The Canon Pixma MP495 colour inkjet multifunction printers handles printing, copying, and scanning, and currently it costs just a little more than its cousin, the Canon Pixma MP280.
The Canon Pixma MP495 adds wireless connectivity for easier sharing, and ditches the matte-black scanner lid for a shiny one. Otherwise, it has the same strengths and weaknesses as the MP280: extremely nice text and photos, but pricey black ink and minimal paper-handling options. For these reasons, it's best suited for light home (or hall of residence) use.
Aside from the integrated Wi-Fi connectivity (to complement the unit's USB capability), the Canon Pixma MP495's features are sparse. There's no automatic document feeder for the scanner. PC users get manual duplexing help, but Mac users are on their own. Paper input consists of a single rear, 100-sheet, vertical paper feed. Basic tasks are easy to perform via the top control panel, but the single-digit LED can be difficult to interpret. It shows the number of copies up to 9 clearly, then jumps to 20 by showing the letter F. Translating the obscure symbols and flash combinations that represent error codes and setup or maintenance functions requires a trip to the MFP's thorough and well-written HTML-based onscreen documentation.
The Canon Pixma MP495's performance is acceptable. It printed plain-text pages at 5.7 pages per minute on both the PC and the Mac, while our consumer-grade PC photos printed at just over 2 ppm on plain paper and 1 ppm on photo paper. The professional Mac photo took just over 3 minutes to print. Scanning and copying speeds fell below the mean, but they're fast enough for occasional use.
All of Canon's new models offer exceptional output, and the Canon Pixma MP495 is no exception. Text appears black and very smooth at default settings and superb at high quality. Colour graphics have a slightly orange cast on plain paper, but this tinge disappears when you print the images on Canon's photo paper. Colour copies looked very nice, though they suffered the same, slight orange shift.
The Canon Solution Menu EX software is capable and easy to use, providing support for both print layout tasks and scanning. A nice toolbar floats on the desktop, offering easy access to the most common functions. It's also a snap to install.
Unfortunately, the Canon Pixma MP495's black ink is on the pricey side.
Video: see the Canon Pixma MP495 in action
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Comments
Igc324 said: Wi fi was working initially but now will not work many uninstallings and installings later it and searching forums it still will not function with wifi only - just the LAN cable The whole point of buying it was to do away with cables
Andy63walsh said: if you refill the ink the light stays on and you cant reset it any one know how