The Canon PIXMA iP90v Photo Inkjet Printer is the Vista-enabled version of the older PIXMA iP90 and offers nearly the same print speeds and quality. The text quality has improved, and has ink-saving mode options available that saves you a lot of money.
Most enjoy the portability of this printer. Many people travel a lot to special events, and in these activities, one normally brings along a camera and requires immediate printing directly from the camera; this printer lets them do just that, with its PictBridge and IrDA technology.
The Canon PIXMA iP90v prints at 16 ppm in black, 12 ppm in color and a 4” x 6” borderless photo at approximately 81 seconds. Not as fast as a laser printer, but the quality is of high value, delivering high resolution and finely detailed color photos, and documents with bold, crisp text.
The cartridges for the ink are not very big but this is to be expected with a small printer. With normal use, the ink cartridges are said to last 2 – 3 months, up to about 60-70 sheets per cartridge. The printer does give a low ink warning but you may choose to wait until it fades out to maximize the use of the ink. Getting the Canon BCI-15 Black Ink and BCI-16 Tri-color twin pack cartridges is more economical.
Canon has introduced the Generation Green products. This is Canon’s way of providing consumers with a way to learn about the environmentally friendly approach that Canon is taking to design and create new products and solutions that could bring about possible cost savings through energy efficiency.
The PIXMA iP90v has these Generation Green characteristics:
- Ink Saver Mode – This allows you to use less ink when printing to make your ink supply last longer and reduce wasted ink cartridges. This feature may affect the quality of photo printing.
- 4 in 1, 2 in 1 Printing – This option allow users to place multiple pages on 1 page, saving up to 75% of your paper supply.
- ENERGY STAR – It uses less energy, as well as saves money. They are 25% more efficient than conventional models.
- RoHS Compliance – This is a directive from the European Union that restricts the use of hazardous materials found in electronic products. This product restricts the use of cadmium, mercury, lead, hexavalent chromium, Polybrominated Biphenyls (PBB) and Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDE)
- Use of Recycled Plastics – The power supply casing uses recycled plastics.
User reviews
Some users have complained about how difficult it is to get the software that comes with the printer working. They report that it took a few hours to get everything running right compared to other printers they owned that were more of the plug and play variety.
The iP90v comes with an excellent manual that helps you know where mistakes are made along with other information. The software, when installed, is reported to be good though and offers you the ability to not only organize your pictures, but also gives you editing capability, such as red eye removal, color balance, darkening, or making the photo brighter, with the Easy-Photoprint software.
One report had described that it appears to underexpose photos. So the pictures come out somewhat darker than they should. The only thing that can be done about this is to overexpose your pictures a bit in your camera as you take them. A little bit of a hassle because it should automatically adjust printer settings.
Another downside is that in order to be completely portable, you have to purchase separately the optional LK-51B battery, which you may get new from Canon but available used at Amazon for much less, and the Canon BU-10 Bluetooth Adapter, which is available at Amazon and Canon as well.
You have the option to get the Cradle Kit, which includes the Lithium Ion battery, the battery holder and a charging cradle for the printer; or the LK-51 Portable Kit, which includes battery housing and the Lithium Ion battery. As far as the Bluetooth® adapter is concerned, the benefit of printing wireless is the upside once you have attached it to the Canon PIXMA iP90v.
Summary
[easyazon-image-link asin="B0002OG6L6" alt="Canon PIXMA iP90 Photo Inkjet Printer (9466A001)" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51P2KKPJK9L._SL160_.jpg" align="right" width="160" height="160"]Generally, it is a durable, lightweight, and mobile printer. It weighs less than some books do at 4 lbs. With dimensions of 12.3″(W) x 2.1″(H) x 6.9″(D), it is truly a portable printer that is as small as some books are.
The Canon PIXMA iP90v Photo Inkjet Printer is available new at Amazon.com but are extremely pricey for an old model. Based on performance alone, you can get two of the newer model, the Canon PIXMA iP100 Mobile Photo Printer, which performs much better. You can get the iP90v used from $100 if you’re looking to get cheap portable printer that can perform well except that there won’t be any warranty on it. Accessories and supplies are likewise still available at Amazon and the Canon site as well.
The bottom line is the Canon PIXMA iP90v Photo Inkjet Printer is a very useful printer especially if you travel a lot, but you will need to keep a stack of inks on reserve if you print in high volume. It is also expensive therefore a purchase should be thought of very carefully.
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