I used to have a mutifunction HP printer. It did everything: Print, scan, copy, fax, iron the underwear. It worked pretty well, but after a while I grew annoyed with the print driver. It was a bit too fussy for my tastes. The bundled software wasn’t very impressive. I didn’t use the fax function at all. My overall impression was that it was time to try something new.

So when it came time to replace the HP, I opted for a Canon. I really enjoy using my Canon digital camera, and I’d read good things about the Pixma line. So I plunked down the cash (about $300, depending on where you buy). Setup was easy and fast, and Canon’s software just felt more Mac-like than the HP software. To be fair, HP’s printer software may have advanced since I bought the HP three or four years ago. But still, kudos to Canon.

The MP810 spits out print jobs quickly, and I’m happy with the print quality. These are both important qualities, because I find myself printing from home far more often than I thought I would when I first started law school. It’s no fun trying to read a 50-page journal article on-screen.

Just for the heck of it, I printed a file from iPhoto on normal multipurpose paper. I was astounded at how good it looked. I tried the same thing with photo paper and I was just as surprised. The image was properly saturated. The dark areas didn’t turn into black lumps, and the bright areas didn’t get blown out. While this printer isn’t designed for professional photography work, I’m not a professional photographer. I just like knowing that I can get nicely printed photos when I need them.

I have some old slides and negatives from the Dark Ages (aka the mid-1980s to mid-1990s), that I’ve long wanted to scan. The MP810’s clever transparency adopter won’t replace drum scanners any time soon, but for my purposes it works quite well. I’m particularly impressed with how well the scanning software and the transparency inserts for the MP810 work together. The directions are easy, the scans don’t take too long, and the results are good. I’ve scanned a few of the old transparencies so far, and with a bit of Photoshop work, I’ve even salvaged some really messed up, underexposed images. Again, this isn’t for professionals, but for an amateur like me it’s quite handy.

The copy function works quickly and efficiently, and the flip-up color display on the front of the MP810 is easy to navigate.

I use the Pixma MP810 over my AirPort network, and so far it has worked flawlessly in that regard. Unfortunately when I want to make scans I have to take out an Ethernet [correction: USB cable] and manually connect my PowerBook to the MP810. This isn’t really so terrible, but I’ve just grown used to living wirelessly. I’m spoiled, I know.

For other opinions about this printer, check out the reviews at Amazon.