My New Canon PIXMA Pro-100

[PalaDolphin]

It's 11:03 PM CST and I'm about to spooge joyful ink jetism all over! I set up my new Canon PIXMA Pro-100 right before work and didn't have a chance to print anything other than a test print. It took two hours to set up: one for the physical unboxing and installing the print head and eight ink cartridges, the second hour to install the software and make the network connection. I was almost late for work so I didn't have time to even think about what the first photo I should print will be. Now that I'm home from work and have Friday off, it's play time. I know I what my first 13"x19" print will be: a close-up of a kestrel. But, my first print will be 8.5"x11" and I'm trying to think what that should be...

This is a serious printer. It's as wide as my stove. I'm glad my recovered table without a glass top works well as a printer stand.

And I'm having a diabetic glucose crash so I've got to take care of that...brb.

-=- PalaDolphin

 

[kdsdata]

I am sure you will like the printer. I have had Canon inkjet for years. First the i9900 and now the Pro-100. "My" main reason is the paper feed. It is crisp, you don't fight with trays, and the paper alignment is essentially perfect (because the printhead calibrates its position to the paper).

I do miss the straight through feed from the back, like the i9900 had. This puts a limit to the thickness of the printable material that the Pro-100 can handle. The i9900 could print on fairly thick card stock (almost cardboard).

With the Pro-100 paper change is easy. When I print envelopes, simply put them in the tray. Word for example will know exactly what to do (it will show you how to insert the envelopes). Even double sided is a snap, the print driver shows you how and when to rotate and reload the pages. A real treat is the preview (this is by the print driver), so if it doesn't look good there, cancel to job. But you need to configure the print driver to "preview". Also I suggest to configure to print last page first, that way you don't have to resort the print job. Don't forget, the pages come out ink up.

A joy is the CD cover printing. It is so neat and easy that I have started printing the covers, instead of just using a Sharpie, which never worked well. Maybe not so important now-a-days, because we don't create as many CDs, but that depends on how you manage your data storage, or your backups.

A note of caution is in order. Print a test page (from Maintenance) every third day. I set myself a Windows alarm so I don't forget. This sound like an ink waster, but in fact it's the opposite. If you don't do this, and you don't print something for I believe 60 hours, then the printer goes into an enforced cleaning cycle before it will actually print your job (you can't disable that). The cleaning cycles DO use a lot of ink. But if you print the test page, you will first of all keep the printhead from drying out (a real cost saver in the long run), and secondly the test page takes very little ink (as compared to the cleaning), and it will restart the count towards the 60 hours.

It's the best printer implementation that I know. I have been in offices before dot matrix was invented, and have since then seen many, many printer types and makes. A lot of them good, some bad, but none of those were as easy to use as the Canon Pixma Pro-100 (with the one proviso that they can be ink hogs if you don't manage that situation).

Enjoy.

 

[PalaDolphin]

That's good advice to know about the 60-hour cleaning cycle. I was going to make sure I print something periodically just to keep the print heads from clogging; I have so much art and paper. Which makes me want to consider refilling these stock cartridges. Are you talking about from Devices and Printers Right-Click->Printer Properties->Print Test Page? That test page? Will that exercise all 8 print heads?
And I just read your "(from Maintenance)" but don't see a "test page" on the Maintenance tab.

 

[PalaDolphin]

Had a decent sleep. I decided as my first print job to this Peregrine Falcon

on the included letter-sized luster paper. I printed it as 8x10 from Lightroom (Lr) since I'd already had this cropped for that size. I work at a thrift store which currently has an overabundance of frames; just need to find some with an inner matted size of 8x10.
Another option is a setup I have been experimenting with where I have display locations around my apartment using sheet metal attached to the walls using mounting tape and neodymium magnets to hold the art in a non-destructive manner. This allows me to pack the prints into a to-go portfolio. And makes for easy rotation of hanging art so the walls don't become boring. If I keep things affordable with refillable ink I could print a photo every other day which would avoid the need for test prints every 60 hours.
I'm using a filing box as a drying station. I can stack several letter-sized prints in there to dry in a dust-free environment.

 

[The Hat]

I can see why you like this photo, a mighty fine specimen...

 

[PalaDolphin]

I can see why you like this photo, a mighty fine specimen...

Thank you.

I have lots of 8.5x11 paper to experiment with and a pack of 50 sheets of 13x19 that was bundled with the Pro-100 thanks to B&H Photo Video which also offered the $250 mail-in rebate I need to work on and send in today. I have figure out how to print an official receipt from my online purchase. The savings from using B&H included no sales tax (they're in New York City) and free shipping (over $50).

 

[The Hat]

The same printer here would be €550 and €55 delivery with no free paper...

 

[PalaDolphin]

I'm getting anal in my old age. I've created a spreadsheet on printing history so I know whether or not to do a test print if I haven't printed within 60 hours.

 

[PalaDolphin]

The same printer here would be €550 and €55 delivery with no free paper...

 

[PalaDolphin]

I used to just always buy from Amazon but I can't stand their new delivery division, Amazon Logistics. They always deliver in the afternoon. I leave for work around 2:30 PM. So, I checked out B&H this time and got morning delivery from UPS. I'm going to avoid Amazon whenever possible.
I also ordered a gaming mouse for $7.99 with this order to slide under the $50 threshold for free delivery. It had great reviews and I'm comparing it to the $20 Logitech G300s I bought from Target with the full intention of returning it when this arrived.
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1006267-REG/zalman_usa_zm_m300_2500dpi_usb_gaming_mouse.html

The G300s was Target's only wired mouse on the shelf. All their $8 mice were wireless which doesn't bode well when playing FPS games. It has way too many features than I can take advantage of.