OLED-like black from iPF PRO-4000

[Czornyj]

As Scott Martin already mentioned in his review of PRO-4000, there's something weird about new Canon LUCIA PRO inkset - in the real world it looks better than you would expect from a gamut plot. The CO makes the black look OLED-like, gives a punch and 3D-look to the image, and adds vividness to the colors. The output is much closer to dye or Cibachrome than ever:

[Mark D Segal]

Actually, there is nothing weird about it - but you did hit on am astute observation; Canon's engineers have been studying this phenomenon for quite a while, and their research findings went into the design of the inkset for the new Pro-1000/2000/4000 line of printers.  I shall be having more to say about this in due course.

[Geraldo Garcia]

I was one of the first to get frustrated by the gamut plots and pointed that to Canon as well (based on profiles, never tested the new printers). They told me the same thing and insisted that I should test the printer's behavior in real life, but I did not have the time nor did they have a 2000 or 4000 in my city. Scott Martin's and Keith Cooper's reviews took care of my initial prejudice and I am actually anxious to test one of those printers (and to see Aardemburg's and Wilhelm's permanence ratings).

[keithcooper]

The new CO does make a great difference to some papers.

Having had a PRO-1000 and the PRO-2000 in our kitchen this year I'm impressed by the progress in printers, and more inclined than ever to base my opinions on what prints actually look like ;-)

The CO effect does vary from paper to paper, and is a big enough change that getting one of these printers definitely warrants a re-evaluation of what your 'favourite' papers are.

The PRO-2000 is still here, so if anyone has any specific questions, please do let me low. I've been working away for a few days, and several people have asked for a few tests/updates that I'll try to add to the review over the weekend.