Review of the Canon Selphy ES3 printer

Product Overview

Overall rating:

81%

Canon Selphy ES3

Overall score:81%

Pros:

  • Large LCD, easy to use

Cons:

  • Some colour issues, fixed LCD

Product:

Canon Selphy ES3 Review

Manufacturer:

Price as reviewed:

£160.00

Upgraded products can often differ very slightly from their predecessors, so it’s welcome, therefore, to see Canon’s dye-sub Selphy ES3 printer replacing the ES2 with good reason. Among the upgrades is a reduction in print times, with standard 6×4 prints promised in 55 seconds, and an increase in size to the LCD screen, now at 3.5 inches.

The new model has seen a significant overhaul of its design from the ES2, with a carrying handle allowing easier portability, while the inside has been fitted with 1GB of memory for storing images. There are also some minor changes to connectivity and functionality, as well as compatibility with gold and silver paper – Canon citing invitations and greeting cards as ideal occasions for these.

The nuts and bolts are largely the same, though. Prints come at a resolution of 300 x 600dpi and the unit is powered by the company’s DIGIC II processor, while the three-colour ink cartridge includes an overcoat for resistance to fingerprints and smudges. The Easy Scroll Wheel, meanwhile, allows you to zip through your images and add a range of customisations, including redeye removal, borders and the like. As expected, slots for SD, CF and Memory Sticks and even Micro SD have been provided for immediate printing, alongside PictBridge and Infrared connectivity.

Performance is a mixed bag; the screen is certainly capable, but as it’s front-facing and fixed in place you need to get down to its level to see it properly. The menu system is fairly basic, and once familiar with it it’s easy to use, but whatever settings I tried to use I couldn’t get a print out faster than in around 73 seconds.

In terms of print quality, prints show good colour, though the printer has a tendency to show warm or neutral areas with a slight green tint, making them appear a little cold. Blues can also turn out rather cyan, though prints are ready to touch as soon as they are out, with no visible marks or fingerprints.

300 x 600 DPI
Digi C II Processor
6x4in Prints
3.5in LCD Screen
1gb Internal Memory

Verdict

Overall, the unit is fine for the odd snapshot, but perhaps less so for the more discerning user.