| The PIXMA ip1800 is a no-frills, entry-level printer | | | | versions when they run out. The black |
| that retails at under £40, yet instead of | | | | replacement cartridge PG-40 contains 16ml of ink |
| settling for a humdrum cream casing, Canon has | | | | and the colour CL-41 contains 12ml. |
| designed a sleek black mirror finish to a case that | | | | Both of these cartridges are readily available |
| remains relatively compact (442 x 237 x 152mm) | | | | direct from Canon, your local Computer store or |
| and weighs 3.3kg. | | | | from an online discounter like Cartcon. |
| This is a machine that has been stripped down to | | | | The black tones on both photo paper and |
| the absolute bare essentials. There are only two | | | | standard sheets are on the grey side of pure |
| buttons - for on/off and paper feed - and a USB | | | | black but certainly acceptable for processing |
| 2.0 port for connecting to your PC. Curiously, | | | | normal holiday snaps or multi-colour |
| there's not even an out tray (so you'll have to | | | | documentation. Colours are vibrant with a superior |
| allow enough desk space for paper ejection), no | | | | degree of clarity and detail and as the cartridges |
| memory card slots and no PictBridge support. | | | | employ Canon’s ChromaLife100 system, |
| You are at least given a flip-up page rest and a | | | | your photos are guaranteed a 100 year life span. |
| page sizer which can accommodate everything | | | | Not that you're likely to be around to contest that |
| from 10 x 15cm (4 x 6-inch) borderless photos to | | | | guarantee, of course. |
| A4. Although this is a perfectly serviceable | | | | The PIXMA ip1800 isn't a slowcoach either, |
| document printer, you'll undoubtedly reap the best | | | | managing to deliver a 6 x 4-inch borderless |
| rewards when building up your photo album. | | | | photograph in just 70 seconds. Quoted print |
| Once the software's in place you're ready to rock. | | | | speeds for documents average 20ppm for mono |
| There are just two ink cartridges to install, one | | | | and 16ppm for colour. |
| black and a FINE colour cartridge that combines | | | | The bundled software includes Canon's excellent |
| three colours. This is where you start to be | | | | Easy-PhotoPrint, which takes the strain out of |
| impressed, as the print technology uses | | | | printing one, or multiple images in a wide range of |
| Micro-Nozzles to fire ink droplets as small as 2pl | | | | formats and sizes, as well as Easy-LayoutPrint, |
| onto the page. As the maximum FINE print head | | | | which lets you create your own album, calendar |
| resolution is 4,800 x 1,200dpi, the resulting quality | | | | and stickers. There's good news for Windows |
| is surprisingly good. | | | | Vista users too, as you won't have to download |
| As is becoming the norm, the printer is supplied | | | | any patches or add-ons to get you started. And |
| with low capacity cartridges,PG-37,CL-38 and it is | | | | it’s Mac compatible too. |
| economical to replace these with higher yield | | | | |