Epson or canon printer which pictures are better. Periphery. Print quality on office paper

Multifunction printers (MFPs) are among the most popular types home and office equipment. The secret of their success is that they combine several functions at once in one compact device: scanner, copier and printer at the same time - isn't that great? However, the choice can be difficult. For example, which MFP is better - Canon or HP? Or maybe give preference to respectable "Samsung"? All questions related to the choice are described in detail in the article.

What are MFPs for?

A multifunctional device that combines a copier, printer and scanner is much cheaper than stand-alone devices, and makes it possible to rationally beat the space on the desktop. Until relatively recently, only wealthy people could afford such devices, but today they are available to almost everyone.

If, for example, a fax device at home is unlikely to come in handy, then a copier or printer is a necessary thing. It is necessary to print materials not only for schoolchildren or students, but also for office employees who, for whatever reason, cannot use office equipment.

So, the advantages of the MFP include:

• Convenience.
• Compactness. Compared to stand-alone units, they take up several times less space.
• Affordable price.
• Ease of operation. If each of the stand-alone devices needs its own set of drivers, power supply and cable, then in a multifunctional device all this is concentrated in one housing.

Important! True, there is a drawback here. When the power supply fails, the entire set of devices ceases to serve you. But to the credit of the MFP, I must say that they are very reliable and rarely fail.

Tips before choosing a printer

In your printers, you can find them of different types: laser, facsimile or multifunction.


We have already talked about the main brands that sell printers, now we point out some tips that you should take into account before choosing a home printer.

First of all, as we already mentioned, it is important to remember what you are going to use the printer for. If you are going to use them regularly and need to print designs, color sketches and need good photographic quality, it is recommended to buy a mid-range photo and color printer. However, if you're shopping "just in case" or because you have to type notes or scan simple items in black and white, you have other options that are much more affordable on the market.

Home or office?

MFPs for the home are designed for a small amount of work. If we compare the giant devices that are usually used in large companies, “home” devices look like a midget next to Gulliver. Important feature multifunction devices purchased for the home - the ability to print color photos. A nice bonus is the ability to print information from mobile devices, memory cards, flash drives, etc. Naturally, the cost of the device is growing. Here you just need to decide which MFP is better - Canon, Hp or Epson.

Choice according to needs

Each MFP has its pros and cons. For example:

• If the laser device is left idle for a long time, this will not affect its operation in any way.
• With inkjet printers, it's a little different. Cartridge nozzles dry out very quickly.

Important! Of course, inkjet printers are indispensable when printing photos, but if you have to print large amounts of black and white text information, it is better to opt for a laser device.

In this sense, cartridges are one of the main aspects that you should consider. See which cartridges you will need, which is cheaper, or which brand offers you more possibilities. Also look for deals and promotions as some printers include gift cartridges.

You should also keep in mind that most printers these days are multifunctional, meaning they also include a scanner and copier. Usually the difference in price lies in copying speed and resolution. Another factor to take into account is its ability to load paper if it is duplex, if it has an electronic screen to process it, or its size for space reasons. Even, why not say it, your aesthetic can also be important, no one likes to have a terrible pot at home, right?

A brief overview of the MFP by manufacturing companies

The most popular are Canon, HP and Epson brands. Let's consider these options in more detail. Epson products are distinguished by a wide variety of models. Canon and HP are somewhat inferior in this.

Important! Lexmark products are popular in Europe and the USA - inexpensive and reliable.

Although this is completely secondary. Also remember that many printers can be damaged if they are not used regularly. Therefore, if you are going to print something from time to time, you may not find it profitable to buy one of these printers. On the other hand, if you're tired of going to the photocopy shop on your street, it's been a while since you bought it.

With all this information that we left you with brands, models and buying tips, we hope you can make the best choice. To finish, we leave you with some links that you might find interesting to complete the article's information.

Epson

The design features of this brand are as follows:

• The use of piezoelectric technology in the manufacture of printheads. They are much more reliable and durable than thermal ones. However, replacing worn-out printheads is not cheap.
• Compared with Canon and HP, the moving mechanical parts are more reliable. Therefore, if you decide which MFP is better - Canon HP or Epson, the comparison will not be in favor of the first two options.
• Epson printers are rightfully considered the most functional.

Important! There is also a minus that can cross out almost all the existing advantages: the volume of cartridges in Epson products is the smallest, and they cannot be refilled.

They have a high print capacity that delivers two to five times more prints than ink cartridges and three times more than standard color ink cartridges. That is, it offers its customers high-capacity cartridges that provide them with 2-3 times more pages printed with ink cartridges, as well as 2-3 times more prints made with color ink cartridges, if they run. comparison with other cartridges.

Similarly, this brand is pleased with the reliability shown by its cartridges when they are in use. Obviously, this scale does not analyze which refining brands are used, as the results can vary greatly depending on the brand used.

HP

According to many buyers, devices from HP are the best balance of quality and price. These are inexpensive devices with very decent print quality. For this reason, buyers choosing which printer is better - HP or Canon, often prefer the first option.

Here are some other design features specific to HP:

• Printheads - thermal, removable. Their service life is the same as that of cartridges. In total, the printer has 2 cartridges - color and black.
• The cartridge can be refilled several times.

Canon

Deciding which inkjet printers better - Canon or Epson, it should be noted that, with all the manufacturability, Epson products will cost more. Canon cartridges are cheaper than for HP MFPs, they can withstand several refills.

Important! If we compare the print quality of all three brands, then HP products show the best result.

Rating of the most popular models

Canon Pixma MG8240

Premium wireless inkjet with smart touch input, fast photo printing and duplex printing. Flatbed scanner with CCD sensor. There is a possibility of color copying.

HP DeskJet Ink Advantage Ultra 4729 All-in-One

Inkjet 4-color fixture ideal for use at home or in the office small company. Is different good quality printing, the possibility of wireless communication with mobile devices (smartphones, tablets), ease of management. The device is equipped with the LCD display and support of the HP ePrint technology.

Important! It is also possible to connect to a Wi-Fi network, there is a “color copy” function.

Epson WorkForce Pro WP-4530

Color MFP (there is a possibility of sending faxes). Ideal for small to medium sized office applications. Print volume - up to 20 thousand pages per month. There is the possibility of duplex printing. The device is equipped with a flatbed scanner, a copier and a display.

Before you do final choice, do not forget that over time the cartridges will have to be changed. Evaluate the functionality of the device and its maintainability. Only in this way is an objective choice possible.

How will the quality of the printer work depend on the manufacturer? Few people ask themselves this question before making a purchase. Often, when choosing a printer or MFP, we are used to being guided by the advice of friends, professionals, and, well, a set of necessary characteristics. And only a part of users prefer to narrow down the range of options and decide on the brand of the future assistant.

Eternal competitors Epson and Canon will reveal their cards to us, and we'll see which of them is right for us.

Print technology and print head

Epson. The company uses the principle of applying the image, which was first used back in 1984. Piezoelectric inkjet printing is based on the interaction of the piezoelectric element, the membrane and the current, due to which the ink falls on the paper. This element, which is also called a crystal, contracts under the influence of electricity, causing the membrane to vibrate and push out a certain amount of paint.

There are several advantages.

Firstly, the service life of the printer's printing system is significantly higher than thermal inkjet devices, since there are no sudden temperature changes. Due to this, the head was made stationary. This means that it will last you as long as the printer itself. Secondly, due to the absence of heating, the choice of ink is greatly expanded. Thirdly, the droplet volume can be accurately controlled by the current strength.

Flaw - the printing head is significantly more expensive than thermal inkjet sisters.

Canon. The use of thermal printing technology began in the late 50s. The principle began to be called "bubble" because of the way ink is pushed out of the nozzles. Under the influence of temperature, which can reach up to 400⁰С, air bubbles form in the ink compartment. Their appearance and pushes the appropriate amount of paint.

Main advantage - low price and simpler manufacturing technology compared to piezojet.

But flaw lies in the temperature difference, which makes the printing system short-lived. That is why it is almost equated with consumables, and not with the main parts of the printer. It will work well with its periodic change, but this may be a problem. Very few people are engaged in the supply and sale of printheads, so it will not be easy to find it. And if the printer has already been discontinued, then this is generally hopeless.

ink drop

Epson. Here the main, but not the only criterion is the size. The company has achieved volume ink drop in 1.5 picoliters. This allows for much clearer printing. small parts images. Naturally, the smaller the drop size, the more accurate and sharper the print will be.

But what about printing pictures that show panoramas, for example, mountains? With a small droplet volume, filling large areas is like using thin felt-tip pen where you need a thick marker.

And here another criterion appears - the possibility of printing with a variable drop volume. Epson Variable size technology offers to alternate the volume of the drop from larger to smaller. The software independently determines which area is best to use which size. On the this moment in various models up to 6 drop sizes are available.

Canon. The manufacturer has achieved great results. The minimum drop volume in Canon flagships is 1 picoliter. But comparing the drop sizes of Canon and Epson printers is not entirely correct due to the difference in imaging technologies.

In thermal inkjet printing, image duplication may occur. Surely you noticed that some characters had more faded twin brothers. Such a second circuit is formed when high speed printing, when there are too many small drops that should not be.

But although such unpleasant accidents can be periodically repeated, such print quality cannot be called a rule. As for variable volume, Canon used to have Drop Modulation technology in its arsenal. When an additional heating element was turned on, a smaller droplet was formed. But the company abandoned it in favor of a print head with rows of nozzles of different sizes.

Ink

It's not about the chemical composition and not about the cost of using printer ink, but rather about the ability to choose consumables.

Epson. Let's briefly return to the properties of printing technology and drop size. With piezoelectric printers, you can use different types ink and not be afraid of breakage, as they will not heat up. In addition, the throughput of the nozzle, designed for a drop of 1.5 picoliters, will cope with both photographic and pigment inks, although the number of cleanings will have to be increased. This makes Epson printers more versatile.

Canon. Almost all more or less modern printers of this company use a drop volume of 1 picoliter. For pigment inks, even if they are designed for thermal inkjet printing, a hole designed for such a volume will not be enough. As soon as the printer decides that the minimum drop should be used for this photo, the irreparable will begin. After a few prints, the print head will clog. Alternatively, you will be able to replace it with small financial losses, but you will not want to take risks again. So, in terms of ink usage, Canon printers inferior to their opponent.

Software

Epson. The company's research is directed in several directions. First, they are frenzied about installing alternative consumables on their printers.

Secondly, they try to please users as much as possible in working with photos. One solution is the Photo Enhance program. Basically, this technology directs its strength and skill to build color reproduction, which sometimes differs from the original. Despite this, in most cases the result is worth such a change. In addition, the driver determines what exactly is shown in the picture (portrait, landscape), and then “cleans” small color noises, as well as small defects. Sometimes the program manages to "pull" more out of the image than was in the picture itself. For example, the camera did not cope with the lighting, and the shadows look like spots. On images processed with Photo Enhance, they will have their natural shape.

To help him, many MFPs use Epson PRINT Image Matching (PIM) technology, which simplifies the work with cameras and video cameras. With a direct connection, the program tries to save all user device settings for each snapshot. This means that bypassing saving to the computer, the printing device receives more information about sharpness, brightness, saturation and other settings, and then tries to reproduce it all with available resources. It turns out that Epson is trying to provide free photo correction services.

Canon. The company does not distribute its forces that way. The main priority is the fight against alternative materials. But there are not so many programs to help the user.

The Color Image Processing System (CCIPS) will help slightly improve the quality of your photo when printed. All it will help you with is to process overly light or dark areas and filter out the noise in the picture a little. Sometimes this may be enough. It can even be said that the printing device is not obliged to do this at all. But since we are already comparing, Canon is significantly inferior to Epson in this regard.

The lineup

Epson. Both completely new lines and updated models of proven series often appear on the market. The company is interested in the client finding a suitable device. Epson clearly distinguishes between printers and MFPs in the categories "office", "home" and "photo printing". The company responds to the needs of users: do you need wireless printing, do you want more mobile services, or even a factory-made CISS? Whatever you want, just choose.

Canon. The company pleases with new products not so often and, of course, not so loudly. Models have not kept up with some innovations. Yes, and it can be difficult to determine by eye what it is: an office horse or a home assistant. The company is in no hurry to expand the range, but only from time to time releases a new product that is lost among the old brothers.

The result is not as rhetorical as expected. If we take into account the most significant criteria, then Epson still gets the crown. But in any case, the criteria are different for everyone, otherwise Canon would not exist long ago.

Print with pleasure!