Digital BW, The Print

In a message dated 9/15/06 10:45:51 AM, bwscans@... writes:


> In previous treads about the HP 8190 printer, C. David Tobie has done
> a very good job of making a point for the Canon iPF5000 printer.
> 
> Maybe the list users might be interested in two reviews of this
> printer.  And maybe Mr. Tobie could comment as a experimented iPF5000
> user on these reviews.
> 
> http://www.inkjetart.com/canon/wide/iPF5000.html#review
> 
> http://www.redrivercatalog.com/infocenter/articles/canonprografipf5000.html
> 
> 

Lets see, what can I say. We all have different angles on things. I don't see 
any errors in either, or anything that seems intentionally glossed over. They 
both emphasise that there is more visible grain with the iPF5000, but its 
really below the threshold of photo viewing. They don't go as far into B&W as I 
would, but one accidently found out out what I keep mentioning (abouth the K3s 
as well): that you can print to them with an ICC profile, in color mode, for 
black and white... then all you need is tools to control that process. <G>

My big complaints are the paper feed errors, the annoyance of selecting 
everything both on the printer and in the driver (its a nightmare) plus just plain 
poor driver design. The high bit export module eliminates some of the driver 
annoyances, but not others. Once you get used to it, the workflow is not much 
worse, but seldom better, then to an Epson wideformat.

Let me   put it in this perspective: I   must have 60 color printer models in 
my studio. But there are only a few that I ever think of when its time to 
print, meaning: "for this size print, on this media, with this choice of colors, 
B&W or tinted B&W, such and such is the printer model I want to use". The 
iPF5000 is a printer that I think of constantly; unless I want to print wider than 
17 inches, or smaller than letter, or print small borderless prints (and 
franky I don't do a lot of any of that) the iPF5000 is now my default choice of 
printers. Its nearly one inch end border (.91" actually) on letter and A4 is 
about the only reason I would choose an Epson for a specific print instead, for 
cases where I don't want a one inch border all around to get a centered print. 
Not being able to print an actual 8x10 on letter (thats uncentered, the 
centered max is just over nine inches on a letter sheet!) is a drag.

C. David Tobie
Product Technology Manager
ColorVision Business Unit
Datacolor Inc.
CDTobie@colorvision.com
www.colorvision.com


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