Canon PIXMA PRO-200S review

Canon PIXMA PRO-200S in detail

What you’re actually buying

The PRO-200S is a refresh, not a new design. It keeps the PRO-200’s eight dye inks (the CLI-65 set) and changes the parts around them: updated Wi-Fi security and different packaging. If you find a clean PRO-200 for less, the prints will look the same.

Canon lists borderless printing from 3.5 in square up to 13 x 19 in, plus long panoramas. The 3-inch color screen shows ink levels and settings, so you aren’t hunting through a driver for basics.

Dye ink, and what that means on your wall

Dye gives you saturated color and smooth gradients on glossy and luster paper. It’s the reason people reach for this machine over a pigment one when the subject is skin, sky or sunsets. The trade-off is keeping quality: dye prints keep best behind glass, away from direct sun and damp, but pigment is the safer bet when a print has to survive decades or hang in a bright room.

On RTINGS’ lab numbers the original PRO-200 averaged a color error (dE) of about 3.2, against roughly 6.5 for the EcoTank Photo ET-8550. Lower is better, and that gap is the main reason this printer costs more per print than a tank. Their write-up also puts the S slightly behind the older model on color accuracy and color cartridge yield. Some readers on that page dispute the methodology, so treat it as a small caution rather than a reason to hunt for old PRO-200 stock.

Running cost is the real price tag

There are eight separate cartridges. You replace only the ones that run out, which helps, but a full set is a big outlay. The calculator on this site uses a planning figure of about $0.0135 of ink per square inch for it; type in your own number if you track cartridges closely.

Where it sits in Canon’s line

Canon’s 13-inch range comes down to three names. The PRO-200S is the dye entry, the imagePROGRAF PRO-310 is the pigment sibling in the same body, and the PRO-1100 jumps to 17 inches. Older roundups still list the PRO-200 and the PRO-300, which are the generation before. If you’re torn between the first two, the PRO-200S vs PRO-310 page is the one to read before cartridge prices decide for you.

Living with it

The listing shows a rear feed, two trays and a 100-sheet capacity, with a 3-inch screen for ink levels and settings. Plan a stable table, because it’s about 28.7 inches deep. Canon’s app can print from a phone, but the real workflow is Lightroom or Photoshop with the paper maker’s profile selected. The color-matching guide covers the order of steps.