Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-310 review
Nine pigment inks and a chroma optimizer in a body that fits on a desk, for people who print A3+ and no larger.
A 13-inch professional photo printer with a 9-colour plus chroma optimizer pigment ink system, anti-clogging, skew correction, matte black ink and a 3-inch colour LCD.
Check price on AmazonSpecifications
| Spec | Detail |
|---|---|
| Ink system | 9 colour plus chroma optimizer, pigment based |
| Black ink | Matte black for enhanced black density and wider dark area reproduction |
| Reliability | Anti-clogging system and skew correction |
| Display | 3.0-inch colour LCD showing ink levels and printer status |
| Media width | 13 inches |
| Connectivity | Wireless |
Specifications above come from Canon's published specifications. Treat pricing as approximate, since Amazon pricing moves.
What it does well
- Pigment ink and a chroma optimizer at 13 inches, which is the specification set that used to require a much larger and more expensive machine.
- Skew correction is a small feature that removes a common frustration, because thick fine art papers are the ones most likely to feed crooked.
- The anti-clogging system matters most on a desktop printer, because desktop printers are the ones that sit unused between projects.
- A colour LCD showing ink levels sounds trivial and prevents the specific failure of starting a large print with an almost-empty cartridge.
- It fits on a desk, which is the practical reason a lot of photographers choose 13 inches over 17.
Where it falls short
- 13 inches caps you at A3+. If you intend to sell framed prints at A2, this is not the machine and upgrading later means owning two sets of inks.
- Nine cartridges plus a chroma optimizer is ten consumables in a desktop printer, and the full replacement cost is a real number.
- Pigment printers reward regular use. Anti-clogging technology reduces cleaning cycles rather than eliminating them.
- Fine art paper is expensive and it is where the quality actually comes from. Our photo paper versus plain paper comparison makes the case.
- For document printing it is slow and costly. Keep a laser, and read our photo printer versus all-in-one comparison before trying to make one machine do both.
What owners report
Owner reports on Canon's desktop professional printers repeatedly praise black and white output and the handling of thick fine art media, which is where cheaper photo printers struggle. Skew correction gets named specifically, which suggests it addresses a problem people actually had.
The consistent limitation people mention is size, and it is a limitation they chose: buyers who wanted A2 knew to buy bigger, and buyers who wanted a desk-sized machine are the ones writing satisfied reports.
Who it suits
- Photographers printing portfolios and sale prints at A3+.
- Anyone who wants pigment permanence in a desktop footprint.
- Printers working with thick fine art papers, where skew correction earns its place.
Who should skip it
- Anyone selling framed prints at A2, who needs 17 inches.
- Occasional printers, for whom a lab is cheaper and involves no maintenance.
- Document and office printing, which belongs on a laser.
Alternatives worth considering
The same 13-inch class with UltraChrome PRO10 ink including violet and, importantly, dedicated nozzles for photo and matte black so it never switches between them. If you print on both gloss and matte, that difference is felt every session.
Check price on AmazonAn 8-colour dye-based system with borderless printing from 3.5 inches up to 13 by 19, and a bordered A3+ print in about 90 seconds. Dye gives punchier colour on gloss and less permanence than pigment, and it costs meaningfully less.
Check price on AmazonThe same design language with 11 inks at 17 inches, for A2 output. Buy this if you already know you will print at A2, because owning both is an expensive way to discover it.
Check price on AmazonCommon questions
Is 13 inches enough for selling prints?
For A3+ prints, portfolios and most online print sales, yes. If you sell framed work at A2 or exhibit, you will hit the limit quickly. Decide based on the largest size you actually intend to sell, not the largest you might, and remember that stepping up later means a second set of inks.
Pigment or dye for photo printing?
Pigment for prints that are sold, exhibited or expected to last, because it resists fading much better. Dye for punchier colour on gloss at a lower cost, which suits high-volume snapshot printing. The PRO-310 is pigment; the PIXMA PRO-200S is the dye alternative in the same size.
Canon PRO-310 or Epson P700?
Both are excellent 13-inch professional printers. The Epson never switches between photo and matte black, which saves ink and time on mixed paper types. The Canon has a chroma optimizer that evens out gloss differential. Pick the one whose specific annoyance you would rather not have.
Do photo printers clog if not used?
They can, which is why anti-clogging technology exists and why it is not a guarantee. The reliable fix is printing something every week or two. If your printing comes in bursts months apart, expect cleaning cycles that consume ink, and consider whether a lab suits you better.
What is skew correction?
The printer detects and corrects paper that has fed in slightly crooked. It matters most with thick fine art papers, which are stiff and feed less predictably than thin gloss, and it is the difference between a usable A3+ sheet and an expensive coaster.
Keep reading
- Photo printer vs all-in-one
- Photo paper vs plain paper
- Best photo printers
- Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-1100 review
- Epson SureColor P700 review
This review draws on published specifications, manufacturer figures and the consensus of verified owner reviews. We have not tested this product ourselves, and we say so rather than implying otherwise. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.