Press Release: Two New PIXMA Inkjet Photo Printers from Canon Offer Outstanding Value and Exceptional Performance


Canon U.S.A., Inc. (NYSE:CAJ):
-- New Canon PIXMA iP4200 Photo Printer Boasts Advanced Features at a Great Price Point;
-- Canon PIXMA iP1600 Photo Printer Gives Customers More Bang for Their Buck

High quality and great value go hand in hand with the latest entries in the Canon PIXMA photo printer line - the new PIXMA iP1600 and PIXMA iP4200 printers. At estimated selling prices of $49.99(1) and $129.99(1), respectively, these printers fit a range of budgets while expanding the top quality photo printing capabilities the PIXMA line is known for.
"The new Canon PIXMA iP1600 and iP4200 printers are designed for anyone who wants to make great inkjet prints without making a huge investment," said Yukiaki Hashimoto, senior vice president and general manager of the consumer imaging group at Canon U.S.A., Inc., a subsidiary of Canon Inc. (NYSE: CAJ). "While both of these printers offer outstanding value, they also offer exceptional performance in speed and print quality which is what printing photos is all about."
The New ChromaLife100 System
Both new Canon PIXMA photo printers use the breakthrough new Canon ChromaLife100 system. This system can produce prints on select genuine Canon photo papers that resist fading for up to 100 years(2) when stored in an archival quality photo album. The 100-year-lifespan rivals that of many traditional film based photos, long considered by consumers to be the benchmark for image permanence.
Unlike some competitors that only test for ozone degradation, Canon has tested the ChromaLife100 system against three types of gases to simulate realistic conditions - ozone, nitrogen oxide and sulfur oxide. Prints produced on Canon Photo Paper Pro with the other elements of the ChromaLife100 system had an up to ten-year gas fastness(2) when exposed to open air. ChromaLife100 prints, when created on Canon Photo Paper Pro or Photo Paper Plus Glossy, had up to 30-yearlight fastness(2) when displayed under glass.
Canon PIXMA iP4200 Printer
An advanced machine with impressive performance, the Canon PIXMA iP4200 photo printer is priced at a level that will not break the bank. The iP4200 printer is the first photo printer at this price point to feature as small as one picoliter ink droplets and up to 9600 x 2400 dpi color resolution.(3) Replacing the popular iP3000 and iP4000 models, the iP4200 model produces borderless photo lab quality 4x6-inch photos in approximately 51 seconds(4).
The printer uses five individual ChromaLife100 ink tanks along with the Canon FINE (Full-Photolithography Inkjet Nozzle Engineering) print head system. ContrastPLUS technology - a system that includes a dye-based black ink for sharper contrast - works together with FINE to produce crisp, high-contrast results. Document text results are sharpened with the addition of improved, high optical density pigment black ink.
New Ink Status System Lights the Way
On new PIXMA photo printers equipped with individual ink tanks, such as the iP4200 model, the Canon ink status detection system is used to alert customers to low ink levels and to ensure that the ink tanks are installed and working correctly. Under the system, if an ink tank is accidentally placed in the incorrect slot on the print head, a light on the individual tank will begin to flash.
If the customer does not fully seat an ink tank in its slot, the light will not illuminate, indicating that it has not been correctly installed. If an ink tank is running low, the light on the ink will begin to flash. When the ink runs out completely, it will flash at a higher rate.
Printing is a Snap
Users can print directly via most contemporary digital cameras and digital video cameras, thanks to the printer's PictBridge port. With Canon camera owners who use the Print/Share button, producing a 4x6-inch print is as simple as one touch. The PIXMA iP4200 printer also supports USB 2.0 Hi-Speed(5) access.
The iP4200 printer's futuristic cubic design incorporates built-in dual paper trays for the Canon exclusive two-way feeding and automatic duplex printing for two-sided text and photo prints. This special feature can be used in conjunction with Canon Photo Album kits that allow customers to print and showcase their photos on both sides of the paper in easy to assemble kits. The kits come in 5x7-inch and 8.5x11-inch sizes.
Canon PIXMA iP1600 Printer
Replacing the best-selling iP1500 unit, the Canon PIXMA iP1600 printer matches that great low price point with excellent quality - including up to 4800 x 1200 color dpi resolution(6) and inkjet droplets sizes as small as two picoliters.
As one of the lowest priced photo printers around, the PIXMA iP1600 model is a four-color printer that uses the new Canon FINE Cartridge System for faster speeds and greater ease of use. In the new FINE Cartridge System, more nozzles improve print speed from its predecessor with the PIXMA iP1600 printer clocking in at approximately 70 seconds(4) for a photo lab quality 4 x 6-inch borderless photo.
Because it's a cartridge system, replacing inks on the iP1600 printer is very simple. Since the new FINE Cartridge System is 37mm shorter than the previous generation print head and ink tank, the iP1600 model boasts a new slanted low profile design that takes up less real estate on the desktop. The new slanted design improves visibility and usability from its predecessors. In the PIXMA iP1600 model, the new pigment based black ink offers improved text printing with less bleeding on nearly all media types. The new pigment based black ink also offers improved highlighter stability on plain paper and improved optical density with blacker blacks.
Photo Print Speed
As a way to explain the speed attributes of FINE technology, Canon will now convey print speeds for all new PIXMA devices based on the approximate time it takes to print a photo lab quality 4 x 6-inch borderless print using default settings on genuine Canon Photo Paper Plus Glossy.
"The photo-print speeds we quote for our PIXMA products will provide consumers with a reliable estimation of the time required to produce prints that match the image quality offered by traditional photo labs," said Katsuichi Shimizu, Chief Executive of Inkjet Products Operations at Canon Inc.
About Canon U.S.A., Inc.
Canon U.S.A., Inc. delivers consumer, business-to-business, and industrial imaging solutions. The Company is listed as one of Fortune's Most Admired Companies in America and is rated #35 on the BusinessWeek list of "Top 100 Brands." Its parent company Canon Inc. (NYSE:CAJ) is a top patent holder of technology, ranking third overall in the U.S. in 2004, with global revenues of $33.3 billion. For more information, visit www.usa.canon.com.
All referenced product names, and other marks, are trademarks of their
respective owners.
Specifications subject to change without notice.
(1) Pricing subject to change at any time. Actual prices are
determined by individual dealers and may vary.
(2) Results based on accelerated testing by Canon under controlled
temperature, humidity, and gas conditions. For the 100-year
figure, Canon simulated storage in an album with plastic sleeves.
For the 30-year lightfastness figure, Canon simulated display of a
photo in a glass frame in an indoor location without direct
sunlight or other high intensity light. The 10-year gastfastness
figure is based on a testing ratio of gases typical to indoor air
composition (O3: NOx:SOx--3:19:1) with 100 times concentration in
order to accelerate color fading. Canon cannot guarantee the
longevity of prints; results may vary depending on printed image,
drying time, display/storage conditions and environmental factors.
See WWW.USA.CANON.COM/CHROMALIFE100 for additional details.
(3) Resolution may vary based on printer driver setting. Color ink
droplets can be placed with a horizontal pitch of 1/9600 inch at
minimum.
(4) Photo print speeds are based on the default mode driver setting
using Canon Photo Paper Plus Glossy paper. Print speeds will vary
depending on system configuration, interface, software, document
complexity, print mode, types of paper used and page coverage.
(5) USB 2.0 Hi-Speed requires Windows XP, 2000 or Mac OS X operating
systems. For Windows 98, Me, and Mac OS X v.10.2 to 10.2.6
operating systems, the printer will operated at USB 1.1
specifications.
(6) Resolution may vary based on printer driver setting. Color ink
droplets can be placed with a horizontal pitch of 1/4800 inch at
minimum.

Posted: Mon - July 11, 2005 at 09:38 AM          

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