Canon iPF680 Ink
imagePROGRAF iPF680 Ink Cartridges

Canon iPF680 Printer Review

The Canon imagePROGRAF iPF680 is a large format inkjet printer that can handle widths up to 24 inches. It is ideal for technical schematics and CAD designs, but its color output can also be used for other purposes. It can output an Arch D size print (24x36 inches) in as little as 25 seconds, and users can replace Canon iPF680 printer ink supplies while printing, without stopping.

Even with its wide format output capabilities, the iPF680 still takes up a surprisingly small amount of space. It measures 35x42x39 inches, and it weighs only 125 pounds including the stand and the imagePROGRAF iPF680 printer ink supplies. It includes both a USB port for a standard PC connection and a Gigabit ethernet port for fast networking transfers.

In addition to the standard connection options, the iPF680 has some cloud support as well, courtesy of Canon's Direct Print & Share platform. Files can then be uploaded, shared, downloaded, and printed from anywhere a user can log in. It also supports basic mobile printing such as printing PDF documents from an iPad. An Economy Print Mode is also provided for printing drafts and other less-essential documents at lower quality settings to conserve Canon iPF680 ink.

The system uses five separate Canon iPF680 ink cartridges: cyan, magenta, yellow, black, and matte black. This helps produce images at a sharp resolution of 1200 dpi with a wide color gamut. As mentioned, the ability to swap imagePROGRAF iPF680 ink cartridges on the fly ensures that users won't have to stop a long print job in the middle.

The iPF680 is an excellent entry-level model for a first introduction into wide-format printing. It doesn't have the speed or versatility of more expensive models, but for buyers who need solid output quality at a price that isn't too steep, it can easily fit the bill.