Scanner + Printer vs All-in-one?

[avolanche]

I have an Canon MP780 all-in-one that is great.When it dies,I have three ip4200's that I'm storing(got 'em at CCity for almost nothing-no brainer) so that I'll be able to continue refilling.

I use the copy function several times a week,and would miss it if I went to a printer(the ip4200) that doesn't "copy".Here is my question:Will a stand-alone scanner be too klutzy to use with an ip4200 for copies?Any suggestion on this or another way?Thanks!

 

[on30trainman]

If you have a place for a separate scanner, that is definitely the way I would/do go. I have a Canon LiDE 60 Scanner and am very happy with it. I bought specifically for generating printer profiles using Profile Prism, but have always been using separate printers and scanners. My reason is that if one of the functions break in an All-In-One I would have to either replace the unit (not always cheap) or buy the function as a separate unit anyways. I have a convenient shelf right next to my computers for the scanner. My two printers are located somewhat off to the other side in a separate cabinet. I do notice that is is getting more difficult to find printer only Canon units, except for the more pricey super-duper photo printers - seems that AIOs are more popular.

Steve W.

 

[Kefp]

Amazon has MP970 on sales for 179USD WITHOUT rebate The copying and scanning feature is excellent. The image quality of printed photos is very good.

on30trainman: I note that you have Profile Prism, does this work well for you? I'm thinking of getting it but is unsure whether it will make serious difference. I also use Hobbicolor UW-8 Inks, Kirkland Glossy Photo Paper. Do I need a standalone scanner for Profile Prism? I do have Vuescan.
Thx

 

[on30trainman]

Kefp,
I have been having good (in my opinion) results using Profile Prism. I originally bought it back when I first started using Hobbicolor inks. Dave (Hobbicolors) first had an ink that I think was called BCI-6 that I tried. My prints had a definite greenish tinge to them - I also use Kirkland paper. I bought PP and the Canon LiDE 60 scanner. I had an old UMAX scanner that I never really liked (except that it could scan legal length pages) so I needed a replacement. Mike Cheney of PP and QImage (I use this for printing) recommended the Canon LiDE series. The profiles I made with PP completely cleared up my green tinge problem with the first Hobbicolor inks. Then I switched to the newer Hobbicolor UW-8 inks and have been satisified with them. Even though I still generate PP profiles with the UW-8 inks, I have read comments on this forum (pharmacist is one I can think of) who think that the UW-8 inks are very close to the Canon OEM inks and don't need specific profiles.

As far as using an AIO unit for profiles I can't answer your question. I know there has been a comment or two on the Yahoo Prismtalk forum (http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/prismtalk/) about some problems using them. You might want to check that out. OK on having Vuescan. I have been using the CanoScan program so far. Have been thinking of getting Vuescan, but not sure the price is worth it. CanoScan doesn't make raw scans. It does TIFF which seems to work but may introduce some compromises/errors. What is your opinion of Vuescan? Worth it and what are it's advantages?

Hope this helps.

Steve W.

 

[Kefp]

Thanks Steve W.
I'll probably will look into PP in the near future when I have time to play around. The color matching is pretty good (with my eyes) when I slightly adjust the printer settings. My IP4500 is spot on (hobbi and Kirkland) but the MP970 is slightly off, relative speaking, since the OEM inks ran out (also on Kirkland paper).

I have not played around with Vuescan much. Just got it. In my opinion, it seems to give a nicer color out of the box than the OEM software. I like the fact that it can scan the same image over and over to give greater details. Not sure that the Canon software has that option.

 

[avolanche]

Steve W.

How fast(or slow) is it to generate a copy using the scanner.Do you have to scan,send file to PC,go to that file and print it?Or is it less complicated?Thanks,Fred

 

[IGExpandingPanda]

I use the copy function several times a week,and would miss it if I went to a printer(the ip4200) that doesn't "copy".Here is my question:Will a stand-alone scanner be too klutzy to use with an ip4200 for copies?Any suggestion on this or another way?Thanks!

http://graphicssoft.about.com/b/2004/01/16/freeware-find-simplecopier-scan-to-print-utility.htm

I would imagine that a scanner would come with software to scan to printer, though my first scanner mainly came with image editing software, and while I "could" print I only had a dot matrix printer at the time.

I for example would be perfectly happy to scan to photoshop, and hitting print. If I was cheap, I could scan with GIMP I'm pretty happy scanning to PDF to fax too.

But if your printer doesn't come with scan to printer software, this can easily be found elsewhere. It won't be as simple as a simple button press.

 

[on30trainman]

Steve W.

How fast(or slow) is it to generate a copy using the scanner.Do you have to scan,send file to PC,go to that file and print it?Or is it less complicated?Thanks,Fred

Fred,
For a Canon LiDE scanner to make a copy of a page, it goes directly from the scanner to the printer. You open the CanoScan Toolbox, hit the COPY Icon which opens the Copy dialog page. The first time (or when you want to make a printer properties change) you set up the desired printer settings. These are then remembered until you make a change. Hit Copy and the scan starts and outputs it directly to the printer. Copy speed depends on whether you want B&W or Color and the selected DPI. Actually the printer will start its operation before the scan is finished. Works almost like a copy machine.

If you are scanning a photo that you want to work on in a Photo Editing program you select one of the SCAN Icons which scans the photo and opens it in a program you select in the dialog page. Or you can select the SAVE Icon to save it as a file.

The above examples are for a Canon LiDE scanner using Canon's CanoScan and ScanGear.

Kefp: Just looked at Vuescan again. Looks like I need to get the Professional version ($80) to be able to get RAW scans. The profiles I have been getting with CanoScan seem to be OK. I have been playing around with Staples Matte Photo paper occasionally the past year and it seems that is where I am getting the best payback for PP.

Steve W.

 

[binkie]

Will a stand-alone scanner be too klutzy to use with an ip4200 for copies?Any suggestion on this or another way?Thanks!

avolanche,

Take a look here . . .

http://www.idev.ch/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=76&Itemid=54

Can't vouch for the freeware program, but it sounds interesting. Might do what you want.

Binkie

 

[wilko]

I have an Canon MP780 all-in-one that is great.When it dies,I have three ip4200's that I'm storing(got 'em at CCity for almost nothing-no brainer) so that I'll be able to continue refilling.

I use the copy function several times a week,and would miss it if I went to a printer(the ip4200) that doesn't "copy".Here is my question:Will a stand-alone scanner be too klutzy to use with an ip4200 for copies?Any suggestion on this or another way?Thanks!

Have a look at the Epson Perfection scanners. Most reviews rate them higher than Canon scanners. Stand alone scanners give better results than AIOs but they're not as convenient.