Canon Pixma MP530

Features
Unlike the photo-centric All-in-Ones, the Canon Pixma MP530 includes a fax function, making it a true office workhorse. We wish it was also network-ready, which would make it indispensable in a multiuser environment. Unfortunately, you can connect to it only via USB. You can get around that by connecting the MP530 to a router with a built-in print server or by buying a standalone print server, but a network-ready printer is a much more elegant solution. On the other hand, it does support both Windows and Mac operating systems.

One feature we really like on this machine is the built-in duplexer, which allows for automatic double-sided printing and copying. This is a boon for anyone trying to save money or the environment. When copying, you can reduce or enlarge by using preset ratios (25 to 400 percent), custom ratios (zoom), or automatic ratios (fit to page). You can also adjust the exposure and the image quality or copy to both sides of the page. Other special copy functions include 2-on-1 or 4-on-1 copy, sticker copy, borderless copy, image repeat, and collated copy.

When you connect a PictBridge-enabled camera, you can access the photo print menu by pressing the menu button. Here, you can change paper size and type and the image layout or optimize the image. While we really appreciated it when printers include media card slots, we can understand why an office-oriented All-in-One doesn't.

You can set up the fax function in a number of different ways, depending on your needs. The included user guide outlines your options from connecting to an analog phone line or an ADSL to adding an answering machine to the mix. For numbers you fax to often, you can program up to 40 speed-dial entries. You can even use the ADF for sending a multipage fax. Also, the fax's memory can store up to 150 pages, perfect for when you want to be discreet about incoming faxes or you just want to weed out junk faxes to save paper.

When scanning, you also have a broad range of options. Using the included MP Navigator software, you can quickly select your task and choose options. You can save the document to your PC as a number of different file types, print the scanned document or photo, attach the scan to an email, or use the optical character recognition software to convert the scan into an editable text file. Using the ADF, you can also do batch scanning.

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