Canon’s PIXMA MP960 Photo All-In-One (AIO) is a premium device that provides all the features needed for an exceptional photo experience in the home. As the only seven-color photo all-in-one on the market using the ChromaLife100 system, discerning consumers can now produce long-lasting vivid photo lab quality prints. The PIXMA MP960 Photo AIO also features the revolutionary Easy-Scroll Wheel user interface to complement the bright 3.5-inch high-definition TFT screen. For the photo enthusiast who wants the best device for a variety of uses, from reprinting photos to scanning slides and negatives, the MP960 Photo AIO does it all for about US$399.99.

The PIXMA MP960 can print up to 9600 x 2400 color dpi for sharp and detailed prints and can print on a variety of Canon photo papers from the glossy Photo Paper Pro to the thicker Fine Art Photo Rag paper. The FINE technology print head makes quick work of photos and text with a next-generation 3,584-nozzle print head that ejects precise droplets as small as one picoliter. The advanced seven-color ink system incorporates six dye-based inks, including photo cyan and photo magenta colors perfect for life-like photos, as well as a pigment-based black ink that produces laser-quality text for business documents.

The MP960 can print a borderless 4 x 6-inch photo lab quality print in approximately 35 seconds . While copying documents, this device shines as a home office companion, coping up to 30 pages per minute for black and white documents and up to 22 pages per minute for color documents. To save time and paper, the MP960 can also automatically duplex, producing double-sided documents and photos. With two standard paper trays, consumers can conveniently load plain paper in one tray and photo paper in the other, avoiding the hassle of switching papers for different print functions.

As a photo or document scanner, the high resolution maximum 4800 dpi color CCD scanning element with vibrant 48-bit color depth, designed for scanning up to eight slides, twelve negatives and film using the built in adapter. Consumers can also make photo reprints and enlargements directly from film or prints without using a computer.

The PIXMA MP960 employs advanced copy technology to help give the user amazing reproductions of original images and documents. Dual Color Gamut Processing Technology improves color accuracy by independently controlling brightness, hue, and other elements to make sure that there are minimal differences between the original and the copy. In addition, with Text and Image Separation Technology, the system can actually differentiate text from an image, making black text and fine lines darker and sharp. Now when black text appears over an image, the text on the following generations of copies can be virtually as clear as the first. These technologies plus hardware improvements in scanning and printing can help make a copy almost indistinguishable from the original.

When used with a supported Canon digital SLR, the PIXMA MP960 supports the user-friendly Canon-to-Canon Direct Advantage. Connected via the PictBridge port, the Canon-to-Canon connection allows users to brighten faces, print shooting information on a print, or even print a contact sheet with up to 35 images all directly from the camera controls without a PC. The Canon-to-Canon workflow allows consumers to take advantage of added convenience and the power to produce outstanding image quality directly from the camera to the printer without the need for a PC. This model also supports wireless infrared printing from enabled cell phones, and the consumer can purchase the optional Bluetooth adaptor for even faster wireless printing from various Bluetooth-equipped devices. With built in card slots, users can print from supported memory cards, or entertain with a slide show.

Compatible with Windows (Windows XP, 2000, Me, 98) and Mac platforms (Mac OS X v.10.2.8 to 10.4.x), the MP960 comes bundled with MP Driver, MP Navigator, Setup Software, User's Guide, ArcSoft PhotoStudio, ScanSoft OmniPage SE, Easy-PhotoPrint version 3.5, and Easy-WebPrint (Windows only with Internet Explorer version 6.0).

PIXMA MP960 Features:

• Multipurpose photo printer, film scanner, flatbed scanner, color copier
• Computer-free printing from flash cards, 35mm film and photographs
• PictBridge Direct USB printing from most modern digicams
• 7-color photo ink system, individually replaceable tanks for economy
• Canon's ChromaLife100 inks can resist fading for up to 100 years
• Dual paper paths with top and bottom trays, auto paper switching
• Two-sided printing with built-in duplexer
• High-resolution flatbed/film scanner, up to 4800 dpi optical
• Scan documents to Adobe pdf or convert to text with OCR software
• 1-picoliter MicroFine ink drops with 9600 x 2400 dpi resolution
• Borderless printing in 4 x 6", 5 x 7" and letter sizes
• 3.5-inch high-res color LCD for preview and editing
• USB 2.0 high-speed interface (Windows XP, 2000 or Mac OS X)
• Infrared wireless JPEG printing from compatible cellphones
• Optional wireless Bluetooth adapter available

Mechanics & Performance

The MP960 is a stylish looking gray and silver colored multipurpose device that will turn your workspace into a high-performance print shop. This is a fairly large (18.6" W x 16.9" D x 8.9" H) device that needs about 18 inches of free space above to access the flatbed scanner and film scanner unit.

Setup is straight forward and can be accomplished by following the steps outlined on the included big page of directions. You first install the removable print head assembly, unwrap and install the ink tanks, install the driver software, connect the input cable and turn on the printer. Installation on my Windows XP machine went without a hitch even connected through a USB hub. It took a total of about fifteen minutes to unpack, setup and be ready to make the first print.

The MP960 has two paper sources; a top-mounted auto sheet loader and an internal cassette in the bottom. Both the upper and lower paper trays can support up to 150 sheets of letter-size plain paper as well as 4x6" photo paper, 5x7" photo paper, letter-size photo paper and #10 envelopes. The lower tray is ideal for photo paper as it kept safe inside of the printer and protected against dust and dirt.

You can load different media in the top and bottom trays and then select it with either the printer driver or the control panel pushbutton. Both top and bottom trays can be loaded with plain paper, the printer will automatically switch between them when one runs out of paper.

The built-in duplexer lets you easily print on both sides of plain paper or 2-sided photo papers (not recommended for paper sizes smaller than 5x7".) This will cut your paper waste in half when printing out web pages, emails or documents and allows you to create your own "ready to be stapled" photo albums, newsletters or product catalogs.

Computer-free Printing

The large 3.5-inch color LCD can be tilted to different angles so it's easy to see whether you're standing up or sitting down. The LCD lets you select the unit's main functions, change settings and browse through images on memory cards. You can preview, edit and select images easily with the LCD and control panel.

Control panel: Power on/off, the Feed Switch button selects the auto sheet feeder on top or the cassette below as the active paper source. The NAVI button displays the machine’s on-screen guide, which includes how-to recommendations for the most common functions. The HOME button allows users to return to the main menu, regardless of where they are in the sub-menus. The BACK button allows you to step back to where you were before. The 4-way selector lets you go forward or backward through the pictures until you find the one that you want to print. Inside the 4-way selector is the Easy-Scroll Wheel that you rotate to select the unit's main functions (see below) and select menu items.

The OK button in the center accepts selections. To the left and right immediately below the LCD are two soft buttons that perform the function indicated by a screen label (shown above, the left button displays ink remaining and the right button enables the onscreen introduction labels to aid beginning users.) The Copies + and - buttons select the number of copies and are used by the trimming function when printing from a memory card. Press the Black or Color Start buttons to make a copy of a document on the scanner and the Stop/Reset button halts an active operation.

Print from Memory Cards

Located on the front are the two built-in flash card slots. The MP960 can read directly from CompactFlash (Type I and II including Microdrives), SmartMedia, Secure Digital, MultiMediaCard, Memory Stick and Memory Stick PRO.  Note: xD-Picture Card, Mini SD and Memory Stick DUO can be used with (optional) adapters.

The card slots are used for direct printing of JPEG or TIFF images and can also be used like a card reader to transfer photos to your hard drive at USB 2.0 speed. The card slots will appear as removable drives whenever a card is inserted.

Flatbed Image Scanner

Located on top is the dedicated flatbed image and document scanner. The lid allows for variable thickness objects from a single piece of paper to a large book to be placed on the scanner bed. High-resolution CCD technology delivers exceptional scans up to 4800 dpi with 48-bit color depth. There is no auto document feeder, it handles one sheet at a time.

The flatbed scanner can be used without a computer to make color or B&W copies of documents or scan film or photos and make color prints. It can be used with a computer to scan photos into digital images and paper documents can converted to text with the included Scansoft OmniPage SE software or stored electronically as PDF files with the 'Scan-to-PDF' function from within the driver.

35mm Film Scanner

To make prints from or digitize 35mm negatives or slides you remove the reflective panel in the scanner lid to expose the builtin film adapter unit (FAU). Using the FAU allows you to scan film at up to 19,200 dpi (hardware interpolated.) You'll find the film carriers stored on the backside of the reflective panel. The 35mm negative strip carrier handles up to six frames and the 35mm mounted slide carrier (shown above) that holds up to four slides. A guide on the top of the scanner deck aligns the film carrier so it's properly positioned with the FAU.

The included ScanGear software can be launched from the MP Navigator program or called up as a TWAIN application from your graphic program. ScanGear can be used for photographs or film, you can batch scan and save six negatives or four mounted slides at a time.

Advanced driver software helps to identify and remove defects caused by dust and scratches on the surface of 35mm negatives or mounted slides. The auto image adjust feature to help correct faded photos and film. The direct print feature also enables users to scan their slides or negatives and go straight to print without ever having to use a computer.

PictBridge Printing

Located on the front is the PictBridge USB port for direct printing from most modern digital cameras and video camcorders. Users with a PictBridge-enabled digital camera connect to the printer using their standard USB download cable.

Next to the PictBridge port is an infrared port which allows the MP960 to print JPEG images wirelessly from compatible cellphones.

IrDA version 1.2. JPEG files 3MB or smaller only. Requires mobile phone with IrDA port and support for IrMC version 1.1 protocol, with phone positioned no more than 7.9 inches from printer.

For longer distance wireless printing Canon has an optional Bluetooth v. 1.2 BU-20 adapter available for the MP960.

When the camera and printer are connected, the camera's color LCD is used to select the image(s) you want and what options to print them with. Usually it's as simple as select the photo and press the camera's OK button. (Shown here are the PictBridge menu screens on a Canon Digital Rebel SLR).