The main strength of the Pixma MP530 inkjet multifunction device from Canon is its sharp photo printing. You can print 4x6 inch photos in about 1 minute, and the Pixma MP530 allows for direct printing from a Canon digital camera.

The Pixma MP530's top resolution for color prints is 9600x2400 dpi, which yields very sharp prints. The top resolution for monochrome printing is only 600x600 dpi, but text prints in draft mode are surprisingly sharp. The Pixma MP530 can print at speeds up to 29 pages per minute in black and 19 ppm in color, but high-resolution photo prints are much, much slower. If you can live with the speed problems, the Pixma MP530 is a good option for sharp photo printouts--and becomes a really good option for those with Canon cameras. For those with other brands of cameras, the Pixma MP530 would work better for printing photographs if it had an LCD screen and a media card slot.

The Pixma MP530's other functions are at least average--they'll do a nice job in an average SOHO setting, but they might not meet the needs of an office needing high-powered features. This device's copier runs at a maximum speed of 28 ppm for black and 19 ppm for color in draft mode. Copying in best mode is much slower, sometimes at less than 1 ppm. You can resize an original at between 25 and 400 percent.

You can send faxes at speeds up to 20 ppm with the Pixma MP530. This unit's scanning function is surprisingly fast and sharp, both in color and monochrome scanning.

The Pixma MP530 is a sharp-looking multifunction device, and it is very easy to use with well-placed controls. It doesn't offer networking capabilities, however, and probably won't meet the needs of a demanding office environment. It does, however, generally outperform other multifunction devices in its price range. It's a nice overall option.


Pros: Very solid overall machine, sharp photo printouts, scanner function works quickly
Cons: Unit could use an LCD and media card slots, photo printing is slow

Warranty
1 year, limited