Transcript
ON TRIAL
ON TRIAL
The latest generation of printers from both Canon and Epson now pay more attention to external styling.
Head To Head – Epson Stylus PHOTO R3000 & Canon PIXMA PRO-1 Rivals Canon and Epson have both recently launched their next generations of A3+ photo printers. Trevern Dawes has tested them both and concludes that there’s not much in it when it comes to selecting one over the other… but there are differences.
E
pson’s Stylus Pro R3000 recently won the digital photo printer category in the 20112012 Camera Magazine Imaging Awards which are judged by sister publication, Camera. The judges were particularly impressed with its larger ink cartridges, line feed system – as per larger format printers – all the desired features and the exquisite print quality we always associate with Epson. Not long after, Canon introduced its new flagship A3+ photo printer, the PIXMA PRO-1 which is
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in direct competition to the R3000. Brand loyalties aside, there is going to be a lot of photographers wondering which one to buy because they both offer a lot in terms of their features and print performance. Having now thoroughly tested them both, I’m able to provide an informed comparison. When it comes to print quality and the speed of printing, I’m not going to attempt to split hairs. If you have all the appropriate scientific equipment and are keen to examine carefully-made prints of colour charts you may indeed find some small dif-
ference in gamut, contrast, fine resolution and so on. Like most people, I tend to make my appraisals by eye so I’m going to declare that both printers are able to deliver the very best of image quality and will do so with the customary 100+ years display life ratings attributed to pigmented inks. With the inks dedicated to the production of monochrome both printers create extraordinary results that can be entirely neutral or toned as required. Having established a very firm foundation in the image quality department, it is now very much a matter of comparing the main features, all of which are presented in a convenient side-by-side table.
Big And Heavy Both printers are relatively heavy with the Canon PIXMA PRO-1 – at a solid 27.4 kilograms – being quite a handful. Although weight can have its disadvantages, it does result in a printer that not only doesn’t vibrate, but also will perform reliably for many years. In terms of styling both the printers are pleasant enough and there is definitely now more of an emphasis on the external appearance. The Stylus Pro 3000 takes about 35 minutes for the set up procedure whereas the Canon PIXMA PRO-1 takes about an hour. By adopting the line feed system of the larger format printers, the PRO-1 and the Pro R3000 are
Canon PRO-1
Epson R3000
Price (RRP):
$1499
$1499
Ink set:
12 Lucia
9 UltraChrome K3
Ink tank capacity:
36 ml.
25.9 ml.
Cartridge cost (RRP):
$45, Optimiser $40
$48
Total ink supplied:
432 ml.
233 ml.
Max. resolution (dpi):
4800 x 2400
5760 x 1440
Cost per ml.
$1.24
$1.85
Minimum droplet (picolitres)
4.0
2.0
Dimensions (WxHxD):
695x462x239 mm
616x319x228 mm
Weight:
27.4 kg.
15.0 kg.
Roll paper feed:
No
Yes
CD/DVD printing:
Yes
Yes
PictBridge:
Yes
Yes
Ethernet:
Yes
Yes
Wireless connection:
No
Yes
Max. print size:
Yes
No
Gloss Optimiser:
Yes
No
LCD panel:
No
Yes
Borderless printing:
Yes
Yes
Power consumption:
24 watts
21 watts
Stand-by:
2.4 watts
3.7 watts
Acoustic Noise:
39 dB
38 dB
“By adopting the line feed system of the larger format printers, both the PRO-1 and the Pro R3000 are able to move away from the standard method of having ink cartridges riding along on the print head.” able to move away from the standard method of having ink cartridges riding along on the print head. This results in larger ink tanks, less wear and tear (and vibration) on the print head and promotes faster speeds. The initial charge-up in the printers does see ink ‘lost’ in the lines, but replacement inks thereafter operate at full capacity. Epson’s UltraChrome K3 ink set comprises Photo Black, Matte Black, Light Black, Light Light Black, Cyan, Vivid Magenta, Yellow, Light Cyan and Light Vivid Magenta. One hundred and eighty nozzles are allocated to each colour. The Photo Black and Matte Black share the same line feed so any changeover from gloss to matte media or vice versa does take a few minutes and a small amount of ink is wasted. This is not a major concern provided the same media is used or mixed media printing is well organised. The Canon’s Lucia ink set has a total of 12,288 nozzles with Photo Black, Matte Black, Grey, Light Grey, Dark Grey, Cyan, Magenta, Photo Cyan and Red plus there is a ‘Chroma Optimiser’. The ink tanks are 36 millimetres in capacity so they’re larger than those of the Epson at 25.9 millilitres.
Consequently, the running cost per millilitre is cheaper. This could well be the feature that will cause prospective buyers to lean towards the Canon model. However, everything should be based on how much you actually pay for inks and that, of course, can mean a good local deal on a bulk purchase or possibly buying from overseas.
Paper Feed The PRO-1 has two rear feed paper systems. The ‘Rear’ feed will hold up to 20 sheets while the ‘Manual’ (single) feed is for heavyweight papers up to 0.6 millimetres thick. The Stylus Pro R3000 has its roll feed and paper stacker tray at the rear, and a front direct feed for fine-art and poster boards up to 1.3 millimetres thick. The R3000’s paper roll system allows prints up to almost four metres long to be created. The PRO1 will print on paper up to 676 millimetres long. In most instances, the 329x676 mm is going to be adequate for panoramic prints, but if very long panoramas are required then only one of these printers can deliver.
A panoramic print prepared from the R3000’s roll paper feed. There is no built-in paper cutter, but a faint cut line is printed at the end of the print
What the PRO-1 lacks in the roll feed department, it partly compensates with the ‘unofficial’ capacity to make prints close to A2 format. This is not promoted – or even supported – by Canon, but by setting custom paper sizes up to 355 x584 mm and using the ‘Manual’ single sheet feed, what is also possible on the PIXMA PRO 9500 and 9000 Mark I and Mark II printers also carries through. To have an A3+ printer turning out near-A2 size prints is quite extraordinary.
Top Gloss Pigment inks on gloss media have had their problems with bronzing, gloss differential and metamerism. One means of significantly reducing these unwanted characteristics is to have a separate cartridge or tank with a clear fluid that helps to smooth out the surface. Canon calls its clear coating a ‘Chroma Optimiser’. The optimiser in the PRO-1 does an admirable job with the making of gloss prints, so much so that this printer could be regarded as a specialist gloss printer. Epson, of course, has its specialist gloss printer in the Stylus Photo R2000. This, too,
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Canon’s PRO-1 uses the Lucia pigmented inks and has tank compartments on either side of the front panel. Ink delivery is via line feed.
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TOUCH US PINCH US WE’VE ALL GONE DIGITAL “The R3000’s paper roll system allows prints up to almost four metres long to be created. The PRO-1 will print on paper up to 676 millimetres long.” is an A3+ printer (priced at $1099), but comes with smaller ink cartridges that work out at round about $2.00 per millilitre. To obtain a flawless surface with the PRO1’s gloss prints it’s critical to set the ‘Chroma Optimiser’ to Overall rather than leaving it at the default ‘Auto’ setting. The ‘Auto’ setting won’t allow the clear fluid to be applied over clear white areas in the print and, consequently, will actually promote gloss differential rather then suppress it. Both printers allow PictBridge and Ethernet connections and have a CD/DVD printing tray. The Stylus Pro R3000 also has a wireless connection which could, again, be a feature to tip the scales.
Border Restrictions For reasons of image quality, PIXMA PRO-1 imposes 35 mm boundaries at the top and bottom of fine-art prints. Although this may not be an issue with those accustomed to placing generous white margins on their A3+ or A3 prints, it can be quite a nuisance with A4 size prints. Sure enough, you can tell the printer you aren’t using fine-art paper even though you actually are, but this does involve a mis-match with the printer profile and the need to pursue manual overrides.
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In operation the PRO1 is about as quiet as the church mouse. Amidst the general sounds of an office or studio it is barely audible and may cause you to check if the paper is actually moving. It is hardly a point that would cause a choice to be made, but it is still worth mentioning.
The R3000’s ink tanks have a capacity of 25.9 millilitres.
Decisions Which one to buy? You can run up and down the comparison table and allocate points for each feature, determine if you are a brand loyal person, scrounge around for the best printer prices, work out where the most attractive ink supplies exist, sort out the desirability of a roll paper feed or whether gloss print-making is going to be the principal requirement.
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