2 cents worth on Canon S9000
2 cents worth on Canon S9000
- Subject: 2 cents worth on Canon S9000
- From: Keith Brodie <email@hidden>
- Date: Fri, 21 Mar 2003 22:48:27 -0500
Hi list members:
I've been reading with great interest the occasional mention here regarding
the Canon line of inkjets. I just want to offer my 2 cents on their S9000
desktop model. I'm not a salesman! Just a happy consultant (and
photographer) who discovered this product on my own.
I've struggled with Epson printers and drivers now for over 5 years (like a
lot of you on this list who've described various issues). Many different
models, papers, software revisions, profiles (factory supplied or custom
built with a variety of pro level ICC apps and spectros) or feelings of
anticipation at the next new model sporting big promises from Epson or
industry pundits (no flamethrowers please). What a long, strange trip it's
been.
Last fall I had opportunity to test and profile the Canon S9000 for a
client. To my great and pleasant surprise I encountered almost NONE of the
typical pains in the arse that I usually associate with the Epson line of
desktops (1270/1280/2000p or similar). Don't get me wrong, I like various
Epson models and I fully recognize their place in the market and advances
they've pioneered. I have 3 myself. With an appropriate RIP they can behave
quite nicely in an ICC-users environment (once beaten into submission).
Nonetheless, I found this Canon to be a whole new ball game in regards to
factory supplied print drivers, driver settings, system compatibility, inks,
archiveability etc. I just wanted to offer an opinion to the list on what I
think makes them so cool. I welcome responses to this whether pro or con.
= The printer is fast as hell. My tests with numerous 8 x 10's printed in
less than or equal to 2 minutes at top photo resolution.
= The top end Canon brand glossy and matte papers are fluorescent brightener
free and archival quality. They match REALLY well in color balance and tone
on the Canon inkset and factory driver with factory profile settings. And
they render a very neutral gray balance across the entire range from black
to white on calibration test images (RGB) even before going to custom
profile setups (never happened like that on any epson I've used so far
-without a RIP). Pretty darn smooth tonal gradations (screening) as well.
= 6-color with individual ink tanks for each color at MSRP of less than $12
for each. Canon advertises them as archival but I admit I've not yet seen
published technical specs to compare them to Epson Ultrachrome or
equivalents. Anyone? They do exhibit a very rich black.
= factory supplied software driver allows (under advanced settings window)
for excellent ink limiting capability with plus and minus numbered slider
settings for C, M, Y and K individually. I was able to quickly limit the
inks to ideal ranges on custom papers. On Canon papers mentioned above it
already behaves itself quite well at factory defaults. Just out of curiosity
I pulled black all the way down to 0% on one test image - lo and behold it
actually did just that in the printout and left all the other inks alone.
Well, if it wasn't literally 0% it was under 4% (by my eyeball - not h/w
measured). I had to pinch myself and remember that I wasn't using a RIP. Ink
limiting lovers unite!
= The print head is relatively easy to remove and clean or replace with
spares you can order direct from Canon. I believe a replacement runs around
$35? I'm sure the higher end models would be more. The point is they make it
darn near EASY to deal with by a capable end user on an aspect of inkjets
that - on an Epson - would require factory work (with all associated delays
and expense).
= Factory profiles on Canon paper mentioned above are very good out of the
gate (subjective opinion). And I improved on them with custom profiles I
made that were - in my professional opinion - VERY accurate right out of the
gate as well. Thanks to already linear response from the printer it was a
relative breeze. I didn't even bother to tweak them afterwards. In this
regard an Epson (without RIP) can be a big pain due to off neutrals, color
casts, linearity issues etc. and usually require editing after the fact to
get them to that higher degree of accuracy people want. And even then they
often disappoint. BTW many thanks to Bruce Lindbloom for those great RGB
test files you have on your website!
= Others have complained of "micro banding' on this line of printer. I have
not seen this on the printer I tested, although I don't refute others who
say it did to them. Perhaps they had alignment or head cleaning issues?
= I can create, name & save custom driver setups and they actually stick
around for further use when I restart the system (OS 10.2.3). And so far
they default back to the last one used. Epson? Whasup?
All in all a great printer for photographers and anyone wanting to side-step
some of the problems typically mentioned here for the Epson line with a
factory setup. I'm mainly considering it compared to Epson photo desktop
inkjets (1270/1280/2000p or even 2200)- but not necessarily large format.
Although linearity and factory print driver control limitations are often
cited for those too. The one thing I wish Canon would do is follow Epson's
lead and add a second black ink to satisfy those B&W print fans like the
Epson 2200 tries to. Nonetheless I found the Canon grayscale printing to be
very good. Not grainy but smooth. Very neutral and linear but perhaps a hint
of bluish tone - but I haven't had a chance yet to try and rebalance it with
custom slider settings (or do extended comparison between grayscale versus
gray to RGB neutral images). Either way I saw nothing like the kind of
neutrality problems I usually see on Epsons printing B&W with all inks using
factory software and inks (again - other than Epson 2200 which is good due
to 2 blacks).
The printer sells for around $500. Too high for the casual user but not for
the photographer who wants affordable quality. And WITH a RIP or perhaps
even the new Cone inks for Canon recently announced I'm sure it would go up
a few more notches still.
Anyone?
Regards,
Keith Brodie
Digital Integrator
email@hidden
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