Canon announces new pro A3+ printer

Canon has launched a new flagship printer to sit at the top of its Pixma range, and is the world's first A3+ model to use 12 separate inks.

The new 12-ink system helps to expand colour gamut in most areas and features new Chroma Optimiser for increased black density and glossiness.

Five monochrome inks are include for professional quality black and white prints with extra detail in shadow and highlight areas, as well as smooth tonal gradation and suppressed graininess. Lucia pigment inks are used in the printer.

The Pixma Pro-1 supports 1200ppi input resolution, double that of previous generations of Pixma pro printers, which Canon says reflects the number of pixels available on professional cameras and making the printer capable of producing images with a resolution up to 4800x2400dpi.

A new Optimum Image Generating (OIG) system analyses the photo colour and precisely calculates the optimum ink combination and volume of ink droplets, which Canon claim are then accurately placed on the paper by a print head with 12,288 nozzles.

Canon also claims that the OIG system enhances colour reproduction, natural tonal gradations and uniform glossiness in each print mode and with each media type. Smooth tonal gradation is also achieved in colour and monochrome prints via a 16 bits per channel printing capability.

Colour modes

Three colour modes are included on the printer, including Photo Colour print mode which is designed to reproduce fresh blues and greens. Linear Tone mode reproduces colours with linear tone curve, while the ICC Profiles mode means users can utilise paper-specific colour profiles or create their own.

The printer has an ink tank capacity 5x larger than the nearest model, designed for longer running periods between ink changes. Front opening panels allow for easy access to the tanks either side of the main printer body. The rear tray takes up to 20 sheets of paper, while the manual feed slot accepts photo paper up to 356mm (14 inches) wide along with heavier art papers.

Other professional features on board the printer include a real-time droplet volume control to stabilise colour and ink density and a mist fan with air circulation system and tubular ink supply system. An ethernet connection is included to allow the printer to be shared over networks.

Software

Easy-PhotoPrint plug-in software is included in the box to simplify printer settings and allow for batch printing. Support is also included for the Adobe Photoshop along with Canon's own Digital Photo Professional software package.

Colour Management Tool Pro Software can be downloaded from the Canon website, and supports x-rite colour management tools, including Colour Munki Photo and Colour Munki Design. Ambient Light Correction is also included, which allows users to select the type of lighting under which a print will be displayed, with colours changed accordingly.

The Canon Pixma Pro-1 UK price will be £799 and will be available from November.