The Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-310 is a 13-inch professional photo printer. Replacing the Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-300, this print-only model sits between the lower-end Canon PIXMA PRO-200S and the top-end Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-1100 in Canon's professional photo printer lineup. The PRO-310 is largely an internal upgrade from its predecessor, adopting the PRO-1100's Lucia PRO II (PFI-5100) ink cartridges. It also features increased paper size support, up to 70 inches (1,800 mm) in length, and an improved Chroma Optimizer to reduce bronzing. Connectivity options remain unchanged, including Wi-Fi, USB, and Ethernet, as well as support for Apple AirPrint and Mopria Print Service.
Our Verdict
The Canon PRO-310 is primarily a photo printer. It's an excellent option if you only plan on printing photos, but it isn't ideal if you need to print documents regularly because its matte black ink cartridge runs out fairly quickly, and it's extremely slow, churning out only one document page per minute. There's also no scanner. As for photo printing, this model produces amazingly detailed and colorful pictures, and it supports borderless printing up to 13" x 19". Unfortunately, while this printer yields a decent number of pages, recurring costs can become quite high if you print frequently, as there are ten cartridges to replace. It's also very big, which makes it difficult to fit in a home compared to most regular printers.
Produces detailed and colorful photos.
Produces high-quality documents.
Wide connectivity options.
Extremely slow to print documents.
No scanner.
Fairly high recurring costs.
Only supports manual duplex printing.
Can clog if it's left unused.
The Canon PRO-310 printer is bad for office use. Although it produces exceptionally sharp documents, it prints very slowly at only one black or two color document pages per minute. There's also no scanner, so you'll need a separate unit if you want to scan or make copies. Its color ink cartridges yield a fairly large number of prints, but its matte black ink cartridge runs out quickly, resulting in frequent replacement.
Produces high-quality documents.
Supports wide format paper.
Wide connectivity options.
Extremely slow to print documents.
No scanner.
Only supports manual duplex printing.
The Canon PRO-310 is a professional photo printer that's inadequate for this use case. It's an inkjet printer that can clog if left unused for extended periods of time. Although it includes maintenance tasks to solve this issue, its ink capacity is limited, making tenacious clogs more tedious to resolve. That said, in the worst-case scenario where a clog can't be flushed out, you can replace the printheads to get the printer up and running again. Its page yields are also only okay, which means you will need to keep an eye on your ink levels to ensure you have enough left to continue printing. It's also very slow, which makes the occasional quick print quite a chore.
Produces high-quality documents.
Extremely slow to print documents.
No scanner.
Can clog if it's left unused.
The Canon PRO-310 is excellent for photo printing. It produces amazingly detailed and colorful pictures, with an outstanding level of color accuracy you would expect from a professional photo printer. It also supports various paper sizes as well as borderless printing up to 13" x 19". Its page yield is fair, but because it has ten cartridges, recurring costs can get pretty high if you print a lot. There's no external storage support, meaning you can't print directly off a USB flash drive or SD card.
Produces detailed and colorful photos.
Outstanding color accuracy.
Supports wide format paper.
Wide color range.
Fairly high recurring costs.
No external storage support.
The Canon PRO-310 utilizes a 10-cartridge system specifically designed for photo printing and delivers only adequate page yields. Our testing shows that you can expect to print a few hundred pages before needing to replace your cartridges.
Page yields are only adequate.
The Canon PRO-310 is very slow to print documents, pushing only one black or color page per minute. It's also slow at printing photos, taking nearly a minute and a half to produce a 4" x 6" picture.
Extremely slow to print documents.
The Canon PRO-310 produces exceptionally high-quality documents that appear sharp, detailed, and artifact-free.
Produces high-quality documents.
The Canon PRO-310 is a print-only unit.
No scanner.
Performance Usages
Changelog
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Updated Dec 16, 2025:
We've updated text throughout the review after converting to Test Bench 1.3.
- Updated Dec 16, 2025: We've updated the review to Test Bench 1.3, which adds a number of test boxes including Risk of Clogging and Ease of Unclogging. We also updated the Usage and Performance boxes at the top of the review to better integrate the new aspects covered. See the changelog.
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Updated Aug 05, 2025:
Added a reference to the Epson SureColor P700 as an alternative with better cost-per-print in the Cost-Per-Print test box.
- Updated Apr 16, 2025: Review published.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
We tested the Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-310 in black. There's no other variant.
See our unit's label.
Popular Printer Comparisons
The Canon PRO-310 is one of the best photo printers we've tested so far, standing out for its sturdy build, outstanding print quality, and most of all, its remarkable color accuracy. However, it falls short in terms of features and versatility compared to a more affordable model like the Epson EcoTank Photo ET-8550, as its slow printing speed makes it inadequate for regular document printing, and its lack of a scanner means you'll need to acquire a separate device to scan documents or digitize your old photos. Though not terrible, its recurring costs can be very high if you print a lot, especially compared to a supertank model like the aforementioned ET-8550.
For more options, check out our recommendations for the best photo printers, the best iPhone Photo Printers, and the best inkjet printers.
The Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-310 and the Epson EcoTank Photo ET-8550 are both excellent professional photo printers that produce amazingly detailed and colorful pictures. The Canon comes out slightly ahead in print quality, as it's more color-accurate, whereas the Epson tends to oversaturate colors to make them more vibrant. However, the Epson is more versatile because it has a scanner and a considerably faster document printing speed. It's also a supertank model that yields significantly more prints, making it better suited for high-volume printing.
The Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-310 and the Canon PIXMA PRO-200S are both excellent professional photo printers. The PRO-310 is a higher-end model; it has better color accuracy, wider paper size support (up to 70 inches in length), and a Chroma Optimizer to seal photos, providing better uniformity, shine, and longevity. It's worth noting that the PRO-310 uses pigment ink, while the PRO-200S uses dye ink. Although pigment ink isn't as vibrant as dye ink and takes longer to dry, it typically lasts longer and is more resistant to fading and smudges. It also has wider media compatibility, making it more ideal for art and archival prints.
The Epson SureColor P700 and the Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-310 are very comparable dedicated photo printers. They both deliver excellent, detailed prints. While the Canon delivers slightly better color accuracy, the Epson edges it out slightly when it comes to color gamut. That said, the differences are very subtle, and both printers deliver outstanding color reproduction. The Canon also feels more solidly built. The P700, on the other hand, does benefit from the inclusion of roll paper support, a better interactive display, and it's more frugal with its ink use.
While the Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-310 and the Epson Expression Photo HD XP-15000 are both photo printers, they aren't in the same class, as the Canon is a more costly, higher-end model. The Canon is more color-accurate, and it has a Chroma Optimizer to seal photos, providing better uniformity, shine, and longevity. The Canon is also more versatile because it uses pigment ink, which is more ideal for art and archival prints than dye ink. It yields more prints than the Epson, but because it has ten cartridges, it ends up being more expensive to maintain in the long run.
Test Results
The Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-310's build quality is outstanding. Its plastic body feels very sturdy, and there are no obvious gaps in the construction. The input and output trays are extendable and also feel solid. Its power cord is removable, making it easy to replace if damaged. You can easily access the ink cartridges by lifting the front panel. The printer must be on, and you'll need to wait a bit for the cartridges to move to the middle. The sheet rollers are accessible via the cartridge bay; however, there is limited space to maneuver, so individuals with larger hands may have trouble retrieving jammed paper. Unfortunately, there's no cover for the rear feeder, leaving the paper exposed to dust.
The Canon PIXMA PRO-310 has a great display. Everything displayed on the screen is easy to see, despite its relatively small size. The panel is in a fixed position, with no tilt or swivel adjustment, but visibility is good from the sides, above, and below. The interface is user-friendly and responsive to inputs.
Like its predecessor, the Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-300, this printer uses ten cartridges, adding a Gray, Red, Photo Black, Photo Cyan, Photo Magenta, and Chroma Optimizer cartridge to the usual Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black cartridges. The posted black cartridge yield combines the Black (called Matte Black) and Photo Black cartridge yields, with the former yielding 14 pages and the latter yielding 15 pages. The posted color page yield includes the Photo Cyan and Photo Magenta cartridges. We conducted a separate yield test for the Red and Gray ink cartridges, with each yielding 22 and 40 pages, respectively.
Unlike the PRO-300's PFI-300 ink, the Lucia PRO II ink contains a waxing agent to increase scratch resistance. A simple scratch test on pictures printed on the PRO-300 and PRO-310 shows that the new ink is indeed more resistant to scratches; see this sample.
The Chroma Optimizer cartridge applies a coating to printed photos, providing better uniformity, longevity, and shine. Canon claims that the PRO-310's Chroma Optimizer is more effective in suppressing bronzing than the PRO-300. However, it's worth noting that bronzing, an artifact that makes some colors look metallic when viewed at certain angles, isn't a significant issue on the PRO-300, so the improvement might be very subtle or only noticeable in specific situations.
The printer warns you when an ink level is low. It stops printing altogether if any of the Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, or Matte Black cartridges are empty. However, if one of the photo cartridges is empty, the printer will allow you to continue printing with a warning that the print quality may be compromised and that continuing may damage the printheads.
The Canon PRO-310 requires minimal maintenance. Like most inkjet printers, there's a risk of printhead clogging if you don't print for an extended period of time. There are many built-in maintenance functions to resolve print quality issues, including Nozzle Check, Cleaning, Deep Cleaning, Print Head Alignment, Roller Cleaning, and Bottom Plate Cleaning. The printer's overall yield is fair, so you likely won't need to replace the cartridges unless you print a lot. The cartridges are easily accessible; the cartridge bay slides open when you lift the cover (with the printer on). You can access the sheet rollers via the cartridge bay, but there isn't much space, so people with larger hands might have difficulty reaching in to grab any jammed paper.
You can download the online user manual here.
This is an inkjet printer, which means it can clog if left unused for an extended period. Inkjet printers use liquid ink that flows through extremely fine printhead nozzles. During extended periods of inactivity, this ink can evaporate, thicken, or dry out, potentially blocking the ink flow. Environmental factors such as dry air, dust, temperature fluctuations, or direct sunlight can accelerate clog formation. Clogs may cause missing lines, faded colors, or complete print failures. To reduce the risk, we recommend printing periodically and storing the printer in a cool, stable environment. If clogs occur, most inkjet printers include built-in maintenance routines to help clear the printheads, which are detailed in the Expected Maintenance test box of this review.
If you don't want to deal with unclogging, laser printers use a different system with dry toner and a drum instead of ink and printheads, which avoids this issue.
This printer features replaceable printheads, but its cartridges have a low volume. The available flush volume can fix many everyday clogging issues, but you may need more than one cartridge for the most severe blockages. When flushing is insufficient, users can at least replace the printhead as a last resort.
- Power cord
- Documentation
- Multi-purpose tray (not shown)
- Set of PFI-5100 cartridges:
- 1x Cyan
- 1x Magenta
- 1x Yellow
- 1x Matte Black
- 1x Red
- 1x Gray
- 1x Photo Black
- 1x Photo Cyan
- 1x Photo Magenta
- 1x Chroma Optimizer
The Canon PRO-310's cost per print is fairly high. The individual cartridges aren't overly expensive, but because there are ten of them, the total cost will increase significantly if you print a lot. Note that while we combined the matte black and photo black page yields, we put the cost of the Photo Black cartridge with the color cartridges, as the printer only uses the Photo Black ink when printing photos. Ultimately, the yield and cost will vary depending on the type of print you require. You can only get the cartridges individually, which will help save some money, as you won't have to pay for cartridges you don't use as often.
If you're looking for a comparable model with a better cost-per-print, consider the Epson SureColor P700.
The top feeder holds up to 100 sheets of regular (Letter size) paper, 20 sheets of 4" x 6" photo paper, 10 sheets of 8.5" x 11" photo paper, or one sheet of 13" x 19" photo paper. The manual feeder can only take one sheet at a time, regardless of the paper type or size. You can print on CDs/DVDs using the multi-purpose tray, which can only hold one CD/DVD at a time.
The print quality of black and white documents is outstanding and is as good as you can expect from an inkjet printer. Text looks incredibly sharp, and fine elements, like the lines in the graph, are all present.
The quality of color documents is also outstanding. Again, there's very little to complain about. All the fine elements are present, and even the small white text at the bottom of the graph, which many printers struggle with, looks clear.
This printer supports larger paper sizes than its predecessor, the Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-300, increasing the maximum length to 70" (1,800 mm). The top feeder supports paper sizes from 3.5" x 3.5" (88.9 mm x 88.9 mm) to 13" x 39" or 70" (330.2 mm x 990.6 mm or 1,800 mm). The manual feeder supports paper sizes from 8" x 10" (203.2 mm x 254 mm) to 13" x 39" or 70" (330.2 mm x 990.6 mm or 1,800 mm).
This is a print-only unit.
The Canon PRO-310 has an outstanding color gamut, only struggling with the brightest, most saturated tones. Canon claims that the Lucia PRO II expands the color gamut. There are some differences compared to the Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-300; colors look more vibrant on the PRO-310, giving pictures more depth. These differences are subtle, though. What's more obvious is the blacks, which look noticeably deeper in pictures printed on the PRO-310.
The Canon PRO-310's color accuracy is outstanding, even surpassing that of its predecessor, the Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-300. Most inaccuracies are extremely minor and hard to spot without a colorimeter.
The Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-310 reproduces small details exceptionally well. Fine elements look clear, and distant objects are easily recognizable. The contrast is better than on the Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-300, but the halftones are more noticeable.
As mentioned in the Document Printing Size section, the Canon PRO-310 supports larger paper sizes than its predecessor, up to 70 inches (1,800 mm) in length. However, borderless printing support remains unchanged at 13" x 19" (A3+).
The Canon PRINT mobile app allows you to print, scan (using your smartphone's camera), view the printer's status, access the user manual, and perform maintenance tasks. You can also use it to manage your ink subscription and buy consumables.
You must manually install drivers on Windows devices to use this printer. For Macs, you can obtain the drivers from the manufacturer's support page or update them through macOS' settings. There's no need to install drivers on Chrome OS devices.