Canon takes aim at the home photo printing market

Amstelveen, The Netherlands, 9 July 2004 . Canon, a leader in photographic and imaging technology, has today announced their strategic push to capture the rapidly accelerating demand for personal photo printers with the release of the futuristically styled PIXMA range.

Canon celebrated the launch by throwing an exclusive party at Pierre Cardin's private mansion in Cannes. After taking photos with her EOS 300D camera, Helena Christensen showed off the range by demonstrating the simplicity of creating photo prints, which were then signed and given to guests.

With digital camera growth at an all time high, home photo printing is set to enjoy strong growth with the convergence of market factors such as increased photo quality, lower prices, greater connectivity and ease of use empowering consumers to print directly from their digital cameras.

With futuristic styling, ’plug and print’ photolab quality printing, Canon has high expectations for the 8 new PIXMA products. Five of the eight products support the new PictBridge standard, which means the majority of all current digital cameras can plug straight into them for direct photo printing without a PC. When loaded with special Canon photo paper, the results can be superior to photolab quality prints.

The print heads of all PIXMA printers produce 2 picolitre ink droplets, about 2 million times smaller than an average rain drop. The secret is in Canon's FINE technology, which uses a silicon chip manufacturing process to produce its print heads, for unrivalled tolerance and precision.

"The new PIXMA range is expected to drive the already rapidly accelerating demand for personal photo printers," said Mogens Jensen, Head of Canon Consumer Imaging Europe. "PIXMA is the meeting of form and function; a combination of designer styling, speed, and photolab quality results. Canon hopes PIXMA will do for printing what IXUS did for digital photography: consumers choosing cutting edge design matched with top performance."

The PIXMA range includes four single function printers with all-round performance for both photo and document printing:

• PIXMA iP1500: range opener with photolab quality

• PIXMA iP2000: PictBridge direct photo printing

• PIXMA iP3000: PictBridge direct photo printing, single ink, automatic double sided and CD-Rom printing

• PIXMA iP4000: PictBridge direct photo printing, single ink and automatic double sided printing, CD-Rom printing, ContrastPLUS system for professional quality photo printing,

and four multifunctionals:

• PIXMA MP110: print/scan/copy

• PIXMA MP130: print/scan/copy, PictBridge direct photo printing/photo index sheet

• PIXMA MP750: print/scan/copy, PictBridge direct photo printing, Auto Document Feeder, single ink CD-Rom and automatic double sided printing,

• PIXMA MP780: as per MP750 but with fax capability

New approach to design

Everything about the PIXMA range design reinforces the trend toward personal photo printers being seen as desirable accessories rather than essential appliances. Key features of the PIXMA products are:

• High quality materials with futuristic designs that deliver a new 'look and feel'

• Bookshelf storage and operation with 2-way paper paths, small footprints and low noise levels

• Functionality such as CD-Rom writing or automatic double sided printing that integrate seamlessly into the main unit

Sophisticated styling to ensure they look good in every environment, from the living room to the office

Full-photolithography Inkjet Nozzle Engineering

iP1500, MP110 and MP130 do not include 2-way paper paths