Color ink-jet photo printers are nothing new, but the Canon S820D Color Bubble Jet Photo Printer is the first that packs almost all popular options into one device. The S820D can print from memory cards, interface directly with Canon digital cameras, operate as a regular text printer, and produce excellent photo-quality prints. But at $399 (list), it's somewhat pricey ($499 with optional 1.5-inch LCD viewfinder), especially when you consider that the camera's direct-connect cable works with only two of Canon's models, the printer is wide enough to support paper sizes up to only 8.5 inches, and it's not fast or robust enough for serious professional photographic use.

The silver-and-blue S820D measures a compact 7.4 by 16.9 by 11.6 inches (HWD) and resembles an electronic cash register when the optional color LCD image viewer is installed. Located on the printer's left side is a PC Card slot, which, with adapters, can accommodate Type I or Type II CompactFlash adapters (including IBM Microdrives), SmartMedia, Secure Data (SD), MultiMediaCard (MMC), and the Sony Memory Stick. The adapter that ships with the printer, however, works only with CompactFlash. To take advantage of other supported memory cards, you'll have to purchase adapters from a third party.

To the left of the PC Card slot is the port for directly connecting the included cable to a Canon PowerShot S30 or S40 digital camera. On the right side of the printer top is an eight-line LCD panel. A cluster of control buttons is located below the panel and the optional color LCD display above it. The LCD panel displays DPOF (Digital Print Order Format) information, which is tagged to the memory card's images. Although the printer is designed to operate without a computer, it comes equipped with a USB port and cable in case you choose to connect.

Setting up the printer and installing the driver and software is a no-brainer. It took us about 10 minutes. The S820D uses six individual color cartridges that easily snap into place, and the printhead utilizes Canon's proprietary Advanced MicroFine Droplet Technology that sprays dots as small as four picoliters, at a maximum resolution of 2,400 by 1,200 dpi. When outputting from a PC, the S820D is relatively fast, completing a 4- by 6-inch photo-quality image on Canon's borderless paper in just 56 seconds. That's an excellent speed for amateur photographers but not fast enough for professional productivity.

Printing directly from memory cards or Canon digital cameras is straightforward. Plug in the memory card and—assuming that you have the optional LCD color display image viewer installed—the image instantly appears on it. The printer works equally well with JPEG or TIFF images, though it cannot handle RAW files. Step-by-step instructions ease navigation through the DPOF menu via arrows and control buttons, as do clear English text on the sides of the panel and helpful icons.

We tested the S820D with a Canon S30 digital camera. When you plug in the direct-connect cable, the camera automatically turns on, the LCD viewfinder is illuminated, and the resolution is set at 1,200 by 1,200 dpi. All the DPOF information appears on the camera not the printer LCD panel. Outputting a 4- by 6-inch borderless DPOF print took a run-of-the-mill 1 minute 43 seconds. Images are crisp, sharp, and detailed. Color, although a little oversaturated (especially when using Canon's Photo Optimizer firmware), has a virtually continuous tone. With the ink pattern so tight, it's almost impossible to detect individual dots.

The S820D worked well with other cameras that were not directly connected to the printer as well. Making a 4- by 6-inch borderless DPOF print from a 3-megapixel Hewlett-Packard Photosmart 812 digital camera took 3 minutes 56 seconds. Our only complaint is that the image on the LCD is very small, making it difficult to discern detail.

Canon says that its Photo Pro paper and corresponding ink cartridges can remain fade-free for up to 25 years when images are displayed or stored under proper conditions, such as under glass and out of direct sunlight. Media costs are comparable with other ink jets and dye-sub snapshot printers. Though billed primarily as a photo printer, the S820D can, of course print regular text as well.

The Canon S820D Color Bubble Jet Photo Printer is a solid, versatile photo printer for serious amateurs for whom convenience is more important than economy.