Strengths: This AIO manages to combine excellent performance both in text and photo mode at a very good cost per page. The scanner is good, producing some very fast and crisp results.

Weaknesses: Very large. Software subpar. Output door won't open if the surface the printer is sitting on is not perfectly flat. Front buttons can be accidentally pressed when scanning books/bound material.

Summary: I'm a former HP AIO user that was tired of the high cost per page of the HP products. So this time I decided to try the Canon AIO. The Canon Pixma MP780 is basically a photo printer at heart with a decent scanner thrown in. I think this hardware is without doubt some of the best being made right now. But this product has a huge downside, software. The drivers, scanning and printing software included with the MP780 are sub par at best.


Here are the software problems I've encountered thus far:

Scanning software: - No auto correction for angled scans. - The "simple" interface does not allow for any other options for DPI settings besides 150 and 300 DPI. You have to use the "advanced' interface for any other DPI settings. The "advanced" interface is not a good choice for novice users. (just ask my wife)- After scanning you still have to "accept" the scans in another dialog. Very annoying. (Why can't they just be put into the output folders as you go?)

Printing Software: - The included "Easy Photo-Print" software cannot print multiple images from differing folders. All images have to be in ONE folder for it to work. - The "Easy Photo-Print" software cannot print TIFF images. Even though this is the default format from the scan software.

Printer Driver: - Mostly ok, but the interface is very pixilated. Reminds me of an old 16bit windows application.

All in all this could be the "killer application" if the software package was re-written. But as it is, it's just an exercise in frustration.

I had owned an Epson all-in-one. Worked great for about a year, then had massive printhead clogging issues. Buy an Epson -- you'll eventually regret it.
Got a Pixma MP780. Very happy with it.
The build is sufficiently robust. Controls are easy to reach and understand. Print quality of photos is outstanding. Regular text printing is very fast.
As the other reviews here have mentioned, you can EASILY AND INEXPENSIVELY REPLACE the printhead. Someday, no matter which printer you're using, you'll have to do this. This Canon makes it very easy. (Epson makes it very expensive)
I'm on a Mac running 10.3.8. All software worked as expected. Upgrading to Tiger 10.4 soon; we'll see if it breaks anything/everything.

Cannon needs to fix this very glaring network compatibility problem on the MP780. Most homes these days have more than one computer. It's crazy for anyone to buy a separate printer for each computer but that is what Cannon's design & marketing team must be assuming people should do. Their tech support people are not allowed to give any direction in regards to networking for the MP780(4/2005). Their web site does give some direction but it doesn' t make sense or more importantly...work. I did get the printer to network for a while (printing only) but then eventually it just return "printing error" messages on my networked computer. Though the network was working fine in transferring files from my attached firewire drive and carrying our broadband connection.

Only buy this printer if you have one computer, then you will be happy. If you plan on networking be prepared to have to transfer all you printable files to the computer it's directly hooked up with.

Comments to Cannon: My old Epson 860- circa 1998-99 performed flawless as a network printer for years through 3 different operating system. You've designed a printer in 2005 that won't even do this relatively simple task....what are you guys smokin'????

Dual input for paper and either more paper or envelopes, a scanner bed, an autofeed for scanning or faxing or copying, individual ink cartridges that are about ten bucks for color and less than twenty for black, standalone fax, and Canon-quality color prints. What more can one ask for? This is the best. Bye-bye, Lexmark.

I bought this Canon for my home. Much better than HP all-in-one that I use in my office. Much quietter and easier to use. I'm replacing HP with this Canon for my office now.