In my review of the i9950 I said that "The i9950 proved itself by producing excellent colour pictures time after time" and went on to say "if Canon can produce an A4 version of this, then I am sure they will give other manufacturers some very stiff competition." No sooner had I written those words, when Canon introduced us to their Pixma range of printers. This range is a break away from the bread bin look, which I have mentioned more than once in previous reviews. It's now a stylish shape which, when not in use, can be closed into a neat tidy package. Canon states that this would not look out of place in anyone's living room. When I asked about the choice of colour (black) I was told that it would fit in with most people's hi-fi units (strange, the demonstration room had a red hi-fi setup). The Pixma iP8500 uses the same ChromaPlus ink set as the i9950, i.e. the extra red and green colours. Interestingly, Epson uses an extra blue colour in the R800, I wonder who will be the first to use the full RGB colour set. The ip8500 is billed as a professional photo printer that can deliver a 4800 x 2400 dpi A4 print in 34 seconds using 2pl ink drops.

In the press release Canon states "ChromaPLUS technology utilizes eight colour inks: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Light Cyan, Light Magenta, Black, Red and Green. Canon's dye inks produce more vivid colours, reduced graininess and better contrast photo quality when compared with the flat and lack-luster pigment-based inks used in some photo printers" - is this a dig at Epson? I am going to put this printer through some tough tests and will make a point of comparing the output with that of the Epson R800 - as they say "The proof of the pudding..."

What's in the box?

PIXMA iP8500 printer CD tray (not US) Eight ink tanks; Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Light Cyan, Light Magenta, Black, Red and Green Print head Mains cable Quick start guide, warranty cards and other promotional circulars Installation CD 5 sheet sample pack (6x4)

At first glance there seems to be very little in the way of extra add on bits. With the previous printers there was a 6x4 pack holder, CD feeder unit etc. No, you are not being short changed with this printer, in fact far from it. I will explain all later in the review. I can't carry on with the review without first having a moan about the non inclusion of a USB cable - where is it?

The printer is well packed in a moderately sized box, big enough to get in the boot of a small family car and still fit the mother-in-law in (she takes up very little boot space). The printer is highly polished, super glossy black. To keep this looking nice ready for when you unpack it, Canon have covered all the surfaces with a clear film protective layer. Once removed you are free to leave your fingerprints on the unit, for all to see. To get the best looking finger prints I would recommend eating a bag of chips whilst unwrapping. Seriously, the printer looks very smart, but I wonder how practical this super gloss black will be.

Although a completely new design, the printer head cradle still has to be fitted first - I guess when you have a winning formula then you shouldn't change it. Fitting is a straight forward process and it also implies that a replacement head is readily available (these can be purchased from Canon). The print head will last for life – not your life - but the printer’s life (average life of printer is about 5 years). The iP8500 uses the same ink tanks that were first introduced on the 8200 way back in February 2000, this again indicates that Canon has got it right. The eight ink set is the same as used by the i9950, I was impressed with the colours produced by that printer and would hope this printer will deliver similar results. Separate ink cartridges are popular with users, as you only have to replace the colour that has depleted. Maintaining continuity in consumables also guarantees that those three people who still have a 8200 are not going to run out of ink. Fitting the inks is a simple process of twisting each orange cap off and inserting the ink into the correct slot on the printer. Easy, yes, but don't squeeze the sides or you will re-colour your hands and carpet, be extra careful with this stage.

Installation

Turn the power on	Remove cover, do not try to replace once removed
iP8500 print head with 6144 nozzles	Detail of nozzles
Fit the print head	and lock the head in place
Remove the orange protective caps X8	A full house

The ink compartments are well marked so there shouldn't be any errors in fitting the wrong ink tank. Make a note of the indicated tank order on the top of the head lever and fit the inks in the same order. The entire setting up process should take no longer than 5 to 10 minutes. Once fitted, the head charges itself, this printer is very quiet - or perhaps I am starting to go deaf.

More tomorrow