New Printer/Canon iP4000

[Monica]

Broke with tradition AND sense. Bought somethine other than an HP this
time and didn't spend a week researching the subject and going into
information overload Brought home a Canon iP4000. This printer will be
used primarily for graphics (greeting cards) and text. I will do some photo
printing on Ilford (Smooth Pearl) photo paper. Are there any inherant
issues I need to know about? Someone told me that (unlike HP) I have to
turn the printer off when not in use to keep the ink from wicking in the
docking station. Then another said their Canon turned off automatically. I
found "Auto Power" under the Maintenance Tab. Both were disabled. I
enabled both and set Power off to 15 minutes. OK? And it doesn't say but
I'm assuming the Auto "Power On" turns the printer on automatically when you
start a print job (like the HP)
Thanks,
Monica

 

[measekite]

Broke with tradition AND sense. Bought somethine other than an HP this
time and didn't spend a week researching the subject and going into
information overload Brought home a Canon iP4000. This printer will be
used primarily for graphics (greeting cards) and text. I will do some photo
printing on Ilford (Smooth Pearl) photo paper. Are there any inherant
issues I need to know about? Someone told me that (unlike HP) I have to
turn the printer off when not in use to keep the ink from wicking in the
docking station.

Totally incorrect. I use mine on networks operating 24/7.

Then another said their Canon turned off automatically. I
found "Auto Power" under the Maintenance Tab. Both were disabled.

I never use that stuff. It really is not needed.

 

[Taliesyn]

Broke with tradition AND sense. Bought somethine other than an HP this
time and didn't spend a week researching the subject and going into
information overload Brought home a Canon iP4000. This printer will be
used primarily for graphics (greeting cards) and text.

This is a good solid choice, and I use mine similarly - graphics, text
and photos. It's great for greeting cards, CD liners, booklets, shopping
lists, borderless photos, etc. I have the next up model, the iP5000.
The only difference is higher resolution because it uses slightly
smaller ink dots, and the price, of course.

I use a combination of bulk ink and compatible cartridges. This keeps my
operating cost to very little. I do a lot of personal projects so I use
a lot of ink. With bulk and compatible inks I can afford to run two
printers much cheaper than other people operating just one with Canon
inks.

I will do some photo printing on Ilford (Smooth Pearl) photo paper.
Are there any inherant issues I need to know about?

None that I can caution you about. Okay, the front door doesn't seem to
catch all that great. Maybe it's just the way I close it. Some people
have experience premature printhead failure - me included, on an earlier
model (i860). But that shouldn't scare you as you can get a new
printhead from Canon, if it's under warranty, or on eBay for about $55
after that. That's what I did, the latter, and now my i860 is as good
as new.

The printer also has duplexing capability - it can print both sides
without you having to turn it over. However, it takes almost twice as
long than by flipping it yourself. If your not in a rush, fine. But
it's agonizingly slow if your sitting there watching it play with the
paper.

Someone told me that (unlike HP) I have to
turn the printer off when not in use to keep the ink from wicking in the
docking station.

I don't know anything about wicking because I turn off all my printers
when not in use. Always have, always will. I think it's the best policy
for electrical equipment - there's no reason it has to be on all the
time. You can make your own choice, it's your printer ;-).

Then another said their Canon turned off automatically. I
found "Auto Power" under the Maintenance Tab. Both were disabled. I
enabled both and set Power off to 15 minutes. OK? And it doesn't say but
I'm assuming the Auto "Power On" turns the printer on automatically when you
start a print job (like the HP)

Yes, I have mine set on AUTO ON and AUTO OFF; I like that idea. Just
toss in the paper and print. It's easier for you, you only have one
printer, I assume. I have two so I have to select which one first. Don't
ask me how many times I've put the paper in one and set off the other
one . For AUTO OFF I have it set for 5 minutes. I find that is
generally long enough for me.

If you have access to Costco they excellent photo paper in their
Costco Kirkland brand, and REALLY affordable. Some think it's made
by Ilford. I don't know, and I won't lose any sleep if I never know.
One paper that doesn't seem to work at all, regardless of the settings
used, is Kodak Premium Picture Paper.

Thanks,
Monica

- Taliesyn

 

[measekite]

This is a good solid choice, and I use mine similarly - graphics, text
and photos. It's great for greeting cards, CD liners, booklets, shopping
lists, borderless photos, etc. I have the next up model, the iP5000.
The only difference is higher resolution because it uses slightly
smaller ink dots, and the price, of course.

I use a combination of bulk ink and compatible cartridges. This keeps my
operating cost to very little. I do a lot of personal projects so I use
a lot of ink. With bulk and compatible inks I can afford to run two
printers much cheaper than other people operating just one with Canon
inks.

I use Canon inks because my print load is not excessive and I do not
want to take any Risk for a clogged printhead. Since you will print a
lot of text us most likely will use the pigmented black ink a great
deal. You can get this at Costco for around $9.00. Only if you
printload is very high will I suggest aftermarket carts and if that is
the case be very careful. The aftermarket ink vendors do not like to
tell you what they are selling. For the most part they are selling
noname ink under a store label. Personally, I do not think they are
very trustworthy.

Ilford is a good choice of photo paper. I think they make Kirkland
Glossy Photo paper for Costco packaged 125 letter sized sheets for
$18.95. I cut mine to what ever size I need using a rotary Fiskars
paper cutter also purchased at Costco for $29.00.

 

[Dan G]

The only absolute no-no with these Canon models is you never leave an ink
tank out of the cradle for more than a couple minutes. Leaving it out is a
sure clog.

 

[Burt]

Like Taliesyn I also use non-canon inks very successfully. No clogs, no
problems. If you are interested in more information about inks click the
reply to sender button, take out nospam, and I will email you back some
references. If you go through the posts in this newsgroup you will see many
references to this issue, some rather acrimonious exchanges, and I would
rather avoid a repeat of those responses.

About the paper issue. The Costco paper is outstanding with your printer (I
use a canon I960 six color printer) and it is my choice for general printing
of photos. For greeting cards, however, you can not print or write on the
back of this paper. Read my post of 5/8/2005 replying to Pavel Dvorak about
my choices of paper for greeting cards. That is just a few threads down
from yours on this newsgroup. If you are thinking about printing greeting
cards to sell you must remember that your printer ink is dye based and not
waterproof. I do lots of year end greeting cards and cards for other
holidays just for our own use.

 

[measekite]

Like Taliesyn I also use non-canon inks very successfully. No clogs, no
problems. If you are interested in more information about inks click the
reply to sender button, take out nospam, and I will email you back some
references. If you go through the posts in this newsgroup you will see many
references to this issue, some rather acrimonious exchanges, and I would
rather avoid a repeat of those responses.

About the paper issue. The Costco paper is outstanding with your printer (I
use a canon I960 six color printer) and it is my choice for general printing
of photos. For greeting cards, however, you can not print or write on the
back of this paper. Read my post of 5/8/2005 replying to Pavel Dvorak about
my choices of paper for greeting cards. That is just a few threads down
from yours on this newsgroup. If you are thinking about printing greeting
cards to sell you must remember that your printer ink is dye based and not
waterproof. I do lots of year end greeting cards and cards for other
holidays just for our own use.

If you need to waterproof your Canon OEM inks you can get a can of
Krylon Spray in either matt or glossy finish at any Art Supply store. I
personally do not like it but it does work and you photos are water
resistant. Aaron Bros carries another brand of similar spray but I have
not tried it.

 

[Ron Cohen]

I'll just chime in and echo whats already been said. The iP4000 is an
excellent printer. I have one and of the several Canon printers I own it's
my favorite. The s820 and i950 being the other two photo printers I have.
The auto power off/on feature is exactly that. It works and nothing else is
required. Get a good brand of aftermarket ink for refilling and your costs
will be so low that you won't even think about printing page after page
(other than paper cost). I used to send out a pdf file describing how easy
it is to refill a Canon cartridge. Unfortunately, last Friday, the main hard
drive on my system went bad and all the data on the drive was lost. My
alternate drive had some backup copies, but my DTP files were lost and that
included the refilling pdf.

 

[AA Battery]

I use Canon inks because my print load is not excessive and I do not
want to take any Risk for a clogged printhead. Since you will print a
lot of text us most likely will use the pigmented black ink a great
deal. You can get this at Costco for around $9.00.

More deceiving information by Measekite, as usual. You cannot go into
Costco and buy just one cartridge at $9.00! You have to buy 3 of the
same color at $31. Multiply by 5 cartridge types needed for her printer
and her bill is about $165 (with tax) before she walks out the store.



For that same amount of cash she can go on eBay and buy 10 TIMES that
amount of quality Formulabs ink filled cartridges. Formulabs filled
cartridges are every bit as good and safe as Canon ones.

 

[measekite]

I'll just chime in and echo whats already been said. The iP4000 is an
excellent printer. I have one and of the several Canon printers I own it's
my favorite. The s820 and i950 being the other two photo printers I have.
The auto power off/on feature is exactly that. It works and nothing else is
required. Get a good brand of aftermarket ink for refilling

but unless your print load is high it is not worth the hassle or risk.

and your costs
will be so low that you won't even think about printing page after page
(other than paper cost). I used to send out a pdf file describing how easy
it is to refill a Canon cartridge. Unfortunately, last Friday, the main hard
drive on my system went bad and all the data on the drive was lost. My
alternate drive had some backup copies, but my DTP files were lost and that
included the refilling pdf.

If one understands Murphy's Law you will run to your favorite software
store and purchase Dantz Retrospect. Then set it so it backs your stuff
up every night to another hard disk. And on super critical stuff you
can off load to DVD. Retrospect was originally designed for the Apple
and finally made it to Windows. It is by far the best backup software
there is however you do have to put some effort into learning and
understanding it.

 

[measekite]

@newssvr21.news.prodigy.com:





More deceiving information by Measekite, as usual. You cannot go into
Costco and buy just one cartridge at $9.00! You have to buy 3 of the
same color at $31.

Yes but most of us have grown up and can afford $31.00.

Multiply by 5 cartridge types needed for her printer
and her bill is about $165 (with tax) before she walks out the store.

That is bullshit. The first time you will need a tripack for about
$27.00. Maybe a few months later you may need a dye black or a
pigmented black.

In the 8 months I have owned my IP4000 I have replaced the 3 colors
once. I do admit that much of my text printing is done on my HP990 so
if I used the Canon for everything I probably would have replaced my
pigmented black once and I would have 3 left. IN that case I would have
bought a quad pack for $40.00.

For that same amount of cash she can go on eBay

eBay is a pain in the ass and so is refilling carts. Maybe you like to
tinker but others like to do their work. Now if her print load was very
high like yours then I would suggest investigating Formulabs ink that is
prefilled into no name carts. To save the extra couple of dollars over
that and put up with the pain of refilling yourself I do not think is
worth it unless you are usually broke.

and buy 10 TIMES that
amount of quality Formulabs ink filled cartridges. Formulabs filled
cartridges are every bit as good and safe as Canon ones.

Maybe and maybe not.

 

[AA Battery]

Yes but most of us have grown up and can afford $31.00.

What happened to the $9.00 cartridge you told us we could get at Costco.

That is bullshit.

You're bullshitting, not me. Read your goddam post!!! You said you
could get a cartridge at Costco for about $9.00. Sure, only if you pay
$31 plus tax to get 3! That's a whole different story, buddy.
Tell her the truth. You have to buy 3 in order to get one.

The first time you will need a tripack for about
$27.00. Maybe a few months later you may need a dye black or a
pigmented black.

In the 8 months I have owned my IP4000 I have replaced the 3 colors
once. I do admit that much of my text printing is done on my HP990 so
if I used the Canon for everything I probably would have replaced my
pigmented black once and I would have 3 left. IN that case I would
have bought a quad pack for $40.00.


eBay is a pain in the ass and so is refilling carts.

I know eBay is hard for you. But to most of us it's easier than apple
pie - click "buy", click "pay". 3 days later you have your ink. Real
complicated, ain't it. You don't have to fill cartridges, most people
buy compatibles. Either way, refilling is safe, clean and easy if you
have half a brain. Takes only a few minutes. You spend hours typing
nonsense in this NG all day. In that time you could have filled 20 years
of ink cartridges for yourself. That would be about 3 sets .

I do not think is worth it unless you are usually broke.

Compatible cartridges are no more a broke person's tool than the
compatible Kirkland paper you bought at Costco. They're both
intelligent ways for us to avoid paying ripoff OEM prices and have
nothing to do with either of us being broke.

AA

 

[Burt]

I would invite you to look back at a few weeks of posts to see the kind of
comments one individual has repeatedly made in trying to scare people away
from third party inks and their vendors. He has never done business with
them or used their products. You have seen posts to your questions from
Taliesyn, Ron Cohen, AA, and me. We use these products and have had
excellent experience with the vendors and their products. Email me directly
by clicking Reply to Sender and take out nospam from my email address. If
you are interested I will send you some additional information.

 

[Nikki]

Thanks for all the information/opinions. I NEVER used 3rd party ink in my
HPs but I'm considering it now. A friend gets her ink here
http://www.databazaar.com/ and uses the "new compatible" ink. Is anyone
familiar with their ink?
Thanks,
Monica

 

[measekite]

@newssvr13.news.prodigy.com:





What happened to the $9.00 cartridge you told us we could get at Costco.

Don't the teach math at your school?

You're bullshitting, not me. Read your goddam post!!! You said you
could get a cartridge at Costco for about $9.00. Sure, only if you pay
$31 plus tax to get 3! That's a whole different story, buddy.
Tell her the truth. You have to buy 3 in order to get one.

AADummy cannot do math.

I know eBay is hard for you. But to most of us it's easier than apple
pie - click "buy", click "pay". 3 days later you have your ink. Real
complicated, ain't it. You don't have to fill cartridges, most people
buy compatibles.

Compatibles vary at being compatible.

Either way, refilling is safe,

Sureeeeeee

and easy if you
have half a brain.

And I am conviced you do.

Takes only a few minutes. You spend hours typing
nonsense in this NG all day. In that time you could have filled 20 years
of ink cartridges for yourself. That would be about 3 sets .





Compatible cartridges are no more a broke person's tool than the
compatible Kirkland paper you bought at Costco.

Kirland paper is not compatible. It is just paper.

They're both
intelligent ways for us to avoid paying ripoff OEM prices

I have always said that ink prices are ripoff.

 

[measekite]

I would invite you to look back at a few weeks of posts to see the kind of
comments one individual has repeatedly made in trying to

scare people away


Boo

some

third party inks and

a few of

their vendors.

He has never done business with
them or used their products.

I have never owned a Yugo but I do know it was crap.

You have seen posts to your questions from
Taliesyn, Ron Cohen, AA, and me.

Members of the Aftermarket club.

 

[measekite]

Thanks for all the information/opinions. I NEVER used 3rd party ink in my
HPs but I'm considering it now. A friend gets her ink here
http://www.databazaar.com/ and uses the "new compatible" ink. Is anyone
familiar with their ink?
Thanks,
Monica

Databazaar is a good and reputable Vendor. But be careful that you
spell their site address correct. http://www.databazzar.com/ is
attempting to hijack their customers and change them to some of the
hawkers the Aftermarket club recommends. Not these particular members
but some of their friends. Goto this site and look at the links and you
will learn some of what you need to stay away from.

That said, their prices on original Canon carts is somewhat more than
Costco but depending where you live you may save the tax but you do have
shipping to consider. As for compatibles, they do not say who the
mfg/formulator BRAND is and they are only $2.00 cheaper per cart over
Canon at Costco . The choice is yours. Call them up and see what real
BRAND they are selling. Then caclulate estimated usage for a year.
Remember that when printing text you will use the pigmented black ink
and that cartridge is much largeer than the others in the IP4000. Once
you estimate the cost of both Canon and Label X you alone can decide if
that is worth it.

http://www.databazaar.com/ is a good and reputable company and a fine supplier for your needs.

 

[Burt]

I am not acquainted with that firm and have not used HP inkjets. If your
friend has been using their HP compatables for some time, has no problem
with her printer as a result, and finds the colors to be accurate, they
would appear to be a good choice.

 

[measekite]

I hear they are reputable.

I am not acquainted with that firm and have not used HP inkjets. If your
friend has been using their HP compatables for some time, has no problem
with her printer as a result, and finds the colors to be accurate, they
would appear to be a good choice.

 

[Arthur Entlich]

Why does your response have to be so hostile?

You have no idea if the person wishes to refill or not. He is simply
indicating that it is an option that can save money. You really need to
consider than not everyone will think the way you do and that they have
a right to do that.

This isn't some type of criminality, it's a choice, like tea or coffee.


Art