What to Do with a Never Used Canon iPF-8300 ?

[Miguel Aleman]

Dear Forum Members

I am the original owner of a “brand-new” 14-year-old uninitialized Canon iPF-8300. The printer was unboxed and perched on its stand but nothing else was done to it. Its printheads (PF-05), and a full set of 300 and 700 ml ink cartridges have been stored in their original sealed packaging inside a cabinet in a dark walk-in closet. My apartment (in Quito, Ecuador) remains cool (between 60 and 65 deg F) with relative humidity in the 50 to 60% range.
 
After this long hiatus, I am contemplating a return to printing my photographs and wondering what to do with the 8300:
 
- Should I sell it (or trading it in) and purchase a modern printer?  If so, what would be a fair asking price?

- Should I use it with my existing ink carts, or should I buy new ones to avoid harming the printer?

Either way, my concerns include:

- issues with the existing ink cartridges (sedimentation, others?)

- access to the proper drivers

- issues with the built-in hard-drive (could it already be "frozen" ?) 

- access to inks, printheads, etc (in the longer term).
 
Thank in advance for your feedback.

Miguel A. Aleman

[Asael]

I would just shake the ink carts well, use it, and enjoy it! It's a great printer!

[Miguel Aleman]

Thanks Asael for your response.

My biggest concern is that pigment particles that may have settled could lead to severe nozzle plugging and permanent damage to the printer's heads.

From your answer, it seems that you feel that by shaking the cartridges everything should go back into proper solution.

Is that very likely to be the case?

I would apprecciate if other forum members chime in as well.

 

[digitaldog]

At least on my Epson's, with pigmented inks, I've used carts that are years and years past the 'expiration date' without any issues with gentle shaking of the carts. I can't speak for Canon, but I hope you'll find the same.

[Kyle Jackson]

Hi Miguel, HP users can say similar to what the others mentioned: the pigment inks have an incredibly long shelf life. So far I've not heard of anyone reporting issues with "old" ink. I still have some HP inks with ~15 yr old date stamp on them.

If this printer was never used, and the heads and inks never installed, then it's *mint*, wow!  Installation instructions usually say to agitate/shake the cartridges/heads before installation, like the others have suggested. I wouldn't anticipate any problems whatsoever with a printer straight out of the box like this. Issues are usually with printers that sat unused (and without power) with heads installed for a year or more, where they can dry out and/or get air in them.

The most tricky part might be compatibility between the older drivers/software and current OSes/apps, but it seems there is almost always a combination that works. Probably lots of info/experience around here about that.

Cheers!

[JCD]

I had an 8300 and it lasted me a decade with almost no servicing. It also automatically agitates those inks.

Yea, I wouldn’t worry about the inks either. I’m using really old inks sometimes in my thermal head Hp z3200 and they work great, never a clog. Just shake them gently.

This is a great printer for color, really well made. But I was never satisfied with the bw, though with the True black and white rip it can be linearized accurately and light years better than the Canon software of that era.

I would set it up and use the hell out of it. It’s also great at bi-directional so it pretty fast too.

John



quote author=Kyle D Jackson link=topic=143784.msg1260284#msg1260284 date=1720616403]
Hi Miguel, HP users can say similar to what the others mentioned: the pigment inks have an incredibly long shelf life. So far I've not heard of anyone reporting issues with "old" ink. I still have some HP inks with ~15 yr old date stamp on them.

If this printer was never used, and the heads and inks never installed, then it's *mint*, wow!  Installation instructions usually say to agitate/shake the cartridges/heads before installation, like the others have suggested. I wouldn't anticipate any problems whatsoever with a printer straight out of the box like this. Issues are usually with printers that sat unused (and without power) with heads installed for a year or more, where they can dry out and/or get air in them.

The most tricky part might be compatibility between the older drivers/software and current OSes/apps, but it seems there is almost always a combination that works. Probably lots of info/experience around here about that.

Cheers!
[/quote]

[Miguel Aleman]

Thanks to all responders, your feedback is quite reassuring.

I also have concerns about a potentially “frozen” printer’s hard drive.

Does the initialization process expects access to the hard drive to use preloaded code and/or to write to an existing directory structure on it ?

If so, the initialization process may halt with no clear way to get out.

[Lessbones]

I wouldn't worry about that, the hard drive is just used to store files for reprinting later-- i'm almost positive you can just disconnect it if you wanted to.

[JCD]

Looks like they don’t offer it anymore. I would email them to see if they still have a copy. I don’t any longer. Canon froze them out after the ipf 4000 apparently. That was a big mistake in my opinion.

https://www.bowhaus.com/

I wouldn't worry about that, the hard drive is just used to store files for reprinting later-- i'm almost positive you can just disconnect it if you wanted to.

[Miguel Aleman]

Hi John. Are you referring to the True white and white rip you mentioned above?

[JCD]

Yes, it is no longer for sale on that website. If you email them they may still have a copy of it at a discount for the 8300. It was inexpensive and really well designed. But you need a spectrometer to read the grayscale patches. It’s similar to QTR for Epson printers.


quote author=Miguel Aleman link=topic=143784.msg1260293#msg1260293 date=1720653098]
Hi John. Are you referring to the True white and white rip you mentioned above?
[/quote]

[Lessbones]

I would also love a copy of that-- do you know if they made it for the 9x00 series?  I'll give them a shout to find out--

[JCD]

I think so for the 60” models but I just can’t remember.

I know Bowhaus used it. I first saw really big  bw prints that they made with this software for an exhibition of the work of the great jazz photographer Herman Leonard’s work and they were excellent. That was like 18 years back.

John


quote author=Lessbones link=topic=143784.msg1260297#msg1260297 date=1720718593]
I would also love a copy of that-- do you know if they made it for the 9x00 series?  I'll give them a shout to find out--
[/quote]

[Miguel Aleman]

Hello Everyone

Any recommendations regarding the operating system that is bound to be less troublesome?

I am under the impression that Canon's support for Mac OS is somewhat lacking compared to that for Window's.

That, combined with the potential difficulties of installing Canon drivers and software on older operating systems, may justify going with Window.

Updates are available on Canon USA up to Windows 11 (2021) and Mac OS 11 Big Sur (2020).

I would appreciate any feedback on this.

Both options (Windows and Apple) are open to me.

Thanks in advance, Miguel 

   

[Miguel Aleman]

Let me add that Kyle phrased it very well  above:

“The most tricky part might be compatibility between the older drivers/software and current OSes/apps, but it seems there is almost always a combination that works. Probably lots of info/experience around here about that.”

Recommendations from current/formers users on  a “combination that works” would be more than welcomed.

Miguel A Aleman

[mcpix]

I have a Canon iPF-8300 that I use every day. I would consider myself a "Mac Guy", but for printing I think Windows may be a better way to go. Over the years with each new Mac OS I would see posts on this forum of various problems. Although I have the latest Apple Silicon Macs, I still print on my Canon 8300 from my Windows 7 computer. Everything works perfect and you still have the ability to print 16 bit files.

[Miguel Aleman]

Thanks MCPix. I will proceed via Windows route and once it’s working try to add the iMac Pro as well.

[John Hollenberg]

I just bought a new Windows 11 system and had no trouble installing drivers, etc. for my Canon iPF 6300 so for now it is still good to go.