Printer Review: Canon PIXMA iP7260 colour inkjet printer

While multifunction printers (or all-in-ones) are understandably popular, there's still room for a "just a printer" such as the Canon PIXMA iP7260.

Although the scanners incorporated in multifunctions have certain advantages, people are increasingly using their phones to capture physical documents. Applications such as Adobe Scan and Microsoft Office Lens can automatically crop and square up the captured document as long as the background is sufficiently contrasting, and then perform OCR (optical character recognition) to make the text usable.

If you don't need a physical scanner, copier or fax, then a printer will either be cheaper than the equivalent multifunction device, or you'll get better quality for the same price.

The best features of Canon PIXMA iP7260

Another reason for buying a Canon inkjet printer is that it can supplement a multifunction. For example, you may have purchased a multifunction that is very economical to run for workaday output, but doesn't do a good job of printing photographs or isn't equipped to print directly onto DVDs. Or perhaps you chose an economical monochrome laser printer, but sometimes need colour output. Buying an additional printer that fills such gaps can be good value.

One example is the Canon PIXMA iP7260. With a retail price of $129 ($114.49 from Ink Depot) it uses Canon's PIXMA ink system which has a reputation for good-looking photos when used in conjunction with genuine Canon photo papers. The usual CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow and black) inks are supplemented with pigment black for printing monochrome documents.

Do keep an eye on ink levels, and make sure you have a replacement on hand before any of the cartridges are completely empty, because this printer won't work unless all five inks are present.

It's a fact of life that inkjet photo printers with conventional ink cartridges aren't cheap to run, but Ink Depot sells genuine Canon ink cartridges for up to 8% below list price, as well as a range of much cheaper compatible cartridges. In addition, you accrue one Loyalty Point for every dollar you spend (two points per dollar on compatible cartridges), redeemable against future purchases at the rate of $1 per 100 points.

Borderless prints on sheets up to A4 size

Many people find that the ability to produce lab-quality photos - whether they are conventional 10x15cm prints or as large as A4 - whenever they are required and in their own homes or offices is a convenience worth paying for. The PIXMA iP7260 supports borderless printing on 10x15, 12x17 and 20x25cm papers, as well as letter and A4.

Printing on DVDs and CDs

Another feature that's still important to some people is the ability to accept printable DVDs and CDs. While optical media is to some extent falling out of favour, it is still a convenient format for sending home movies to family members, and for backup copies of important static data (eg, photos) for storage in a fire safe.

The software provided by Canon makes it easy to produce attractive labels whether you just want a line or two of text, or a graphic that completely fills the label. In the latter case, do take time to specify the exact dimensions of the printable area of the discs you use, and to fine-tune the position of the image on the disc - you should only need to to it once, but it eliminates the somewhat unsightly white crescent on the edge of a misaligned disk.

Connect via USB and WiFi

The Canon PIXMA iP7260 can be connected directly to a computer via its USB interface, but most people would take advantage of its Wi-Fi interface (802.11b/g/n) to allow use from multiple devices. AirPrint support means it can be used directly from an iPhone or iPad, and it also works with the Canon PRINT Inkjet/SELPHY app for iOS and Android

Although there are some suggestions from owners that the iP7260 isn't the best choice if your primary concern is printing conventional documents rather than photos, it does support automatic double-sided printing. Upper and lower paper trays mean you can keep it loaded with A4 and 10x15cm papers, for example, so you don't need to change the paper every time the task changes.

The rated print speed is up to 15ipm (images per minute; a double-sided page counts as two images) in black and white, and 10ipm for colour.

WHAT THE REVIEWERS SAY

Pros

"Photo quality is in the top tier for inkjets that aren't aimed specifically at photo enthusiasts or professionals" PC Magazine (NB: the iP7220 is the US version of the iP7260)

"[Text quality is] good enough for almost any business use." PC Magazine

"Quiet operation" Notebook Review

"Print quality was consistently good" Tech Advisor UK  (NB: the iP7250 is the European version of the iP7260)

Cons

"[S]low speed for business applications" PC Magazine

"[No] Wi-Fi Direct, so you can't connect directly to the printer from your smartphone or tablet." PC Magazine

"Small paper capacity" Notebook Review

"Confusing photo software" Notebook Review

"[C]olour printing works out a lot more expensive [than monochrome]" Tech Advisor UK