canon i9100 printer - worth a punt ?

[dkh]

After a year of clogged heads and nuisance from my epson 915 printer I'm
seriously considering upgrading to the canon i9100 printer. Any reaons why
I shouldn't (eg print life or incompatibility with non canon paper etc) or
can anyone recommend anything else - not that I've pretty much ruled out
epson due to my aforementioned clogging issues.

I have googled and found some useful info but not enough - hence the
question...

 

[Jackie]

After a year of clogged heads and nuisance from my epson 915 printer I'm
seriously considering upgrading to the canon i9100 printer. Any reaons why
I shouldn't (eg print life or incompatibility with non canon paper etc) or
can anyone recommend anything else - not that I've pretty much ruled out
epson due to my aforementioned clogging issues.

The clogged heads are a known problem with Epson if they are left on. But
Epson printers rarely clog when turned off when not in use. I have used
several Epson printers, and as long as they are not left on, they do not
clog or need to spend a long time starting up. Right now I'm using a Stylus
Color 740 (about six years old, IIRC) at school and a C82 at home. I have
had no problems with either one.

Jackie

 

[dkh]

The clogged heads are a known problem with Epson if they are left on.
But Epson printers rarely clog when turned off when not in use. I
have used several Epson printers, and as long as they are not left on,
they do not clog or need to spend a long time starting up. Right now
I'm using a Stylus Color 740 (about six years old, IIRC) at school and
a C82 at home. I have had no problems with either one.

Jackie

I get head clogging with the 915 even when I religiously switch off at
the printer power button when not in use.

I've even managed to get clogged heads between 2 consecutive prints. Head
clogging is less of an issue on older printers due to the smaller number
of nozzles. The 915 has a high density of nozzles. I've had 2 separates
915 units and they both suffered from the same problem (though the first
was worse). Its just way too much nuisance and the ink costs are
ridiculous - i've used more than half a cart to clean a single clog -
(say 8 cleaning cycles).

 

[Jackie]

I get head clogging with the 915 even when I religiously switch off at
the printer power button when not in use.

I've even managed to get clogged heads between 2 consecutive prints. Head
clogging is less of an issue on older printers due to the smaller number
of nozzles. The 915 has a high density of nozzles. I've had 2 separates
915 units and they both suffered from the same problem (though the first
was worse). Its just way too much nuisance and the ink costs are
ridiculous - i've used more than half a cart to clean a single clog -
(say 8 cleaning cycles).

Maybe it's the 915, then. The 740 sitting next to me has clogged a few
times in all the years we've had it, and never very badly.

~~Jackie

 

[Jon Noble]

I dumped my Epson 780 for the same reason and moved to the Canon i9100 when
it first came out. I've had exactly zero problems and no regrets. The Canon
is a wonderful printer. I'm using Red River paper with great results (much
cheaper than Canon's paper).

-Jon

 

[dkh]

I dumped my Epson 780 for the same reason and moved to the Canon i9100
when it first came out. I've had exactly zero problems and no regrets.
The Canon is a wonderful printer. I'm using Red River paper with great
results (much cheaper than Canon's paper).

-Jon

do you have any issues with prints fading ?
I have heard this is more an issue with canons in general

 

[Jon Noble]

do you have any issues with prints fading ?
I have heard this is more an issue with canons in general

I've had no issues with fading, but then the printer has only been out for 6
months. Epson claims a 100 years with their archival printer and inks. Canon
says something like 25 years for the i950 and i9100. It's no big deal to me,
since I've had professional film prints fade after 18-20 years. The
difference is that I can re-print my photos, but that pro film print I paid
for just goes in the trash and I have nothing to show for the purchase.

Oh, and the Canon prints faster than any Epson around too! But no
clogging....that's priceless.
-Jon

 

[Mike]

Oh, and the Canon prints faster than any Epson around too! But no
clogging....that's priceless.
-Jon

I was ready to make the leap to a Canon 960, but then I went to CompUSA
where the demo prints being made by their 560 and 860 printers BOTH had
vertical bands about every 1/4 inch.

 

[Jon Noble]

Don't know anything about those printers. The i950/960 and S9000/i9100 are
photo printers (work just great on standard paper/print jobs too). But I've
never seen what you describe on the 560/860 and strongly suspect something
was out of alignment.
-Jon

 

[dkh]

I've had no issues with fading, but then the printer has only been out
for 6 months. Epson claims a 100 years with their archival printer and
inks. Canon says something like 25 years for the i950 and i9100. It's
no big deal to me, since I've had professional film prints fade after
18-20 years. The difference is that I can re-print my photos, but that
pro film print I paid for just goes in the trash and I have nothing to
show for the purchase.

Oh, and the Canon prints faster than any Epson around too! But no
clogging....that's priceless.
-Jon

I think 25 years is optimisitic (10 is more realisitic)- I would like to
be able to sell prints with no comeback - I would prefer the resassurance
of a claimed "75 years" resistance which might only map out to half that.

I've seen test results from some ink/paper combinations that show marked
fading in less than a year

 

[Robert Peirce]

I was ready to make the leap to a Canon 960, but then I went to CompUSA
where the demo prints being made by their 560 and 860 printers BOTH had
vertical bands about every 1/4 inch.

I had the same problem with the i9100 until I noticed it wasn't set for
photo printing! Now, no lines and beautiful prints.

 

[GB]

could also just be a print head alignment hasn't been done