i9900 vs Pro9000

[Reed]

I'm in the market and have tried to search for any info about this Pro9000 but can't seem to find anything. Anyone have any suggestions/experience for a comparison between these two models? Any reason to go for the newer, chipped model?

I'll be running it on a 2.1Mhz iMac (IntelDuo).

TIA,
Reed

 

[WhiteDog]

I believe it has a flat paper path and might be able to handle banner/panorama printing which the i9900 cannot. If you need this, buy the new one. Somebody should look into this. Also, trying to install an i9900 with pro9000 driver to see if they are the same and unlock the banner printing utility. There is a lot of clacking by Canon about their "new" inks, but they never released test data about the "old" inks so we cannot know exactly how good they are. Steves digicams did a review. Oddly, the pro9000 is not all that much more expensive than the i9900. In time mint condition i9900's may exceed the asking price of the new models due to the non-chipped cartridges.

 

[Reed]

Since I'm new to this, can someone give the Chip vs. Non-Chip argument in summary?

 

[websnail]

Since I'm new to this, can someone give the Chip vs. Non-Chip argument in summary?

Simple..

Chip = OEM, refill or CIS (Continuous ink supply) system,
warranty not intact if you use anything other than OEM

Non-chip = OEM, refill, CIS or 3rd party cartridges (pre-filled)
warranty intact regardless or use.


In terms of performance there's naff all in it..

 

[ghwellsjr]

Oddly, the pro9000 is not all that much more expensive than the i9900. In time mint condition i9900's may exceed the asking price of the new models due to the non-chipped cartridges.

The i9900 is now available for $450 from CompUSA but even when they offered a $100 rebate for months, they didn't sell. During the same time period, Staples had the same deal for $10 less and they didn't sell. It wasn't until Staples dropped the price to $290 (after a $100) rebate that some of them sold. I doubt that the i9900 will ever sell for a higher price than the Pro9000.

I am surprised that Canon hasn't learned that all the people that are willing to pay $500 for a wide format printer have already bought one (or two). I don't think anyone cares about the extra two cartridges (green and red) and they don't seem to be used anyway. They should offer a wide format printer with just six cartridges for $300 or maybe $350. That would probably sell. And they should expand the width to 18 inches and the length to unlimited.

Just my opinion.

 

[WhiteDog]

What I meant to say GHWells is that, for the very reasons you supply, to which I would add the cost of the "new" inks, the Canon line is going to run into a brick wall, and the "old" non-chipped i9900's may hold up in resale, and the new ones will be discounted very heavily. There is no panic remaindering of the i9900's that I can see. If you hear of any let me know. You are correct about the office stationery store market. Buyers there have been thoroughly trained that an 8x10 is a large picture. Most "normal" customers want to put their printer on a shelf, so the weenie ones do 99% of the market. Then there is the problem of finding any assortment of large paper outside of mailorder and/or the big cities, and the expense of it. One reason the public wants only 8x10 is that the picture frames with mats for sale in Wal-Mart come in that size. They do have bigger ones but I find that everyone does 8x10. Also, you can proof an 8x10 on typing paper and that makes some think that they are saving money.

 

[Reed]

Are there any problems with the driver re: the iMac Intel machines? Looked on the Canon site and couldn't find anything.