iPF6300 review

[keith_cooper]

Hi

I've written up some thoughts on the new iPF6300, after Canon UK kindly lent me one for a month :-)
Canon iPF6300 review

Hope it's of interest

It's ended up quite a bit longer than I'd originally thought, so it's split into two parts. If anyone has specific questions, please do let me know, whilst my recollections are still relatively fresh (it had to go back to Canon...)

[Geoff Wittig]

Hi

I've written up some thoughts on the new iPF6300, after Canon UK kindly lent me one for a month :-)
Canon iPF6300 review

Hope it's of interest

It's ended up quite a bit longer than I'd originally thought, so it's split into two parts. If anyone has specific questions, please do let me know, whilst my recollections are still relatively fresh (it had to go back to Canon...)

Excellent review. I've been using the iPF6300 for about a month, and this is pretty much all spot-on.
What's really interesting is how very different some of my favorite fine-art papers look with this printer compared to HP's or Epson's inksets. I was very fond of Hahnemüle photo rag satin on the HP Z3100, where it had a rather small gamut and weak D-max, but a really interesting 'polished metal' look in the 3/4 tones due to exaggerated gloss differential that worked well for my black & white images. But using the iPF6300, it looks like a completely different paper; vastly darker d-max, no gloss differential at all, and an intense, almost 3-dimensional look to black & white prints. It's my new favorite paper for black & white, at least with Canon's printer.

[neile]

Thanks for sharing this Keith. I'm hoping to take a 6300 for a spin this weekend!

Neil

[Mulis Pictus]

Excellent review. I've been using the iPF6300 for about a month, and this is pretty much all spot-on.
What's really interesting is how very different some of my favorite fine-art papers look with this printer compared to HP's or Epson's inksets. I was very fond of Hahnemüle photo rag satin on the HP Z3100, where it had a rather small gamut and weak D-max, but a really interesting 'polished metal' look in the 3/4 tones due to exaggerated gloss differential that worked well for my black & white images. But using the iPF6300, it looks like a completely different paper; vastly darker d-max, no gloss differential at all, and an intense, almost 3-dimensional look to black & white prints. It's my new favorite paper for black & white, at least with Canon's printer.

I have noticed higher dmax as well on Hahnemuhle, PhotoRag in my case. Compared to Epson 7900, which is handy improvement as black on matte papers is one of few weaknesses of latest EPSON inksets. In ABW mode one can get higher dMax on EPSON too compared to RGB mode, still wonder what's reason for that. Didn't compare Epson's ABW to Canon's RGB mode yet though.

Would be interested if someone has comparison of Canon's driver output to TrueBlackAndWhite output.

[keith_cooper]

I have noticed higher dmax as well on Hahnemuhle, PhotoRag in my case. Compared to Epson 7900, which is handy improvement as black on matte papers is one of few weaknesses of latest EPSON inksets. In ABW mode one can get higher dMax on EPSON too compared to RGB mode, still wonder what's reason for that. Didn't compare Epson's ABW to Canon's RGB mode yet though.

Would be interested if someone has comparison of Canon's driver output to TrueBlackAndWhite output.

I did try some Epson Velvet fine art in the 6300, and it was indeed very rich B/W - my 7880 has PK in it so I couldn't directly compare.

As to True B/W I've also been looking at this software too and hope to have an overview written up in a week or two ('real' work does impinge on the writing, every so often :-) )