earleygallery Posted July 5, 2006 Share #1 Posted July 5, 2006 Advertisement (gone after registration) I'm looking to buy an A3 printer. I really only need it to print a set of mono images for an exhibition, as I don't print too many images above A4, so I've been looking on e bay but they end up selling for not that much less than a new (and warrantied) model. Canon have just brought out a new pixma 4000 model which is reviewed in Amateur Photographer, but it only uses 4 inks, although they say the output is very good in black and white (my current A4 printer is a 4 ink Canon model which produces very good colour prints and OK mono). Grateful for any recommendations or advice. Regards Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted July 5, 2006 Posted July 5, 2006 Hi earleygallery, Take a look here A3 printers. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
calshot Posted July 5, 2006 Share #2 Posted July 5, 2006 If you only need a few prints might it not be cheaper to sub-contract out? Rob Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest flatfour Posted July 5, 2006 Share #3 Posted July 5, 2006 Or wait for the HP B9180 due in September. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandokan Posted July 5, 2006 Share #4 Posted July 5, 2006 HI James, Check http://www.camerahobby.com/ from Edwin Leong He appears to me to know what he is talking about when it comes to numbers of black/grey ink cartridges in a printer - but then I cannot get my HP to print out on 10x15cm papers let alone in meaningful colours good luck Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
moikle Posted July 6, 2006 Share #5 Posted July 6, 2006 I have used a Canon 9950i for the past year and can recommend it wholeheartedly. I would recommend that in general you use Canon paper but others are possible especially where you can obtain a profile from the manufacturer. Mike Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
graeme_clarke Posted July 6, 2006 Share #6 Posted July 6, 2006 James, A recent visiting speaker at my photogroup swears by the Epson 1290. He's a big wheel at the Royal Photographic Society - one of their B&W experts and judges panels for the senior awards. He reckons the 1290 is still made and available, though not publicised as such because although they want to sell new models there's enough demand to keep the old 1290 going! The reason he rates it is because you can turn the colour inks off and just use the black cartridge - a facilty the newer models don't have - hence no colour cast. Some of the prints he showed were magnificent - no other word for them (printed on Fotospeed ultra matt paper) My 1290 cost 310 GBP five years ago and its still going strong after frequent use - touch wood! Best wishes, Graeme Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
graeme_clarke Posted July 6, 2006 Share #7 Posted July 6, 2006 Advertisement (gone after registration) James - Epson 1290S still on the Epson website and available from Amazon at £297. Cheers, Graeme Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
earleygallery Posted July 7, 2006 Author Share #8 Posted July 7, 2006 Many thanks for your advice, I will look into them. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
spxxxx Posted July 8, 2006 Share #9 Posted July 8, 2006 Hi I have excellent A3+ results from Canon S9000 - which is about 3 years old now - the speed is fantastic. However it really only performs to its best using Canon paper AND black and white are a pain to get done without a cast. If you are doing plenty of monochrome I suspect Epson are a better bet - thats what I am looking into. Simon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sfage Posted July 8, 2006 Share #10 Posted July 8, 2006 Can someone fill me in on this problem? Why the heck do we seem to constantly get colour casts on B+W? I seem to be constantly reprinting. It's too blue... or green. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
spxxxx Posted July 8, 2006 Share #11 Posted July 8, 2006 Shane Being trying for 3 years to overcome this on the Canon........ Tried profiles etc but it seems to have a mind of its own. You can think one day you've cracked it and use the same settings the next day and it has a cast!! The new epsons seem to produce wonderful neutral B+W straight from the box from the examples I have seen. The other way is to have a printer dedicated to monochrome and use dedicated black inks from LYSON etc. However this means you have to run two printers or constantly clean and waste ink. Its a shame because the Canon is an excellent printer that is VERY fast......... All in all this is why I am thinking of changing to Epson Simon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
earleygallery Posted July 8, 2006 Author Share #12 Posted July 8, 2006 Thanks another one to check out. I have a Canon at present and I can get acceptable B&W results from it. Shane, the colour cast problem is I think partly due to the fact that the 'greyscale' tones are made by using the colour inks, they don't use black at all. Some papers will give different results and pigment type inks can also cause the problems. The AP review of the latest Canon ix4000 (4 inks) says the B&W results are very good and neutral - and that's from colour inks too. I can buy that model for £190...... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest flatfour Posted July 8, 2006 Share #13 Posted July 8, 2006 Simon - I am also looking into this and have decided against the Epson for reliability reasons and for the annoying need to change cartridges to print B&W. The quality is excellent though. We have an Epson at college which is a nightmare of unreliability - maybe due to inexperienced users - but one of our class bought an R2400 and has had problems, under warranty but a real pain. I'n waiting for the B9180 Hewlett Packard although I have been told that the Canon 9950i is first class. I am going to see one working next week. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
spxxxx Posted July 8, 2006 Share #14 Posted July 8, 2006 Anthony The Canon will blow you away with the speed AND results....... Its just a pain to get good B+W neutral - but perhaps the odd wasted reprint is worth it for all the other good features. In 3 years my s9000 has NEVER broke and very rarely needed the heads cleaning due to banding on prints. I only use genuine ink carts and genuine canon paper - It does get throgh the photo magenta and photo cyan cartridges at a fair rate of knots....... I would appreciate how you find the new canon offering Simon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest flatfour Posted July 8, 2006 Share #15 Posted July 8, 2006 Simon - Most of my output is in B&W so that is my priority. From everything I have read and heard the new HP is going to be the market leader by quite amargin - a position held till now I think by the R2400 Epson. However I have heard such favourable reports of the Canon 9950i that I have decided to look at it. The HP wass due out in May - now it's September and still no review from Photo-i. Maybe they haven't got a production one yet. I'm nervous. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
earleygallery Posted July 8, 2006 Author Share #16 Posted July 8, 2006 I've found a s/h Epson 1290 for a very good price. Going to give it a go. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
earleygallery Posted August 5, 2006 Author Share #17 Posted August 5, 2006 Update on the above. I thought I'd found a 1290 for a good price on e bay but guess what, I'm still waiting......... Looks like Paypal will be refunding me as the seller hasn't responded to me or to Paypal but it's damned annoying. Anyway, I have bought a new Canon Pixma i4000 after reading a favourable review and hearing from someone else that they are very pleased with the results. Park Cameras are selling it for £190 which is a bargain for an A3+ printer, and I've been happy with my Canon A4 printer overall. I will post a 'review' later once I've tried it out! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bresson Posted August 5, 2006 Share #18 Posted August 5, 2006 James: I use an Epson 2200 (no longer being manufactured) and Lyson's Ink set which allows neutral, warm or cool. The neutral is just that! The best results I've found so far. I scan B&W, color neg. and B&W C-41 films. The method of converting to B&W in P.S. may be responsible for some of this color cast. Metamerism that so many of us have run into has not been evident either. I could never get a truly neutral grey using Epsons ink on the 2200 which has 7 ink cartridges (photo black and grey but you have to swap out the matt black and glossy) a pain and expensive. You might be able to pick up a used one at a reasonable price and use it as a dedicated B&W printer. If you want a printer that does both, the Epson 2400 reportedly will give neutral B&W (8 cartridges) and is excellant for color but a bit pricey. Brian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest flatfour Posted August 5, 2006 Share #19 Posted August 5, 2006 James - I checked out the Canon last week. It doesn't seem particularly strongly made which I am told is a strength of the new HP. It does print fast but I don't deem that essential. The prints in mono were very good but no better than my HP7960. I think I'll still wait to see the HP 9180 before I dceide to buy. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
earleygallery Posted August 9, 2006 Author Share #20 Posted August 9, 2006 Well, I've been trying out the new Canon ix4000 printer and I am very happy with the results. Colour prints are excellent and B&W prints, at least on Canon paper are pretty neutral. I did print some on Epson paper but they showed a definate colour cast - not excessive but noticeable. Below are two images, scans of 6X4 prints from a scanned colour negative, converted in photoshop to B&W. The first is a straight colour scan and the second is the same scan in greyscale as a comparison. I'm sure that prints from top range Canon/Epson printers would be better, but for the price this appears to be an excellent printer! It's also economical to run using 4 single inks. The ix5000 is over £100 more, identical spec, the only difference apparently is the print speed. Regards Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/959-a3-printers/?do=findComment&comment=27777'>More sharing options...
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