The iP4200 offers an attractive collection of features, including one feature that's unusual for an inkjet: an internal paper tray. The iP4200 also comes at an equally attractive price.

Set-up is easy. The installer will do most of the work for you, although you will need to supply a USB cable ($10 to $20). The paper input and output trays flip up when not in use, so you can save a little space and keep your desktop tidy. The front-mounted controls are easy to access and include power on/off, a paper feed switch, and a cancel/resume button.

The iP4200 offers print resolutions of up to 600X600 dpi for monochrome documents and up to 9,600X2,400 dpi for color documents. It can print bordered and borderless photos in sizes ranging from 4X6 inches to 8-1/2X11 inches, envelopes, and letter-, legal-, and credit card-size paper.

Output quality of photos is above average, but still a little disappointing. Colors are vivid, but details aren't always as sharp as they should be.

A notable feature of the iP4200 is the second, internal paper tray, located underneath the printer, which can hold up to 150 sheets of plain paper. You can keep one tray loaded with letter paper for standard documents and the other tray loaded with photo paper, manually switching between them as needed without taking the time to load and unload paper. Remembering to select the correct tray when you output a job is up to you.

The iP4200 includes a built-in duplexer to help you save a little money on paper, as well as reduce waste. A port on the front of the printer lets you directly from PictBridge-compatible digital cameras and camcorders. There is no option to print directly from a memory card.

The iP4200 package includes five ink tanks (two black, plus cyan, magenta, and yellow), a power cord, drivers, and an electronic user guide. The software bundle includes Easy-PhotoPrint (Windows and Macintosh) for rotating, cropping, and editing images; PhotoRecord (Windows) for creating photo albums; and Easy-WebPrint (Windows) to optimize the printing of web pages.

Note that the $99.99 price is the estimated street price, as MSRP data was unavailable.

Pro: Compact design. Two paper input trays. Automatic duplexer. Can print directly from PictBridge-compatible digital cameras and camcorders.
Con: Print speeds are sometimes below average. Output quality could be better. No option to print directly from memory cards.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Canon U.S.A., Inc.
1 Canon Plaza
Lake Success, NY 11042-1198
800-652-2666
http://www.usa.canon.com

Warranty
1 year, limited