The Canon imagePROGRAF TM-500 and TM-600 are the newest 24-inch and 36-inch printers in Canon's TM range, and they are now available from Prizma at introductory prices of £895 + VAT for the A1 TM-500 and £1,395 + VAT for the A0 TM-600. Both are five-colour pigment ink printers made for offices that print CAD drawings one hour and posters the next.

Earlier this month we looked at how the six new TM models compare. This post takes a closer look at the two single-function printers most offices will start with: what has changed, how quickly they print, and what you get for the money.

What is new on the TM-500 and TM-600?

The biggest change is a new high-density matt black (MBK) ink. Paired with improved image processing, it gives sharper thin lines and cleaner technical detail on CAD drawings, plans and maps, including on plain uncoated paper.

Canon has also reworked how colour is mapped onto plain paper. Posters and retail graphics come out darker and richer on everyday stock, so you do not always need to reach for a coated paper to get a strong result.

Print resolution is 2,400 x 1,200 dpi, and line accuracy is ±0.1% or less once the printer has been adjusted for the media and room you are working in.

How fast are the TM-500 and TM-600?

The TM-500 prints an A1 CAD drawing on plain paper in 23 seconds in Fast Economy mode, 25 seconds in Fast mode and 51 seconds in Standard mode. An A1 poster on heavy coated paper takes 56 seconds in Fast mode.

The TM-600 is a little quicker at A1, at 21 seconds (around 2.7 prints a minute), and prints an A0 CAD drawing on plain paper in 41 seconds in Fast Economy mode. An A0 poster on heavy coated paper takes 1 minute 43 seconds in Fast mode.

Both printers have a quick-return sleep mode. They drop to around 2.2W after five minutes idle by default, then wake quickly when the next job arrives, so you are not left waiting at the start of a print.

Can the TM-500 and TM-600 print borderless?

Yes. Both models print borderless on roll paper, which means no white margin and no trimming afterwards. On the TM-500 the recommended borderless widths are 515mm (B2), 594mm (A1), and 10, 14, 17 and 24 inches. The TM-600 adds 728mm (B1), 841mm (A0) and 36 inches. You can also set your own free-size borderless widths on roll paper.

If you are wondering what the white border really costs in time and media, we covered it in the real cost of the white border. For everyday drawings, our A1 plotter paper rolls and A0 plotter paper rolls come in the exact widths these printers are set up for.

How easy are they to set up and use?

Everything is controlled from a 4.3-inch tiltable touch screen, which shows the media type loaded, how much media is left and how much ink remains. The printers detect the media type automatically, so there is one less setting to get wrong when you change rolls.

Both models support Apple AirPrint, Mopria and IPP Everywhere. That lets people print from a Mac, iPad, Android device or Chromebook without installing a driver. Wireless LAN and gigabit Ethernet come as standard, along with HP-GL/2 support for CAD software, and Canon's free PosterArtist Web tool is there for building posters from templates.

Are they quiet enough for an office?

At around 39dB(A) when printing on plain paper, and 35dB(A) or less on standby, the TM-500 and TM-600 are quiet enough to sit in a shared office rather than a separate print room.

They are also built with more recycled materials, ship in EPS-free packaging, and carry EPEAT 1.0 Gold and EPEAT 2.0 Bronze certification (registered in the US). If your organisation has sustainability targets in its buying policy, that is worth noting on the purchase order.

What ink do they use, and what is in the box?

Each printer takes five 55ml pigment ink tanks: the new PFI-033 matt black, PFI-030 black, cyan and yellow, and PFI-031 magenta. The black, cyan, yellow and magenta tanks are the same codes used in the TM-240 and TM-340, so you will find them alongside our Canon TM-240 and TM-340 inks. The starter set in the box holds 300ml in total, with 80ml of matt black and 55ml of each other colour.

The TM-600 comes with its printer stand and a 3-inch paper core attachment in the box. The TM-500 is a desktop-friendly 24-inch model, with the SD-24 stand and basket or the BU-07 desktop basket available as options. Both come with a two-year warranty.

Should you choose the TM-500 or the TM-600?

Choose the TM-500 if your work tops out at A1. It takes media from 203.2mm to 610mm wide, measures 978mm across on its stand and weighs 51kg, so it suits smaller offices, schools and studios.

Choose the TM-600 if you print A0 drawings or posters, even now and then. It takes media up to 917mm wide, measures 1,285mm across and weighs 60kg, and the stand is already included. You can compare both against the rest of the range in our technical CAD printers and poster printers sections.

Introductory prices on the TM-500 and TM-600

For a limited time, the Canon imagePROGRAF TM-500 is £895 + VAT and the TM-600 is £1,395 + VAT. If you would like help choosing between them, or want to talk about media and ink for your setup, call us on 01296 393700 or get in touch with the team and we will be happy to help.