Canon Selphy ES1

The Canon SELPHY ES1 printer will be available from September 2006 for £189.00 (€279.99) RRP inc. VAT.

Canon UK Press Release

Canon today defines a new standard for compact photo printing with the launch of the Compact Photo Printer SELPHY ES1. Based around the concept of stress-free printing, the new flagship of the SELPHY range supports new all-in-one ink and media cassettes, 50-sheet capacity and one-touch operation for unparalleled ease of use. The stylish vertical design incorporates a carry handle and retractable USB cable for further convenience, while Canon’s DIGIC II image processor and a newly developed print head controller contribute to the highest print quality ever achieved by a Canon SELPHY compact photo printer. A broad range of creative options and image enhancement tools are selectable from the printer’s tilt-up 2.5” colour LCD.

Other key features include:
- Low running cost of £.022 per print
- Wireless printing with IrDA, Bluetooth or Digital IXUS WIRELESS
- Optional battery pack for portable printing
- Dedicated Creative Print button
- Automatic red eye correction
- 100-year prints with instantly dry, protective coating

Compact photo printing is currently the biggest growth market in digital imaging in Europe , with year on year growth of 126% from 2004 to 2005 . The SELPHY ES1 creates a completely new category for Canon’s range – the ES (Easy System) series. “European consumers have readily embraced the idea of creating photo prints at home,” explains Mogens Jensen, head of Canon Consumer Imaging, Europe. “The SELPHY ES1 will appeal to digital camera owners seeking the highest possible standards of print quality, functionality and usability, with the minimum of effort.”

Easy Photo Packs
Specifically developed for the SELPHY ES1, the new Easy Photo Packs combine ink and paper in one cartridge – users simply slot the cartridge into the printer to begin printing. Up to 50 prints can be produced at once (depending on cartridge used), allowing users to print an entire photo album without having to oversee the whole process. This convenient system also reduces the risk of spoiled prints since the paper is not exposed to dust or other environmental particles.
A choice of seven Easy Photo Packs is available in sizes ranging from postcard to credit card, each colour coded for easy identification in-store and at home. The range includes a dedicated Black and White Easy Photo Pack for artistic monochrome prints.

Superior quality prints
The SELPHY ES1 uses dye-sublimation technology to achieve smooth, glossy photos with a similar look and feel to traditional lab prints. Each dot has up to 256 gradation (intensity) levels per colour dependent on the amount of heat applied, allowing for a total colour range of up to 16.8 million colours. Photos are ready to handle the moment printing finishes, and feature a protective coating to guard against splashes, spills and fingerprints.
The SELPHY ES1 is only the second printer ever to incorporate Canon’s renowned DIGIC II image processing engine. Based on the same technology used in Canon’s professional digital SLRs, DIGIC II drives markedly improved print quality while also contributing to near-instant start up and fast operation. A new print head controller allows the SELPHY ES1 to achieve a class-leading print resolution of 300x600dpi. The effects of ambient temperatures are eliminated, ensuring consistent quality print after print.

Style with convenience
The SELPHY ES1’s sleek, contemporary styling is designed to suit the look of any modern home. With the smallest footprint to date for a 10x15cm (4"x6") compact photo printer (199x113mm), it can be stored and operated from tight spaces, such as a living room bookshelf. The innovative vertical design is made possible through a unique paper feed mechanism that rotates the paper 90 before printing begins. The convenient carrying handle is complemented by an optional battery pack for printing on the move, while a retractable USB cable eliminates the need for separate leads.

Playback and creative options
In addition to full PictBridge and Direct Print support, users can print directly from most popular memory cards using the high quality 2.5” colour LCD. In addition to a tilt-up mechanism, the bright LCD features a wide viewing angle for comfortable image preview and selection. Enhanced LCD playback options include full screen display, slideshows, thumbnail views and support for Auto Rotated images. The intuitive user interface also displays helpful information on battery levels and the amount of ink and media remaining.

A vast range of creative options includes 10 My Colours photo effects for dramatic colour changes, including Black & White and Positive Film. Images can also be trimmed prior to printing or enhanced with new optimisation features such as Automatic Red-Eye Correction.

A dedicated Creative Print button provides instant access to a wide selection of fun design layouts, including calendars, albums, and speech bubble templates.

Availability and reader enquiries
The SELPHY ES1 will be available from September 2006 for £189.00 (€279.99) RRP inc. VAT.

Reader enquiries
UK – 08705 143723 / http://www.canon.co.uk
Eire – (01) 2052400 / http://www.canon.ie

Media
The range of Easy Photo Packs includes:
- Post Card Size – (Easy Photo Pack E-P50, Easy Photo Pack E-P100)
- Post Card Size (Black and White) – (Easy Photo Pack E-P25BW)
- L Size (89x119mm) - (Easy Photo Pack E-L50, Easy Photo Pack E-L100)
- Credit Card Size (54x86mm) - (Easy Photo Pack E-C25)
- Credit Card Size Labels (54x86mm) - (Easy Photo Pack E-C25L)

Software
The SELPHY ES1 comes supplied with Canon’s Solution Disk, containing easy to use software for managing, storing and printing images via PC. Software includes:
- ZoomBrowser EX 5.6 (Microsoft Windows 2000 SP4 / XP (Incl. SP1/SP2)
- Easy-PhotoPrint 3.4
- EOS Utility 1.0
- SELPHY ES1 Printer Driver 1.0
- ImageBrowser 5.6 (Mac OS X (Version 10.2-10.4))

Purchasers are also eligible for membership of CANON iMAGE GATEWAY , 100MB of online ‘personal gallery’ space for sharing still images and video with family and friends.

Technologies Explained

DIGIC II
Canon’s purpose-built DIGIC II (DIGital Imaging Core) image processor is the key to the SELPHY ES1’s outstanding print quality. All images undergo Canon’s advanced image processing algorithms during the printing process, ensuring that the best possible results are achieved regardless of the camera used to capture the image. DIGIC II’s high-speed processing delivers smooth and responsive operation, with rapid start-up, memory card reading and LCD playback. When used with the optional battery back, DIGIC II operates efficiently for extended performance on a single charge.

Published: Thursday, August 24, 2006

Reader Comments

1. Hi,
   Do you know if Cannon or another company are making an A4 version of this printer.
   
   Thanks in advance,
   
   
   See also
   http://simbeckhampson.blogspot.com/

   Paul at 09:22am on Saturday, December 09, 2006

2. I bought this printer for £200 a week before Xmas to go with my EOS350D. I was hoping this would fit the bill. However I was really dissapointed. The print quality doesnt even match that from £50 photo printers. Even using all the colour profiles, image adjustment in both Photoshop and the drivers we could not get the colour balance right. Pics had a wonderful hue of either blue or green, neither of which were very flattering or natural. I showed the pics to some friends and they also noticed straight away a very distracting streaking effect if you tipped the pic just a few degrees off face on. The quality is very very poor. I notice that Jessops (from whom I bought it) are now clearing it out at half price just a week later (£99). I dont think a quality item would drop that much so quick, I'm glad I get a refund. Avoid! Oh and the 100 free prints you get are fine if you like your pics the size of playing cards.

   Daglesj at 02:46am on Saturday, December 30, 2006

3. After a month and only 20+ photos printed I have a great black band over every photo, with a matt surface over exactly the same footprint. The Canon website is USELESS for support (unless you want to know how to operate the ON button or equally FAQing useless information...).
   My hopes rest with suppliers Jessops being helpful...

   Andrew Taylor at 11:17pm on Monday, March 12, 2007