Epson 4800 or Canon iPF5000 (or 5100)?

[deanne]

I am wanting to upgrade from an epson 4000 and have been researching what is out there. I was considering the Epson 4800 but now I've been reading about the canon iPF5000 which sounds good too. I found this forum and saw the post on the brand new iPF 5100.

I was hoping to get some input on feelings on the 2 printers and also if anyone has any thoughts on the 5100 and if it would be worth waiting for that?

I mainly print fine art prints from paintings on matte paper. Thanks!

EDIT: Sorry, I just found the "search" button and did my own search on this, I didn't see it the first time around. Sounds like canon isn't the way to go.

[JPrimgaard]

Sounds like canon isn't the way to go.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=116498\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Don't be so quick to judge by these boards.  You have to "read between the lines" so to speak.

Look at all the whining about the HPZ3100 now on this board, and it's a great machine.

The ipf5000 is a lot more printer for the money than the 3800.  And the 5000 will be a great deal with the introduction of the 5100.  

Full disclosure: I have an ipf5000 and love it.  I looked at both the 3800 and 5000 for a long time and settled on the 5000.  No regrets.

Remember that you will mostly hear only the negatives on forums, you have to dig out the positives yourself.

YMMV

[Southwest Printers]

I currently use a new iPF8000 and an older EPSON 9600.  Both are used for proofing (commercial printing) and for art prints.  The Canon is a great machine.  The speed is jaw dropping and the color reproduction tops the EPSON.  I have no problems with the iPF8000.  If you happen to print from Photoshop, the plugin that comes with the user software is really the way to go.  

I would recommend seeking out a local Canon dealer and see if you can schedule a demo (which I did before buying).

-Chris

[deanne]

Thanks YMMV and Chris. That's a good idea to find one locally and go see them both for myself. I'll put Canon back in the running. (I do print from photoshop so that's a good tip).

[rexster314]

Again, my 2 cents.
I bought the iPF5000 in March after the iPF5000 Wiki recommended against buying it after all the bad review on there. For me, I'm glad I didn't back out of the order, I have been printing Amazing images on matte, glossy and satin papers from 8.5x11 to a 17x96" panorama since putting it in service. I have not had one problem with the roll feeder and the only problem I have encountered was a faulty PM ink cartridge that was replaced by Canon within 24 hours. BTW, I came from an Epson 2200.

Rex

Thanks YMMV and Chris. That's a good idea to find one locally and go see them both for myself. I'll put Canon back in the running. (I do print from photoshop so that's a good tip).
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=116731\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

[mkress65]

Again, my 2 cents.
I bought the iPF5000 in March after the iPF5000 Wiki recommended against buying it after all the bad review on there. For me, I'm glad I didn't back out of the order, I have been printing Amazing images on matte, glossy and satin papers from 8.5x11 to a 17x96" panorama since putting it in service. I have not had one problem with the roll feeder and the only problem I have encountered was a faulty PM ink cartridge that was replaced by Canon within 24 hours. BTW, I came from an Epson 2200.

Rex
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=116862\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Hi Rex -- I recently bought the 5000 as well, after looking at the wiki, but I must've missed something b/c I never saw a bad review of the printer.  Everything I saw extolled its virtues in terms of print performance.  I did see a lot of concerns about warranty (lack thereof for print heads and ink carts) and Canon's suggested replacement of the print heads every year (from a tech service manual, but unconfirmed by Canon -- I've asked them several times and they won't respond.)  Could you point me to the bad reviews?  Too late now, for my purchase, but I'd like to see what I need to keep my eyes open for.

Oh, and for the OP, I also really enjoy the printer.  From a vibrancy perspective, the prints are at least as good as what I was getting from my S900 dye printer (only the 5000 seems to have a much wider gamut.)

Thanks!

Matt

[jeffok]

Your initial concern over the ipf5000 is warranted. By all reviews I've seen, this printer produces excellent prints and is economical on ink for example. However, one can judge the problems with a printer by the number of posts that it generates and this printer has generated a lot of chatter about a number of issues that you should be aware of. The fact that it needs its own Wiki so people can track these problems is a statement in itself. The satisfied customers are those that post very little about their hardware- they're busy just taking pictures and printing them without problems or fanfare.

Full disclosure: I am an Epson owner and have been for many years. But Epson has been in the printer business for many years, Canon is new to the game relativley speaking. I think Canon still have a ways to go yet in making a truly fine product- they may get there. But do your homework first is all I recommend.

[Sal Baker]

A big concern with potential buyers of the iPF5000 is the head replacement issue.  The very nice technology that remaps clogged nozzles is the same technology that some of us fear might cause the heads to eventually run out of clear nozzles.  

We won't know if this is an issue until these printers have been out for a year or more, but the recommendation of $1200 annual print head replacement pushes this printer out of the running for me.  And, if the heads run out of clear nozzles after only 4 months I would have no written warranty, which makes me feel as if Canon is daring me to buy this printer.  Otherwise, the iPF5000 sounds like a great printer, albeit too large for my workspace.