Our Canon Pro 1000 arrived... And it is a lemon. (updated)

[Geraldo Garcia]

Yep.

We waited long enough for them to identify and solve all the bugs, glitches and compatibility issues before buying, just to get a lemon!
Sure, it can happen with any equipment and the crucial question is how (quickly) Canon will solve this issue. It is taking a few more days than what I expected.

The printer works and prints just fine, until it freezes and the display shows one of these two errors: 5200 (quite often) and B209 (once). After restarting the printer everything is back to normal until the error happens again. I would say it happens once or twice a day.

Am I the first to get a lemon Pro 1000? Our IPF 8400 works like a tank without any problem for the last four years. 

[paulbk]

re: Canon Pro-1000
I've had mine for about a month. ~25 prints thus far, mix of 8x10, 13x19. No problems. Love the prints. Replaced original CO and a few original carts are in low level alarm. Bought complete set of replacement ink carts with original order, all from B&H.
My sys: Windows 7 Professional, 64 bit.
Printer setup: Canon Pro-1000 XPS WiFi (allows 16 bit printing)

I updated printer firmware day 1 shortly after unboxing. I read that you must use USB connection for firmware update. Then moved to WiFi.
I'm using Qimage now as my printer interface. But I've printed from Photoshop and printer driver, no problems. I do not use Canon's Print Studio or whatever it's called. Slow and clunky. Canon was never good at software.

my 2¢ -- Lots of room for improvement in Canon's printer driver. Too much hidden behind buttons that are not well named. Too many tabs. Once you find your way around the driver it works. But it feels more like beta version. Example: if you want to preserve your printer setup naming method and edit an existing printer setup (paper type and size) you can not simply overwrite it with same name. You must delete old, then save new with old name.

[Geraldo Garcia]

I updated printer firmware day 1 shortly after unboxing. I read that you must use USB connection for firmware update. Then moved to WiFi.

my 2¢ -- Lots of room for improvement in Canon's printer driver. Too much hidden behind buttons that are not well named. Too many tabs. Once you find your way around the driver it works. But it feels more like beta version. Example: if you want to preserve your printer setup naming method and edit an existing printer setup (paper type and size) you can not simply overwrite it with same name. You must delete old, then save new with old name.

No need of USB or computer to update the firmware. Moments after you set the printer on your network (wired or wireless) with internet access the printer will tell you that there is a new firmware and ask you if you want to update. That simple firmware update process is really nice.

Software interface is the Achilles Heel of most hardware companies. I have my share of problems with Canon, HP and Epson. That paper size problem is almost a tradition on Canon driver. HP on the other hand can only understand "portrait" orientation on paper sizes and if you want a "landscape" paper you have to set it as a portrait and order the driver to "turn it 90 degrees".

Back to the Pro 1000, it is an amazing printer. When it works it produces beautiful prints, but as mine is buggy and will be replaced (I hope) I am delaying the creation of my custom profiles, so I am also postponing the more complex and expensive prints. The current position from Canon is that it will be replaced but they must send a technician to verify what I told them on the phone and that is what I am waiting.

Fingers crossed.

[Mousecop]

The printer works and prints just fine, until it freezes and the display shows one of these two errors: 5200 (quite often) and B209 (once). After restarting the printer everything is back to normal until the error happens again. I would say it happens once or twice a day.

Am I the first to get a lemon Pro 1000? Our IPF 8400 works like a tank without any problem for the last four years.

Mine works well so far. Just updated to the latest firmware the other day.

The only thing I don't like about the driver is that it's very fussy about paper sizes with matte papers. I just set up print templates in Lightroom, so I rarely have to fuss with any settings.

[paulbk]

Geraldo, agree. Prints are stunning, both glossy and matt. I had an old box 50 sheets Harman Gloss FB AI, 13x19. Beautiful colors and wow impact! Having fun.

[John Caldwell]

No need of USB...

I may have missed it and apologize if so: Is your connection Ethernet and, if so, does the problem persist on using USB connection instead?

[Geraldo Garcia]

I may have missed it and apologize if so: Is your connection Ethernet and, if so, does the problem persist on using USB connection instead?

Yes, ethernet but it doesn't matter. The problem occurs even without any connection. Sometimes all it takes is to turn on the printer for it to freeze and display the error message. Once it happened during a nozzle check initiated through the printer's panel. The printer is a faulty one, that is clear. I am just waiting for Canon to replace it, but looks like they are not in a hurry.

[Geraldo Garcia]

Quick update:

After almost two months they finally replaced it. The new Pro 1000 arrived today and is working as expected.

Regards.

[Doug Gray]

Good to hear it. Prof. printers are amazing pieces of engineering but sometimes something fails and many of those are early failures. After you reach a month of operation failure rates plummet. Good luck with the new one.