Canon I850

The i850 turns out 10 x 15 centimeter prints in just fifty seconds. Actually, there are three qualities available: Standard, Hi and beyond, by manual manipulation of the advanced settings in the driver. But the three modes produce the same quality with shades so fine that the Standard mode is quite ample. The i850 is the fastest photo printer around.

NB: we have already mentioned the problem we found in our earlier tests on the S520 and S750 where there were sometimes quite lengthy pauses in printing at mid-page which could double the speed otherwise expected. This is also true of the i850, but we discovered the reason for it. The printers are deliberately bridled to prevent the ink from flowing from one page to the next. This function can be deactivated via the driver in Windows 98 and earlier. In Windows XP, you have to go to Settings/ Printers. In the Device Properties, click on the Maintenance tab, then Custom Settings and uncheck "Set printer to ECP mode." The printer will then run at top speed. This is how we tested the i850.

In the end, the i850 outpaces all the competition. It is really quite outstanding.