Canon Selphy CP800 review

The Canon Selphy CP800 is a compact dye-sub 6x4 printer, offering the basic functionality we'd expect for its £80 price tag. This includes a 2.5-inch LCD screen and a range of card slots, as well as a USB port for flash drives and another for connecting a computer.

It's possible to process images with Canon's My Colors option, while a Smooth Skin mode and red-eye correction are on hand to improve portrait photos. There's also an Image Optimize feature, which includes noise reduction and face detection. You may also choose for your images to be printed with or without borders.

The printer is a little noisy starting up, although it's ready for action within a few seconds. Printing times vary, but on average it takes 65-70 seconds for prints to fully emerge from the unit, with an extra 15 seconds or so when the Image Optimize feature is employed. Thanks to the application of a final overcoat, prints are dry straight out of the printer, and no fingerprints could be seen on any of the prints handled during the test.

Detail and sharpness are good, while colour reproduction is largely accurate, with faithful hues and just the right amount of saturation. The only issues came with the slightly inaccurate reproduction of purples and magentas, and a slight warmth applied to certain images.

Both the red-eye correction and Image Optimize features work well, the latter typically lifting exposure in darker images, although its noise reduction didn't seem to affect the high-ISO images printed. The Skin Soften mode also does well to remove wrinkles and blemishes, although its effect may be considered overzealous, and there's no control over its intensity.

Verdict

The Canon Selphy CP800 is a good choice for those who want to make the occasional few prints with minimal fuss. Packs containing a cartridge and 108 sheets of paper retail at around £35-40, although some can be found under £30, so it's best to shop around.