Canon Pixma iP3500
Manufacturer: Canon USA Part number: 2170B002
- More product information:
- Editors' review
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Accessories
- Manufacturer info
- Bottom Line:
- The Canon Pixma iP3500 inkjet printer is a great choice for home users who have basic print needs but still want good-looking prints.
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Where to buy
| store | customer rating | inventory | tax & shipping | price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon.com Marketplace |  | In stock | Enter zip code to get total price: Price +Tax +Shipping =Total price | as of 12/08/2009 |
CNET editors' review
Canon Pixma iP3500 price range: $189.95
- Reviewed by: Felisa Yang
- Edited by: Matthew Elliott
- Reviewed on: 10/15/2007
- Released on: 08/21/2007
The good: Great print quality; print speeds are on a par with the competition's; PictBridge-enabled; IrDA-enabled; two paper sources.
The bad: No extra features.
The bottom line: The Canon Pixma iP3500 inkjet printer is a great choice for home users who have basic print needs but still want good-looking prints.
Design
The Canon iP3500's design is simple and straightforward. The black-and-silver printer stands 17.2 inches wide, 11.9 inches deep, and 5.7 inches tall, and it weighs 10.8 pounds. The control panel is basically nonexistent. The only features on the front of the printer are the power and cancel/feed buttons and a PictBridge-enabled USB port.
The printer has two input options. The rear input support folds out from the body of the printer, while the front input support extends out from the front face. The rear input holds as many as 150 sheets of plain paper and is good for all the acceptable paper types. The front input holds up to 100 sheets of plain paper and should be used only for plain paper. Because the path for paper fed through the front input requires the paper to bend around a roller, it's not recommended for any thick media, such as photo paper. The output area consists of a tray above the front input area. Many Canon printers offer a lever that you can use to change the distance between the print heads and the paper; normally, the lever is hidden away in the bowels of the front output area, but on the iP3500, Canon moved it to the face of the printer, making it easier to find.
The iP3500 uses a four-ink system with individual ink cartridges, a system we like because it reduces ink waste. The black tank costs $16.25 to replace and each of the color inks costs $14.25 to replace. Canon estimates the per-page costs for the Pixma iP3500 to be 3 cents for a black-and-white print and 5 cents for a full-color print. Both numbers are low and reasonable for a low-cost printer.
Features
The feature set of the iP3500 is predictably simple. The only connection option is USB 2.0. It does serve up a PictBridge USB port for connecting PictBridge cameras and other devices, but it lacks memory card slots. Users who have IrDA-enabled devices can print wirelessly from smart phones and the like.
Because the printer lacks a control panel, any changes need to be made through the driver, which is comprehensive. You can specify the paper type, change the paper source (front or rear), perform manual duplex jobs, and even apply photo treatments such as monochrome effects (black-and-white, sepia, and so forth), noise reduction, and photo optimizer. You can even create profiles for your most common types of print jobs.
Performance
The Pixma iP3500 performed well against its similarly priced competition in terms of print speeds, even taking top honors on one test. It printed black text at a rate of 6.52 pages per minute (ppm), just shy of the Lexmark Z1420's score of 6.68ppm. The Canon produced color graphics prints at a rate of 2.07ppm, which trailed the HP Deskjet D4260 (2.26ppm) but was more than twice as fast as the Lexmark. The Canon was the fastest at printing 4x6 photos, just squeaking by the HP with a score of 1.09ppm.
(Longer bars indicate better performance)
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Photo | |
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Text |
Of the three, we preferred the print quality of the Pixma iP3500 overall. It did a good job with all the print tasks, though there's room for improvement. The black text print showed decent sharpness and legibility: we were able to easily read the text down to 2 points. The characters were nicely dark, too. Close inspection found some minor jagged edges, not particularly surprising for an inexpensive inkjet printer. The color graphics print revealed sharp details in photo elements, pleasing saturation, and good color reproduction. The color gradients had a bit of a faded quality to them, but generally we were quite pleased. The 4x6 photo also showed nice detail but was marred by a slight yellow cast over the whole picture. The colors should be warmer, particularly the flesh tones, and the image could stand to be a bit sharper. Overall, the print quality was good enough for general home use.
(Longer bars indicate better performance)
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Photo | |
Graphics | |
Text |
Service and support
Canon offers a standard one-year warranty for the Pixma iP3500. Toll-free phone support is available weekdays from 8 a.m. to midnight PT and on Saturdays from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. E-mail support is available 24-7 via a Web-based form. Canon's standard online support options include downloadable drivers and software, manuals, and FAQs.
User reviews
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one major problem
by lenarich on November 22, 2007
Pros: I do not print photos but as to quality of printed page it is fine
Cons: Paper Jam error is not true but it screws up the works
Summary: You can not print a file that contains five or more pages without getting a paper jam warning. In reality all you have to do is hit the paper jam ...
Summary: You can not print a file that contains five or more pages without getting a paper jam warning. In reality all you have to do is hit the paper jam button and it resumes printing, However the first page after the alledged jam comes through blank. I am in contact with Canon trying to resolve the problem. Would not recommend this printer.
6 out of 8 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Easy to use, trouble free, fast quality prints
by sigp229 on January 28, 2008
Pros: Individual inkwells, flat top works better for my clutter though i'm sure it's not an appropriate function for a printer
Cons: rather large footprint
Summary: As a low priced photo printer, this one does the job and does it well. It's adequately fast, clear, and simple enough to use. Once it is installed, everything ...
Summary: As a low priced photo printer, this one does the job and does it well. It's adequately fast, clear, and simple enough to use. Once it is installed, everything is automatic. It is not the quietest printer available but it's fairly quiet for something that doesn't cost too much. The individual inkwells last a long time and are cheaper to replace (the color carts) since you don't have to replace all three at the same time. Works perfectly with Vista and photos print very well.
4 out of 4 users found this user opinion helpful.
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It works for me.
by surcfo on January 1, 2008
Pros: Works fine so far.
Cons: Setup instructions missed installing the driver.
Summary: I bought printer 2 days ago. I set it up
and tried to print a letter size page but it
would only print 4 by 6 in the upper left...Summary: I bought printer 2 days ago. I set it up
and tried to print a letter size page but it
would only print 4 by 6 in the upper left
side of sheet. So I called the Canon help line and was relived to hear they knew what the problem was. I needed to install a driver from the installation disk. I then proceeded to print out about 200 pages from a camcorder manual with only one minor jam.3 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
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do NOT buy
by Barfinator on February 6, 2008
Pros: cheap price
Cons: bad printer driver
Summary: I've been a fan of canon printers for a long time. I've owned several generations, and I've put up with little annoyances in the printer drivers every ...
Summary: I've been a fan of canon printers for a long time. I've owned several generations, and I've put up with little annoyances in the printer drivers every time, just because the print quality was worth it.
Not so with this printer. It's supposed to run with Vista, but the driver does things like prints half a page and then spits it out. This wastes TONS of ink, and that gets expensive. DO NOT BUY THIS PRINTER. I'm sad to say that, because I've been a big fan of Canon, but now I feel obligated to warn other consumers. Sad, but true.3 out of 4 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Does not feed. Jams frequently
by gmason1052 on January 11, 2008
Pros: Picture quality very good.
Cons: It is nearly impossible to get it to feed.
Summary: I bought this printer because I only occassionaly print a picture, mostly a calendar every year. I wanted something to print receipts, emails etc. The thing that made me switch ...
Summary: I bought this printer because I only occassionaly print a picture, mostly a calendar every year. I wanted something to print receipts, emails etc. The thing that made me switch from HP was the strong recommendation that this printer got. I am just about to just throw it away. It can go minutes spinning its wheels not feeding paper and when it finally does feed it may jam.
2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Poor ink management and poor software
by rexlperrry on June 24, 2008
Pros: printing quality for a budget printer
Cons: locks up easily and expensive to operate
Summary: The print quality is acceptable for a low-cost printer, but the printer software easily locks up. If a color ink cartridge is low, it will not print with just the ...
Summary: The print quality is acceptable for a low-cost printer, but the printer software easily locks up. If a color ink cartridge is low, it will not print with just the black ink regardless of the printer settings. This makes this budget printer an expensive paperweight until you buy new color cartridges.
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Got a bad unit and returned it
by shoppinggreen on January 10, 2008
Pros: Did not get a chance to use it since it had problems
Cons: The unit was defective. Only the yellow and black printed on the test page
Summary: Tried to hook the printer up and it only printed yellow and black. Even the test print page would only print these two colors. Called Canon support and after two ...
Summary: Tried to hook the printer up and it only printed yellow and black. Even the test print page would only print these two colors. Called Canon support and after two hours of trying to fix the problem, they got disconnected "by accident". Cut my losses and returned the printer. I might have just gotten a bad unit, but I will not try again on this printer.
2 out of 4 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Sub par photos and many irritating flaws
by Rexlperry on August 27, 2009
Pros: Text printing is fast and sharp
Cons: Not a true photo quality printer and it's slow at high resolutions
The ink is expensive and not refillableSummary: Annoying print path hangups and poor quality photo printing doom this Canon printer. There are simply better printers for the money.
Summary: Annoying print path hangups and poor quality photo printing doom this Canon printer. There are simply better printers for the money.
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Great Quality Prints, horrible product to buy.
by Ludapower on February 22, 2009
Pros: Prints good quality pictures, cheap price.
Cons: Takes a long time to actually start printing.
The MAJOR problem is that the price of the 4 ink cartridges cost more than the price of the printer itself. I paid 55$ for the printer.. the ink cartridges are 20$ each. Do the math.Summary: It's stupid of them to have used such expensive cartridges for such a cheap printer.
Summary: It's stupid of them to have used such expensive cartridges for such a cheap printer.
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Paper jams and PDF issues
by mglingg on July 31, 2008
Pros: Fastest inkjet ever when it works.
Cons: Forces you to use the rear paper tray.
Summary: This printer fit perfectly into a cubby in my computer desk, as long as I chose to use only the front paper tray. Frequent paper jams from the first day ...
Summary: This printer fit perfectly into a cubby in my computer desk, as long as I chose to use only the front paper tray. Frequent paper jams from the first day were just the beginning. Whenever trying to print an Acrobat PDF file, it claims to be "out of paper" until you pull the printer out, put paper into the rear tray, and press "Resume". Customer support said "This can be evident if the
overall settings for the driver are used by most applications except the
one in question". So it's Adobe's fault? PDF is when of the most common file formats on the planet and Canon couldn't write the driver to work correctly with Acrobat? Don't offer me two paper feed trays and tell me one won't work. Support went on to say that I would need to go into the Acrobat "print properties" and tell it (again, every time) to print from the front tray. This my first and last Canon printer.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Canon USA
- Part number: 2170B002
- Description: Advanced print head technology drives this printer's high performance, producing borderless photos with resolution up to 4800 x 1200 color dpi. You can create photos from credit-card size up to 8.5" x 11", and your documents will feature bold, laser-quality text. It's fast, too: A beautiful 4" x 6" borderless print takes only about 47 seconds. For convenience, you can print photos directly from digital cameras, DV camcorders and even camera phones; and, the two paper trays let you store photo paper and plain paper, so you're always print-ready.
General
- Printer Type Photo printer - Ink-jet - Color
- Width 17.2 in
- Depth 11.9 in
- Height 5.7 in
- Weight 10.8 lbs
Printer
- Inkjet Technology Canon FINE (Full-lithography inkjet Nozzle Engineering)
- Ink Palette (Colors) 4-ink
- Minimum Ink Droplet Size 2 pl
- Ink Cartridge Configuration 4 individual ink tanks
- Print Speed up to 25 pages/min - B/W, up to 17 pages/min - Color
- Connectivity Technology Wired
- Interface USB, Direct print USB
- Max Resolution ( B&W ) 600 dpi x 600 dpi
- Max Resolution ( Color ) 4800 dpi x 1200 dpi
- Direct Printing Specifications PictBridge
- Printer Features Borderless printing
Media Handling
- Media Type Cards, Envelopes, Photo paper, Plain paper, Photo stickers, Iron-on transfers, Matte photo paper, Glossy photo paper, High resolution paper, Two-sided photo paper, Semi-gloss photo paper
- Max Media Size (Custom) 8.5 in x 14 in
- Media Sizes 4 in x 6 in, 8 in x 10 in, 3.9 in x 7 in, 5.12 in x 7.1 in, A4 (8.25 in x 11.7 in), A5 (5.83 in x 8.25 in), B5 (6.93 in x 9.83 in), Legal (8.5 in x 14 in), Letter A Size (8.5 in x 11 in)
- Borderless Photo Sizes 8 in x 10 in, 3.9 in x 7 in, 3.95 in x 5.9 in, 5.12 in x 7.1 in, A4 (8.25 in x 11.7 in)
- Envelope Sizes Com-10 (4.13 in x 9.5 in), International DL (4.33 in x 8.66 in)
- Card / Label Sizes 2.13 in x 3.4 in
Telecom
- Modem None
Networking
- Networking None
Scanner
- Type None
Copier
- Copier Type None
Expansion / Connectivity
- Connections 1 x Hi-Speed USB - 4 pin USB Type B, 1 x Direct print port - 4 pin USB Type A
Miscellaneous
- Microsoft Certifications Certified for Windows Vista
Power
- Power Device Power supply - Internal
- Power Consumption Operational 11 Watt
- Power Consumption Stand by / Sleep 0.8 Watt
Battery
- Type None
Software / System Requirements
- Software Included Drivers & Utilities
- OS Required Microsoft Windows XP, Microsoft Windows 2000, Microsoft Windows Vista, Apple MacOS X 10.2.8 - 10.4.x
Manufacturer Warranty
- Service & Support 1 year warranty
- Service & Support Details Limited warranty - 1 year, Technical support - Phone consulting
Environmental Parameters
- Sound Emission (Operating) 36.5 dBA
CNET Labs' Benchmarks
- CNET Labs Photo Speed Test (pages per minute) 1.09
- CNET Labs Presentation Speed Test (pages per minute) 2.31
- CNET Labs Printer Graphics Speed Test (pages per minute) 2.07
- CNET Labs Text Speed Test (pages per minute) 6.52
Accessories
Manufacturer info
- Canon USA
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse Canon USA products on Shopper.com
-
- Website: http://estore.usa.canon.com/
- Address:
One Canon Plaza, Lake Success, NY 11042 - Phone: 516-328-5000
- Email: mediacontact@cusa.canon.com
