Canon Pixma TS5050: simple and convincing

Ergonomics

Like the Pixma TS8050 and TS6050 tested recently, the TS5050 benefits from a completely redesigned design and format compared to the printers of the MG range they replace. The main evolution concerns a much more compact chassis, which is also on this precise model the least bulky in the range thanks to a thickness reduced to only 12.6 cm with all shutters closed.

This is explained by the ergonomic choices that skip the paper cassette accessible on the front panel to offer only one single paper entry, via the fold-out guide on the rear part (up to 100 sheets). It is therefore imperative to install this printer so as to have unobstructed access to this paper insert, which therefore means not sticking it too much to the wall. Instead of the lower paper cassette, there is simply a retractable arm serving as a receptacle for printed sheets.

Who says entry level, also says lack of touch screen. The manipulations in the menus - always very clear - are therefore carried out through a panel of not unpleasant buttons, with the return display of a small color screen 7.5 cm diagonal. This control panel retains its swiveling system and, strange to know that Canon has decided to do without the TS6050, we find on this TS5050 the SD card reader, and that's good.

Overall, we feel by handling and using the TS5050 that the finish is slightly lower than that found on higher models, but it must be recognized that it is nevertheless a neat and serious product. In terms of functions, the essentials are preserved and even better than that, since the Canon Print application, Cloud printing services and Wi-Fi Direct are on the program. Again, this is a positive development compared to previous Pixma MGs of the same range.

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Consumption

On the power outlet, the consumption of the Pixma TS5050 is rather light. This printer draws only 0.7 W in standby and up to 17 W when printing a photo in A4 format. It is therefore in line with the good average of printers of the genre, without approaching an Epson XP-445 - which is one of its direct competitors -, which consumes only 9 W at most.

In terms of noise pollution, the Pixma TS5050 is rather a good student with a sound level meter reading which stands at 38.8 dB in standard printing and 37.3 dB in photo printing. As always, activating "silent" mode reduces noise at the expense of printing speed.

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Cost per page

The cost per page section is not the most interesting to analyze in this test for the simple reason that the TS5050 ships the same five ChromaLife 100 570/571 series cartridges as its big sister, the TS6050.

It is nevertheless a positive development compared to previous Pixma equivalent range and, based on the most advantageous price of XL cartridges necessarily more economical, we obtain a cost per page of 0.03 € in black and white and € 0.093 in color. Like the other models in the Pixma TS range, it is therefore on this point in line with average inkjet printers. Color printing does not exceed the psychological rate of 10 euro cents per page.

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Scanner and copies

We find on the TS5050 the same flatbed scanner without document feeder as on the TS6050. This works up to a resolution of 4800 x 1200 dpi and is rather quick to use, taking 13 seconds to scan a 10 x 15 cm photo at 300 dpi, and 8 seconds to scan an A4 document at 100 dpi. In comparison, Epson's XP-445 takes 26 and 32 seconds to complete the same tasks.

In copy, the TS5050 is also a good student. It takes 12 seconds to copy a black and white A4 document and 16 seconds to copy a color document. Again, it's better than the compact XP-445 which takes 11 and 36 seconds on similar tasks. As on the TS6050, the quality of the copies is at the rendezvous despite a slightly more contrasted and precise rendering.

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Photo

Even on the entry level of its Pixma TS series, Canon this time offers color management via five separate cartridges, which allows the TS5050 to stand out in the hearts of amateur photographers on a tight budget.

The quality of the printed pictures is very good and the colorimetric drift is well managed. The average delta E here stands at 6 whereas it is 4.9 on the TS6050 - as a reminder, this is the color difference between the ideal colors and the printed colors; it is estimated that the human eye is no longer able to tell the difference below 3. This remains better than what is capable of an XP-445 from Epson for example (7.4) or an Envy 4520 which does not however, does not deserve a photo (6,7).

Regarding the speed of printing photos, the values are close to those observed on the other models in the range, namely 53 seconds to output a 10 x 15 cm photo, and 1 minute and 34 seconds for an A4 photo. . Not bad.

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Office

Like its counterparts, the Pixma TS5050 is penalized quickly in the "grayscale" mode by the system which, to allow time for the black ink to dry, limits the printing speed. It must therefore be satisfied with a speed measured by us at 5.8 pages / minute in black and white, while in color we go back to 11.1 pages / minute. It remains a little worse than the TS6050 (13 ppm in color). Compared to an Epson XP-445 of similar format and price, the TS5050 does better in color (the XP-445 is at 7.1 ppm), but much less well in black and white (15.4 ppm for its competitor).

The print quality is very good in office automation on this TS5050, although a little less precise on our color reference graph than what its big sisters offer. The fact remains that the solid colors and gradations stand out properly, just like the dark texts. In black on white printing, the text lines are perfectly clear and contrasted, no problem at this level. Too bad that automatic two-sided management is not required, even if competing printers that offer this function at this price are very rare.

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Conclusion

The Pixma TS5050 does not deteriorate and does better than insuring the essential, in particular thanks to a very good quality of printing in office automation, in spite of a certain slowness in black and white. A print quality that becomes almost flawless in photography, an area in which it stands out from the competition. It is certainly necessary to accept to do with a more basic ergonomics than on the other models of the range, but the number of functions is all the same up compared to the equivalent printers of the previous years, which makes this TS5050 a small 3- modern and capable.

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