Which professional printer is right for you? Experience gallery-quality, borderless printing up to A2 at bespoke pro workshops to find out for yourself

Choosing a professional printer is one of the most important photographic investments you can make. All the time and money you invested in picking the right camera and lens are all for nothing, if your printer isn’t capable of showcasing what they can do!

We’ve tested all the big names and top models, but there’s one brand that keeps coming out on top: Canon. And it makes sense: a company that understands the entire imaging process, from lens to sensor to printer, is going to have a huge advantage over manufacturers that only know about the last step in the pipeline.

We’re never disappointed with its pro printers (and even users of rival camera systems swear by them!) and it’s been great to see the entire range receive a meaningful upgrade. But what’s actually new?

Whether you’re an existing Canon user, you’re considering switching from another brand or you’re stepping into the world of professional printing for the first time, here are the key features in the pro range…

Canon Pixma Pro-200S

“For large-format glossy photo prints, this is as good as it gets,” we said in our Canon Pixma Pro-200S review.

“For vibrant color photo prints on glossy and luster paper, I think there’s no beating the Canon Pixma Pro-200S, and it’s great for glossy black-and-white photos as well. When you want a bit of gloss, this is the perfect printer with quality that shines through. And it’s a bit of a speed demon to boot.”

This is a printer that’s Ideal for creatives and photographers who want rich, vibrant pictures at fast speeds. It adds significant security improvements with the introduction of the WPA3 protocol and the TLS1.3 standard – which improve encryption and certification, adding layers of client and network protection to prevent attacks, particularly on open networks.

It also boasts a superior eight-color dye-based ink system, producing luxurious colors for enviable professional results. In addition to A3+ media handling, with a trio of input trays, it offers customizable print sizes and supports everything from fine art and panoramics up to 990.60mm, along with borderless printing.

To help streamline your workflow, it also includes Canon’s powerful Professional Print & Layout (PPL) software for free.

Canon ImagePrograf Pro-310

Somehow the Pro-310 managed to improve on the perfection that was the Pro-300 – no mean feat, if you’ve ever used that printer!

“The Pro-310 picks up the baton from the Pro-300, which was my all-time favorite A3+ / 13-inch photo printer,” we wrote in our Canon ImagePrograf Pro-310 review. “It looks virtually identical from the outside, which is no bad thing, but a new set of inks delivers even better image quality, and prints are more robust and long-lasting. It also delivers super-sized panoramic output. I love it.”

Tailor-made for photographers who want gallery-quality prints with realistic contrast that are made to last, this printer also adopts the new WPA3 protocol and TLS1.3 standard for vastly improved security. But that’s just the start of what’s new here!

The Pro-310 offers truly gallery-level printing thanks to its 10-color Lucia Pro II pigment inks, with an expanded magenta gamut for deep pinks and burgundy – and it features the same stunning Lucia Pro Matte Black made famous by the Pro-300.

If you’re unfamiliar with Lucia Pro II technology, these inks resist light damage for 200 years (180 years on fine art paper) so they are made for ultimate professional output. They also possess a wax coating, which produces industry-leading image robustness for gloss-based prints – protecting them from abrasion when shipping or handling.

In addition, panoramics up to 1.8m are now supported, along with borderless printing for sizes including A5 and Super B.

Canon ImagePrograf Pro-1100

“Probably the best photo printer in the world is now even better,” we said in our Canon ImagePrograf Pro-1100 review. Which again, is really saying something!

“The Pro-1100 delivers even better print quality than the preceding Pro-1000 model, surpassing that of any other desktop photo printer that I’ve ever used – and I’ve used pretty much all of them over the years. Considering that it’s perfectly suited to the most demanding professional photographers, it’s also good value to buy along with reasonable running costs. This Canon is a win-win!”

This is the printer that’s perfect for studios, educational facilities and serious photographers who want to track cost per print – thanks to its accounting manager software and its larger ink cartridges deliver lower running costs. Again it adds shored-up WPA3 and TLS1.3 security, along with 5GHz connectivity support – and it takes gallery-quality printing to a new plateau.

Using the same robust Lucia Pro II ink system as the Pro-310, with wax coatings for scratch-protection and up to 200 years of light damage resistance, it boasts an expanded blue gamut and also significantly improves on the performance of the Pro-1000 with the addition of Lucia Pro Matte Black – delivering deeper, richer blacks on matte and fine art stock.

Panoramics up to 3,276.70mm are supported, while borderless printing is now offered in new sizes including Super B & 17”x25”.

Pro Print Workshops

Of course, it’s one thing to read about all the improvements – the only way to truly see the difference they can make to your photography is to get hands-on with them yourself. Case in point, we simply couldn’t appreciate what a game-changing difference the Lucia Pro Matte Black ink made until we saw it with our own eyes. Now we wouldn’t buy a printer without it!

Canon hosts Professional Print Workshops for exactly this reason, providing photographers with a tailor-made experience unique to each printer. If you’re unsure which one to invest in, or which one will make the most difference to your images or your business, these workshops are an invaluable opportunity to ask experts and try the equipment first-hand.

You can take advantage of Canon’s technical knowledge (particularly if you’re thinking of upgrading from one of the earlier models, as they can explain the changes from the Pro-200, 300 and 1000) and get key tips and troubleshooting assistance.

And in addition to getting hands-on with the printers themselves, you can also try out Canon’s PPL software along with its range of Pro Platinum, Luster, Premium Matte, and Fine Art Smooth and Rough papers – and of course, you can print off your favorite images and take them away with you.

For the month of October, supported retailers are offering 20% off all Canon’s new professional printers – so if you’re looking to upgrade to the Pro-200S, 310 or 1100, now is definitely the time to check them out!

For more information, visit the Canon website.