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Review of New Canon X300 Printers

Scott Martin has just published a review of the new X300 generation of Canon printers (6300/8300), including comparisons with equivalent Epson and HP printers:

http://www.on-sight.com/2010/04/25/canon-x300-printer-review/

Highly recommended.

Hi John,

Thanks for mentioning that. I was reading the review, so you beat me to it.

From what I've read sofar, these printers look like a very useful improvement on several fronts. The already high gamutgetting even larger is 'brilliant' ;-) Output quality improvements (due to a different ink placement scenario) can be useful to allow even closer scrutinizing. More affordable printheads is good to bring cost down (if the heads last at least as long as the previous ones).

Cheers,
Bart
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Scott Martin has just published a review of the new X300 generation of Canon printers (6300/8300), including comparisons with equivalent Epson and HP printers:

http://www.on-sight.com/2010/04/25/canon-x300-printer-review/

Highly recommended.
John,

Thanks for the link, I need it! This kind of review is helpful. I like in particular the idea that the Canon printer 44" wide has a new standard in fine detail printing:

"High Precision Photographs Option
This option implements a new advanced screening method and changes the order that the inks are laid down. By putting the light inks down after darker inks, color saturation is increased and gloss differential is reduced even further. This involves very complicated processing that slows the printing process. Small type and fine graphic lines become extremely sharp with this option due to increase dot placement accuracy. Printing with this mode doubles printing times but, even so, the x300 printers are faster than Epson x880 and Z3200 printers on their highest settings. This mode also places the head closer to the paper surface which potentially makes it problematic with papers that don’t lie perfectly flat. This is definitely an option for geeks with high resolution cameras and fine image detail and not for the masses wanting to do basic printing. The “High Precision Photographs” mode is available as a checkbox in the driver and via the “Highest (Max. No. of Passes)” mode in the printing plug-in."


At $3700 it's less expensive than the Epson offering which gives closely similar results and ahead of the HP which does have the advantage of a larger library of profiles for papers.

Asher
 

Erie Patsellis

pro member
Asher,
Just to update this thread, with the current trend towards rebates and "trade in" credits, the net cost of an 8300 is under $2600, too low for even me to ignore.

I am patiently awaiting mine to arrive (not terribly patient, but as much as I can be...) and already have 2 local studios eager to have me print all of their work (and the cost should be fully amortized in about 4 months, max). If a full time student such as myself can afford one, that the typical above average shooter should be able to. Granted, I am essentially setting up a service bureau, but for those that frequently send out prints larger than 8x10, I would think that it wouldn't take long for the printer to pay for itself. Granted I live in the affordable high end range, equipment and expectation wise, but even those on budget that have high expectations should consider one.

From the first samples I received, to printing some of my own files from the Dicomed scanback, the gamut, sharpness and overall quality is absolutely stunning. Granted you still have the GIGO paradigm, but if anybody complains about the output from this printer (or the latest epson or HP), they are either living in a dream world, have idealized and have romanticized the quality of C prints, or are blind.

On every front, from total lack of gloss differential and bronzing to gamut, color accuracy, and longevity, the new breed of inkjet printers finally have me not caring if RA4 disappears totally. Now I need to find an affordable drum scanner next fall, as the weak link in my image chain is digitization.

As an added bonus that is rarely mentioned, Canon actually gives you a set of full ink cartridges, not just starter carts. Empirical data I've collected from users tell me that unless you're printing 8 hrs a day, 7 days a week, the first cartridges should last a reasonable while.

erie
 

Jerome Marot

Well-known member
Since I have access to a 6300 which I just spent a month to calibrate on different kinds of paper, you may benefit from the following advices:
-this printers need to be calibrated for non-Canon paper. There is a software utility for doing so, which prints some tests on paper and then let the printer determine how the paper is fed, head height and ink amount. Do not try to use paper without calibration, you won't like the results. This is completely different to icc color calibration which you'll need as well.
-Canon Germany and also presumably Canon USA sells some cheap Baryta paper. The paper is nice but very rigid. Roll curl was a big problem, the head would crash regularly. This may also be the case for some Hahnemühle paper, I have not tried those as rolls (the 6300 can take sheets). Try to find a way to uncurl the rolls if you can.
-the calibration files from Museo did not fit my printer. An e-mail exchange with Museo made clear that they were made on a 8100 and that the calibration files are not compatible between printers. Maybe they work on the 8300 though.
 
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