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Features (7.00)
 Copying is only possible from the unit itself, but copy functions are simple enough that control from a computer is not necessary, and the copy function will work even when the computer is not turned on. The main copy menu included basic options for scale, paper size and type, print quality, and paper feed location. A "special copy" button brings up options for 2-sided, borderless, 2-on-1, 4-on-1, and Image Repeat (repeat copy on same page multiple times) copying. Printing multiple pages on a single page requires the user to manually scan the documents. A separate button for color or black-and-white copies is helpful, and it aids scanning to be able to assign different functions to each button. Speed Timing (4.61)
Black-and-white text document copying was relatively quick for an inkjet unit, at 2.7 ppm, the fastest time this printer achieved aside from the black-and-white document printing test. Color copy times were considerably slower, 1.1 ppm. These times were much quicker than other photo all-in-ones in this same class, such as the HP Photosmart 5180.
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Copy Speeds in Pages per Minute
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Text
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Graphics
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Canon Pixma MP600
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2.67
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1.12
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Kodak EasyShare 5300
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1.56
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0.90
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HP Photosmart 5180
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0.86
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0.77
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Canon reports speeds of 30 ppm for black-and-white documents and 24 ppm for color documents. Our numbers and Canon’s numbers are not truly comparable since our test methods differ. Canon tests at the fastest print speeds and measures from when paper begins to be pulled into the printer to when the print drops into the output tray. Printerinfo measures from when Copy or Ok is clicked on the on-unit display to when the copy drops into the output tray. (See "How We Test" in the Features section for more information on our testing procedures.) Printerinfo feels that our testing procedures provide a better sense of the printer performing at its full potential. Most users will not be printing at draft settings exclusively but more commonly at standard quality or high quality settings.
Copy Color Quality (7.22)
The Canon MP600 scored quite well in our copy quality test. This test is similar to the scan quality test, in which we use Imatest’s Colorcheck program to determine the average difference between the printer’s interpreted color values and the ideal color values of the 24 colors on the Gretag Macbeth Colorchecker chart. In the copy test, we simply make a copy of the Colorchecker chart at the printer’s best quality settings. This chart is then scanned into our test computer using the Epson Perfection V700 scanner, our calibrated lab scanner. We run the resulting image file through Imatest’s Colorcheck. One of this test’s output charts is the a*b* Color Error chart show below. This graphically displays the point in the sRGB color space where the ideal value (represented by squares) for a given color lies in relation to the scanner’s interpretation of that color (represented by circles. "Camera" on this chart is actually the scanner; this test is also performed on cameras.) The average distance between all color values is the color error; in this case, we use the Delta C uncorrected error value because it takes the least amount of variables into consideration.
The MP600 error is 6.93, just a little less than the 6.97 error value that the Kodak Easyshare 5300 displayed and significantly less than the HP Photosmart 5180’s error of 8.51. The best cameras and scanners usually score around 5.0 to 5.5 in this test. As can be seen in the color error chart below the greatest error (distance of circle from square) occurs within the orange-red-magenta side of the spectrum. Many of the other values were spot on, especially the greens. Lighter skin tones (color 2) showed more error than is desirable, although darker tones (color 1) were much closer to the ideal. The MP600’s error value was actually less in the copy test than it was in the scan test. Our supposition here is that the scan is intended for monitor viewing and possible color correction in software, while the copy is intended to replicate the paper original more exactly.
The saturation value displayed by the MP600 was 8 percentage points above the ideal of 100 percent, which is still in an acceptable range and actually quite good for a copy. This value displayed more saturation than just the scan test for this printer, which may be an additive saturation value for both the scanning (the first component of copying) and the printing functions. The Kodak and the HP saturation values were below 100 percent, 94 and 96 percent, respectively, and the prints reflected this, looking flat and washed out. The MP600 print was much more vibrant and saturated-looking.
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