Help Me Choose A Printer Please

[tw33ter]

Hi, right now I have an HP 840c, which I've had for about 5 years now. Although it's a good printer, I think it's time to replace it. I do some black and white printing as well as photo. Since I think that printers are all about the same when it comes to black and white(correct me if I'm wrong, don't know that much about printers), what's a nice $200 printer, I don't really need one of those all-in-one's, for printing photos?

I found these on newegg
Canon IP5200R
Canon iP6600D
HP 1200dn

 

[pkme2]

My students use the HP 1220C and get great photo printing results, but they use up a lot of ink cartridges. The HP 1200dn doesn't.

If you plan to do a lot of printing, the HP should be the top of your list. Your experience with the HP should guide your choice on reliability and the HP 1200dn will give you excellent photo prints.

 

[justlnluck]

I used HP before finding out about Canon printers. Wow, what a difference. The Canon printers that I have had experience with have used MUCH, MUCH less ink. Not only that, but the ink is cheaper as well. I remember spending a small fortune everytime I needed to update my HP cartridges. It's nice being able to print in color and never worry about the ink costs. Of course, I use a Canon printer that is the generation right before the current one that presently requires the use of Canon ink cartridges. But I have talked with many generic ink online vendors and they say that the new generic ink cartridges (with sensors) will be availabe within the next couple months. Ink cartridges will cost about $5 a piece.

 

[Lemon law]

Gotta agree with justinluck,

I am a dyed in the wool Canon fan---but would not buy a chipped Canon--unless I was a 100% sure they have already cracked the chip. But the offer may have expired---but they had the MP780 on sale after rebates for $150.00 at Fry's electronics. Which is the last of the quality non-chipped Canons left in the retail channels--it may be a multifuntional that you don't need even though it prints faxes and scans----best of luck getting a better printer value in a non-chipped Canon that just prints--even money to even money.---but I can get quality third party cartridges for less than $1.50 or refill my own for less than 50 cents.

I would not have a HP either---too expensive to feed them---been there done that. Now I refill the same printer engine MP780 is based on and beat even a laser on printing costs. Real easy to do with a non-chipped Canon.

 

[tw33ter]

Thanks for all the very informative replies Other then the chip issue, is there any reason not to go with the Canon IP5200R that I picked out earlier? I looked at the mp780, and its just too big for me, I wouldn't have anywhere to put it lol

 

[Zepper]

Just because you have $200. to spend doesn't mean you should spend it... Go to the Canon web site and do a comparison of the 4200, 5200, 5200R and 6600D. Then check the reviews around the web (http://www.steves-digicams.com is a good place to start). The 5200R has a built-in print server (network interface) - you can get that feature cheaper with an external box than the price diff between the 5200 and 5200R. Most will do fine with the 4200 (nearly equivalent to the earlier iP5000) model which uses the same ink tanks as the 5200 units. Only go with the 5200 units if you REALLY need the features that differentiate them from the 4200. Most folks won't be able to tell the print quality apart.
. The 6600 is heavily slanted toward photo printing and lacks the large pigmented black ink tank that the others use for printing better text - but it does have the intermediate color tanks for slightly better photo printing. Again, consider this only if text printing isn't that important to you and you can really discern the difference in photo quality that the intermediate colors offer. The volume of black ink is also much less so you'll be going thru black tanks quickly if you do much text. The others have two black tanks: one large pigmented for text (the 5 series tank), and one small dye-based black for graphics and photo printing (the 8 series tank - same as all the tanks in the 6600).

Once again, the 4200 is by far the best bang for your buck in the Canon line rignt now. They have had rebates available almost from the day they arrived in the States. An $80. price AR is fairly typical. Then hope and pray the cloners get the range on those new tanks soon. Otherwise you're gonna take it in the shorts relative to the TCO of the previous models.
. I still recommend to find an iP4000 or iP5000 if you can. You will still have a lower TCO than the new models even if the cloners finally figure out the tanks and even if you have to pay full list price or more for the older models (unless you don't do much printing at all). The old tanks hold a bit more ink (and the cloner I buy from, http://www.swiftink.com, puts more ink in theirs than in the OEM tanks too) and will always be cheaper than the chipped tanks.

.bh.

 

[tw33ter]

Wow, thanks zepper, that really clears it up. I think i will go with the 4200 since its nearly 1/3 cheaper on newegg

 

[Lemon law]

Nothing wrong with a ip4200 except its chipped----you might check ebay for either an ip4000 or ip5000--which are non-chipped---and if you are not really serious about photoprinting add an ip3000 to the list.

These are all very good printers---but ebay is about the only place you are likely to find one at this point in time--in brand new with full factory warranty form.

You can still refill a chipped Canon like the ip4200 but its an added hassle---but you can't use third party cartridges like Zepper does in a chipped Canon---at least until chip resetters come on the market--if and when is the question.

I agree with Zepper in that the extra money the ip5200r costs is not worth it---but the plain jane ip5200 is slightly faster than the ip4200--and unless you value printing speed highly, is also not worth the extra money. The ip5200 also has a printhead with nearly twice the number of nozzles--but output wise--few can distinguish which print was made on a ip4200 Vs. an ip5200.

But any who plan to explore cheaper printing alternatives to be found in using third party prefilled cartridges or do their own refilling----the non-chipped Canons are the way to go.

 

[Zepper]

And several places beat Newegg's bottom-line price on the 4200. I think buy.com's $90. shipped is the best I found after a brief look around.

.bh.

 

[tw33ter]

Ok, I'm buying ink carts. for it, and I noticed that there's 2 types of black inks...CLI-8Bk Black Ink Tank and PGI-5 Pigment Black Ink Tank. What's the difference?

 

[SilentRunning]

Originally posted by: tw33ter
Ok, I'm buying ink carts. for it, and I noticed that there's 2 types of black inks...CLI-8Bk Black Ink Tank and PGI-5 Pigment Black Ink Tank. What's the difference?

The CLI black is dye based and is used when printing in color (along with the other dye based color inks.)
The PGI black is pigmented and is used when printing B&W text on plain paper.

But frankly I don't know why you are buying ink just yet. You must be printing like mad. Canon ships with full cartridges.

 

[tw33ter]

lol sorry, didn't mean purchasing it, I was just browsing through newegg and saw that were 2 types of blacks. My old hp wasn't like that, so it got me confused lol. For future reference, unless I'm printing something that requires nice looking black text, the black dye will be fine?

 

[Smokin Joe]

If you can find an ip4000, get it. Canon has stopped making it. I guess it was toooo good. Best I have ever owned. Cheap to operate and does it all very well. I had a Canon before the 4000, but wife wanted to make pictures so, off to our newly married daughter it went. Pictures are great!! If this dummy can set it up, anyone can!

Smoke

 

[Lemon law]

Just to clarify why many printers have a photoblack----technically the three primary colors--cyan, yellow, and magenta--can make any color when mixed---but black is basically a mix of all three--and does not do a good job producing a deep black. So hence the dye based black cartridge because in photoprinting you want the dye based ink.

But for text the pigment based large text black cartridge will be used if the printer has one.---even if very minute amounts of all colors are also used to keep the printhead open and clean.

But to Smoking Joe--I too have a ip4000---but in a few ways the ip4200 is slightly better----and if a user decided to use Canon OEM Cartridges only, would probably be a better choice than a ip4000. Its only when a user decides to use the compellingly cheaper options of using third party prefilled cartridges or refilling their own cartridges---only then does the chip turn into a decided huge negative factor.

 

[Smokin Joe]

lenon law,
The avalibility of third party cartridges is the reason for my previous statement. I get them for as little as $2.95ea., if I buy in quanity. I did look at the "just out" ip4200 when I purchased the 4000 and having to use Canon ink at 12/14 dollars a pop, made my decision for me.
You have some really good info in your post!!

Smoke

 

[Zepper]

Tweeter,

. When the iP4000, 4200, 5000 or 5200 prints in text mode they use the pigmented black ink from the large, 5 series tank. When they print in graphics mode, they use the dye-based black from the smaller, 8 series tank. You have NO choice in the matter and both black tanks (as well as the three color tanks) must be present or the printer won't work.

.bh.

 

[Lemon law]

To Smokin Joe,

At $2.95 for a third party prefilled cartridge, you are saving by a factor of about 4x over OEM. You are correct in stating they must be bought in bulk---other wise the shipping kills you.

But the vendor I used to use saved me more like 8x as I got them for about $1.70 after shipping. But now I refill my own and its a real snap as canon cartridges are supereasy to refill. Have you ever considered refilling?

 

[tw33ter]

Ohhh, I didn't realize that there was 2 different black tanks in there lol. Thanks a lot for all the replies everyone

 

[Smokin Joe]

Originally posted by: Lemon law
To Smokin Joe,

At $2.95 for a third party prefilled cartridge, you are saving by a factor of about 4x over OEM. You are correct in stating they must be bought in bulk---other wise the shipping kills you.

But the vendor I used to use saved me more like 8x as I got them for about $1.70 after shipping. But now I refill my own and its a real snap as canon cartridges are supereasy to refill. Have you ever considered refilling?

Lemon Law,
You care to give a URL for the $1.70 cartridges and you source for ink to do refills!
Smoke

 

[Lemon law]

To Smoking Joe,

The third party vendor I used is www.bulkinkjetcarts.com--which will get you to their web site, They were reviewed on nifty stuff forums, I found them to be very easy to deal with, they have a toll free telephone number, and I had zero problems with their cartridges. You may experience a slight color shift ajustable in software-----and by no means are they the only good vendor of cheap pre-filled cartriges. You might also want to check out www.alotofthings.com or any of the other good vendors listed on the nifty stuff forums.---but for the bulkinkjetcarts review look to the six plus review by JV on same forum.--------------I am somewhat reluctant to endorse a vendor------but why buy a pig in the poke or risk getting a bad vendor---so get opinions of those who have tried that vendor before you buy is the key.

In terms of refill ink I will say there are three highly respected inks for Canon printers---MIS, forumalabs, and a fairly new outfit called hobbicolors. I decided to get a five color refill kit from hobbicolors--------which runs $21.95 on ebay.just type hobbicolors on the ebay search bar. The chief charm of the hobbicolors kit is that it comes with a syringe, ink, and five empty cartridges with a screw seal. Most other refill kits make you drill out some pre-used cartridge and then leave the user to find some way to effect a seal. And how to seal the ink inlet hole the home refiller must have is another hotly debated subject------but I favor a #8 stainless steel pan head screw with a tight fitting O-ring on the depleted Canon cartridges I used to get a spare set in addition to my five hobbicolors cartridges.

But by all means check other refill inks-------MIS can be found at www.inksupply.com and the alotofthings.com site is one site that does vend forulalabs ink. --and also prefilled cartrdiges and blanks---the one mistake to avoid in refilling is to get a generic kit for all printers--if you have a canon printer get inks specifically made for a Canon printer--if you have a hp printer get inks for that model of HP's--etc.

But refilling your own is the way to go for huge savings----and dirt cheap printing----but my choices
in vendors need not be your choices---lots of good vendors out there---lot of bad vendors out there.
So get a second, third, and fifth opinion. But bottom line, and in my opinion, the Canon BCI-3&6 cartridge line is super easy to refill. And you can easily save better than 15x over OEM---and more than double that if you order inks in large quanities.