shadowfox
Darkroom printing lives
While waiting for the stars to line up so I can rebuild my darkroom, I decided to give digital printing another try.
I'll spare you the details but the last time I did this was 2 years ago, with Epson midrange printers and 3rd party inks, it didn't end in a happy note.
Enter the Canon Pixma 9500 Mark II.
* 11x14 inches print from 6x4.5 (crop from 6x6 frame)
Read a mini-review here.
I'll spare you the details but the last time I did this was 2 years ago, with Epson midrange printers and 3rd party inks, it didn't end in a happy note.
Enter the Canon Pixma 9500 Mark II.
* 11x14 inches print from 6x4.5 (crop from 6x6 frame)
Read a mini-review here.
mfunnell
Shaken, so blurred
I'm glad you had a good experience with the printer. I've been using my older (mk I) version for some time, and like the results - in black and white, and in colour - and the operational characteristics of the printer.
...Mike
...Mike
hausen
Well-known
Really like mine. Am gonna stay away from my darkroom for 6 months or so to concentrate on stabilizing my business. Business partner has just been diagnosed with terminal Bowel/Liver cancer so my Canon 9500 ii will be getting more use now. Only issue I have is the ink consumption, but love the results.
mfunnell
Shaken, so blurred
I don't know what prices in NZ are like, but here in Oz the ink costs are prohibitive. I order ink from the US when I'm ordering something else (like film, or occasionally a lens or something, or books from Amazon) to help spread the cost of the shipping around. It's saved me a fortune. (I've also talked to people who reliably inform me that the wholesale price of Canon inks here is more than twice the retail price in the US which accounts for why they cost so bl**dy much.)
...Mike
shadowfox
Darkroom printing lives
One thing I like about this printer is the quietness, there is no drama with its operation, unlike the Epson printers I tried before, the Canon seems to be much better built.
gavinlg
Veteran
I would REALLY like one of these bad boys. How would you compare the prints to proper darkroom prints?
On a side-note, I also have had serious trouble with epson stuff - both printers and scanners and wouldn't even consider one again. I also feel the canon printers are much better made.
On a side-note, I also have had serious trouble with epson stuff - both printers and scanners and wouldn't even consider one again. I also feel the canon printers are much better made.
mfunnell
Shaken, so blurred
Being somewhere between a non-participant and a complete duffer at wet-printing, I'm not really able to comment. All I can say is that I get prints that I, personally, like rather a lot with the correct paper and profiles. Personal favourites are Hannemulhe (sp?) Photo Rag and Museum Etching for matte printing, and Harman Gloss FB AL for semi-gloss (B&W). I also get good results from the same matte papers for colour, and Iford Smooth Gloss or Crane Silver Rag (semi-gloss) for colour. Some like Ilford Gold Fibre Silk, but I've never got on with it. With a recent purchase, however, I can do my own print/paper profiles so that may change.
My feeling (for whatever that's worth!) is that any limitations are more with the operator than the printer.
...Mike
shadowfox
Darkroom printing lives
Gavin,
I haven't picked up cotton rag fiber paper (or one of those "baryta" coated inkjet papers). So until then I can't compare the feel directly with FB prints.
But I am planning to get a thicker stock (300gsm) inkjet paper from my local factory called Red River paper and see how it compares to my RC prints.
I suspect that for prints where sharpness and detail are dominant, the Canon produced prints will compete very well.
What I am not so sure about are those prints that are more warmth and mood -dominant. My suspicion is that darkroom prints still holds an edge for these due to continuous tones of silver halide reacting to light.
Also one of my favorite printing technique: Lith prints. So far I haven't seen a convincing digital version of it.
gavinlg
Veteran
Sounds good Will! I'm a little ashamed to say I have very limited experience with proper RC prints and printing, but lately have become somewhat obsessed with it. Currently looking for a darkroom setup on the cheap locally.
hausen
Well-known
Inks cost are pretty bad here in NZ as well. Think something around NZ$28 per cartridge. Get my film from B&H so might as well get my ink from there as well. Good plan, thanks Mike.
TechCron
Member
Canon Pixma 9500 Mark II uses a LOT of ink. Every time you turn it on, it cleans the ink nozzles and wastes ink
.
It produces stunning images but be prepared to replace your cartridges a lot.
It produces stunning images but be prepared to replace your cartridges a lot.
bwcolor
Veteran
And... with the 9500 it is best to print with some regularity, or the nozzles clog and things get even more expensive.
shadowfox
Darkroom printing lives
Canon Pixma 9500 Mark II uses a LOT of ink. Every time you turn it on, it cleans the ink nozzles and wastes ink.
It produces stunning images but be prepared to replace your cartridges a lot.
But neither of these behaviors are unique to this printer.
In fact, one of the Epsons I bought 2 years ago was left alone by the previous owner only for 3 months and some of its print heads are clogged beyond any user intervention. I wasted more ink (and money) than I care to recall trying to unclog those...
Were that a Canon (or even HP) printer, all I would have to do is buy a new head and install it myself.
mfunnell
Shaken, so blurred
And you wouldn't even have to do that. My poor (Mk I) 9500 sat alone and forlorn a couple of years ago while I was on secondment to Brisbane. 12months later when I tried to get it up and going all I had to do was run a cleaning cycle (which, sure, "wasted" some ink) but after a single cycle it was producing wonderful prints just like it was new. No fuss, no muss, just a bit of ink spilled.
...Mike
Bob Michaels
nobody special
Canon Pixma 9500 Mark II uses a LOT of ink. Every time you turn it on, it cleans the ink nozzles and wastes ink.
It produces stunning images but be prepared to replace your cartridges a lot.
Why do you turn it off?
Jockos
Well-known
I fyou keep it anywhere near your bedroom, you might want to turn it off, as it sporadically does some hula dancing to shake the pigment ink. Had one of these on a push cart when I was working for Canon, and it literally turned the wheels on the cart during the shakeup!
Bob Michaels
nobody special
That is something I did not know about Canon printers. I have used Epsons for photo printing for about 12 years now and have never turned one off. I have been using 2400s for the last 5-6 years and have had zero nozzle clogs with them even when not printing for 3 months.
Jockos
Well-known
The dye printers don't do this, but with pigment ink, the pigments sink to the bottom, and thus need some agitation once in a while. At least that's how they explained it to me.
shadowfox
Darkroom printing lives
Mine does not shake that much.
Maybe this is one of the thing they fix in Mark II version.
But no, this printer is quieter in operation than my previous Epson 2400 and 2200.