Canon S800

Little has changed in the driver since the BJC-8200, and Canon unfortunately still insists on icon-driven presets, which aren't always self-explanatory for some jobs. It may be more user-friendly, but it would be a better idea to have a resolution control in the advanced options, or to have a greater variety of presets.

The main advantage Canon has over rivals like HP and Epson is its individual ink system. At £7 each, the cartridges are relatively cheap to replace, and you only need to replace each colour as and when you need to, without having to buy everything at once. Each cartridge has a lifespan of 280 pages at five per cent coverage, and the running costs work out at 15p per page at 30 per cent coverage. It isn't especially cheap to run, but then the S800 isn't meant to be a business workhorse.

Likewise, the initial asking price of £250 isn't wallet-friendly by modern standards. In fact, it's £89 more than the Epson Stylus Photo 890, but that's the price you pay if you want the best machine for the job. In terms of quality, there isn't a lot between the Epson and the Canon on photo prints, but the S800 is almost six times as fast, even on its highest settings. Also, while the text quality won't rival Lexmark or HP inkjets, the draft text prints were leagues ahead of the Epson in terms of quality.

If you can't find the extra money and can live with slower photo print speeds for occasional printing, then the Epson 890 is your best bet. However, if you want the fastest and highest-quality photo printer and can find the extra cash, then the S800 should be at the top of your list. Welcome back Canon, the S800 is a landmark in photo printing.

Author: Ben Hardwidge