| The digital age has altered forever the way we | | | | PictBridge-enabled cameras or Canon Direct Print |
| take and view photos, not least because of the | | | | devices. |
| speed at which the final image can be produced | | | | Unfortunately, the downside of this beautiful |
| and then passed on to other media. Professional | | | | looking machine is the clunky method by which |
| photographers can have their pictures on the | | | | the phot tray is inserted in the front: a fair |
| front page of a newspaper within minutes and | | | | amount of huffing and puffing is needed to slot it |
| holiday snaps can be swapped with friends only | | | | in correctly. However, once in place you have five |
| seconds after they're shot. | | | | sizes to choose from (Postcard, Wide, L, Credit |
| Canon's SELPHY CP range has been designed with | | | | Card and Mini Stickers) and you can view each |
| this 'instant gratification' principle in mind and the | | | | image full-screen before you print. |
| latest model - the entry-level CP740 reviewed | | | | Print costs are reasonable at around 20p per |
| here - has just been released as updated versions | | | | postcard size photo using the larger photo pack |
| of the CP720. It is designed to be 'party printer' | | | | Kp-108iP, the smaller KP-36iP is really only suitable |
| that is light, compact, chic and easy to use, whilst | | | | if you plan to print very infrequently. |
| still managing to produce high quality, | | | | What is impressive is the quality of the finished |
| economy-size snaps without having to go through | | | | image. Each print takes four passes to complete |
| a PC. | | | | and it's fascinating to see the sharpness and |
| The basic CP740 unit weighs a mere 940g and its | | | | clarity gradually emerge (postcards take about a |
| 179.0 x 127.1 x 63.0mm dimensions are smaller | | | | minute), with the final pass adding a high-gloss |
| than a tiny loaf of bread. Its Apple-like creamy | | | | protective layer that protects from splashes, spills |
| colour is clearly designed to complement your Mac | | | | and fingerprints. The CP740 uses 300dpi |
| and iPod and the expanded 2.0-inch LCD screen | | | | dye-sublimation printing technology that leaves |
| sits squarely in the middle of the top panel. | | | | images virtually grain-free, as each printed dot has |
| Surrounding it is a range of buttons that control | | | | up to 256 intensity levels per colour. |
| mode, layout, display and date, as well as an | | | | If you're feeling a little more flush with money, its |
| innovative and welcome auto-Red-Eye Correction | | | | big brother the more expensive CP750 has extra |
| via simple, self-explanatory icons. | | | | features like 'My Colors' photo effects (which |
| The front panel contains four memory card slots | | | | include Black & White and Sepia), an optional |
| that can deal with virtually any of the current | | | | battery pack and IrSimple compatiblity for |
| versions of CF, SD, MMC, Memory Stick and xD. | | | | infra-red printing from mobile devices. Both |
| In addition, a discreet panel on the front-left hides | | | | models have improved skin tone reproduction for |
| an extendable USB cable that can be attached to | | | | enhanced flesh tones. |