Keith Cooper is by far the most versed person online when it comes to all things printing. From the technical aspects of printers themselves, to colour profiling and getting great output. He also has a lot of tips and trick to make sure you're printer continuously runs at its best and to help you save ink.
He's posted is first impressions of the imagePROGRAF PRO-1100 and gives you an idea of the differences and things that haven't changed with this new iteration of the line.
He'll dive into the output of the printer in future videos. Is there a noticeable difference with the LUCIA PRO II inks?
Preorder the imagePROGRAF PRO-1100
- Midwest Photo: Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-1100 $1299
- B&H Photo: Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-1100 $1299
- Wex Photo: Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-1100 £1099
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here's how it works. |
If this printer is the successor of the pro-1000 and comes with the same improvements, I'll probably end up getting one :-D
Well, cleaning cycles should really never be used unless there is a visible problem. Running a test page every few weeks is more than enough. Streaking or banding rarely has anything to do with cleaning of the head. People just have to remember to clean the foam pads and rollers. 4 weeks between test prints is usually fine, but I have a notification set for every 2 weeks.
I have had my Pro-1000 for a few years and I'm on my third ink set, and I have never run a cleaning cycle. I just installed my third maintenance tank, but they're thankfully only 20 bucks. This new printer isn't going to change the automatic head stuff, but that doesn't really consume all that much ink and It's the same print head as all of them.
I have seen no difference in maintenance tank usage with the Pro-2600 and LUCIA II inks.
I had one banding issue over Wi-Fi, so I bought a cable and no issues since.
There's a LOT of information around about the Pro-1000 with regards to it's "nozzle cleaning" ("pre print maintenance cycle", some refer to it as a 'cleaning cycle') behavior. The general advice seems to be: print something every 60 hours, and it won't go into those cleaning cycles (which use up a lot more ink than a print). There have been a lot of people that experimented with different intervals and keeping track of the ink levels, that came to that conclusion.
The newer (smaller) imageprograf printers have had the same scrutiny, and they seem to be a lot better (less ink wastage). Hoping this pro-1100 will be similar!
My screen only has 3 colors... :cry:
Yes, but it's a minimal amount. The maintenance tank is tiny, the cartridges are big. However, as I said, the Pro-2600 is no different in any way.
The smaller Pro-200 and Pro-300 are completely different heads and tech. They have absolutely no relation to the Pro-1000 and up. They are essentially rebranded PIXMA printers.
I think the Pro-1000 ink set is $700, and I don't feel ripped off in any way. Sure the profit margin is good for Canon, but it's way less than most people think.
Hit up Keith Cooper, he's really the only one I know of to speak to about the technology inside a printer.
You could refill or buy cartridges from a third party for the PRO-1000, some have said Precision Colors is good, I haven't tested that myself, and never will.
Their ink was $12.88 a cartridge, plus $12 for a chip for each cartridge, they are one time use. They also sell OEM ink for $38 a cartridge.
If you choose the refill route, you have to re-chip every time the cartridge runs out, and they're $12 per cartridge.
Or you can do this............
It was nice having the option of printing on roll stock or sheet fed.
I've seen them as something intermediate, since they have a separate, replaceable (in theory, don't know availability and price), although they have cartridges mounted on the carriage.
I wish the ink tanks from the PRO-1000 worked, then I'd get one. It would give me the same output as the 2600 and 6600 I share with some people.
The full boxed set PRO-1000 ink probably wouldn't be easy to sell with the printer for a worthwhile amount.
I'll be doing my usual detailed testing...
I did get a chance to have quite a chat with Canon before the launch.
In essence, it's the same printer, with a few mods and improvements to the physical machine internally, which represent the sort of engineering/manufacturing changes you might expect in a product of this vintage ;-)
The most significant change is in the inks - just how much, awaits my chance of profiling and testing - a UK paper supplier is shipping me a big collection of papers [A3+ and A2} so I'll have plenty to try out beyond the Canon papers.
I'll be seeing just how easy that 3.2m max page length is to use as well ;-)
For people wanting more info, look for technical info about the new 2600 etc introduced earlier this year - I note though that although 1000 and 1100 use the same print head as the 200/2100 [and 2600] There are some extra features related to media/quality checking which are not found in the 1100
This is why, I suspect, the printer went from 1000>1100 and not 1000>1600
If anyone's curious I did a 12 min YT video looking at the 'new' printer...
Questions really welcome [here/YT/email] as to things people want looking at [if practical!]
My 12 mins look at the PRO-1100
I am curious. Very.
And for those reading this, who are interested in anything to do with modern inkjet printers...you probably already know about Keith's work at Northlight Images.
If you don't...well that is your loss.
I wouldn't buy a photo printer without 'consulting' his work; it is one of the pleasures of the internet.
Largely on the basis of his review, I purchased a Canon G620 six color (60mL tanks!) dye printer/scanner.
The printer, for what I use it for...is WONDERFUL.*
=====
From his review (of the G620 etc.):
Who is it for (the G620 in the USA)
Ah, now that is the key question…There’s the obvious consumer photo printer market – people who just want to print their photos and do it more cheaply than using a lab. For this it mostly works. It’s particularly good in its handling of small print sizes, where it’s fast enough and will churn out a lot of snaps to hand round.
=====
Canon would be wise to get the new 1100's in the hands of trusted reviewers...
=====
*Canon recently fiddled with an online-generated firmware update for the G620 that, for yours truly, more-or-less broke it. After a couple of days, though, a new update has seemed to make things right.