner is hardly bargain-priced.

The ImageClass MF8080Cw's paper-handling features consist of a 150-sheet input tray, a 125-sheet output tray; a 50-sheet ADF, and a manual feed slot. These components are adequate for a small workgroup as long as users don't want to scan or print in duplex. Though you can't do anything about the lack of duplex scanning, manual duplex printing is available--you just need to find it. By default, it's disabled; and to enable it, you have to visit a rather obscure location in the control-panel menus: Adjustment/Maintenance/Special Processing/Special Paper Processing.

The MF8080Cw has some nice features--and a host of rough edges. Though the secure printing is nice, the labyrinthine process for enable manual duplexing is a head-scratcher. The five-line monochrome LCD display is fine, but the buttons could be better delineated (with larger text, better icons, and more of them). The printer driver is as terse and technical as they come--and everything is done just a bit differently or is located in a slightly unexpected place. In my hands-on evaluation, the Windows driver didn't provide a list of paper types, but the Mac driver did; I could select the type of paper to use only at the printer itself.

Setup via ethernet and USB worked fine, and the MF8080Cw's HTML configuration pages are well-rendered and logically laid out. Matters got a little dicier when we tried the wireless installation. First, you must power-cycle the MF8080Cw if you want to switch from ethernet to Wi-Fi, or vice versa. Also, you can't connect both ethernet and Wi-Fi on the printer simultaneously.

More perplexingly, the MF8080Cw initially appeared incapable of detecting any of the Wi-Fi networks in our area. Apparently, the machine was overwhelmed by the 20+ Wi-Fi networks detectable in our wireless-saturated building. In locations with fewer networks, it list all of them without a hitch. This problem arose only when we used manual setup and searching for SSIDs, not when we tested it via WPS (Wi-Fi Protected Setup), which the unit also supports. Canon quickly provided a firmware update that partly corrected the detection problem; however, the MFP still detected only the 10 strongest network signals in the area. If you can't find your network on that list, you can enter your network’s SSID manually via the control panel.

For a workgroup laser printer, the MF8080Cw prints slowly, primarily because of a tediously long wait for the first page of any document. Once the unit gets going, subsequent pages appear far more quickly. On-board memory is only 128MB, which might have something to do with the slow initial pages. Plain-text pages and pages with a mix of text and graphics printed at 7.2 pages per minute on the PC and 7.4 ppm on the Mac. A snapshot-size photo printed on the PC emerged in about 30 seconds (2 ppm) on either plain (Hammermill LaserPrint), or photo (Hammermill Color Laser Gloss) paper. Full-page photos printed on the Mac took about 38 seconds, which works out to 1.6 ppm. Both preview and full scan times were quite fast--less than 20 seconds for a full scan.

Generally, the print quality of the MF8080Cw was quite good. Text looked sharp, though it introduced a distinctly pink cast to monochrome graphics. The pinkness turned unacceptably purple in a grayscale version of a full-page color photo. Color photos seemed a tad grainy, but they had a lively and warm palette. In our group photo of PCWorld employees, however, everyone appear to be sporting a spray-on tan. Line-art scans suffered more distortion than we usually see.

The MF8080Cw's toner costs disappointed us; and since the unit ships with 800-page "starter" cartridges, you'll have to replace them rather quickly. Toner is easy to change via a slide-out tray that comes into view when you fold down the front panel. Replacement cartridges start with an $80 black cartridge that lasts 2300 pages, for a per page cost of about 3.5 cents. The $75 cyan, magenta, and yellow cartridges last for 1500 pages, or 5 cents per color per page. All told, a four-color page costs about 17.5 cents to print--a more expensive average than most inkjets offer.

If you don't print a lot, the cheaper-printer-more-expensive-toner can work in your favor, but that rarely is the case with a workgroup printer--and it doesn't square with the MF8080Cw's 30,000-page monthly duty cycle. The warranty is for just one year, though the unit seems sturdily built and we had no trouble with the paper path.

The Canon ImageClass MF8080Cw's lack of automatic duplexing, its pricey toner, its weak grayscale graphics, and its frustratingly long delay in producing the first page of any print job are good reasons to check the competition for a better deal. But most MFPs in this price range aren't clearly better: The Dell 1355cnw is faster but has much more expensive toner, while the HP Laserjet Pro CM1415fnw is a little slower and its consumables are a little costlier. We recommend spending a little more and getting a better deal, such as with Canon's similar-looking ImageClass MF8380Cdw, which is faster, produces better-looking output, and offers a better price on toner.

View the original article here

Canon ImageClass MF8380Cdw Review: Small-Office Contender Despite Slow Printing

At $600 (as of November 9, 2011), the Canon ImageClass MF8380Cdw costs $150 more than its cousin, the ImageClass MF8080Cw, but is an infinitely better product. It's faster, it costs less to operate, and it produces better output. It also offers automatic duplexing to save on paper costs, and it's set to duplex by default--a first in my book, and major green kudos to Canon for that. On top of everything else, it's a very competitive workgroup color laser multifunction printer (copy/print/scan/fax) in its price range.

The MF8380Cdw's automatic duplexing capabilities include copying, scanning, and printing both sides of a document in one pass. The bottom-mounted paper cassette holds 250 sheets (100 more than the MF8080CW's maximum), and the ADF holds 50 sheets. There is no slot for envelopes as with the MF8080CW; instead, the front folds down to reveal a 50-sheet multipurpose tray. The output tray holds a sizable 150 sheets.

The MF8380Cdw's control panel and printer driver lack the user-friendliness that typifies Canon's consumer-oriented machines. The software seems incomplete, too: For instance, the Mac printer driver contained a valid list of paper types, but the Windows printer driver did not. The organization and the placement of options in the driver are odd, too. On the other hand, the MF Toolbox utility for scanning and OCR is a model of efficiency and friendly design.

Setup via USB and ethernet connections is easy. Wireless, however, requires that you power-cycle the MF8380Cdw to switch from ethernet to Wi-Fi, or vice versa. Note, too, that you cannot have both ethernet and Wi-Fi connected on the printer simultaneously.

Then things went wonky: The MF8380Cdw initially appeared incapable of detecting any of the Wi-Fi networks in our area, perhaps overwhelmed by the number (more than 20) that are detectable in our building. In locations with fewer networks, it successfully listed all of them. We tested this feature using manual setup and searching for SSIDs, not using WPS (Wi-Fi-protected setup), which the unit also supports. Canon quickly provided a firmware update that partly fixed the earlier problem, though the MF8380Cdw still can detect only the 10 strongest network signals in the area. If yours isn't one of them, you can enter your network's SSID manually via the control panel.

The MF8380Cdw is slow for a workgroup laser MFP, due to a significant lag before the first page of documents shows up. Including the lag, text and mixed text and graphics printed at 11.1 pages per minute on the PC and 11.6 ppm on the Mac. A snapshot-sized photo took about 18.6 seconds (which works out to 3.2 ppm) to print on either plain, or photo glossy paper. Full-page photos printed on the Mac at a lively 2.4 ppm. Scans were impressively fast: 8.5 seconds for previews, and between 12 and 17.2 seconds for final scans.

The quality of prints produced by the MF8380Cdw was very good overall. Text looked extremely sharp, and monochrome graphics were truly black-and-white, with none of the pinkish cast that plagues the cheaper MF8080Cw. Color photos were just a bit grainy, but they had a lively and warm palette. Flesh tones had a decided bent toward orange, unfortunately.

The MF8380Cdw's toner costs are better than average, but only if you buy the black in Canon's dual-cartridge Value Pack. You can buy black, 3400-page replacement cartridges individually for $127 (or about 3.7 cents per page) or in a two-pack for $180 (which lowers the per-page cost to 2.6 cents). The 2900-page cyan, magenta, and yellow cartridges are available only as individual units and cost $122 (or 4.2 cents per color per page). The overall price for a four-color page is 15.3 cents--reasonable, though not dirt-cheap. Note: The unit ships with 1200-page black and 1400-page color "starter" cartridges.

The Canon ImageClass MF8380CDW does just about everything well; and though its control panel and printer driver could be less clunky, this unit belongs on your small office's short list of color laser MFPs. For comparison, check out the Brother MFC-9560CDW and the Oki MC361.

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