Canon I-9900 Photo Printer
by Canon
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Canon I-9900 Photo Printer
Customer Review: Black and White Printing Tips with the Canon i9900; Ink usage stats
Summary: 5 Stars
I have been looking at this printer for some time, and finally had the opportunity to evaluate one, thanks to a client who provided me a new i9900 to print several architectural photos for a Home Show display. The photos were stunning and attracted a lot of attention. I had no problem with color shifts, having calibrated my monitor and used the Canon print drivers. I used a Mac G5 and Photoshop Elements. I printed approximately 55 - 8.5 x 11 (cropped to 7 x 10.5) and 32 - 13 x 19 photos. This calculates to approx 83 sq feet of photos. I used Canon inks and Canon Photo Paper Plus Glossy. Here are the stats for the ink usage for this project:
Photo Magenta 4 cartridges
Photo Cyan 3
Yellow 2
Cyan 1
Magenta 1
Black 1
Red 2/3
Green 1/4
So ~ 13 cartridges of ink were needed to print 83 sq ft of photos. Assuming a cost of $12/cartridge, this means $156 to print 83 sq ft, or 12000 sq in. This is about 1.3 cents (.013) per square inch. So ink costs for an 8 X 10 would be $1.04, for a 13 x 19, $3.21.
Now, the part that intrigued me, how would this printer perform printing black and white? For my source I used a 2 1/4 monochrome negative that I scanned. I imported the scan into Photoshop in grayscale mode. A direct print to 8.5 x 11 Kodak Ultima High Gloss looked quite good as far as color (compared to my darkroom print). However, I don't recommend this paper with this printer since the ink will smear if water contacts it. I tried printing the same negative on Canon Photo Paper Plus and was disappointed to find that the print was tinged with green. So I began checking the print settings and here is how to correct it so the green tinge disappears. Under Color Options, make sure Color Corrections is set to ColorSync (for Macs), or None. Under Quality and Media, make sure the Grayscale box is off (unchecked). Of course make sure the media type matches the paper you're printing on. This seems to make all the difference.
Now the amazing discovery....I was checking to see how water-impermeable the Canon paper/ink combination was, so I used one of the green-tinged prints for my test. I found that by wiping the print with a damp soft cloth, the green tinge disappeared and a beautiful, neutral black and white print appeared!!!
I'm not sure what is happening here, since if I wipe a color print on Canon paper, no smearing or color change is observed. I would be interested to know if those who have found magenta tints on their prints can wipe them and observe this.
I have had excellent results using Konica Premium Silky paper with this printer (no smearing).
The only problem I observed, was that when printing multiple 13 x 19 photos, I saw a small smudge of black ink in the upper left hand corner on some prints. This disappeared when I took a break and resumed printing.
This is a class-act printer. Very quiet, and fast (compared to Epson). I will be buying one shortly, although I see that Canon may introduce some new printers this Fall with large format capabilities and new ink systems. I may just a while longer ....
Customer Review: Excellent printer for the money
Summary: 5 Stars
I know this printer is "old" in terms of current technology, but I'm posting this for anyone who is interested in this printer late in 2006.
I am a professional photographer and I needed (wanted) a 13x19 printer for a recent extended RV trip. I already own and operate an Epson 9600 and wanted to try a model from either HP or Canon. Epson uses piezo-activated nozzle technology to spray the ink onto paper, while HP and Canon both use thermal-activated technologies to spray the inks. The word on the street is that Epson technique is more accurate than HP's or Canon's and I wanted to see the difference first hand.
My subject matter during the trip was landscapes and nature close-ups -- stuff I don't photograph in my studio. My cameras are Canon 1Ds Mark I & II and all digital processing and printing were done through a Mac G4 laptop.
Software loaded from the enclosed CD without a problem. I also updated these drivers by downloading the latest from Canon. Updating went with no problems as well. The Canon drivers function perfectly within the Mac's printer driver utility. Heads can be aligned and cleaned, and ink cartridges can be monitored. Paper and page sizes can be accessed correctly from the driver as well.
I used Ilford's Classic Pearl inkjet paper, and used their free ICC printer/paper profiles. I printed all images from Photoshop and used its advanced print function to convert colors to the correct ICC printer color space. All prints were made using the highest quality settings available, and thus longer print times.
The first print -- which came out in less than two minutes -- was astonishing. Vibrant colors, deep blacks, excellent feathering of highlight detail (no blotchiness). I was hooked. Throughout the trip, I printed over 100 13x19 prints and it is an excellent way to evaluate an image. A laptop monitor just isn't the same as a nice print.
Prints require 24 hours to fully dry and are easily smudged when fresh off the printer. The inks are dye-based, not pigments, so they are not "archival". The Wilhelm testing site indicates that a print made with these inks will last only 6 to 12 years under normal display conditions.
Once back in my studio I evaluated the dot pattern and must say that there is a visible difference when using a 4x loupe for evaluation. At normal viewing distances any difference in the dot pattern between the two technologies is not visible.
The only nit pick I have is that the ink cartridges are too small. About every 20 - 30 prints (13"x19") depletes one or two cartridges. They are not expensive: $10 each from any Staples or Office Depot. If you buy this printer, be aware that you'll need to replenish the ink supply frequently if you print a lot.
For those photographers who work on location and like to provide your clients with non-permanent prints during the job, this is an excellent printer for just that purpose.
Easy to use and highly recommended.
Customer Review: After Three Months I'm Still Impressed
Summary: 5 Stars
I've had my i9900 since it first came out and I love it! Before this I had two Epson photo printers and was happy with them at the time but everything about this printer is better... The print speed is incredible, I haven't had a clogged head yet (Epson owners will appreciate this), the individual ink cartridges are economical, and the print quality is phenomenal. Although I print more 4x6's than anything, I've made several 13 x 19 prints and they look great. Genuine Canon ink cartridges can be bought for about $10.00 each if you shop around a bit. They last a reasonably long time and are a snap to change.
I only have two quibbles with this printer and neither is serious enough to affect its five-star rating... It doesn't print on CD's and you can't make a borderless 8 x 10" print (you can make a borderless 8½ x 11" but my Epson handled both sizes).
I can't speak to print longevity yet but I don't expect it to be a problem. I never used Epson's archival inks & papers and have not noticed any fading of those prints, even after 3-4 years hanging on my wall. I expect that prints made with the i9900 will be equivalent, which is fine with me. I don't sell my prints so if in ten years a print has faded, I'll simply make a new one.
One last thing... Although I usually don't recommend using paper from anyone but the manufacturer of the printer, I've found that Epson's Premium Glossy Photo Paper works fine with this model. You get a very slight shift toward yellow when compared with Canon's best paper but can be easily adjusted out if desired. I mention this because I print a lot of 4x6's and Epson's 100 pack of their best glossy paper (S041727) is quite a bit cheaper than even Canon's mid-line paper. Also, although the glossy surface on the Epson and Canon papers are near identical, the back of the Epson paper is smoother than the Canon's, making the prints slide easier (and feel better) in your hand. This is a small thing but you may want to give it a try.
If you're looking for a wide-carriage photo printer, there's a lot to like with this one.
Update - 6/30/2005: After living with this printer for nine months I'm still impressed. I've not had any problems, not even a clogged head (something I constantly had with my Epsons). I did stop using the Epson 4x6 paper and now use Canon's mid-line "Photo Paper Plus" for my 4x6 snapshots. I make a lot of 4x6's and don't see any difference between this and Canon's much more expensive "Photo Paper Pro" (I still use "Pro" for my larger prints though). One small complaint is that a few other photo printers do a better job producing neutral black & white prints. Lastly, I didn't mention text printing in my first review because I have an HP for that. I have used the Canon for text documents on a few occasions and it does an Ok job but that's not why people buy this printer.
Customer Review: I love this printer!
Summary: 5 Stars
As a professional graphic artist, I researched many printers before ordering this one, which arrived 6 weeks ago. I was please with Adorama's handling of my order - the printer was shipped quickly and was well packed. It arrived in perfect condition, was set up quickly - and is amazing!
After reading all the other reviews, I was a little concerned about it's large space requirements, but I set it up with it's back to the wall and it only uses a space 18" deep and 23" wide. The front paper tray hangs out over the floor when in use and is closed when not in use.
Another consideration in choosing this printer was the individual, long lasting, low cost ink cartridges. I have been pleasantly surprised at how much those ink tanks hold.
It will print wonderfully on anything. Borderless printing on any size paper up to 13" x 19" works every time. The colors match what is on my screen in any of the Adobe CS2 programs with no adjustments, and I save ink and paper since I don't have to print and re-adjust settings to get a match.
I haven't bought Canon paper yet, but am very pleased with it's performance with all my other papers as I use them up (and I am very picky!) There have been no problems with paper jams or clogged nozzles - a real relief after some other printers I've wrestled with!
If you want dependable, professional quality printing results from a printer you don't have to fight with, this one is worth the money and a real time-saver!
Update to this review: It is now 2 years later, and this printer is wonderful! I use it to print watercolor reproductions for sale, and by using authentic Canon inks and papers, consistently obtain deep, intense colors that are incredible. I don't obtain the same results when using any other brand of papers. I have never had a problem with banding, uneven printing or clogged print heads (maybe because I only use Canon's inks). I am amazed at how many pictures I can get out of those ink tanks even after the monitor tells me that the tanks are low or empty.
Printing is fast. I usually use the standard setting instead of the high setting. For a borderless 8 x 10 print, I use the borderless setting and move the slider almost all the way to the left for perfect results. For photo and art reproduction that will match what you see on your screen, this printer is your answer, as long as you use Canon inks and papers. Well worth the price!
Second update: I have now been using this printer for three and a half years and still love it . . . wouldn't want to be without it. I use only canon matte photo papers and canon inks to print my graphics artwork, and the colors are brilliant and true to the design colors. The prints actually look like original paint in both hue and texture.
Customer Review: Just got it and already like it better than the Epson 1280
Summary: 5 Stars
Why you ask? I owned an Epson 1280 for about 3-4 years...two of them actually; Epson had to replace my original unit. After dealing with constant ink clogging, random ink smears down the sides of pages, etc., I got fed up and decided to switch to a Canon. I'm glad I did.
1. While this shouldn't necessarily be your main reason for going with one printer over another...SPEED. This thing can print out an 11x14 print on photo paper, high quality, in about 2 minutes. I was amazed. I hit print, went and got myself a drink, came back and it was done. My old Epson 1280 took about 30 minutes to do that!
2. Separate ink tanks. I can replace one or all colors at a time. If the red runs out, I replace only the red. Don't worry about the price either...you're probably thinking, "wow 8 ink tanks to replace, that must be expensive." It's really not...go price it out on Amazon. All 8 tanks combined cost just about what I used to pay to replace the color and black cartridges in the Epson.
3. Replacable print heads! My Epson clogged constantly. Technically the printheads can be removed and replaced, but it's not recommended as you can easily damage the nozzles. So, just about each time I wanted to print, I had no choice but to go through the "Cleaning" cycle sometimes upwards of 10 times before all the jets would unclog. From research I've done, the Canon doesn't have the severe clogging problems that the Epson has, and even if were to develop that problem, the print head mechanism is user-replacable (easy...just pull the lever and it pops out). It's not exactly inexpensive to do this, but at least you know you can. Better than paying to replace the whole printer!
4. True to life color: This is really subjective I guess...different cameras, monitors, and the paper you use will reproduce pictures differently. For me at least, selecting the "ColorSync" option on my Mac (and no other color modifications in the print settings) produced a pretty good reproduction of what I saw on the screen.
I could go on, but you get it. Again, if you're thinking of buying this printer, you're probably also considering the Epson. Remember, the Epson makes great prints, albeit slowly, *when you can get it to work properly*. Just do a search for "Epson 1280 clogs" and you'll see other reports of people having trouble keeping the Epson functioning 100%. Trust me...go with the Canon.