User`s guide

CANON
BUBBLE JET TECHNOLOGY
PRINTERS
368
www.bhphotovideo.com
Canon ThinkTank System
Pioneered by Canon over seven years
ago, the ThinkTank System is a
hallmark of Canon's Bubble Jet printer
line. The innovative Canon Think
Tank System uses individual ink tanks
for each color. So when a particular
ink runs dry, you simply pop out the
old tank and replace it with a new
one— eliminating waste and saving
money—because you don't have to
throw away an entire ink cartridge
when you're out of just one color. The
system also includes an optical ink
sensor that detects when an ink tank
is low — alerting you in advance via
an on-screen warning.
How does it work?
A light beam shines through a prism located at the bot-
tom of each ink tank. When there is sufficient ink, the light
is detected by the sensor. When only about 20% of ink is
left in any of the ink tanks, the light beam is refracted,
triggering the sensor which tells the printer driver to dis-
play a low ink tank notification for that ink tank.
On-screen warning system alerts you when levels are low
Optical ink sensors automatically monitor all ink color
levels and communicate with your computer--giving you a
pop-up message indicating exactly what colors are running
low. This optical low ink detection system prevents wasted
printouts by notifying you via the Printer Status Monitor
before any ink tank becomes empty, so you'll never
unexpectedly run out of ink in the middle of a job again.
Behind Canon’s Bubble Jet printers incredible output is Canon’s MicroFine Droplet Technology, which combines cut-
ting-edge breakthroughs in ink droplet size, accurate ink application, consistent droplet quality and ink composition.
The result is spectacular print resolution, dramatically reduced graininess, breathtaking detail and color reproduc-
tion and multiple gradation levels—producing photo-realistic printing beyond anything seen before.
➤ Flawless image and color reproduction begins with a truly
innovative printhead. The i350 features 703 nozzles (320 for
black and 128 for each color—cyan, magenta and yellow), the
i550 and i850 printers offer 1088 nozzles (320 for black and
256 per color). The i560/i860 print in two staggered rows of
2400 dots per inch—true 4800 x 1200 dpi. In a single pass, the
printhead can print twice as much. Since it prints in both
directions it achieves high print quality with efficiency. The
contrast is also much better, and details more distinct.
Images reflect true photo-quality reproduction.
➤ With higher resolution and smaller, less-dense dots, less grain
is visible to the human eye. Even though actual dpi is 2400 x
1200, they combine an advanced, one-sixth density ink with a
remarkable 5-picoliter (2-picoliter on the i475D) droplet size
and precise placement to achieve a perceived level of
smoothness equal to the output of much higher resolution
printers using standard ink.
➤ The combination of higher resolutions, low-density photo ink
and precise dot placement also enables you to print up to 49
distinct levels of color gradation per pixel. The result is vast-
ly improved tonality and contrast.
➤ Unlike conventional round nozzles that apply ink without
much flow control or accuracy, the star-shaped nozzles deliv-
er much more consistent ink application and dot-placement
accuracy.
➤ The star-shaped nozzles apply perfectly round dots, produc-
ing smoother tonality, even density, and more consistent
quality. Conventional ink drops are often misshapen, leading
to inconsistent quality and poor image reproduction.
➤ Dot misalignment, common with conventional inkjet printers
dramatically affects color tone and halftone quality. The
Canon printer’s printhead maintains consistent ink volume,
dot shape and dot placement accuracy, producing more sta-
ble, high-quality images.
The Printhead