Canon Pixma MG6150 review

This is more like it. In stark contrast to Canon’s minor update to its inkjet printers, the revamping of its all-in-one range is extensive to say the least. Six new models have been launched, along with a new naming convention, and it’s the Pixma MG6150 that stands out as the one to see. Positioned just below the existing MP990, it takes the best bits of that superb device and drags them into 2010.

The finish is now a glossy black that’s more suitable for a living room or stylish flat, and once you’ve dinked the spring-loaded screen upright, you’ll realise there are no buttons. We were hoping that meant an iPhone-style touchscreen to match that of the Lexmark Interact S605, but instead it’s the next best thing. Similar to some high-end Epsons, the 3in non-touch LCD hosts the key information and menus, but a large area of the lid in front of it doubles up as a touch panel.

You’ll see the back, home and option-select buttons glow into life, while within menus it adapts: when you’re in the copy menu, for example, the panel has plus and minus icons to adjust the number of copies, and the mono and colour Start symbols loom large. All the while, a four-way directional button rests in the centre for navigation. Menu navigation isn’t really any more intuitive than with the physical buttons it replaced, but the sheer responsiveness and all-round design makes it a pleasure to use.

Inside, there’s more good news. The MG6150 uses the print engine from the MP990, so it’s quicker than the long-A-Listed MP640 and has an extra grey ink to help smooth tonal shifts and for better monochrome quality. It hasn’t really been tweaked: speeds are almost identical to the MP990, with 11.8ppm and 6.1ppm rates in mono and colour respectively, and a time of 44 seconds for a top-quality 6 x 4in photo. It didn’t really need any work, though, as that engine proved fastest in our recent all-in-one group test, and the quality it produces is simply second to none. Its sharp, detailed photos pack oodles of colour, and its text is as bold and thick as it is clean.

Where Canons often show weakness is in their scanners, and the MG6150 is no different. We lined up its scans side-by-side with those of the MP990 and could discern no improvement – both were sharp and detailed, but with slightly muted colours. For occasional tasks it’s still firmly in the upper echelons, but if a top-quality scanner is your main requirement we’d look to HP instead.

The other additions are the same as across the Pixma range, so the MG6150 has the Full HD Movie Print function seen on the single-function iP4850, as well as exclusive access to content in Canon’s Creative Park Premium (provided you use a full set of genuine inks). They’re both nice but niche touches that add to the overall value rather than acting as selling points themselves.

The rest of the package is as comprehensive as we’ve come to expect. You get our favourite auto-opening output tray, as well as two 150-sheet input trays. It prints two-sided and straight onto CDs and DVDs with the provided adapter, and the PictBridge port on the front can be used to display slideshows and manipulate photos directly on the device. It all connects via USB, Ethernet or 802.11n Wi-Fi, the latter of which is compatible with printing from a host of devices such as Android handsets, iPhones and iPads, and even the Sony PlayStation 3.

Canon’s all-in-ones have dominated in recent years, but they’ve been in need of an upgrade. While we’d have preferred to see the long wait result in a proper touch interface, the Canon’s semi-touch solution is an improvement, and the all-round design changes give the MG6150 real consumer appeal.

Right now the MG6150’s suggested £169 exc VAT price looks a tad dear, but assuming retailers will undercut it when stock arrives in September, there simply isn’t anything out there capable of matching its combination of interface, quality and speed. It’s the new high-end photo all-in-one to beat.

UPDATE: Retail prices have begun arriving and, as expected, they’re a good deal lower than the SRP. The consensus appears to be around £135 (£159 inc VAT), making the MG6150 the same price as the MP640 it’s supercedes.

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