Jetstream Rider
Newbie to Printing
- Joined
- May 22, 2006
- Messages
- 7
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 7
I recently bought a Canon ix4000, A3 printer. I thought I would share my thoughts. Let me just set the scene - I am a home user and do not have experience of refilling or of a wide range of printers. I do however have a good eye for quality and am keen to get a good quality printer for my money that will print usual paper stuff, as well as photos and the odd bit of crafty type stuff. This review will be of limited use if you are an ink jet guru, but at least its a start.
Firstly, its massive! A3 printers don't come small so make sure you have the room to store it. If you are in to asthetics, then this is probably not the printer for you, as it looks like a German bunker from the war. Box like when folded up and bunker like when it is open. However, this doesn't matter to me - would prefer to have a good ugly printer than a bad, pretty one! It plugs directly into the mains, no separate transformer, which I quite like.
Timings wise I have printed an A3 photograph at max quality from a 5 Megapixel file - it took 4 mins and 30 seconds, after 34 seconds of whirring. I then printed two 10 x 8 pictures on a cloth type paper and they took 2 mins 35 seconds each after 4 seconds of whirring, again both at max quality. To be fair, the A3 print was just after I had turned it on, so the whirring time is probably shorter once it is up and running.
Its quiet, but noisier than my i950 - the whirring is quite tuneful and the actual head movement is very quiet. Its noise is not an issue.
As for print quality, at first I wasn't happy, but now I am. I discovered it was the paper I was using that was bad. The first prints I did were on Canon Photo Plus Glossy paper at 4 x 6 - these were quick and looked excellent when they were printed, but after about 2 mins they grew a haze which hasn't gone away after 4 days. I tried some Ilford Galerie paper and this hasn't been a problem - likewise with Jessops (a UK photo store) A3 paper, there is no haze - I think it is my ancient Canon paper which caused it. On reflection, I don't really like Canon paper, as it stays wet too long and is not as good quality as some other brands. The haze was more noticable on the dark parts of the prints - I have a light one which shows none of it and a dark one which is most effected. I have tried text too and it looks sharp and as you would expect from a printer of this generation.
Installation of the software was straightforward.
The instructions are a bit Mickey Mouse inasmuch as they tell you how to plug the printer in, sort out the software etc, but nothing particularly technical - the troubleshooting on the onscreen instructions is similarly Mickey Mouse. Its a shame as the instruction book is quite thick, but in so many languages it only runs to about 20 pages. Normally I don't look at instructions unless they have some merit to them and these just seem to be for people who aren't quite sure what to do.
In summary:
Nice printer, quiet, fast enough (not worth the extra for the ix5000 in my view) and does the job. No streaking or lines in prints and good text printing.
Downsides:
Size, chipped cartridges, Canon paper doesn't seem up to the job (at least the Photo Plus Glossy stuff). Won't do automatic double side printing and no CD tray (but these are details to me rather than problems).
Firstly, its massive! A3 printers don't come small so make sure you have the room to store it. If you are in to asthetics, then this is probably not the printer for you, as it looks like a German bunker from the war. Box like when folded up and bunker like when it is open. However, this doesn't matter to me - would prefer to have a good ugly printer than a bad, pretty one! It plugs directly into the mains, no separate transformer, which I quite like.
Timings wise I have printed an A3 photograph at max quality from a 5 Megapixel file - it took 4 mins and 30 seconds, after 34 seconds of whirring. I then printed two 10 x 8 pictures on a cloth type paper and they took 2 mins 35 seconds each after 4 seconds of whirring, again both at max quality. To be fair, the A3 print was just after I had turned it on, so the whirring time is probably shorter once it is up and running.
Its quiet, but noisier than my i950 - the whirring is quite tuneful and the actual head movement is very quiet. Its noise is not an issue.
As for print quality, at first I wasn't happy, but now I am. I discovered it was the paper I was using that was bad. The first prints I did were on Canon Photo Plus Glossy paper at 4 x 6 - these were quick and looked excellent when they were printed, but after about 2 mins they grew a haze which hasn't gone away after 4 days. I tried some Ilford Galerie paper and this hasn't been a problem - likewise with Jessops (a UK photo store) A3 paper, there is no haze - I think it is my ancient Canon paper which caused it. On reflection, I don't really like Canon paper, as it stays wet too long and is not as good quality as some other brands. The haze was more noticable on the dark parts of the prints - I have a light one which shows none of it and a dark one which is most effected. I have tried text too and it looks sharp and as you would expect from a printer of this generation.
Installation of the software was straightforward.
The instructions are a bit Mickey Mouse inasmuch as they tell you how to plug the printer in, sort out the software etc, but nothing particularly technical - the troubleshooting on the onscreen instructions is similarly Mickey Mouse. Its a shame as the instruction book is quite thick, but in so many languages it only runs to about 20 pages. Normally I don't look at instructions unless they have some merit to them and these just seem to be for people who aren't quite sure what to do.
In summary:
Nice printer, quiet, fast enough (not worth the extra for the ix5000 in my view) and does the job. No streaking or lines in prints and good text printing.
Downsides:
Size, chipped cartridges, Canon paper doesn't seem up to the job (at least the Photo Plus Glossy stuff). Won't do automatic double side printing and no CD tray (but these are details to me rather than problems).