Let me preface this by saying I like prints. Tiny pictures on monitors, low-resolution digital picture frames, etc., don’t do much for me. When I want to look at an image, I want to look at a real print, and a big one at that.

I had no intention to get into printing, not now at least. If it hadn’t been for a really good deal on the printer, I would even be writhing this.

The truth is I see printing is something of a rabbit hole, a very deep one if you want to do it right.

OMG It’s HUGE!

That was my first thought when UPS delivered the box. On its own, the printer weighs 33 pounds and measures 26 by 14 inches without the front or rear paper trays opened. When using the front load feeder, the rear supports extend the printer’s depth by another 14 inches. Tack the front output tray on and you have a printer that takes up just about 3 feet from extreme front to back.

The size and weight meant putting it on a glass desk was right out. Fortunately, I had a 26” rolling tool chest, like you’d find in a garage, to put the thing on. Even then, the printer is barely small enough to fit on top.

My second observation was that Canon seriously should put a couple sheets of 13×19 Pro Platinum paper in the box with the printer. They may see it as an unnecessary cost, and maybe it is, after all I had the forethought to order a box when I ordered the printer, but being able to open the box and print big is certainly a good hook if you ask me. That said, my first print was an 8×10 just to make sure the thing worked.

And wow does it work, just don’t put a wimpy table under it or you’ll think you’re in the middle of a very localized earthquake.

The printer has a top loading sheet feeder, but for heavy photo papers, the front-loading single sheet tray is a much nicer way to insure your paper isn’t damaged or bent. I was also pleasantly surprised to find that keeping the paper square when using the front tray is painless; as long as the paper is tight against the right side of the printer it will be aligned correctly.

Print quality, at least from my initial prints is solid. Certainly as good as, or better than, the lab done prints I had handy for comparisons. Blacks are black, there’s no banding or layering visible. Details are well reproduced and crisp. I was actually quite surprised how well some things came out, even though they were enlarged perhaps a bit more than they should be.

I’ll eventually get around to writing an actual review of the printer, but I’m going to need to put a lot more paper though it. I still have a couple of outstanding questions I need to answer and I’ll need to try some 3^rd party papers, I also want to try some of the higher end matte papers. Finally, ink cartridge longevity, especially when printing 13x19s, is still of some concern. But for now, I’m having a blast with big beautiful prints where when and how I want them.